Chapter133TheBirthdayGift
“It’sfine;wereallydon’tneedit.”
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Jonathan,whohadjustbeenrushingaroundurgently,wasnowslumpedhackontothesofa,<b>his</b><b>voice</b>tingedwithresignation.
Seeinghissuddenchangeofmood,Acepausedbeforesuggesting.“Jonathan,shouldIaskthedriverto<b>take</b>usbackto<b>that</b>secretroomwewerejustin?Maybeit’sstillthere.”
Jonathan’sfaceremainedimpassiveasheresponded,“No,let’sjustheadback.It’snotthatvaluable.Idon’tevenwantitanymore.”
<b>Ace</b>wasconfused.
Hadn’tJonathanjust beeninsistingonitsimportance?Whythissuddenshiftinattitude?
Docelebritiesreallychangetheirmindssoquickly?
Jonathanleanedback,closinghiseyesandradiatingachillyaurathatseemedtowardothersoff.EvenStephanie,whohadbeenyfullytryingtogethisattention,hesitatedteclosernow.
MaybeJonathanaloneunderstoodthetruthbehindwhathesaidjustnow.
Thatitem,whilecrucial,<b>was</b>ultimatelyinconsequential.
AsthefifthintheButlineage,twoyearsjuniortohisbrotherXavier,Jonathanhadalwaysfeltsomewhatovershadowed.Fromhisearliestyears,hisoldersiblingshadcarvedoutsignificantpaths:theeldestasaprominentCEOandthesecond<b>as</b>acelebrateddesigner.
Meanwhile,histhirdandfourthbrotherswerestarsintheirfields,too.
Yet,heremainedunremarkable.
Inafamilyorbitingaroundsessfulfigures,heoftenfeltneglected.Evenintimesofcrisis,acalltothefamilydoctorwasaboutasinvolvedasanyonegotwithhim.
WithAnthony<b>and</b><b>his</b>sisternowinthepicture,hefeltevenmorelikeaghostinthegrandButhousehold.
Manyenviedhisprivilegedlifefilledwithwealthandstatus,butforhim,thesewerejustthetraf<b>his</b>birthright,notasourceof<b>genuine</b>satisfaction.
Often,hewonderedwhatlifemightbelikeinanordinaryfamilywhereevensmachievementswererecognisedandcelebrated.
Inhisreality,suchrecognitionwasabsent.
Drivenbyadesiretocarveouthisownidentity,heplungedintotheentertainmentindustry,aspiringtodominatethespotlight<b>and</b>beafamiliarfaceonscreenseverywhere.
ItwasthissamedrivethatmadehimasupportivefiguretoStephanie,eventhoughtheydidnotshareblood.Hercallinghimherbrothergave<b>him</b>asemnceofthefamilialwarmthhecraved.
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withasoft andsweetvoicelikeStephanie,However,<b>she</b>wouldsilentlytendtohiswounds.
Shewouldalsochooseaband–aidforhim,thesameunsightly,childishhathehadlost.
However,MillywasundeniablyclosertoJordanandAnthony,leavinghimfeelingsidelinedonceagain,stuckinafamiliarfeelingofistion.
Thecarwasstillmovingsteadily.
OliverncedatJonathan,whowassittinginthebackwithhiseyebrowsfurrowedandeyesclosed,wearinganunhappyexpression.Hescoffedsoftly,leanedtowardsMilly,andwhisperedconspiratorially,“Ms.Milly,Ithinkhemightbegoingthroughanearlymidlifecrisis.He’ssoeasilystartled.”
Millyarchedaneyebrowbutchosetoremainsilent.
ShecouldnotignorethenaggingfeelingthatJonathan’sncescarriedatraceofresentment,thoughshecouldnotfathomwhy.
Engrossedintheirthoughts,noneofthemnoticedStephaniesittingquietlyinthecorner,herfaceetchedwithasomberexpression.
ShehadtriedtocreateariftbetweenMillyandherassistantduringalivebroadcast,butthefeedhadunexpectedlyendedearly.
Yet,withallthepreparationsince,wouldn’titbeashametogiveupnow?
AsshencedatMichellebesideher,herintentionswereclearinhercalctedgaze.
Michelle,unabletoignoreStephanie’sintensescrutiny,methereyesandgaveasubtlenodofunderstanding.
Stephanienoticedthegestureand alloweda smallsmiletoescape.
<i>I’d</i>liketoseehowyou’llgetoutofthisone,Milly,
Atthefilmset,Acpletedhisdutiesanddepartedafterabriefexchangewithrk.
MillyandtheteamreceivedinstructionsfromMr.Hawkinstoreturnbeforeeveningtoreshootsome
scenes.
OnlyJonathan,whohadbeensulkyallday,carriedanoticeableairofdespondency.
Ashewasabouttoleanbackandrestinthevanwithhiseyesclosed,agentlevoicestoppedhim.“Jonathan,pleasewait.”
Hepausedandturned.
Milly,who wassupposedtohavealreadyleft,wasrushingtowardshim,battlingagainstthewind.Herapproach,withflushedchecksandhairbillowing,seemedlikesomethingoutofa<b>painting</b>.
Wait,whywasheadmiringMilly?
ShehadbeenunkindtoStephanie:<b>he</b>shouldhavefeltresentmenttowardsher.
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Chapter133TheBirthdayGift
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EventhoughMillywashissisterandhadlookedoutforhiminthehauntedhouse,hehadreciprocatedinthesecretpassage.Itwasa<b>mutual</b>protection.
Thus,heneededtostaydetached!Hemustadheretotheruleofhavingonlyonesister,Stephanie,andnotbeswayedbytheseeminglycleverwomanbeforehim!
Withthisresolve,hequicklymasteredhisemotions,adopting<b>a</bposed<b>demeanour</b>.“Whyareyoubackhere?”
Milly,seeminglyoblivioustotheshiftinhistone,pulledacloth bagfromherpocketandhandedittohim.“Here,happybirthday!Ibroughtyouagift.”
Jonathanwasmomentarilystunned,hiseyeswideninginsurprise.“Agiftforme?”
“Yes.”Millybeamed.“Iwantedtogiveittoyouearliertoday,butyouwerebusywithyourlivestream.Itthoughtnowwouldbeagoodtime.Happybirthday!”
Jonathan’sheartpoundedsoloudlyhethoughtitmightburstfromhischest.
Evenhisfingerswerequiveringwithanticipation.
“What’sinit?”heasked,gentlysqueezingthebag,feelingthesoftcontentsinside.
“Justopenitandsee,”Millyencouragedwithasmile.
Withtremblinghands.Jonathanuntiedthebag,hisexcitementdyinghismovements.
<b>“</b><b>Is</b>this…”
Hecarefullywithdrewasachetfromthebag-
Thesachetwasmadeofgreenfabric,beautifullyembroideredwithaplumblossomandamagpieperchedaboveit–vividandstriking.Thereversesideboretheembroidered wordfor
Millywatchedhimintentlyexamhesachetandtooktheopportunitytoexin,“Themagpieandtheplumblossomonthefrontrepresentongoinghappinessandgoodfortune,whilethe‘peace‘onthebackisawishforyoustinghealthandsafety.
“I’vealsofilleditwithcassiaseedstohelpwithsleep.Ifyoufindiforting,youmighttakeitwithyouonyourtravels,”sheadded.
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