Rachael had filled Jared in on the latest developments between Beatrice and Keith, sharing the news of their reconciliation. Jared's emotions were torn - he was happy for Beatrice, yet couldn't help but feel a deep sadness and regret.
"Why did I let her go?" Jared couldn't stop blaming himself. He felt like he had made a grave mistake by giving up on Beatrice.
As he thought about Keith's reappearance in Beatrice's life, Jared's mind wandered to the possibility that Beatrice might rekindle her romance with her first love. "It's only natural," Jared thought, his heart heavy with defeat. "Keith was her first love, and it's clear that she still has feelings for him."
With a sense of resignation, Jared accepted that he had lost Beatrice to Keith. He felt like he needed a fresh start, away from the painful reminders of what could have been. Jared began making plans to leave the country, hoping to start anew and leave his heartache behind.
Rachael's voice was laced with desperation as she called Beatrice. "Hi babe," Beatrice replied, but Rachael's tone quickly shifted to one of sadness.
"My brother is leaving the country, Beatrice. Please, you have to stop him. I don't want him to go," Rachael pleaded, her voice cracking with emotion.
Beatrice's expression turned serious. "What happened? Jared is leaving the country without even telling me?" she asked, her voice low and thoughtful. The news had caught her off guard, and she couldn't help but wonder why Jared would make such a sudden decision.
As she stood there, phone in hand, Beatrice's mind began to whirl with questions and concerns. Why was Jared leaving? Was it because of her? And what could she do to stop him?
As Beatrice stood before him, tears welling up in her eyes, Jared's calm facade began to crumble. "How are you, Beatrice?" he asked, struggling to maintain his composure.
But Beatrice was too distraught to respond. Her gaze fell upon the packed bag and travel documents on the table, and her eyes widened in shock and heartache.
"Are you leaving me?" Beatrice asked, her voice shaking with emotion as tears streamed down her face. "Is your love for me so weak that you're willing to walk away? Don't you see how much I love you, and how I've been waiting for you to come back to me?" she implored, her words tumbling out in a desperate bid to stop him from leaving.
Jared's instincts screamed at him to wrap his arms around Beatrice, to hold her close and never let her go. But he hesitated, his mind racing with doubts. What if Beatrice still had feelings for Keith? What if she had forgiven him and wanted to rekindle their relationship?
Jared's heart sank at the thought. He couldn't bear the idea of being selfish, of trying to win Beatrice back only to potentially lose her again to Keith. So he stood frozen, his emotions warring with his desire to do the right thing.
When Beatrice arrived, Jared's face lit up with happiness, but as the thought of Keith crept into his mind, his expression turned cold. The sudden change in his demeanor was like a slap in the face to Beatrice, and her heart broke into a million pieces.
Jared's words sliced through Beatrice's heart like a knife. "I still don't think our relationship is worth fighting for," he said, his tone detached. "I think it's best we remain apart."
Beatrice's eyes welled up with tears, but she refused to let them fall. She had sworn never to cry over a man again, and she was determined to keep that promise. "Yes, I agree," she said, her voice steady, but her eyes revealing a glimmer of pain.
Beatrice quickly grasped for an excuse to leave, using the information Rachael had shared with her. "Rachael told me you're returning to Canada. I just came to say goodbye," she said, attempting to sound nonchalant, but her voice barely above a whisper.
As she stood before Jared, Beatrice fought to conceal her true emotions. She felt like she was crumbling inside, but she was resolute in her determination not to let Jared see her break down.
Jared's expression fell, his eyes clouding with disappointment. He had expected Beatrice to put up a fight, to plead with him to reconsider their relationship. But instead, she had agreed with him, seemingly willing to let things remain as they were.
A pang of sadness struck Jared's heart, but he quickly pushed it aside, convincing himself that he had made the right decision. "She's still in love with Keith," he thought, the notion echoing in his mind like a mantra.
Jared's disappointment was tempered by his conviction that Beatrice's feelings for Keith remained strong. He told himself that he had dodged a bullet, that pursuing a relationship with Beatrice would only lead to heartache. But deep down, a small voice whispered that he might be making a mistake, that he might be letting his fears and doubts dictate his decisions.
As the door closed behind Beatrice, Jared felt a crushing sense of devastation wash over him. He slumped onto the couch, his mind reeling with thoughts of what could have been.
"Why did it have to end like this?" he wondered, his heart heavy with sorrow. "Beatrice never truly loved me, did she?" The realization stung, and Jared felt a wave of pain wash over him.
He thought back to all the years he had devoted to Beatrice, showering her with love and affection. But now, it seemed like it had all been for nothing. "She was always thinking of Keith," Jared thought, his mind bitter with resentment.
"No wonder our relationship was a constant struggle," he reflected. "She was always doubting me, fighting me at every turn. It was like she was never fully invested in us." The pain of this realization cut deep, and Jared felt like he was losing his grip on his emotions.
Rachael was stunned when she found out what had transpired between her brother Jared and her best friend Beatrice. She had been optimistic that their meeting would finally resolve their issues and potentially lead to a reconciliation. But instead, things had taken a surprising turn.
When Rachael called Beatrice, she expected to hear tears and pleas to intervene on her behalf to help her and Jared get back together. But to her surprise, Beatrice sounded calm and collected, with no hint of desperation or weakness.
Unbeknownst to Rachael, Beatrice had indeed broken down in tears as soon as she got home, her heart heavy with sorrow. But she had quickly composed herself, determined not to appear vulnerable in front of Rachael, Jared's sister. Beatrice didn't want to give Rachael any reason to worry or feel obligated to mediate on her behalf. So she put on a brave face, hiding her true emotions behind a mask of strength and resilience.
Rachael's misunderstanding of Beatrice's behavior led her to assume that Beatrice was still pining for Keith. She felt a pang of disappointment and frustration with her friend.
However, Rachael remembered the conversation she had with Jared earlier, where he had specifically asked her not to intervene in their affairs and to prioritize her friendship with Beatrice. Jared had expressed his concerns about Keith's character, worrying that he might hurt Beatrice again.
"I doubt Keith is a changed man," Jared had said. "He might hurt her again, and I'll be far away in Canada. Just continue to be her friend, Rachael. Who knows, she might need you someday. I'm not wishing her ill, but I want you to be there for her, just in case."
Rachael recalled Jared's words and decided to take his advice. She chose not to confront Beatrice about her assumptions, instead opting to maintain their friendship and be supportive, regardless of Beatrice's decisions.
As soon as Rachael ended the call with Beatrice, she couldn't help but think, "Jared must have loved her so much to still care and worry about her, even after everything." Rachael's heart swelled with admiration for her brother's selfless love.
But her thoughts were quickly followed by a tinge of frustration and disappointment. "And yet, that foolish girl still wants Keith," Rachael thought, shaking her head in dismay. She couldn't understand why Beatrice would choose Keith over Jared, who had consistently shown her love, care, and devotion.