Bride To Be Not Me (Janice and Simon)

After Janice paid Matilda her money back, she expressed her gratitude by Inviting Matilda to dinner when she returned to Greenfield City, which the latter gladly accepted.

Back at the hospital, while caring for Jacob, Janice refrained from mentioning her personal matters, but Jacob would still ask

“Your eyes are all red. What's going on with you?

"My little brother was in a car accident. Can 1, as your sister, not be worried?

Jacob stared at her quietly. His silence conveyed a sense of discontent that Janice couldn't ignore. She knew Jacob was worried about her, which was why she chose not to share anything that might upset him.

"If you don't tell me, I'll discharge myself from the hospital right now." Jacob was the kind of person who did what he said he would.

Janice reluctantly gave a vague explanation. “It's nothing serious. I'm just realizing more and more that Simon and 1 aren't compatible. We had a bit of a disagreement.”

“I'm very grateful to Mr. Fitzgerald for being the first to jump in to save me back then. I feel guilty about causing his accident, so I'll always think it's worth repaying them no matter what. But, Janice, gratitude is not the same as love.

"If you're staying with Simon because of that, your relationship is unequal from the start. Over time, he'll only see controlling you as his privilege." Jacob's words hit the nail on the head.

Janice chuckled, remarking, "You've never been in a relationship, so how do you know all this?"

“People are people. It has nothing to do with whether I've been in a relationship or not,” Jacob retorted. “You should seriously think about breaking up with him. If they ever need help in the future, I'll handle it. You don't need to sacrifice yourself."

Deep down, Jacob didn't like Simon. He didn't have a specific reason; he just had a feeling that Simon was unreliable and shallow-the Type who could share hardships but would not share success.

Jacob didn't even know just how accurate his instincts were.

"I'm fine now. You should go back to do your stuff," he said.

"How could I do that?" Janice wasn't about to leave him in the hospital

“Janice, you need to know that no one is more important than your career—not even me. Your career is yours and will support you for

life

"Can I support you for life? Nobody knows when accidents might happen, so what you have is the most reliable."

Perhaps because Jacob lost his parents when he was in his teens, he became sensible and independent. He was very realistic, but unlike Simon's cruel selfishness, he simply had a clear understanding of priorities, thanks to Janice's guidance instilling upright values in him.

“Then come back to Greenfield City with me for your recovery. You don't need to go to school since you can study using a computer anyway.” Janice tried to bargain. “If you don't, I'm not leaving.”

Jacob glared at her. "Olary, fine."

Shortly after, Janice arranged for Jacob to be transferred to the best hospital in Greenfield City. Once Janice was done handling the hospital arrangements, she ordered some food and bought a few bottles of beer to enjoy quietly in the hospital room.

The rain in Greenfield City hadn't stopped. It seemed to be getting heavier, with a layer of mist spreading over the city.

Her WhatsApp showed a message from Simon sent earlier that afternoon that said, “janice, once you're done with your brother's matter, hurry back to arrange for the team to start on the work. Also, deal with the fabric issue quickly."

The message was in a commanding tone. How could he even type such things?

Those were the responsibilities of her previous position. She'd already been demoted, so why should she still do them? As such, Janice didn't respond.

After w

waiting for a while and not getting a reply from Janice, Simon got angry and called her, but Janice rejected the call.

In the past, Janice would have feared missing even one of Simon's calls, worried it would upset him. She'd even kept her ringtone on while sleeping to ensure she wouldn't miss his calls. Her years of caution and effort to maintain their relationship had only fueled Simon's worsening behavior.

22

Janice stared at his name on the screen. The cold, dormant resolve she had hidden within her for years was beginning to stir. The plastic spoon in her hand snapped.

Simon called again.

"Answer it," Jacob said, leaning against the bed with a cold expression.

The siblings looked strikingly similar when they were angry, both exuding an icy aloofness.

"Hello?"

“Janice, are you blind or what? Didn't you see my message? Do you not want your job anymore?” Simon barked like a boss scolding an employee.

At that moment, Janice recalled an incident two years ago. Simon had been anxious about something unrelated to her. He was clearly asking for help, but his tone made it seem like she was the one who had ruined things.

Looking back now, maybe in his eyes, she had long stopped being his girlfriend. All this time, she'd been fooling herself, pouring her heart out for nothing.

"Yeah."

"You should..." Simon was taken aback for a moment. "What did you just say?"

Janice took a swig of the cold, refreshing beer. The high-end hospital room had a small bay window. She sat there, eating the only meal of the day, but she had no appetite.

"I said yes; I quit."

"Huh?"

Simon initially snickered, then burst into laughter. “Janice, where did you get your confidence? Fine, quit if you want.

“Let's see how you manage without me. Just don't end up working as a stripper somewhere”

Those were rather cruel words. Seven years together, and this was what she got.noveldrama

Janice's heart ached bitterly. As her eyes reddened, she asked out of curiosity, “Simon, have I ever wronged you? Or have I ever treated. you poorly? Why do I deserve such cruel curses from you?"

Her three questions left Simon, always proud and self-assured, suddenly silent.

"I know the reason," Janice continued, her voice calm and devoid of tears or anger. "It's because I've been a fool. I thought as long as I treated you well, we could walk this path together. But now, even when I've done nothing wrong, you still put all the blame on me.

"So you're saying I'm an ingrate?" Simon was livid. "Seven years together, and this is how you see me? If it weren't for you constantly picking fights, would I have acted this way?

For some reason, Janice's soft chuckle was deafening at that moment. She said in a hoarse voice, "Tomorrow, I'll be at the company to pack my things. It's time to settle the score between us."

"What score do we-

Before Simon could finish, Janice ended the call, giving him no chance to speak further. What score, he asked? Without her, Simon would've had nothing over the years.

Janice closed her eyes and downed the rest of her beer. She decided to consider these seven years as if she'd crocheted herself blind. Since she had already made up her mind to leave Simon, she would reclaim everything she had earned for him, down to the last penny.

The house was a loss for now, but the profits they had earned together were well-documented in contracts. Even though Janice didn't have her own financial records, Simon did. Each transaction could be traced.

Most importantly, she still held a 25% stake in Refined Threads Co., which was a significant amount. And Simon had the audacity to think he could pocket all her hard-earned money?

Did he really think she was the one relying on him throughout all these years? What an ignorant fool.