Chapter 803 Spoilt. Clingy. Jealous
Jade lay stomach down on the bed, with her head turned to the side on the pillow and let out a deep sigh as she thought about what Candace and Andy had just told her.
The words Andy and Candace had said to her earlier echoed in her mind, their gentle admonishments cutting deeper than she cared to admit.
She knew they meant well, and knew that their concern stemmed from a place of love, but still, her feelings were bruised.
"Spoilt…. Clingy…. Jealous...." The words hung in the air, weighing heavily on her heart.
She couldn't deny the truth in their words, couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that perhaps they were right.
She loved Harry more than anything, wanted nothing more than to spend every waking moment by his side, but she couldn't shake the feeling of insecurity that gnawed at her insides.
What if they were right and Harry was probably getting tired of her clinginess already but wasn't saying anything about it because he didn't want to hurt her feelings?
As she lay there, lost in thought, Jade couldn't help but think that maybe she was being this clingy right now because she wasn't working yet and didn't have a job to occupy her mind and time.
When she was busy with Rebekah's case, she had barely had time for Harry and wouldn't have concerned herself too much with whatever he was doing since she was too busy herself to care.
And maybe it was because she didn't have her own place yet, her own space to call home.
The thought of getting her own place had crossed her mind countless times, but she always pushed it aside, dismissing it as an unnecessary expense when she already had a room in both her brothers' houses.
She couldn't justify spending money on rent when she knew she would soon be moving in with Harry after they got married.
But now, as she lay on her bed, she couldn't help but wonder if having her own space would help her give Harry and everyone else the space they seemed to need from her.
They were all beginning to make her feel like she was a nuisance and as much as she always tried to dismiss it playfully, it was beginning to get to her.
But even as the idea of getting her own place lingered in her mind, doubts crept in.
What if getting her own place didn't solve anything? What if her clinginess was rooted in something deeper, something she couldn't simply escape by moving out? The uncertainty gnawed at her, chipping away at her resolve.
Lost in her thoughts, Jade was startled when Andy walked into the room, concern etched into her features. "Are you okay?" she asked softly, her voice filled with genuine concern.
Jade forced a smile onto her lips, not wanting her to know how much she had been affected by their words.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, her voice betraying none of the turmoil churning inside her. "Just... thinking," she said as she sat up on the bed.
Andy approached her cautiously, her brow furrowed with worry. "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings earlier," she said, her voice laced with regret. "I didn't mean to upset you. I just thought I should look out for you by telling you that," Andy said softly.
"No, it's okay," Jade replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
"You were right. I've been... I've been too clingy, too possessive. And I know it's not healthy for me or for Harry. It was just sort of hard hearing that," Jade said with a shrug.
Andy nodded understandingly, her expression softening with empathy. "It's okay to feel that way. I would feel the same if I was told any of that," she reassured her as she sat down on the bed.
"If you don't mind me asking, Is Harry your first boyfriend?" Andy asked after they were both silent for some time.
Jade shook her head, "No," she said, and after a moment's hesitation she told Andy all about Todd and how their relationship had been.
"I see. I think maybe you need to remember that you are worthy of love and respect, and you don't need to cling to someone to feel validated," Andy said softly.
"You sound just like my dad," Jade said with a tender smile.
"I do?" Andy asked with a grin and Jade nodded.
"Although, I don't think I'm clinging to Harry to feel validated. It's just that everyone around here has their own person. Sonia has Lucy, Candace has got you, and she has Matt too. Tom has Lucy. Bryan has Sonia. Harry is my own person. I enjoy his company. I enjoy being with him all the time. I'm just so interested in him that I want to know all that is going on in his life at all times. And I understand that this might not be healthy like you and Candace said," she explained with a sigh.
"How did you cope before Harry?" Andy asked curiously and she shrugged.
"Work. I buried myself in work. I was all about my work. When I work I don't think about anything else. So, maybe I'm just being this way because I'm bored, I don't know. Perhaps I should get my own place and make new friends and stuff," Jade said, and even as the words left her lips, Andy could tell she didn't like the idea.
"I just don't know what to do or where to start," Jade said and Andy pursed her lips as she thought about it.
As Jade and Andy sat on the edge of the bed, they delved into a heartfelt conversation about practical ways Jade could work on herself.
"First of all, you should know that you are doing the right thing by acknowledging it and wanting to change. Now to the practical part of what to do, let's break it down," Andy began, her voice gentle yet firm.
"First things first, setting boundaries. You need to establish clear boundaries in your relationship with Harry to give both of you the space you need to grow individually."
Jade nodded, the idea resonating with her. "Yeah, you're right. Lately I've been so focused on being with Harry all the time that I haven't given either of us the chance to breathe."
Andy smiled encouragingly. "Exactly. So, start by carving out some 'me' time for yourself. Find activities or hobbies that you enjoy and dedicate some time each day to pursue them. At least you can do this until you start working again. When do you plan to start working?"
"After our vacation," Jade explained and Andy nodded.
"Good. So, apart from your job, I still think you should pick out hobbies. It could be anything from painting to yoga to going for a walk in the park to joining a reading club. The key is to focus on yourself and your own happiness. Not just while you're dating but even after you get married," Andy said and Jade's eyes brightened at the suggestion.
"That sounds like a good idea. I used to love dancing when I was younger. Perhaps I can find a hobby related to dancing," she said and Andy nodded in approval.
"That's perfect. And while you're at it, make sure to communicate your needs and boundaries to Harry. Let him know that you love spending time with him, but you both also need time to recharge and pursue your own interests. Ask him to help you in anyway he can so you can stop being so clingy. I'm sure he will be willing to help," Andy said and Jade nodded.
"I can do that. I'm sure he will want to help," Jade said thoughtfully.
Andy gave her a reassuring smile. "Sure. And remember, communication is key. If you're feeling insecure or anxious about something, don't hesitate to talk to Harry about it. Keeping things bottled up will only make matters worse."
"I suppose you're talking about the stuff with Mia?" Jade asked, and Andy nodded.
"I'm not asking you to ask him any personal or direct questions. I'm just saying you should communicate your feelings," Andy said and Jade nodded with understanding, making a mental note to be more open and honest with Harry about her feelings.
"And finally, I don't think it's okay that you think everyone has everyone and you only have Harry. You do have your brothers, and you have us all. Harry is not all you have. We are your friends," Andy said and Jade smiled.
"I know. It's just that I feel different when I'm with Harry. The way he loves me and treats me. He is my own person…."
"Wow! Too bad for me cause I don't have my own person," Andy cut in and Jade smiled.
"That's not what I mean," Jade said and Andy nodded.
"I know. And I understand that Harry dotes on you. I want it to remain this way hence I'm saying all I'm saying. But you know what? Different strokes for different folks. Who knows? Maybe Harry actually does love all that clinginess and possessiveness of yours, so maybe you should ask him. If he says he wants you to make some adjustments, you go ahead and do it. If he says he is cool with you this way, disregard all we said…."
"No. I'm going to change. I know I need to work on this, for my own sake and for Harry's too. Harry is not the only one in my life and all I do shouldn't revolve around him. Y'all are my friends and if you think my behavior needs some adjustments, I should work on it. As you said, even though Harry might find it cute right now, there is no guaranty that he won't become irritated by it later. I'd rather work on being my own person and being happy on my own. I can't rely on Harry for all the happiness and fun in my life. It would put too much pressure on him and strain on our relationship," Jade said and Andy gave her a proud smile.
"I'm glad you're being a big girl about this. Thanks," Andy said and Jade shook her head.
"No. Thank you, Andy. I should be thanking you for being honest with me," Jade said, her voice filled with gratitude. "I really appreciate you talking to me about this. I know that my behavior won't change overnight, but I do know that thanks to your advise, I'm going to build a healthier and happier relationship with Harry," Jade said and Andy gave her a warm hug.
"Anytime, Jade. I'm always here for you. And remember, you're stronger than you think. You've got this," Andy assured her.
After their conversation, Jade felt lighter, as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She knew she still had work to do, but she also knew that she could overcome her insecurities or whatever it was that was making her so clingy and build a healthier, happier relationship with Harry.
"I believe I owe Sony and Lucy an apology for acting the way I did last night," Jade said and Andy smiled with approval.
"Yes, you do. I need to sleep," Andy said with a yawn as she lay on the bed.
"Me too. I will apologize to them while we dress up later," Jade said as she joined Andy on the bed.
"How many romantic relationships have you been in, Andy?" Jade asked after they were silent for a while.
"None. I haven't gotten the butterflies for anyone yet," Andy said without opening her eyes.
"So, how did you get to know so much about relationships?" Jade asked and Andy yawned.
"It's not relationships that I know about. It's people I know about, and trust me, I've mixed up with all kinds of people, especially men, to know how they think,"Andy said as she adjusted her pillow.
"If you've not been in relationship how have you mixed up with men?"
Andy opened her eyes to look at Jade, "I was a stripper, remember? Guess the gender who patronized me most?" She asked dryly and Jade laughed.
"Jade, I don't know about you, but I need to sleep. Let's talk when I wake up," Andy said and just like that she dozed off leaving Jade to think about all that they had discussed.
New novel chapt𝒆rs are published on free(w)ebnovel(.)com