Page 106 of The Art of Ruin

There it is.

That tone. That patient, condescending tone I hate.

The same tone he used to use whenever he wanted me to doubt my own version of events. The same tone that convinced me for years that every argument was somehow my fault.

I hate that I recognize it immediately.

“I think everybody needs to calm down.”

A disbelieving laugh escapes me. “Everybody?”

The woman turns toward him. “Jasper—”

He places a hand lightly against her back and gives her a loving, sickly sweet look. “It’s fine, my sweetest angel.”

God, I’m gonna get diabetes from that sickly tone and then lose my lunch. Gross.

His gaze returns to mine.

Soft, full of fake concern.

Performative enough that I almost stand and clap.

“I know this is difficult for you.”

For a second, I can’t speak. Not because I’m upset, but because the audacity of the statement has genuinely left me speechless. “Difficult for me?”

“Casey.” The warning slips into his voice briefly.

A crack in the mask.

Gone almost immediately, but I see it.

And judging by the look on Isabella’s face, she sees it too.

“You cheated on me.”

The words come out calm.

The woman stiffens.

Jasper’s expression closes slightly.

“You got another woman pregnant while we were together.”

A flush creeps slowly up his neck. The baby shifts sleepily against the woman’s shoulder. Around us, conversations have quietened. People are watching now. I don’t care. For the first time in a long time, I genuinely don’t care what people think.

Jasper exhales.

Like he’s the victim here.

“If I could change what happened, I would.”

The lie lands between us, making me laugh. “No, you wouldn’t.”

His jaw tightens, just slightly. “You need to let this go.”

Something inside me settles completely.