Laura leaned back and said, “Janetta’s great. She dropped by and brought me something to look at.”
“What did she bring?”
“Photos of Jesse cooking at home. Janetta said she snapped them in secret. She told me so much. Apparently, Jesse was just an average cook before, but he started practicing every day just for me. He squeezes it in whenever he can.”
“She also mentioned he used to be a total neat freak. He was worried I wouldn’t be able to handle it, so he’s been working hard to change. Last night, I threw up everywhere, and he cleaned it all up without a word. When I woke up this morning, he was still tidying up the place.”
“We’ve only known each other for six months, and he’s done so much I never even noticed.”
Isabella took a bite of her food and said, “That’s real love, you know. He’s changed so much for you, done all these things, and never tried to show off about it. He just quietly takes care of you.”
“Laura, I think you should really consider him. He’s honestly a great guy, way better than Ethan ever was.”
She paused for a second, then added, “It’s not like Ethan was a bad person. He just wasn’t good to me. If I was the one he loved, maybe he would’ve given me his whole heart too.”
“That’s how people are. We only treat the ones we love like that. If we don’t love someone, we can be so cold, not even feel a bit sorry. But when we finally fall for someone, we want to give them everything.”
“Don’t let my marriage with Ethan scare you away from marrying into a rich family. The Masons are decent people, and Jesse is someone you can trust with your future.”
Laura finished her soup and set her spoon down. “Janetta told me she came by today just to let me know her family really likes me. She wanted me to see that they accept me, and she hopes I’ll give Jesse a real chance.”
“Honestly, Isabella, I’m really touched. But being moved is just that. It’s not love. I’m not going to be with Jesse just because I feel grateful. I guess I’m not so against him chasing me anymore.”
“I trust him a little more now. I’ll just see what happens. If I end up falling for him, then we’ll be together.”
Isabella nodded. “That’s the way to go. Don’t force yourself. Don’t give in just because someone tells you to. Marriage is a big deal. You have to be sure.”
“I didn’t think things through before. I just jumped in and ended up completely broken.”

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