Chapter 10 When I filed for divorce from Jasper , I immediately cut all ties with Sunset Winery . [ ] The project Jasper had invested in using company funds for Lila's sake was halfway through when we discovered it was all garbage . When I showed up at Sunset with the compensation money , the place was already an empty shell . [ ] Turns out Sunset was just a front designed to con idiots like Jasper , and Lila was just one of the bait girls they used . ] Only Jasper had been stupid enough to fall for it completely . [ ] I laughed as I looked at the empty office , while Emma sat in the boss chair making disapproving noises . [ ] Jasper's drowning in debt because of Lila . Wonder if he can even pay it back . " Emma put Lila's financial records from recent years in front of me . put " If you sue Lila , you think she'll admit to any of this ? " ] Looking at these bills , I no longer felt that heart - piercing pain - just cold professionalism . " Even if she doesn't want to , she'll have to . Before I could go find Jasper , he came looking for me . He looked haggard , nothing left of the man who'd once made Jutter - just the weariness and defeat of someone beaten down by life . He walked up to me awkwardly , hesitantly saying my name . " Vera , " he pulled a ring from his pocket , " do you remember this ? " Looking at the ring , my memory was pulled back to graduation day in college when Jasper got down on one knee . " Vera . " " Please , let me be the one who protects you . " ] The ring was so sparkly ! At our age , being able to buy a ring worth several thousand dollars with his own money was really something my heart I was completely moved by Jasper's sincerity , even though Emma was being a total buzzkill : " It's just a cheap ring , and he thinks he can buy Vera's whole life ? " " Jasper , aren't you dreaming a little too big ? Looking at Jasper's sincere expression , I told him : " I don't need your protection . I only ask that the true heart I'm giving you now won't be betrayed . " That day , Jasper held me so tight , lifting me off the ground and spinning in circles . Finally , Jasper's tears fell on my neck . [ ] He said : " Vera , I won't make you regret this . " ] Now that ring was left in our marital home , representing our complete end . Jasper said to me : " When I first met Lila . I just thought she seemed like you back then . I wanted to protect her , like I was protecting the you . " ] " I know I was wrong . " Jasper's eyes reddened . " Vera , you're the only person I've ever truly loved in my life . " ] " I'm not asking you to come back , " Jasper said. " I just want to do what you did - even if it's humiliating , even if it hurts , I have to tell you . " " Vera , I really do love you . " [ ] I understood that this was probably Jasper's belated regret , maybe in his financially strained life he suddenly realized I was worth more . I knew that such emotional moments shouldn't be ruined by being too blunt , but I felt like Emma had possessed me . I threw the astronomical bills at him . " Whether you love me or not . " ] " Doesn't matter . " " Jasper , " I pointed at the numbers on the bills , " this is what you need to take responsibility for . " ] " Got it ? " The next time I saw Jasper and Lila , it was as plaintiff and defendants . I was representing the corporation in charging them with embezzling company funds , plus Lila's fraud charges . ] The day Jasper and Lila were sentenced , I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders , like I'd finally said goodbye to the past for good