As Estre pushed open the hospital room door, Jason was standing by therge window, ending a
phone call. He turned around, his voice steady as he noticed her arrival. “Hello
Estre.”
Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.
Without a moment’s dy, Estre set her purse on the cab and cut straight to the chase. “The fire
seven years ago, was it really an electrical ident? If it was an ident, why did you tell Bryce to
stop investigating?”
Her directness brought Jason to a halt, his gaze locking with hers. He hadn’t anticipated that after all
these years, the inferno that had almost imed his life, and Holly’s, would resurface, let alone be
brought up by Estre and Bryce.
Jason was taken aback, but Estre pressed on, “Jason, do you have evidence? If you do, why haven’t
youe forward? What are you hiding?”
Bryce had mentioned that Jason had instructed him to drop the case, so Estre knew there must be
evidence, possibly even footage that someone had tried to erase. Jason was deliberately concealing
something.
This wasn’t like Jason at all. Given the seriousness of the situation and her own professional instincts,
Estre wasn’t about to mince words. She couldn’t keep things bottled up inside.
Jason’s expression darkened at her barrage of questions, confused by her sudden interest. “Don’t you
know about it?” he retorted!
Estre couldn’t help butugh incredulously. “If I knew, would I be here asking you for evidence?”
Baffled, Jason bluntly asked, “You didn’t start that fire?”
“Me? Start the fire? Jason, what are you talking about?” As his words hung in the air, Estre was
staggered as if struck by lightning. The shock in her eyes was palpable. For years, Jason had believed
that she had set that fire, hence his overt disdain. Was this why he had always been so cold to her?
In a split second, Estre’s mind reeled with disbelief. “So, you refused to get married, to return home,
to have children with me, and for years you despise me, all because you think I tried to kill you?”
Jason was at a loss for words. His attitude over the years did have a connection with that fire and also
with the things those fortune-tellers had said, making him believe that she just wanted to marry him to
have a child.
His silence only fueled Estre’s rage. She yelled at him, “Jason, are you out of your mind? Couldn’t
you have just asked me about it?”
10-43
Her anger was palpable, her voice choked with emotion. It had been seven years since the fire, six
years of a strained marriage. Even if their rtionship had been rocky, there had
been a thaw over theter six months. Hadn’t it ever urred to him to simply ask her
about it?
Now, the truth hit her like a ton of bricks. She had been used of arson.
Fuming, Estre red at Jason. “Because of this, because you don’t trust me, we’re done for life. I will
never reconcile with you.” Her body shook with anger, her hands clenched in fury. Jason had been so
tight-lipped for years, hever hinting at his suspicions.
Estre brought up reconciliation, and Jason’s expression darkened. “When did I say anything about
reconciling with you?”
Hearing his defensiveness, Estreughed mockingly. “Oh, so you didn’t kiss mest night?” His
complex gaze met hers, and for a moment, Jason was visibly awkward.
Sensing his difort, Estreshed out, “Jason, are you stupid? You kissed me and then slipped
your tongue in. Did you really think I wouldn’t wake up?”
She hadn’t nned to confront Jason about this, but anger made her bring up everything that upset
her.
As she spoke, Jason grew even more embarrassed. Clearing his throat, he awkward’ adjusted his
cor. “You were awake that night?”
Estre barely suppressed augh. “Of course.
Before she could finish, Jason’s hand shot out, tilting her chin up, and he leaned in to capture her lips
with his own. Now that she knew, there was no holding back. Dignity be damned, Jason thought, as he
let go of all restraint.
Jason had the audacity to publicly kiss her without a whiff of discretion. Estre’s annoyance bubbled
into rage, and she bit down on him hard in response.
Jason took a sharp intake of breath, but yet he didn’t flinch or let go of Estre. Regardless of his
injured arm and hand, he held her face gently within his grasp, deepening the kiss with heightened
passion.
When Jason pried her lips open without hesitation, Estre fought back. No matter how much she
struggled or hit him, he endured, choosing instead to deepen the passionate exchange. Everything else
was put on the back burner; nothing else mattered in this moment. His mind was void of pressure. It
was refreshing and lightening to realise that simply speaking one’s mind could be this liberating.
Before she could say anything, Jason released his hands from cupping her face, grabbed her wrists,
and pushed her a few steps backward. Estre found herself pinned against the wall, unable to move.
Even though he was injured, and even though she had skills, she was still no match for him.
Jason kissed her passionately, unwilling to let go, as if he could consume her very being. Minutes
ticked by-tén, twenty, thirty… and they were lost to the world, and to each other. Estre was so
consumed by his kiss that she lost all track of time, feeling a tingling numbness in her lips and tongue.
Her hands felt weak, held firmly in his grasp. When Estre opened her eyes, there was Jason, still
kissing her with such intensity, as if determined to make up for every kiss they had missed over the
past three years in just one night.
Estre stood still, watching him, and slowly, Jason’s kiss began to ease. Then, he too opened his
eyes.
Their gazes locked, and seeing the earnest look on Estre’s face, Jason freed his right hand to gently
caress her cheek.
Estre was still upset, though. She swallowed hard and started to say, “Jason, I—”
Before she could finish, Jason leaned in once more, parting his lips slightly, and captured her lips with
his again.