Bury My Love _ Novel

Bury My Love _ Novel

Bury My Love _ Novel

**Bury My Love _ Novel**

Bury My Love Chapter 01

After winning Jacqueline Conrad back, Philip Ramsey became a changed man.

He no longer made her wear white sheath dresses to resemble Mikayla Halpert, the woman who had died and whom he had never gotten over, as he had three years ago.

Nor did he insist she eat spicy food at every meal despite her gastritis, simply because it had been Mikayla’s preference.

Even when Jacqueline accidentally damaged Mikayla’s belongings, Philip remained calm. He quietly instructed someone to have them repaired instead of erupting in fury and making her stand outside for two hours in the early morning, as he once did.

Not long ago, when Jacqueline merely stumbled, he lost all reason — sending private jets around the world for specialists and making her undergo repeated CT scans, terrified she might have bone injuries.

Everyone was convinced that Philip had gotten over Mikayla and fallen in love with Jacqueline instead.

Even Jacqueline believed he no longer treated her as Mikayla’s substitute and truly loved her now.

So, as fireworks illuminated the Los Angeles skyline, she agreed to marry him.

But Mikayla, believed to have been dead for five years, appeared at their wedding.

Donned in a white sheath dress, she walked in through the church doors.

She claimed she had been alive all along — that she had been kidnapped and held captive for five years. The only reason she was released was that she was terminally ill.

She said she was in the late stages of cancer, with little time left, and that her only wish was to spend her final days with Philip.

“Don’t marry her, Phil. Marry me instead, okay?”

Mikayla looked up tearfully.

Philip froze, his hand pausing as he was about to put the ring on Jacqueline.

Everyone looked at him.

But Philip turned to Jacqueline, his lips trembling uncontrollably. “Jackie, I…”

The room fell silent.

Mikayla smiled faintly. “Phil, it seems like you’ve already found someone new. It’s okay. I wish you a lifetime of happiness.”

After speaking, she turned away with reddened eyes, her steps firm yet heavy.

The next second, Philip shut his eyes tightly. He gave Jacqueline a quick apology before running after Mikayla.

The wedding ring clattered onto the ground.

Jacqueline stood at the altar, staring blankly at his retreating figure.

“Turns out you’d still pick Mikayla over me,” she murmured.

Philip once made Jacqueline dress and walk like Mikayla. He even insisted she study Mikayla’s mannerisms. And when a fire broke out, he chose Mikayla’s belongings over Jacqueline — leaving her behind while he rushed to save what remained of his former girlfriend’s past.

Nothing had truly changed. Between the two of them, Mikayla still came first.

Jacqueline smiled faintly as she looked away, then went to the dressing room to take off her wedding dress and change back into her own clothes.

Ignoring the guests’ shocked, mocking, and pitying stares, she strode out of the church.

It had started raining at some point, and Jacqueline opened her umbrella.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Mikayla and Philip arguing in the rain, both completely soaked.

“Why are you out here, Phil? Aren’t you marrying someone else?”

Mikayla’s eyes were filled with tears. “For the past five years, whenever the torture became unbearable, all I thought about was you.

“I survived by holding onto the hope of seeing you again, but I didn’t expect you to find a replacement…”

Philip hugged her, tears brimming in his eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I thought you were dead…”

Mikayla shoved him away desperately, but she suddenly collapsed against his chest and sobbed.

Jacqueline stood at the church entrance, watching silently.

What a dramatic reunion in a tragic love story. If she hadn’t been the abandoned bride, she might have found it heartbreakingly beautiful to witness.

Just then, Mikayla looked up. When she saw Jacqueline standing across from her, she smiled and asked, “Phil, have you ever loved that substitute of mine?”

Jacqueline’s breath hitched as she instinctively looked at Philip.

She saw his back stiffen for a moment.

At that moment, the rain intensified into a downpour, pounding loudly against the church windows.

Yet, Philip’s voice was exceptionally clear as it reached Jacqueline’s ears.

“No.”

At that, Jacqueline felt her chest tighten, as if an invisible hand had clenched her heart.

Hearing Philip say he never loved her made her instantly tear up.

If he never loved her, why did he linger outside her apartment for days?

Why did he risk his life to win her back?

What about the fortune he had spent to launch her career, not wanting her to feel inferior?

Had it all been nothing more than an act?

Jacqueline could no longer hold back her sobs. Philip sensed her presence and turned around sharply.

He froze. “Jackie? When did you come out?”

Jacqueline didn’t spare him a glance and turned to hail a car.

Instinctively, Philip wanted to go after her, but Mikayla suddenly screamed.

Just then, the glass roof of the church shattered and came crashing down.

In a split second, Philip turned back, pulled Mikayla into his arms, and lunged clear of the danger.

Meanwhile, Jacqueline stood frozen, unable to react, watching as the dark shadow fell toward her.

A deafening crash rang out.

Intense pain overwhelmed her as blood gushed out, and in her final moments of consciousness, Jacqueline saw Philip holding Mikayla tightly.

“Don’t be afraid, Kayla. This time, I’ll protect you,” he said gently.

Jacqueline collapsed to the ground, smiling as she closed her eyes.

Great.

Once again, he chose Mikayla.

When she opened her eyes again, Jacqueline found herself in the hospital, her head wrapped in thick bandages and painful to touch.

She checked her phone to find that Philip had posted a marriage license.

Ten minutes ago, he had married Mikayla.

While Jacqueline was being rescued, Philip was marrying Mikayla at the City Hall.

But just the night before, he had held her and said, “Jackie, you’re the only one in my heart. Nothing can stop me from marrying you.”

Jacqueline suddenly found the whole situation bitterly ironic.

Just the night before, Philip would never have imagined that he would be marrying Mikayla — the woman he had believed to have been dead for five years.

“Jackie,” Philip called softly.

Jacqueline looked up and saw Philip standing at the door, deliberately avoiding her gaze.

“Congratulations,” she said, looking straight at him with a faint smile.

His body tensed, his voice hoarse. “Come on, don’t say that.”

“What am I supposed to say, then?” Jacqueline asked while staring at him.

Philip felt a sharp pain in his heart and quickly walked over to grab her hand.

“Jackie, I know you’re angry. What I said outside the church about never loving you was to deceive Kayla — “

Jacqueline shook him off. “Philip, you’re already married. We’re over.”

“No, it’s not over.” Philip’s eyes were bloodshot. After glancing outside, he lowered his voice. “Kayla has two months to live at most. Once she’s gone, we’ll get married.”

Jacqueline froze, almost thinking she had misheard him. She stared at him in disbelief, but he didn’t explain any further.

He hastily told her to be patient and strode away.

Jacqueline stared at his back, laughing to herself all of a sudden.

“Philip, what do you take me for?

“Do you really think that after forgiving you once, I would forgive you a second time?

“That’s impossible,” she thought to herself.

The second he chose to chase after Mikayla rather than stay, she was completely done with him.

Jacqueline made a call to her secretary, Nolan Kinley. “Let’s proceed with the infrastructure project in Ghana, Africa. Initiate the approval process for international assignments,” she instructed calmly.

Nolan sounded hesitant. “That’s a three-year-long project. Didn’t Mr. Ramsey say Africa is dangerous and that he wouldn’t let you go — “

“Don’t mention him again,” Jacqueline interrupted flatly. “From today onward, cut all business ties with the Ramsey Group. Once the assignment is approved, we’ll leave for Africa.”