Bryce turned back to his car. A few momentster, he returned with two elegantly wrapped gift boxes in


    hand and offered them to Estre. “Here’s a little something for you,” he said with a wink, “and this


    one’s for my boy.”


    Estre epted the gifts with a grin. “Much obliged,” she replied, her smile warm and genuine.


    From the sidelines, Jason watched the exchange, his brow furrowed, a shadow cast over


    his features.


    After Estre disappeared into the house, Jason couldn’t help but let out a sarcasticment, “Nice


    brown-nosing there, champ.”


    Bryce pped Jason on the shoulder and said. “Maybe you should take a leaf out of my book, bro.


    Besides, if you wanna win Estre back, you’re gonna need to step up your


    game.”


    Jason, hands shoved deep into his jeans pockets, shot Bryce a yful kick. Unperturbed, Bryce dusted


    off his jeans. “I’m heading back.” He nced at Jason and said. “Oh, and Jason, you might wanna hit


    the road soon too. Your gas tank’s running on fumes.”


    Bryce climbed into his car and drove off, while Jason reluctantly followed suit. If it hadn’t been for


    Bryce’s interference, Jason mused, his day with Estre could have been considered pretty decent.


    Over the next few days, Estre was a whirlwind of activity, bouncing between the city a Glimmering


    Lake, hell-bent on tracking down the source of the pollution.


    Jason would drop by when he could, his injuries healing well enough to avoid any further hospital


    stays.


    That evening, as Jason walked into the old family estate at the summons of Kristin, he found his


    grandfather Keith seated in an antique wingback chair, the atmosphere heavy with unspoken tension.


    Kristin looked like she’d been through the wringer, possibly after a spat, while Jason’s grandmother


    was badgering his dad about some literary conundrum.


    Upon seeing Jason, Keith acknowledged his grandson first.


    Jason, ever the nonchnt one, plopped down in a chair nearby and let out a nomittal grunt,


    fixing his gaze on Keith in silence.


    Keith’s patience with Jason’sissez-faire attitude was wearing thin, but he cut straight to the chase.


    “Have you and Estre finalized everything?”


    Jason, suddenly on guard, replied, “Yeah. She’s got everything. Give it a few days, and I’ll bring her


    back home.” Though Keith hadn’t been fishing for that answer, Jason deliberately sidestepped the real


    question..


    0821


    Keith’s face turned thunderous at the mention of Jason handing over everything to


    Estre, and he mmed his cane on the floor with a thud. “Foolishness, sheer foolishness!”


    Startled, Amber jumped and turned to her husband with a scolding nce. “Keith, what on earth are


    you doing? Trying to give me a heart attack? You fancy a younger model to rece me, is that it?”


    Keith dismissed her with a look of distaste. “This doesn’t concern you. Mind your own


    business.”


    With Amebr out of the fray, Keith’s expression darkened. “Your personal affairs are your own business,


    but there’s a serious matter we need to discuss.”


    Jason continued to watch Keith silently.


    Keith leaned forward, resting his hands on his cane. “You and Estre have parted ways, and she’s


    moved on with her life. It’s time you did the same.”


    Jason remained silent, prompting Keith to continue. “You’re hitting thirty after the holidays. It’s time to


    settle down. I want to see great-grandchildren before I’m gone, and you and Bryce aren’t exactly


    making that easy. As for little Robert, well, he’s not even in the running yet.”


    Jason leaned back, his bodynguage casual yet attentive. “Grandpa, just spit it out. What are you


    getting at?”


    Keith met Jason’s gaze squarely. “I’ve arranged a match for you. Meet the girl this weekend. If all goes


    well, we’ll have a wedding early next year.”


    As soon as Keith finished, Jason cut in, “Grandpa, that’s not happening.” He added firml “By year’s


    end, I’ll bring Estre back.”


    Kristin chimed in supportively, “I told you Jason wouldn’t agree to a blind date. He’s still got a soft spot


    for Estre, despite their split.” Even though Jason and Estre had gone their


    separate ways, Kristin was clearly rooting for them to reconcile.


    Keith’s anger red. “The Dorvold girl’s got a child now. Are you really nning to remarry her, and


    raise another man’s son?”


    “I admit you wronged her in your marriage,” Keith continued, “but that’s water under the bridge. She


    moved on with someone else, and that should’ve been your cue there’s no turning back.”


    Although Keithprehended the fact that Jason was the one who hurt Estre and she might get a


    new boyfriend as an act of retaliation, he still couldn’t stomach the thought of them reuniting or Jason


    raising another’s child What was even harder to ept was that the firstborn grandson of the Nelson


    n wasn’t of their blood. So, as regrettable as it was to wound Estre, this situation had to be


    brought to a conclusion here.


    08:21


    Kristin tried to calm him down. “Don’t presume to know what Estre thinks. Besides, even if Jason


    wants to try again, it’s up to Estre to give him another chance. Let them sort it out themselves.”


    “If you’re so keen on cuddling a grandchild, why don’t you go lean on Bryce a bit? He’s about to hit 27.


    It’s high time he started thinking about carrying on the family line. Heck, back in the day, he’d be of the


    age where he could be a granddad himself in a few short years.”


    Kristin, not wanting her son and Estre to just call it quits, shifted the focus to Bryce.


    When Kristin tried to reason with him, Keith’s face darkened as he firmly said, “Kristin, don’t you go


    stirring the pot. I’ve got ns for Bryce, and as for Jason, he’s got to meet this girl I’ve picked out for


    him. I’mying it down right here and now, as long as I draw breath, Jason’s not backtracking on this.”


    Keith was too riled up to speak in absolutes, but the stubborn stance of mother and son was more than


    enough to get his blood boiling!


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Jason, not particrly hurried or flustered, stood up emotionlessly and said, “Grandpa, you’re my elder,


    so I’ll spare you any disrespect, but I’d appreciate it if you stayed out of my business.”


    Before Keith could even open his mouth to respond, Jason continued, “I’mying it down. too: there’s


    no one for me but Estre. I won’t marry another woman.”


    With that, Jason strode toward the foyer, not intending to continue this fruitless conversation with Keith.


    This had been settled when he and Estre were together. So what if they’d signed divorce papers? It


    was just a piece of paper. Jason’s feelings weren something to be swayed by something so trivial.


    Seeing Jason walk away, Keith stood up abruptly from his chair, “Fine, you keep being tough. But I


    reckon Estre might be more reasonable than you.”