He Said It Was A Joke And I Made Sure It Cost Him Everything Chapter 02

He Said It Was A Joke And I Made Sure It Cost Him Everything Chapter 02

The moment I opened the door, Margaret Cole’s sharp voice drifted in from the living room. “The Hartwoods raised their daughter to be a liar.”

“She promised the land to us at the original price. She said the bidding was just a formality. And then? Nothing.”

Richard Cole joined in with a cold snort. “Our flagship hotel project was counting on that land to expand. Now it’s gone. Are the Hartwoods going to cover our losses?”

Every word was an accusation, spoken as if from a throne.

And my parents, knowing they had no ground to stand on, kept apologizing and trying to calm them down.

But everyone forgot one thing.

Everything the Hartwoods were “supposed” to give the Coles was based on one condition: our marriage.

So what if that condition no longer existed?

I kept my expression calm and walked into the living room.

Jackson sat on the couch with Sienna, pressed close together.

The moment he saw me, his anger flared again. He pulled Sienna into his arms and smirked.

“Mr. Hartwood, Mrs. Hartwood, maybe instead of focusing on business, you should teach your daughter some basic manners.”

“A woman who throws a tantrum over nothing isn’t someone I’d want to marry.”

He didn’t show an ounce of respect for my parents.

My mother’s cheeks flushed, but she still tried to smooth things over. “Jackson, that’s a hurtful thing to say. After all…”

I cut her off. “Don’t worry, Jackson. You don’t want to marry me. And I don’t want to marry you. Since neither of us is interested, let’s call off the engagement.”

Everyone froze. Shock was plain on every face.

They had expected me to apologize, to beg Jackson to take me back. The thought that I might refuse him never crossed their minds.

Even my mother was afraid I might regret it. “Are you sure?” she whispered.

I shook my head. “I’ve thought it through.”

On the couch, Sienna smiled sweetly, looking almost delicate for once.

But Jackson’s face turned a deep, ugly black. He pushed Sienna away.

“Isabella Hartwood. You’ve got some nerve. I hope you still have this much spirit when you come crawling back in a few days.”

I knew why he said that.

On paper, he was sure my family would run out of money and need him.

And personally, he was certain I couldn’t let go of him. We had grown up together. I had chased him for years.

I didn’t answer. I just gestured toward the door.

Jackson stared at me for a long moment, then stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Richard and Margaret were furious at being shown out like that.

“The Hartwoods have been falling apart for years, so marrying our son was already a step up for you. If you’re too stupid to see that, we’ll find someone who isn’t.”

Margaret took Sienna’s hand as she said it.

I didn’t react. I didn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing me hurt.

But as they left, I watched Sienna’s back for a long time.

What kind of person was she? Loud, confident, reckless. Everything I wasn’t.

And to Jackson, that was intoxicating.

So throughout our history together, through the engagement that was meant to merge two business empires, Sienna was always there.

Jackson’s friends stopped saying “Jackson and Isabella” and started saying “Jackson and Sienna.”

He even introduced her to his parents as his “goddaughter” and let her move into the Cole mansion.

I put up with all of it.

I didn’t have Jackson’s love, but I still wanted the security the marriage would bring my family.

But letting Sienna humiliate my family in public was the last straw.

That moment felt like a slap to the face, a hard one. And I finally woke up.

Why was I depending on a man who only cared about his so-called sister? It was time to rely on myself.