Estre thought Jason wasing over to pick up the argument where they left off, but to her surprise,
he showed up with medicine-in fact, stomach medicine.
It seemed that after their spat, he had done some digging into her business trip to Silverbrook.
Although he hadn’t unearthed anything about her and Korey’s fling, he did discover that she had fallen
sick there.
Casting a nce at the medication on her nightstand, Estre said in an indifferent tone, “Thanks.”
A few months back, if Jason had whipped up somete-nightfort food and brought her medicine,
she might have been touched, might have clung to their ns of having a child. But now? She felt next
to nothing.
Besides, it wasn’t like Jason was brimming with affection. He was just assuaging a twinge of guilt for
having wronged her, for being unfaithful to their marriage. Maybe he didn’t even feel guilty. Who knew
what he might want from herter on.
Jason had always been aloof, never acknowledging their rtionship in public. Estre used to brush it
off. But when he waxed nostalgic about Holly in front of Korey, disregarding her, Estre couldn’t help
but take it personally.
Korey was into her, even going so far as to propose a marriage to the Dorvold family. Jason’s behavior
was a tant message to Korey that he didn’t value her, Estre. It was as if he was deliberately riling
Korey up, pushing her away. That was something Estre couldn’t stomach.
If he didn’t care, he should just end it. But to deliberately give other guys a shot, to push her away –
what did he treat her as?
He imed to be bothered by Korey, yet his actions spoke a whole different story. He was almost
desperate to catch her in the act of infidelity.
When Jason offered help if she felt unwell, Estre responded, “Sure, you should get
some rest too.”
Her words were agreeable enough, but deep down, she knew better. She wouldn’t turn to him even if
she was on death’s door – she never did it before, and she certainly wouldn’t
start now.
With a clunk, Jason closed the door behind him, and Estre promptly tossed the pills he had brought
into the trash can.
The next morning, as Estre stepped out of her room, freshly prepped for the day, she bumped into
Jasoning out from across the hall.
11:32
With casual ease, she greeted, “Morning!”
Jason grunted a response, nodding slightly. Just then, Estre’s phone rang – it was
Bryce.
She answered the call, and before she could get a word out, Bryce’s frantic voice red through,
“Estre, where are you now? What’s going on?”
Estre frowned, pulling the phone away from her ear. “Back at Sandalwood Oasis.”
Bryce exploded on the other end, “You hopeless case. Why’d you go back there? How many times
have I told you? Ady’s gotta have some self-respect. You can’t indulge a man like my brother. You’re
just letting my words go in one ear and out the other.”
Bryce’s voice was loud enough for Jason to catch the gist, so you could imagine the look on his face.
Estre was about to retort when Jason, whose face was like a thundercloud, snatched the phone from
her hand. “Bryce, life’s been too cushy for youtely?”
The moment Jason’s voice reached Bryce, he changed immediately. “Bro, I’ve been on Estre’s case
non-stop, telling her not to hold a grudge and to hustle back to Sandalwood Oasis. See, she finally
listened!”
Bryce’s two-faced tactics and his rapid-fire change of tune had Jason hanging up the call abruptly.
Tossing the phone back to Estre, he remarked, “Bryce would sell you out faster than anyone.”
Estre chuckled dryly, “No need for you to school me on who’s good to me.”
Having said her piece and noting the time, Estre skipped breakfast at home, grabbed her keys, and
made for the door.
Jason, ever so nonchntly, offered, “I’ll give you a ride.” Without waiting for her consent, he steered
her to his car.
Halfway there, he stopped to buy her breakfast, a perfect fit for someone with a delicate stomach.
Estre epted the breakfast he pushed into her hands politely. “Thanks.” But she didn’t dive in. It
wasn’t until they reached thew firm’s building that Jason reminded her to take the food with her.
“Estre, you finally made it.” As Estre approached the entrance, Bryce emerged from the sidelines.
Estre quipped, “What, you hustled over here too?”
Bryce replied, concerned, “Worried you’d skip breakfast again, so I brought you some.”
The previous days at Waterfall Acres had Bryce ying chauffeur and breakfast courier since Jason
was minding thepany and he was just waiting for payday.
11:32
Estre shook the takeout bag in her hand. “Your brother just got me some.''”
Bryce quickly swapped meals. “Don’t bother with his lousy grub. Eat mine.”
After saying that, he stuffed a bun into his own mouth.
Noticing Bryce had brought plenty, Estre tossed Jason’s breakfast into the nearest trash can. If it was
going to leave a bad taste, he might as well not eat it either.
After the Silverbrook trip, Estre’s patience with Jason seemed to havepletely crumbled. Now,
she was biding her time for the right moment.
Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.
Across the street, Jason’s car hadn’t left yet. Seeing Estre discard the breakfast he’d bought into the
trash, he hit the gas with anger, driving off.
It used to be Estre who’d do theforting. No matter how sullen he was, she’d always be there to
soothe his temper. Now, it seemed the tables had turned. Estre wasn’t taking his charity anymore..
At the foot of thew firm, holding a bun, she mentioned, “I’ve got to make a trip to the prisonter and
I’m without a ride. Can you take me?”
Bryce, munching on his own bun, agreed, “Sure thing.”
After Estre clocked in at the firm, Bryce drove them both to the prison.
In the visiting room, Estre faced a rather tall yet incredibly thin young man. Handing over some food,
she urged, “Had breakfast yet? Eat something first.”
The boy didn’t reach for the items Estre offered. Instead, he politely said, “Thank you, Ms. Estre.”
Estre had seen the boy a handful of times before, and “thank you” seemed to be the phrase he said
to her most often. Every time she met with him, Estre found it hard to picture him as a murderer, let
alone one who had taken three lives.
Noticing that he was a bit guarded, Estre didn’t press him. Instead, she said, “I took a trip to your
hometownst week and gathered somemunity support that could work. in your favor. I wanted to
see you today to remind you that on the day of the trial, even if you encounter people you’d rather not
see, or get asked about the past, don’t let anger get the best of you. Just present the facts of what
happened that year and your motives to the judge. Leave the rest to me; I’ll do everything in my power
to help.” As she said this, Estre couldn’t help but give the boy’s handcuffed hands a reassuring
squeeze.
“I’ll do as you say, Ms. Estre,” the boy said, looking at Estre with resolute eyes.
They chatted a bit more, with Estre offering words of encouragement until their meeting time was up.
She then stood up from her chair
After bidding the boy farewell, Estre turned to leave when suddenly he called out to her, “Ms.
Estre.”