Chapter 560 Despite Her Happy Marriage, Jacob Can't Let Her Go
Nicole stood while Theron sat on the sofa in the spacious two-thousand-square-foot living room. Behind them, floor-to-ceiling windows bathed the space in golden sunlight, casting a warm, ethereal glow over everything and creating an atmosphere of indescribable intimacy.
They were husband and wife, but more than that—they were family. For Nicole, gaining Theron as a husband meant so much more; she had gained parents too, and for the first time in her life, she truly had a home.
Theron extended his hand toward her, and though Nicole felt a flutter of shyness, she placed her palm in his. He enveloped her hand completely, drawing her down beside him on the sofa, then gently smoothed her hair as if she were a beloved pet.
Donny and Delphine exchanged another meaningful glance as one of the household staff emerged from the kitchen carrying dishes. The woman couldn't help but smile as she observed the scene. "Mr. Theron Voss really dotes on Mrs. Nicole Voss."
"Exactly!" Eulalia agreed with a warm smile.
Donny chuckled approvingly. "A man who treats his wife well—that's what keeps a family happy and together."
The family radiated contentment and joy.
After lunch, Delphine led Nicole to her bedroom, settling her on the sofa while she rummaged through her treasures.
Though Donny and Delphine lived modestly on professors' salaries, their bedroom was decorated with warm, eco-friendly touches.
Delphine wasn't lacking for money—between Theron's generous annual gifts and her own family's wealth from generations of scholars, she had accumulated quite a collection of precious items.
She emerged with a jewelry box filled with exquisite pieces, including a pair of sapphire bracelets that gleamed with unmistakable value.
Nicole protested that they were too expensive, but Delphine slipped one onto her wrist anyway. "If you and Theron have a daughter, the other bracelet will be hers. If you have a son, it'll go to his future wife. Your hands are so delicate and smooth—these look absolutely perfect on you."
Nicole's youthful beauty hadn't escaped Delphine's notice. She felt Theron had struck gold with such a lovely wife to brighten their home.
No wonder he'd kept Nicole close during lunch, his eyes practically glued to her as if he couldn't bear to look away for even a moment.
Delphine had worried about Theron's bachelor status for years, but now she could finally rest easy.
As the two women chatted, Theron entered after discussing business with Donny in the study. His gaze immediately fell on the bracelet adorning Nicole's wrist, and he gently took her hand, his eyes soft with affection. "It suits you perfectly."
Delphine beamed with delight as she pulled Nicole toward the door, playfully threatening to max out Theron's credit cards.
Theron chuckled and called after Nicole, "Don't forget to pick out a couple of shirts for me."
Nicole blushed and replied quietly, "I won't forget."
Theron continued watching her with such obvious adoration that everyone else had to look away from the display.
At Harborview Plaza's first-floor atrium, Jacob sat in an upscale lounge area, enduring a blind date with Serafina from the Penrose family.
Serafina was pleasant-looking but unremarkable—certainly nothing like her sister Isadora, who possessed both sharp intelligence and stunning beauty.
As the family's second daughter with mediocre talents, Serafina had never been groomed as a priority, leaving the Penrose family baffled as to why Jacob would choose her over Isadora.
The atmosphere felt stifling as Jacob stared at his phone, barely speaking.
A Facebook message from Ondine confirmed what he'd suspected—she had failed.
Theron showed no lingering attachment to the past, rejecting Ondine without sentiment. At this very moment, Theron was introducing Nicole to his parents.
A cold smile played at Jacob's lips.
Meeting the parents?
He and Nicole had grown up together, shared countless memories, even shared the same adoptive parents. Now she was meeting someone else's family.
'How quickly love could vanish,' he thought bitterly.
The silence stretched uncomfortably until Sarah whispered, "Jacob, why don't you talk to Serafina?"
Jacob's gaze settled on Serafina with the detached air of a job interviewer rather than a potential suitor.
"Why did you agree to this blind date?" he asked bluntly.
The question was borderline rude, but Serafina didn't take offense. She smiled gently. "Because I'm at the age where my parents think I should be meeting potential husbands."
Such honest pragmatism felt tedious to Jacob. Even Oliver and Sarah sensed this date was doomed—they knew how particular Jacob could be and silently resigned themselves to failure.
Unexpectedly, Serafina turned the question back on him. "What about you? Are you here because you've reached that age too?"
Her parents looked mortified. While the Penrose family was wealthy, they couldn't compare to the Windsor Group's empire. The Windsors' contracts comprised a third of their business—they couldn't afford to offend Jacob, regardless of romantic outcomes.
Ronan Penrose scolded his daughter sharply. "What are you saying? Apologize to Mr. Jacob Windsor immediately."
Before Serafina could respond, Jacob spoke with cool detachment. "She's not wrong. I am here because of age expectations, though Ms. Penrose is only twenty-four—hardly desperate circumstances."
Both sets of parents recognized the date's failure in those words. Jacob, who had agreed to this meeting purely out of obligation, found even that motivation evaporating.
He stood and adjusted his tie, nodding politely to the Penrose elders. "I have a company meeting to attend. Mr. and Mrs. Penrose, if you'll excuse me."
"Of course, business comes first," Ronan replied immediately.
Jacob smiled with aristocratic grace and departed, leaving Serafina to study his retreating figure for several seconds before returning to her coffee. Around her, both sets of parents exchanged awkward apologies while she sat in the knowledge that Jacob felt no attraction to her whatsoever.
She finished her coffee and looked at her mother, Lila Penrose. "I'd like to do some shopping."
"Go ahead, darling," Lila said, patting her hand. Unlike Ronan, who clearly favored the capable Isadora, Lila loved both daughters equally—perhaps even protecting Serafina more because of her ordinary nature.
With Lila's blessing, Serafina bid farewell to Oliver and Sarah before leaving the disappointed parents to their mutual commiserations.
Jacob emerged from the lounge as Anya hurried to meet him. Since Harborview Plaza belonged to the Windsor Group and a disturbance had erupted on the third floor, Jacob decided to handle it personally.
The elevator carried them upward to what turned out to be a sordid drama—a man caught with his mistress by his wife, resulting in a three-way brawl that required police intervention and left bloodstains on the floor.
The plaza manager bowed obsequiously while explaining that today's incident was purely accidental, as cleaning staff continued mopping up the evidence.
"Increase security," Jacob said flatly. "I don't care if people want to destroy themselves, but don't let them endanger other customers."
"Absolutely, sir," the manager agreed repeatedly.
As Jacob turned to leave, his gaze caught a familiar figure—Nicole, shopping with an elegant older woman who could only be Theron's mother.
She spoke to Delphine with animated affection, her eyes bright with genuine warmth as she held a men's dress shirt clearly intended for Theron. The picture of domestic bliss was unmistakable.
How pathetic and laughable that he still couldn't let go while she had moved on so completely.
Nicole suddenly noticed him across the space. Though only a dozen feet separated them physically, an entire marriage stood between them—her marriage to another man, her newfound love that had erased eight years of shared history as if they'd never existed.
Nicole stared at him without moving, and Delphine followed her gaze to Jacob. Unaware of their complicated past, she asked pleasantly, "Nicole, is this your brother?"
Nicole's lips moved slightly. "Yes."
At that moment, Serafina appeared, having wandered into their vicinity while shopping, transforming an already tense encounter into an awkward triangle.
Jacob seized Serafina's wrist and looked directly at Nicole, his expression utterly blank. "What a coincidence. My girlfriend and I are shopping too."
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