Chapter 6

Eva descended the stairs. She thought about the frail image of Jacob and felt guilty for agreeing to Ellen's request.

Would it have been better to keep the truth from Jacob so that he would spend his final days in peace?

While she was lost in thought, a mocking voice interrupted her. "Wow, Jacob is really tough. I can't believe he didn't die out of anger at my behavior."

Eva looked up. Her eyes were filled with disdain, and she saw Ryann standing there with a gloating smile, not a trace left of the submissive act she had just put on in front of Jacob.

Without hesitation, she stepped forward and slapped Ryann, causing the latter to stagger slightly. "If you love Jake, I can let you be with him. Just stay away from Jacob. Otherwise, it won't just be a slap next time."

With that, she turned to leave.

But a blinding light suddenly flashed before her eyes. Eva couldn't see anything. She could only hear a car speeding towards her.

She wanted to avoid it, but failed.

In her panic, she saw the car suddenly slam to a halt. It was parked just a finger's width away from her. When Eva looked up, she met Jake's sinister gaze from inside the car.

His voice trembled. "Jake..."

Jake stepped out of the car and pulled Ryann into a tight embrace. He then turned to Eva with a cold glare. "Ryann is my beloved woman. If you ever lay a finger on her again, I won't let go of you."

Eva was overwhelmed with disbelief and utter disappointment. "Even if she just nearly drove Jacob to his death in the hospital?" "Jake, are you out of your mind?" Eva's voice was incredulous.

Jake's eyes wavered, but he quickly became resolute again. "Ryann is inherently kind and timid. She didn't mean it. She doesn't have much time left. Even if she made...him die, I wouldn't blame her. Besides, if you hadn't made it known to everyone, how would Jacob have found out? If anything happens to him, it's your fault."

Eva watched Jake guard Ryann like a precious gem and dismiss Eva herself like worthless dirt. She swallowed the words she had wanted to say and gave a bitter laugh. "Jake, I hope you live happily ever after with Ryann."

With that, Eva was about to leave with disgust. Then she saw Jake's eyes redden.

"You don't have to be so cruel," Jake said.

Eva was stunned. She then suddenly remembered that Ryann said that Ryann didn't have much time left. Eva almost laughed out loud.

Although she had been devoted to Jake over the years, Eva had never given up her psychology studies.

From a single glance, she could tell that Ryann didn't have depression. Nor was she dying from it. It was just a ploy to capture Jake's heart.

She thrived on public admiration and the spotlight. During college, Jake was willing to alienate everyone due to her, and she felt so happy about it.

After the Stephens family drove her away later, she started moving through a circle of rich merchants and senior officials, serving as their mistress and using their influence as her own shield and weapon to assert dominance.

Her flamboyance, however, led to her being beaten by several wives of those guys. So she had to flee back home. She then remembered Jake, who had loved her dearly.

To her surprise and joy, Jake still had feelings for her.

She was determined to seize her last chance this time.

Eva scrolled through the materials from the detective. She put them together with the evidence that Ryann had bullied her classmates three years ago. Eva gave a cold smile.

Ryann had nearly caused Jacob's death. Jake disregarded Jacob's condition for the sake of her. Eva wouldn't let either of them go.

She planned to expose everything three days later when she was leaving.

Just as she was about to pack away the evidence, the bedroom door swung open. A shadow showed up. Jake stood before her, and she became nervous and instinctively clutched the documents in her hand.

Jake cast a dismissive glance at the papers, which he had read countless times. A sneer appeared in his eyes. "You can't find anything new, can you? So you plan to use those old, fabricated claims to tarnish Ryann's reputation again."

Then he began to rummage through the stuff.

Eva was relieved. She put the materials back in the drawer and then handed Jake the divorce agreement she had signed long ago. "Let's divorce, Jake."