Chapter 231

Jack didn't sleep well that night. In his dreams, Bella's tear-streaked face-pale, bloodied, and full of sorrow-kept haunting him, demanding to know why he was so heartless.

He woke up with a jolt.

When he glanced at the time, he realized it was already 10:00 am. The dorm was mostly empty, except for Isaac, who sat at his desk, buried in his Marxism textbook. Everyone else had disappeared to who-knew-where.

Last semester, Isaac failed one of his modules after Jack got caught covering attendance for him. Now, every morning, the first thing he did was study for the upcoming make-up exam.

Jack groggily got out of bed, washed up, and was about to sit down when the door suddenly burst open.

Joshua stormed in, looking like he had urgent news. He asked, "Jack, what's the deal with you and Bella?"

Jack frowned slightly. "What about it?"

Joshua huffed as if he couldn't believe Jack was out of the loop. "This morning, I heard from the shared dorm room that Bella has gotten back together with Andres. So... is it really over between you two?"

Jack's entire body tensed for half a second before he forced a casual smile. "There was never anything to begin with. How could there be anything to end?"

"Oh... I see."

Joshua gave him a look of pity, then clapped him on the shoulder.

"There's plenty of fish in the sea, Jack. Don't waste your time on one girl. If you're feeling down, just say the word-I'll take you to Rose Spa to blow off some steam. If that's not your thing, I'll even sponsor you one of those deluxe gel dolls that's extra soft and of premium quality."

Jack laughed. "Did you forget what happened to Samuel when he bought one? The whole dormitory found out, and he turned into the campus joke for months. Don't drag me into your nonsense."

He sounded lighthearted and unaffected. But in truth, the moment he had heard Bella's name, something had twisted inside him. He had been so sure of his decision. But now, a strange weight settled in his chest, making it hard to breathe.

His mind replayed their moments together-her teasing smiles, the way she had kissed him with reckless abandon, the deep emotion in her eyes when she looked at him. He recalled her passion, her sensuality, and the sweetness and laughter she brought into his life.

Only now did it hit him how much those moments had meant. If it had all been an act, then Bella was the greatest actress in the world.

But he knew her better than that. She was unpredictable, mischievous, and sometimes infuriatingly playful. But she wasn't fake. Her feelings had been real.

But, what did it matter now?

Even if regret gnawed at him, the decision had already been made.

Jack had chosen his path. And in doing so, he had become nothing more than a fleeting presence in Bella's life. He was like a ripple in her story.

Life was about choices. To gain something, you had to give up something else. There was no such thing as a perfect ending where you got everything.

The universe always balanced the scales. Everything had a price. Perhaps, years from now, when he thought back to this whirlwind of a girl, he would finally be able to smile at the memory. Chapters first released on finḑnovel.net

But for now, all he could do was move forward.

The afternoon bell rang. It was time for Jack and Phoebe to host their campus broadcast together.