Jaelyn forced down her emotions.
âOf course I do.
Heâs the best man Iâve ever met.
How could I not?â
Maggieâs gaze held Jaelynâs.
âIf he had nothing, would you still love him?â
Jaelyn faltered, a frown furrowing her brow.
If Sanford were ordinary, without his wealth or status, then would sheâ¦
âYour hesitation speaks volumes,â Maggie said, her eyes clear.
âMaybe you love Sanford, but itâs not pure love.
You love yourself more.
â
Hearing Maggieâs remark, Jaelyn scowled.
âMaggie, I donât agree with what youâre saying.
Sanford is an excellent man, and thatâs why I love him.
And I believe an excellent man like him wonât lose everything.
But if he had nothing, I wouldnât consider him excellent.
So, I wouldnât love him.
â
She argued her point, trying to make her words persuasive.
Maggie grinned, then replied, ââJaelyn, lifeâs a rollercoaster, you know? Things change all the time.
People face all sorts of challenges, no matter how great they are.
Life throws curveballs.
And it doesnât care about the quality of its victim.
â
She paused, mulling it over.
âJust imagine: if Sanfordâs luck turns sour and he goes broke.
And youâd lose all the fancy stuff he provided.
No more designer bags, flashy rides, or big houses.
Not only would your riches disappear, but people would start talking behind your back.
Your fair- weather friends would bail on you⦠In that situation, would you stick around or hit the road?â
Jaelyn was left speechless by Maggieâs question, her mind racing with imagined scenarios.
In her childhood, riches werenât part of her familyâs story.
But as she got older, the city dazzled her with its excitement and grandeur, showing her how people could be unpredictable.
It was then she understood the perks of having power.
The idea of facing such loss made her heart ache.
Meeting Maggieâs earnest gaze, Jaelyn felt her fists clenching.
âSo, are you saying youâre the only one who truly loves him?â
Maggie nodded.
âYes, I love him for who he is, not for his wealth and power.
â
Jaelyn couldnât help but give a skeptical smirk.
âDonât try to act all saintly.
â
Undeterred, Maggie pressed on.
âSure, Sanfordâs is from a wealthy family, but thatâs not what makes me love him.
Thereâs just something about him that I canât explain.
Even if he was flat broke, Iâd still be happy as long as heâs by my side.
Honestly, Iâd prefer it if he didnât come from such a wealthy background and if he was just an average Joe.
Then, things would be simpler.
But as it is, I often feel like Iâm not good enough for him.
I try my best to keep up, but itâs tough.
â
Her words came out slowly, filled with sincerity.
Jaelyn studied Maggieâs calm expression, feeling a mix of emotions.
They were both regular women without fancy backgrounds, but there was something about Maggie that felt genuine to Jaelyn.
This realization was hard for Jaelyn to swallow.
âMaggie, you donât have to act all saintly around me.
I donât buy any of this.
Letâs be real.
I canât imagine you sticking around if Sanford lost everything.
Youâre just banking on a lifetime of luxury with him.
â