Catrina sighed with a heavy heart as she watched Jason’s reserved demeanor. “Korey saiding
back wasn’t good for Holly’s recovering, but we were too stubborn to listen,” she admitted, a note of
guiltcing her words. “I guess we parents do make mistakes.”
When Jason remained silent, Catrina went on, Truth be told, I shouldn’t have called you over today,
especially since you and Estre are married now. But you saw it yourself, Jason. Your presence
seemed to calm Holly down.”
Her voice wavered as she continued, her eyes welling up with tears. “It’s just so cruel, isn’t it? Who
could be so heartless as to want to take both your and Holly’s lives? We’re talking
about two lives here.”
Jason’s silence deepened.
In the midst of Catrina’s mncholic sighs, Holly’s heart monitor suddenly started ring an rm.
Panic-stricken, Catrina whirled towards Jason, her voice trembling, “Jason, what’s happening?
Everything was fine just a moment ago-why is the machine going off?”
Jason quickly pressed the call button beside the bed.
Catrina was visibly shaken. She leapt up from her chair and dashed out, calling, “Is there a doctor
around? We’ve got a situation with patient in bed 18. The monitor is going off!”
Hearing Catrina’s frantic shouts, doctors and nurses hurriedly made their way over.
At Sandalwood Oasis, Estre had finished lunch, yet there was still no word from Jason.
He was nowhere to be seen.
Marie noticed Estre’s reluctance to leave the living room and gently suggested, “Ms. Estre,
perhaps you should go upstairs and rest for a bit.”
Suppressing a yawn, Estre replied, “I’ll just watch some TV.”
Marie let out a resigned sigh and left, understanding that Estre was still miffed at Mr. Jason and that
was why she didn’t want to retife to her room.
But Estre wasn’t really dwelling on that. She was simply waiting for Jason to return, hoping they
could still make it to the registrar’s office before it closed to finalize their divorce. Such matters were
best dealt with swiftly, to avoid any unnecessaryplications.
Estre had been waiting forever, and by 4 PM, Jason was still absent. Kristin called, offering to drop
by, but Estre told her not to brave the cold, promising to visit her in a few days.
09:02
After hanging up with Kristin, Estre nced at the clock. It was past four, and even if Jason did return
soon, they’d be toote to visit the registrar’s office. Stretchingnguidly, she decided it was time to
head back to Waterfall Acres. If Jason had something to say, it would have to wait for another time. She
had waited long enough today; that was surely enough of a gesture.
As Estre was gathering her things to leave, Marie burst in excitedly, “Ms. Estre, it’s snowing
outside, and it’sing down thick and fast!”
Marie’s words were barely out when Estre turned to peer out the window. The snowkes were as
large as feathers, nketing the world in white. In just a short time, the garden was cloaked in ayer
of frost. It had been ages since Ravenwood had seen such a heavy snowfall.
Transfixed by the view outside, Estre suddenly realized it was Christmas Eve. The snowfall couldn’t
have been more timely. Setting her bag down, Estre rose and walked leisurely outside, eager to take
in the scene.
Marie followed, reminding her, “Ms. Estre, don’t forget your scarf. You don’t want to
catch a cold.”
Estre wrapped herself in the scarf Marie handed her and stepped out into the yard. Just as she
ventured out, Jesse posted photos in the group chat of the snow and mentioneding to Waterfall
Acres to see her.
Bryce called directly, “E, has Jason returned yet?”
Estre answered, “Not yet, I’m about to head back to Waterfall Acres.”
Bryce said, “I’lle get you.”
“Okay.”
Estre was pregnant, and Bryce was beside himself with worry whenever she wa sight, acting every
bit the protective father-to-be.
With Bryce on his way, Estre was in no rush to leave. The down jacket he had boug her was indeed
warm, like being wrapped in a thick quilt.
After sending some snowy pictures to Jesse, Estre noticed she’d missed a message from Jason on
Messenger. She was about to head to Waterfall Acres, so she dialed his number, only to be greeted
with a robotic message: “Sorry, the number you have dialed is switched off. Please try againter.”
“Sorry, the number you have dialed is switched off. Please try againter.”
After two attempts and the same message, Estre hung up emotionlessly and turned to head back
inside. Suddenly, a feral cat darted out from the bushes, charging straight
towards her.
Startled, Estre instinctively protected her belly, but her feet slipped on the icy ground.
09:02
She stumbled backward, and as the cat, back arched and hissing, prepared to attack, Estre realized
it must have just lost a fight and wasshing out.
“Marie!” Estre called out in rm as the cat lunged at her. She took several steps backward again,
but when her heels hit a stone on the road, she lost her bnce. Unable to steady herself, she fell hard
to the ground.
Stunned, a chill of dread washed over Estre as she braced for what mighte next. It felt as
though the entire world had crumbled in an instant.
Her child, her precious child!
This was the child she had so desperately wished for, and nothing could happen to the child.
Only after thinking about the child did Estre feel the physical pain. Her stomach experienced a
severe cramp, and there was a numbness in her buttocks, without the usual pain sensation.
The wounded stray cat leapt up and hurriedly scampered away, its ws leaving a stinging scratch
across her face.
As the cat stepped over her to make its escape, Estre, who rarely shed tears, felt her eyes instantly
redden. She was chilled to the bone, her spirit shattered. Propping herself up on the snow-soaked
ground, Estre tried to rise, but the pain in her abdomen was paralyzing. She dreaded that any
movement might cause her unborn child to slip away from her.
“Marie.”
“Marie.”
“Marie…”
The grounds of Sandalwood Oasis were vast, and the servants were all busy inside the house. Estre
cried out Marie’s name until her voice cracked, but no one heard her, and
no one came out.
N?velDrama.Org is the owner.
The snow was falling heavier now, nketing her dark hair in ayer of white.
Turning her tearful eyes to the side, Estre sought her phone to call for help, only to find it had been
flung three to four meters away. A distance usually crossed in a few steps now seemed as remote as
the horizon, utterly unreachable.
“Is there anyone who can hear me? Anyone who can save my baby?” she cried, sitting motionless on
the ground, overwhelmed with sorrow.
In her 23 years, she had never felt such despair, not even when Jason had struck her with that p.
“Marie,e out! Come out and help me!”