The Secret Heir's Return to Wealth and Love novel Chapter 2290

At dinner, Jaime and Paige were the life of the party, keeping the atmosphere bubbling with laughter and good vibes.

Later in the evening, Jacob flew in from B City. Upon seeing Wayne, he didn't say a word and just pulled him into a bear hug.

"You missed the show, man! You should've seen me taking the throne," Jacob said, slapping Wayne on the back with a hearty laugh. "I'll let it slide this time, but don't you dare miss out on another big day, bro!"

Wayne, not quite as rough, clapped Jacob on the back in return, "Got it!"

After the brief moment of sentimentality, Jacob joined the party. He kept Hilaria laughing all night long.

Dinner stretched on until nearly ten, and the kids were tucked into bed first.d2

Hilaria soon left the table. Not long after, Paige and Baillie went to put Trista to bed.

Jaime took a call from the lab and rushed off to the study.

The dining room was left with a visibly tipsy Jacob and Wayne with his wife.

Rosalynn thought the two might need some time to talk, so she excused herself to make some coffee to sober up, leaving the dining room.

"I'm done!" Jacob suddenly declared, waving off the offer and getting up. "Wayne, let's go sit in the living room and talk."

"Alright." Wayne could tell Jacob was in pain, from his hair to his toes.

After agreeing, Wayne tried to assist Jacob. But Jacob waved him off, steadying himself before heading to the living room. He settled into the same chair he always sat in whenever he visited.

Erica had once posted a picture on her overseas social media, sitting in that very chair.

Jacob had thought about asking Rosalynn for it, but in the end, he didn't.

"Wayne." Jacob's eyes were closed, but tears moistened the corners.

"I'm here."

"I'm so damn envious of you," Jacob said, his smile tinged with self-mockery.

"Ms. Lawrence and you, it's not the same as Rosalynn and me," Wayne understood his meaning.

"Yeah, back then, I always thought you were too harsh on Rosalynn, a real jerk," Jacob exhaled deeply. "But why didn't I see how much worse I was to Erica? Can you imagine how much it hurt her every time she saw me with another woman? How much she must've hated me?"

Jacob's voice was choked with emotion.

"You didn't see it then because... you thought she was guilty," Wayne replied.

Jacob's eyes suddenly snapped open, filled with hatred, "Right, and that's why I want the Lawrence family to never know peace in this lifetime!" After dropping that bombshell, the light in Jacob’s eyes quickly faded. He slumped back into the chair, "I guess I'm doomed to never know peace either."

"Jacob, Ms. Lawrence has moved on, and so should you. She wouldn't want you to stay stuck in the past."

Jacob looked up at the ceiling light.

"Why won't she give me one more chance? I really... regret everything," tears finally fell from his eyes. He wished for Wayne's happiness. After all, they had grown up together.

Despite the rifts that developed later on, Jacob still genuinely wished for Wayne to be well.

But today, seeing Wayne and Rosalynn together with such cute children, Jacob was filled with envy. He wanted that too. He was so close of getting it.

Jacob's pain seemed to take on a form, wrapping around him tightly.

In a blink, a year had passed since Erica married Larkin, yet time hadn't eased his pain one bit; it only deepened in silence.

Wayne watched him, feeling a pang of sorrow for his friend's suffering.