Chapter Two:

Suffocated

When Tiffany can no longer contain her emotions in front of Jasper, she just suddenly stood up from her chair and start running away from the shocked guy, who still didn’t even dared to run after her and just continued in staring into space.

Tiffany hailed a cab and told the middle aged driver her parent’s home address. She don’t want to stay in her own apartment alone in this kind of state. So even if she knows that her mother won’t stop in nagging her and her father screaming out threat for Jasper, she still decided to went back home. Because she badly needs the comfort and love only her parents can give.

She called up Bora first to ask for a favor to file her half-day slip for her because she won’t be going back to their office to finish the day off. Tiffany knows that her friend has probably sensed something off about but decided not probe in any further and Tiffany appreciated her friend’s consideration.

When Tiffany arrived at their front door, her surprised mother opened up the door widely for her to go in.

“OH?! What brought you home Miss Independent? Hi baby! Welcome home!”

Her mother greeted her with a huge smiled and a warm embrace and right then and there Tiffany almost want to bawl her eyes out but still refrained herself from doing so. She doesn’t want to worry her that much. She’ll tell her problems to them later but for now, Tiffany just want to keep it in for herself and be alone for a while.

“I-I feel a bit sick… and my head hurts…”

Tiffany lied.

“Aw my poor baby… did you cry because of it?”

Tiffany just answered her mother with a weak nod since she really can’t bear lying to her.

“Okay then. You up to your room and change into some comfortable clothes while I prepare you your favorite mushroom soup.”

Tiffany gave her mother a thankful smile.

“Thank you Mommy.”

Her mother gave one more gentle pat and a rub on her back before she was pushed to make her way to her room to change.

When Tiffany reached the confine of her own room, the tears that she’s been trying to hold on finally brakes free from eyes like a broken dam. She muffled her own cried into her pillows since she doesn’t want her mother to her cries and amidst her seemingly endless tears she can’t help but think of what happen to her and Jasper.

‘What went wrong to us, Jasper?’

The words Jasper told her earlier involuntarily replayed in her as fresh batch of tears flows out from her eyes.

“Tiffany, don’t get me wrong. I really do love you. But I just… I’m just not yet sure if I’m ready to settle down and have a family of my own. I don’t know if I can handle the responsibility. I—I’m afraid that I’ll fail… I’m afraid that we’ll both fail.”

When Jasper said all those hurtful words straight at her, Tiffany felt thousands of bullets pierce through her heart and put thousands of holes in her tiny organ until it was almost pulverized into tiny bloody specks of dust.

But as much as it hurts, Tiffany tried to understand where Jasper’s fears were coming from. He was a product of a broken family. When his parents divorced none of them is willing to him under their care, but his grandparents from his mother’s side gladly took him in raised him. And when his parents get to have another family of their one, it only left Jasper alone more than ever, he was a total outsider in both his parents’ new family.

But before their paths starts to separate, Tiffany just has to make sure of one thing. So with all the remaining strength and courage she still have inside of her, she voice out her last question to her soon to be ex-fiancé.

“Tell me the truth, Jasper… in which are you really not sure about, the responsibility… or to me?”

Tiffany saw how Jasper slowly lowered down his eyes before stuttering upon his answer.

“B—both…”

It hurts Tiffany so damn much to hear that single word. It hurts so damn much to know the truth that the guy you’re in love with for the past two years and whom you’re willing to spend the rest of your life with is… is not really sure of what he feels for you.

And that one word had completely blown away the bloody dust of her heart straight to her eyes that it made the poor thing cries a river of tears.

“I’m very sorry, Tiffany. Just please give me a bit more time… six months, a year max is all I ask from you… Who knows it might not even take me that much time to think and realize that I really can’t be away from you for such a long time. And that one day you’ll just be surprise to see me in front of your doorstop, kneeling and begging you to forgive me, take me back and marry me once and for all.”

Jasper said that last sentence of his in light and dreamy tone that Tiffany would have found sweet and romantic like she used to, if only Jasper didn’t said out those hurtful words first before that.

Although Tiffany still have feeling for him, she’s not that stupid to believe those ty words coming from him. The pain and hurt he had given her today is enough to burry all the love and affection she has for him.

Because no matter what kind of sweet words and promises he’ll tell her just to appease her, Tiffany don’t think she can easily believe in all of them.

Because, why need those months to waste in thinking about your feelings? When, Tiffany herself was already a hundred percent sure of her feelings for him?

“What happened to us, Jasper? How could you do this to me?”

At that’s the question Tiffany continuously ask herself over and over again until she finally lose consciousness and succumb to a restless sleep.

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And just as expected, Tiffany can’t keep what happened to her and Jasper a secret to her friends and co-workers, especially to her parents.

Tiffany had filed an emergency leave and was holing herself at her parents’ house while her father was raging like a mad bull ready to attack Jasper any time soon while her mother could only sheds tears for what happen to her which made Tiffany felt hurt even more.

Her parents both love Jasper like their own son too, it even went stronger when they finally announced to them that they’re planning to get married before the year ends. Tiffany was really glad that her parents and the guy she choose to be her husband are all getting along perfectly well.

But now, the only thing she could feel for Jasper is anger and resentment. She resent him for breaking the trust her parents had given to him and Tiffany wasn’t even thinking about her own trust that the guy also broke. Because when he back out from their wedding, he had just not broken her love and trust, he had also disappointed her along with her parents who truly cared and love him just as much as she did.

Just like Tiffany thought, all the harsh reaction from her parents will eventually subside and her parents soon calm down and slowly starts to take in what had happen to her as they asked her to sit down with them to start talking about what they should do next.

“So, what’s your next plan Miyoung?”

Her father asked her calmly but Tiffany can still sense the slight disappointment in his words.

“I-I’m going to send in my resignation.”

Tiffany felt a huge lump starts to form in .

“I don’t think I can still work in there after all what happen… And last time I heard from Bora, Jasper is still working there.”

“The nerve of that guy! Son of a—“

“Daddy! Please…”

“So what if they talk? You shouldn’t be the one hiding your fave from people! The more you hide, the more they’ll think! Even that ba—that guy still have the face to work at your company after what he did to you! And if there’s someone that should lose their face from shame that should be him! Because he was the one back out on his own wedding not you! Shameless bastard!”

Tiffany could only keep her head down as she heard her father lashing out his anger and probably his frustration too with everything that had happen to her.

“Eric…”

Her mother finally chides in and stops her father.

“Let your daughter be. If that’s what she want right now then so be it. It’s her life. I’m sure that she knows what’s best for her.”

“But—“

“Dear… we’re parents. As a parent, it’s our responsibility to always support our children in every steps th