Chapter 36 Unbearable Pain
"Besides, since we're not divorced, his money is my money, and isn't it natural for me to spend some of it?" Jessica sneered.
"I'm not spending Diana's money. Isn't she sticking her nose a bit too far into my business, especially when hubby hasn't uttered a word of complaint?" Jessica's words were biting, leaving Diana red-faced and nearly beside herself with rage.
For some reason, hearing this brought an inexplicable surge of pleasure to Gabriel's heart.
"All right, I'll let Diana be. I'm taking off," Jessica said nonchalantly.
"Wait, I'd like to have a word with you in private," Diana insisted.
Jessica waved her off: "Whatever you want to say, Diana, say it right here."
Diana, persistent as ever, pressed, "Just a few minutes, I promise I won't keep you long. Are you scared, Jessica?"
"I'll give you five minutes." With that, Jessica stepped aside.
Diana followed her, moving her wheelchair across the floor. They found a quiet corner, ideal for a private conversation.
"Those rings that you just bought, I suppose you purchased them directly without trying them on?" Diana was the first to speak up.
"That doesn't seem to concern you, does it, Diana?" Jessica retorted.
"Of course it does." Diana smiled, her gaze falling on Jessica's finger. "The ring you're wearing, I bet you've never taken it off."
Jessica didn't want to admit it, but she had to concede that Diana was spot on this time.
The ring had been a bit tight from the moment she put it on. Back at school, people had noticed it and asked if she was married.
At that time, she wasn't ready to go public about her nuptials. So, she always said it was just a ring she found while traveling. She thought it was pretty, so she wore it.
"You're not curious about how I knew?" Diana looked at her.
"I know you're going to say that if you don't want to tell me, then forget it," Jessica said dismissively.
Jessica made a move to leave, but Diana blurted out: “The three rings you just bought are the exact same size as your wedding ring, but I'm sure they won't fit you - only I can wear them."
"Diana, don't try to stir things up between us this way. I won't believe a word you say," Jessica warned.
"Is that so?" Diana smiled, her voice leisurely. "If you don't believe me, why don't we take out those three rings and both try them on? The truth will speak for itself, right?”
Jessica knew she had walked straight into Diana's trap. But what could she do? The trap was too deep; she was unable to climb out.
Compelled as if by some malevolent spirit, she opened the ring box and pulled out the three rings.
Then she began trying them on her finger. The first ring was too small. The second was still too small. The third ring, again, did not fit. Diana, however, slipped the rings onto her finger with ease.
The result was obvious, wasn't it?
"Jessica, I know you don't want to admit it, but responsibly, I have to tell you that the ring on your finger was custom-made for me, to fit my slender fingers. Of course, it feels too small for you.
"Moreover, that ring was meant for Gabriel to propose to me, but you got it first. After you two got married, he didn't want to waste it, so he gave it to you. Did you think it was specially prepared for you? It was nothing more than the hand-me-downs I rejected," Diana said, aiming to upset Jessica.
Jessica's hands clenched. She refused to believe what she was hearing. Not a bit of it. But she knew everything Diana was saying was true.
All of a sudden, Jessica felt like a complete fool – her marriage was a sham. Even the wedding ring that symbolized her marriage was a lie. All of it was a lie. Fake, all fake.
What, then, between her and Gabriel was real?
Diana fitted the rings onto her finger, then raised her hand, flaunting them in front of Jessica with a triumphant smile.
That smile was piercing.
Even more searing was the way the diamond rings glistened under the mall's bright lights, their brilliance assaulting her eyes.
It was agonizing, excruciating. A classic catchphrase about diamond rings popped into her mind suddenly. How did it go?
That's right, she remembered. Diamonds are forever, a gem to last a lifetime. A lifetime? Ha, the whole thing—it's all just one big joke. And to think she took it all seriously.
"Jessica, I've made myself perfectly clear. From the start, Gabriel has only ever loved me. You were never meant to be part of our lives."
"Your father, your mother, your family's background—if it weren't for Xavier's gifts and blessings, you wouldn't have been able to touch the Waltons with a ten-foot pole. Gabriel is a star you can't reach even if you stood on a ladder. So, Jessica, just give up," Diana sneered.
A painful smile broke across Jessica's face as she fought the anguish welling inside her: "And what about you, Diana? After two years of marriage, how can you be so sure he still has feelings for you? How do you know that his love for you hasn’t changed like it did back then?"
"Diana, what are you really afraid of?" Jessica's probing questions sent a shiver down Diana's spine.
She panicked. Fear had indeed crept into her. But Diana wasn't one to admit defeat easily.
She lifted her head and laughed, her face a picture of confidence and certainty, "Afraid? Why should I be? Gabriel's love is mine, it's the courage I draw on to face this world. Why should I be scared?"
"Is that so?" Jessica scoffed. "That sounds reasonable on the surface."
"But remember this, Diana, I don't owe you anything. When I married him, you two had already parted ways amicably. And when you came back, it was during my marriage—so you were the one who wrecked it. But I, Jessica, never interfered with your relationship," Jessica said sternly.
"It doesn't matter whether you love him, or he loves you—I won’t bless your union." With those final words, Jessica turned and made her way down the staircase.
If she lingered any longer, she was afraid she would burst into tears.
Once, she read a question, if you loved someone so deeply that it's ingrained in your bones, and one day they marry someone else, not you, would you bless them?
She had always thought she would bless them with a smile. Wish them happiness, joy, and a blissful marriage. But now she knew just how hard those blessings were to utter.
She realized that when you've truly loved someone, it's impossible to wish them well with another because even a single glance brings heartache, let alone standing by as they dote and show tenderness to someone else.
Jessica wasn't noble. She was simply a petty woman. She could hurt. Feel pain. Shed tears.
Just at the moment she was about to exit the mall, someone grabbed Jessica's hand. She turned to find Gabriel looking at her with concern. "Why did you run off alone?" he asked, peering into her eyes.
Trying her best to contain her emotions, Jessica shook her head: "I'm done shopping. I just want to go home."
"I'll have Oscar drive you," he said.
"I don't want Oscar to take me. What if I want you to?" Jessica said, testing her luck.
