Marie replied, “Not yet. But seriously, Ms. Estre’s business trip is stretching out longer than a


    Thanksgiving turkey’s legs. She said she’d be back in two or three days tops, and here we are at day


    five.”


    Listening to Marie’s words, Jason fished his phone out of his pocket and headed upstairs. He went into


    the bedroom, and the call to Drew connected just in time. “Drew, can you look into what’s up with


    Estre?” Jason instructed.


    “Right away, Sir,” came Drew’s response on the other end.


    With his order acknowledged, Jason ended the call and casually tossed his phone onto the nightstand.


    He had indeed gone to Silverbrook to confront Estre. Seeing Korey had soured his mood even


    further, but Estre’s barbed words, devoid of exnation, had left him feeling even more out of sorts.


    So when Serene had called crying, he nced at the bathroom, grabbed his car keys, and left without


    a second thought.


    Jason was too used to Estre’s sunny disposition to ept her indifference. Opening wardrobe to


    grab some clean clothes, he was frozen in ce by the sight of Estre’s colorful pajamas.


    “Let’s have a kid, Jason!”


    “Which do you prefer, this one or that one?”


    “You like the ck set? Your wish is mymand.”


    “If Koreyes back, why am I still wasting my time with you?”


    the


    “I’d rather marry anyone but you, Jason. Get this marriage over with and stop holding me back from


    happiness.”


    Memories of Estre’s kindness, herughter, and her coldness swirled in Jason’s head, darkening his


    expression as he shut the wardrobe with a definitive click.


    After he finished his shower, the bedroom was still empty, and he felt something was missing in his


    heart.


    The room was very quiet, so quiet that only the sound of his breathing was left. For two


    years


    ars and four months, over a thousand days and nights, Estre had spent her time.


    alone in this room.


    Except for a few festive ornaments, there were no photos of him, or of Estre, and certainly no


    couple’s pictures. Nothing about the room screamed “married for two years.” Jason lit a cigarette by the


    floor-to-ceiling window. The yard was still. The asional


    11:37


    car’s passing by on the street always belonged to someone else. Estre didn’t return to


    SanOasis.


    When the cigarette burned down to the end, the sting jolted him back to reality. He stubbed it out and


    turned to copse on the bed.


    There had been countless nights when Estre stationed herself by the floor-to-ceiling windows,


    tallying the cars that passed by. The first one wasn’t his. The second one wasn’t either. Eventually, she


    stopped waiting, deciding instead to focus on doing her own thing.


    That night, he had restless dreams of days gone by, of a time before “that incident,” back when they


    were both students. Estre, ever the free spirit, wouldugh and y, outrunning the boys and


    climbing trees with ease.


    Then the dream shifted to their fights, to the p he had regretfully delivered, and Jason woke up with


    a start, gathering himself to return to thepany.


    Meanwhile, Estre had spent the night with Jesse and Bryce, crashing on the living room couch till


    dawn, with no dreams or thoughts of Jason.


    Back at the office, as Jason stepped in, Drew was right on his heels. “Sir,” he announced.


    Jason nced at Drew, who continued, “I’ve got an update on Ms. Estre. She returnedst night,


    back to Waterfall Acres.”


    Drew’s voice dropped when he mentioned Estre’s return.


    Jason paused in his paperwork, and Drew added, “Korey’s conference in Silverbrook ended


    Wednesday, and he didn’t meet with Ms. Estre privately before heading back. However, Bryce went


    to see Ms. Estre the night you returned to Ravenwood. Turns out she fell ill, and Bryce was the one


    who apanied her to the hospital.”


    “I checked Ms. Estre’s call logs. Korey did reach out, but it seems she didn’t mention her illness to


    him; otherwise, he wouldn’t have left for Ravenwood without seeing her.”


    Jason’s expression shifted through several shades as Drew reported but it was only when he heard


    that Estre hadn’t told Korey about her sickness that his features softened


    slightly.


    Drew, noticing the change, hesitated before speaking, “Sir, there are a couple of things I’m not sure I


    should say.”


    Jason detested half-truths. He shot Drew a cold look, prompting him to quickly add, “I think Ms. Estre


    doesn’t have any feelings for Korey, and she’s been quite clear about her boundaries with him. Ms.


    Estre is straightforward. Once she’s turned someone down, it’s unlikely she’ll reconsider. And let’s


    not forget. She’s still hoping to have children!”


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Jason simply stared at Drew in silence. Drew, sensing the mood, added more softly, “Maybe I’ve


    overstepped, Sir.”


    11:32


    After more than two years, Drew felt he had a clear view from the sidelines. It was hard to tell if Estre


    truly liked Jason, but she was not the kind of person who would sneak around. She had been tolerant


    of Jason, never fussing over his romantic scandals. Each time she met him, she was open and warm –


    a kind of woman many men would find appealing.


    Drew just couldn’t fathom what Jason truly wanted. It certainly wasn’t Estre’s


    warmness.


    Jason listened to Drew’s apology. His voice was even but marked with a subtle urgency, “There’s a


    limited edition pink diamond ne by Golden Gaze that just hit the market. Go reserve it.”


    Drew, always cautious around his boss, gently reminded him,


    Sir, aren’t you gifting that custom-designed engagement ring to Ms. Estre? It’s been over two years


    in the safe.””


    Before Jason and Estre tied the knot, he had taken it upon himself to design a diamond ring, which


    was a symbol of hismitment. Yet, despite the years slipping by, the ring never found its way to


    Estre’s finger, leading Drew to wonder if it had somehow been misced.


    Jason looked up sharply. “Since when did you start arranging my affairs, Drew?”


    Drew was quick to apologize, “I’m sorry, Sir. I shouldn’t have overstepped. I’ll take care of the ne


    immediately.”


    Once Drew had left the office, Jason mmed the documents he was holding onto the desk in


    frustration. Estre was sick, but she hadn’t told him a word about it. But then, again, when had she


    ever really put him in the loop? She had been in a car ident year and kept it from him too.


    It was true that that day at Silverbrook, he had been in a foul mood – perhaps he had


    taken it too far.


    Rubbing his temples, Jason forced himself to dive back into work.


    In the spacious apartment at Waterfall Acres, Estre awoke to find both Jesse and Bryce still deep in


    slumber. She didn’t disturb them; instead, she moved quietly back to her room, got ready, and headed


    to herw firm.


    For the following days, she didn’t return to Sandalwood Oasis, choosing instead to go. straight to


    Waterfall Acres after work.


    That night, just past nine, as Estre was walking back to her apartment after a long day, she stepped


    out of the elevator to find Jason leaning against her door, with a cigarette in his hand and a scattering


    of stubs at his feet.