Chapter 1403 Guilt
"Yo, Michael! It's been ages, man. You're looking sharp as ever," Jacob chuckled, acting all buddy-buddy. "Heard you had a baby girl recently. Congrats, dude!"
Michael's face stayed stone-cold. "Cut the crap. To you, I'm just a loser. I remember every nasty thing you said."
"Michael, you got me all wrong," Jacob smirked. "You should be thanking me. If I hadn't said those things, you wouldn't have gone back to the Jude Family, married a hottie, and built a killer career. You're living the dream now."
Michael thought of Jonah's words, feeling a mix of emotions, and sneered, "So, I owe you a thank you?"
"Yep," Jacob raised an eyebrow and nodded.
Michael laughed, pissed off. If they weren't in public, he would've decked him.
Honestly, Michael didn't give a damn about Jacob anymore.
"Jacob, since you know I'm doing well, you should realize things have changed. With a word, I could stall your projects, freeze your funds, and cut your net worth in half. I could even bankrupt you."
Fear flickered in Jacob's eyes, but he kept smiling. "Michael, no need for that. We don't have that kind of beef. Besides, back then, it just looked like I was with Megan. Nothing really happened."
"You think I'll buy that?" Michael glared coldly.
"Megan really cared about you," Jacob said. "She cured a family member of mine and refused payment, asking for a favor instead. She wanted me to pretend to be the guy she cheated with so you'd leave her. She didn't want your company to suffer or see you down. Your family didn't like her, and she didn't want you to ditch them for her. She was scared you'd regret it. She thought you wanted to go back to the Jude Family but couldn't because of her. She even felt you were drifting from your friends because of her."
"She wanted you to be the confident, successful Michael again, not someone everyone laughed at."
Jacob sipped his wine, watching Michael's stunned face, and smiled. "I'm telling the truth. She knew it would be hard for you to leave, so she asked me to make her look like a gold-digging, selfish witch. That way, even if you left, you wouldn't feel guilty."
"Why should I believe you?" Michael asked, trying to keep his cool.
"Check my past year. I've only had two steady relationships, and I'm getting hitched in a couple of months."
Jacob spread his hands. "And less than a month after that night, I left Whisperlyn City for Emerald Lakeside. Megan never came here, and we had no financial ties. That night at the bar, Megan knew your address and brought me there on purpose. As for the hotel, we stayed in separate rooms. You can check the records."
Michael stood there, frozen like a statue.
Jacob raised his glass with a smirk. "So, you should be thanking me. If I hadn't played along with her act, how would you have willingly gone back to the Jude Family? Now your uncle's the President, you're married to the President's goddaughter, and your family's thrilled with you. The Jude Group's big projects are in your hands, and you're respected everywhere."
"Think about it. If Megan had stuck around, you'd be living humbly, always looking up to the high and mighty Jude Family. You'd be mocked, your friends would drift away, your career would tank, and your family would ignore you. You'd be left with just one woman, watching your sister and brother climb higher and higher. Wouldn't you be jealous? Over time, you wouldn't be happy and might even resent Megan."
Michael was torn inside. "Did she tell you all this?"
Jacob nodded. "Women are always more rational and farsighted than men. Megan said she liked you, so she should stay away from you."
Michael had no idea how he got back to the hotel after the party.
His mind was a mess, filled with Jacob's words.
When Jonah mentioned it before, Michael didn't buy it.
But hearing it from Jacob, the guy involved, hit different.
Michael couldn't wrap his head around Megan choosing to leave him in such a humiliating way just to not hold him back.
Turns out she really liked him, made all these sacrifices for him, and he had always misunderstood her.
She went through so much, while he quickly married another woman and had a kid.
Michael suddenly felt like crap.
Laura's call came in at that moment.
He looked at her name, not knowing how to face her.
Laura was innocent.
But thinking of Megan's cautious demeanor and her humble job at the restaurant, he was filled with guilt.
The phone rang and then stopped.
Michael stood by the floor-to-ceiling window for a long time until there was a knock on the door. Magnus came in. "Mr. Jude, Mrs. Jude just called me. She said you didn't answer her call and was worried something might have happened to you."
"Is that what she said?" Michael asked, conflicted.
Magnus was silent.
Actually, Laura's exact words were: "Michael didn't answer my call. Is he drunk? Go check on him. I don't want Maeve to lose her dad so soon."
The words were harsh, but the concern was real.
"Magnus, check Jacob's relationship history and find the hotel records from the night Megan and I broke up. Did they book two rooms?" Michael was silent for a moment before giving the order.
Magnus was stunned and felt a bit sorry for Laura. "Michael, you're already married."
"I know. I just want to clarify some things. If it's true, I don't plan to divorce. I just want to make it up to Megan," Michael said.
"But if Mrs. Jude finds out, it's gonna be bad."
"Then don't let her find out."
Magnus frowned.
Women can be very perceptive sometimes. Magnus wasn't as confident and optimistic as Michael.
Laura received Magnus's call ten minutes later: "Mr. Jude drank too much tonight. He went back to his room and fell asleep."
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