Although John and Lucy didn't know all the details, they'd pieced together enough from Emma's words to understand the gist.
Simply put, she dumped Jason for a rich guy. Now she regretted it, but Jason wasn't giving her the time of day.
John and Lucy exchanged glances, both feeling that this whole trip had been a waste of effort. This woman wasn't worth it anymore.
They'd dropped everything to rush over here, even brought gifts, all for nothing.
Lucy, still unwilling to give up, asked, "Have you even tried apologizing to Jason? Begging him for forgiveness?"
She thought Emma had really screwed up. Even if Jason used to like her, there was no way he'd ever want to get back together now. But people were strange—sometimes, old feelings ran deep. Maybe Jason still had a soft spot.
Emma frowned. "You think I haven't apologized? I've said sorry more times than I can count. He still ignores me! What else am I supposed to do? I only asked for your help because you said you were friends with him. Aren't you his friend?"
Lucy sighed. "Maybe your apology wasn't… sincere enough. Do you even realize what you're missing here?"
Emma snapped, frustrated, "Of course I know! He's rich now. In just a few days, he bought out the a whole building, dropped nearly $2 million on a Lamborghini and a Cullinan. You think I don't want to make things right? If I knew how, I'd have done it already. If you have any ideas, tell me!"
John and Lucy traded a look. It was clear Emma didn't know the full picture.
Lucy explained, "You think that's all? The day Jason bought those cars, he also spent almost $1 million on a Richard Mille watch. After that, he dropped $5 million on a mansion in Ridgeview Heights. All paid in full."
Emma and Lily's eyes went wide. A $1 million watch? A $5 million mansion?
And he paid in cash? In just a few days?
They couldn't even wrap their heads around how much money Jason had. Emma's breathing grew heavy.
She couldn't help imagining what it would be like to marry into that kind of wealth—and the thought made her even more unwilling to give up.
Emma: Regret +5.
"Yes, my apology wasn't sincere enough," Emma admitted through gritted teeth.
"I waited outside his place for less than thirty minutes before leaving. Jason used to wait hours for me in the freezing cold.
"Well, however Jason used to chase me, I'll chase him the same way. Deliver breakfast every morning, show up with an umbrella if he's ever stuck in the rain, take care of him when he's sick, get him gifts for every holiday, plan romantic trips… whatever it takes."
"I can do this."
She said it with conviction, as if making some kind of vow.
But John and Lucy only grew more and more uncomfortable the longer they listened.
They finally realized how much Jason had invested in her before—and the deeper the love, the worse the wound.
The chances of fixing this were basically zero.
John sighed, giving Lucy a look that said, let's just go. This wasn't worth any more time.
But Lucy suddenly smirked, rolled her eyes, and said casually, "By the way, Emma, this Josh guy you left him for… what's his story? Can you introduce us sometime?"
John's eyes lit up. He slapped his thigh. "Oh, that's good. Real good. As expected of you, Lucy."
Since Emma dumped Jason for that guy Josh in the first place, then Josh had to be someone with serious pull.
Even if Emma regretted it now, Jason clearly had far more going for him. But as long as Josh could at least compete with Jason a little, he might still be the right guy to help with their current crisis.
After all, their goal was to find an investor. If Jason wasn't available, replacing him with Josh worked just as well… or so they thought.
Unexpectedly, when Emma heard Josh's name, her face twisted with anger.
"Don't even mention that jerk! Who told you to bring him up?"
John and Lucy were stunned. Wait… did she fall out with Josh too? What's going on now?
Lucy didn't bother digging into the drama. Instead, she pulled out an elegant gift box and handed it to Emma.
"Please, help us out here," Lucy said. "Since you can't get through to Jason, at least introduce us to Josh, okay?"
Emma's expression softened instantly when she saw the brand on the box.
Van Cleef & Arpels. Just one piece could cost tens of thousands. If she sold it, she could pay back a big chunk of what she owed Josh.
Lily quickly nudged Emma, whispering, "Take the gift first. We can figure out the rest later."
Emma took the box, opened it, and sure enough, inside was a stunning Van Cleef & Arpels necklace.
Rolling her eyes, she grabbed her phone, pulled up Josh's contact on WhatsApp with a look of disgust, and held it out.
"Here. That's him."
Lucy hurriedly asked, "What about his company? What kind of business is he in?"
Emma waved her hand impatiently. "I don't know the details. I heard it's some small construction company."
Small construction company? Last name Josh?
John and Lucy exchanged a glance.
As real estate developers themselves, they knew the construction world inside and out.
The only Josh they knew in construction belonged to a small family company called Riverfront Construction.
But the Riverfront Construction family wasn't anyone important. They used to make some money years back, but as the market shrank, they were barely staying afloat. These days, they were basically subcontractors begging bigger developers for work.
There was no way Emma dumped someone like Jason—a guy who bought mansions and luxury cars like they were groceries—for a second-string son of the struggling Riverfront family.
But just to be sure, they checked.
And the more they compared the details… the more their jaws dropped.
It was really him. Josh from Riverfront Construction. Not even the heir—he was the son of the family's third wife.
John and Lucy looked at Emma like she'd grown two heads.
She ditched a man as loaded as Jason for the third wife's kid from a struggling construction family?
This had to be some kind of cosmic-level stupidity.
Just as they were about to get Josh's contact info, they both realized it was pointless. The guy had no real power. If they had a big project, maybe he'd come begging them for work.
But to invest in their plans? Forget it.
Lucy's face darkened. She yanked the necklace back out of Emma's hands and grabbed John's arm.
"Let's go. We've wasted enough time here."
"Hey! What's your problem?!" Emma snapped. "How can you take back the gift after I gave you his info?"
"Keep your contact," Lucy shot back, climbing into the car. "We don't want it."
The two of them drove off without even looking back.
There are 40 chapters ahead in my Patreon, with 2 daily chapters. If you are interested can check it out.
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