When Jason challenged Estre about her loyalties, she retorted with an air of inevitability, “Of course,


    I’ve seen someone else. What did you think I’ve been doing for the past three years? Waiting around


    for you?”


    Jason’s face darkened at her response, and he just stared at her in silence.


    Estre sighed wearily, “Let’s just find the time to sort out the paperwork, okay?” She added, “I’ve got


    things to do, and so do you.”


    She had thought their meeting yesterday went fairly well and had hoped they could discuss things


    civilly and get everything sorted. But it seemed Jason was just as stubborn as he had been three years


    ago. Even though the idea of divorce was hers, it rankled her that he didn’t seem to consider how he


    had treated her in the past. Whether it was Serene or Holly, everyone else seemed to matter more to


    him than her


    Jason was aware that any further conversation would only lead to mutual destruction. He stared at her


    for a long moment before pushing the car door open and stepping out. In almost 30 years of life, he


    had never been kicked out of a car before.


    The car door closed with a definitive thud, and Estre, without sparing Jason another nce, revved


    up the engine and sped off.


    Hands in his pockets, Jason watched her drive away, his face a picture of frustration. But, at least, she


    was back in town.


    Immediately after leaving Nelson International, Estre filed for divorce without hesitation. There was


    nothing left to discuss with Jason; a divorce was inevitable.


    Returning home dejected, Estre had just copsed on the couch when her phone rang. It was Drew.


    Without much energy, she answered and cut straight to the point, “Has Jasone to his senses?”


    On the other end, Drew reported cheerfully, “Ms. Estre, Mr. Jason asked me to find out what


    documents you need from him. I’ll bring them right over. And Mr. Jason mentioned if you need him in


    person for anything, just let him know in advance.”


    Estre hung up abruptly, irritated by Drew’s chipper tone. Didn’t Jason realize that even without his


    cooperation, she could still have him served? ording to her n, Jason would be getting his


    summons from the court the following day.


    As soon as she ended the call, Autumn descended from the second floor, while Isaac was still napping.


    Noticing Estre’s mood, Autumn asked, “Trouble at work? You seem out of sorts.”


    Leaned back on the couch, hand propping her head, Estre shared her frustrations,


    08:22 #


    “When I was dealing with the whole thing with Isaac’s documents, I discovered that Jason hadn’t


    signed the divorce papers yet. I just went to see him to ask him to handle the procedures, but he wasn’t


    very cooperative!”


    At this, Autumn’s expression shifted and her voice raised, “What’s Jason’s deal? You two have been


    separated for years. Why isn’t the marriage dissolved?”


    Autumn continued, “Didn’t your dad say you signed the papers ages ago? Weren’t all the formalities


    completed?”


    Sounding exasperated, Estre replied, “I did sign, and even had someone at the registry office look


    into it. But Jason never followed through.”


    Autumn, too, was visibly upset, “What is he thinking? After all these years apart, and his heart


    belonging to someone else, why is he dragging this out?”


    Recalling Jason’s past transgressions, Autumn didn’t wait for Estre’s input and went on, “We need to


    get this sorted quickly, or it’s going to keep eating at me.”


    She then stared at Estre suspiciously, “Be straight with me, Estre. Does Isaac have anything to do


    with Jason? Is he Jason’s son?”


    Estre replied coolly, “He’s not Jason’s son. Plus, I left Ravenwood three years ago. Look at how


    young Isaac is.”


    Considering Isaac looked under two years old, Estre publicly imed he was just 1 year and 10


    months, rather than his actual age of two years and four months.


    Relieved by Estre’s confirmation, Autumn rxed and patted her chest, “Good, as long as he’s not


    Jason’s. Otherwise, I’d fear a custody battle.”


    Autumn then suggested, “I’ll go talk to the Nelson family. After all, you and Jason were never meant to


    be, and I’ll ask Jason’s parents to exert some pressure on him to finalize the divorce. The Nelson family


    is eager for grandchildren, especially since Jason is turning 29 this year.”


    When Autumn mentioned talking to Kristin about the matter, Estre was more than happy. This was


    exactly the oue she needed. Some things were better addressed by


    Autumn.


    “Mom, I’d appreciate it if you could handle this.


    “Estre, you’re my daughter. I will do anything for you. Besides, it’s high time. and Jason parted ways.


    What’s he going to do, raise another man’s son?”


    you


    Jason was a well-known figure in Ravenwood, notorious for his upromising nature. It was unlikely


    he’d ept such a situation.


    Estre cautioned, “Mom, if the Nelson family isn’t aware of Isaac’s situation, let’s not bring it up. The


    less trouble, the better.”


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    08:22


    Autumn reassured her, “Don’t worry. I’ll speak to your inws about it.”


    Estre casually remarked, “They are not my inws anymore.”


    “True enough,” Autumn agreed.


    Initially, Autumn hadn’t supported the divorce, but now she saw things more clearly. Ever


    since Estre married Jason, his absence from Dorvold family gatherings had irked Autumn. His


    scandals and entanglements with Serene and Holly only solidified her disapproval of the marriage.


    Nowadays, Autumn even had a grandchild. It turned out that the fortune-telling from back in the day


    was all hokum. Who would bother trying to cozy up to the Nelson family now? It was high time to get


    her daughter out of that chilly marriage and let Estre find her own slice of happiness.


    After giving Estre a few instructions to keep an eye on Isaac, Autumn headed out.


    At Nelson International, after Jason handed off his tasks to Drew and asked him to return Estre’s call,


    Jason got back to his own whirlwind of business. Just thinking aboutst night’s encounter with Estre


    and the fact that Estre had juste to him to go through the procedures, Jason inevitably felt


    irritated.


    With a mix of annoyance and resignation, he mmed the documents he was holding onto his desk


    and rubbed his temples in frustration. He’d had a whirlwind of thoughts he wanted to share with


    Estre, yet when she was before him, the words just wouldn’t


    In the evening, Jason, Thomas, and Grayson drank together. Seeing that Jason was not in a good


    mood, Thomas unabashedly smiled and said, “Jason, I heard Estre’s back in town. You clued in on


    that?”


    Jason shot him a frosty nce and drowned his response in a more ferocious round of drinking.


    During the three years Estre was away, Jason hadn’t been living it up either. It was all work and no


    y-his love life was practically non-existent. Onlookers, however, interpreted his behavior as a result


    of Holly, suggesting that he was cherishing her.


    When the clock struck past one in the morning, Jason realized that despite the copious amounts of


    alcohol, he was nowhere near drunk, and his mood hadn’t lifted in the slightest. Fed up, he grabbed his


    coat and left.


    “Jason.” Just as he reached the doorway, someone called out to him.


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