《30 Days till I Divorce My Husband (Estrella and Jason)》 Chapter 1 ¡°Estre, your hubby¡¯s cozying up in someone else¡¯s bed, and you¡¯re still snoozing? Aren¡¯t you scared that someone might take your ce one day?¡± Kristin¡¯s frustration was palpable as Estre, bleary-eyed, asked, ¡°Which girl is it tonight?¡± Two years into marriage, and there was a queue of women ready to take Estre¡¯s ce. Her mother- inw urged her to catch her husband in the act every now and then, and Estre was used to it by now. Yet every attempt had been in vain, with no solid proof of Jason¡¯s infidelity. ¡°I¡¯ll send the hotel room number to your Messenger. Go and drag him back, Kristin paused before adding, ¡°You know, if you keep ignoring Jason like this, I can¡¯t help you anymore.¡± Ignoring him? If only Jason gave her a chance to take care of him. In two years, his visits home were countable on one hand, and every encounter ended in a row. He avoided her like the gue. There was nothing she could do to change that. But things hadn¡¯t always been this way between her and Jason. He used to be good to her, and indulgent-until that one incident changed everything. Estrey silent for a moment, her eyes closed. Then, propping herself up, shezily said, ¡°Alright, send me the address.¡± Half an hourter, Estre, having obtained the keycard from the hotel manager, was joined by Jesse. They reached the suite door together. As Estre was about to swipe the card, her heart, which had been calm until now, began. to pound with unease. Though she was ustomed to betrayal, the thought of her husband being taken by another still unsettled her. The door swung open, and a voice from inside called, ¡°Four of a kind.¡± Both Estre and Jesse were taken aback. Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be a catch-in-the-act moment? Why were they ying poker? The girls sitting beside the men were still a sore sight. Jason had a cigarette dangling from his lips and his hand on the cards, while Serene clung to his arm, sitting beside him. The men at the table were Ravenwood¡¯s finest, the cr¨¨me de cr¨¨me. Jason, as always, was the center of attention-handsome features, a pair of gold-rimmed sses perched on his nose, and a carelessly slicked-back hairstyle. He was the epitome of dapper with a touch of rogue, breathtaking no matter how often one saw him. Women would bankrupt themselves for a man like him. 15- Nelson International had soared under his leadership in thest two years, making him the big cheese of Ravenwood. If only he were still the same¡­ If not for that one time, Jason would be the perfect husband. Jason had many virtues, but kindness towards her was no longer one of them. Seated facing the door, Thomas, upon seeing Estre, was first surprised, but then prompted tp greet her with a smile. He caught Jason¡¯s cold nce and quickly corrected himself, ¡°E, what brings you here?¡± With an air of nonchnce, Estre sauntered in, ¡°Just missed you guys. Thought I¡¯d drop by.¡± ¡°Come on¡­¡± ncing covertly at Jason, Thomas said, ¡°E, I dare not jest with you.¡± No need for words-they all knew she was here for Jason. Leaving such a gorgeous woman at home, ignored-what was Jason thinking? Estre was dressed to kill in a knee-length V-neck little ck dress, her long ck curls. cascading effortlessly, each strand exuding undeniable allure. As she approached the table, the girls in the room were left agape in awe. Unfazed by Serene¡¯s presence, Estre ignored her and nced at Jason¡¯s arm, prompting Serene to hastily exin, ¡°Jason just won big. I was just, you know, celebrating with him.¡± Before Serene could finish, Estre¡¯s hand mped down on her wrist, ¡°Serene, touch him again, and I¡¯ll chop off your hand.¡± ¡°Estre, listen to me,¡± Serene pleaded, pain etched on her face, ¡°You¡¯re hurting me.¡± At Serene¡¯s cry, Jason¡¯s frosty gaze turned to Estre, ¡°If you don¡¯t let her go, I¡¯ll deal with your hand first.¡± Taking advantage of the moment, Serene wriggled free and stepped back. She rubbed her wrist, eyes welling with tears, ¡°Jason.¡± Jason nced at her impassively, ¡°Why are you so scared of her? Sit down.¡± As the tension mounted, a girl next to Thomas curiously asked Jason, ¡°Who¡¯s that, Mr. Jason?¡± Smoke curled around his gold-framed sses as Jason tapped the ash, ¡°Don¡¯t know her.¡± The room fell silent at his words. Don¡¯t know her? They¡¯d known each other for 23 years. Estre was 23 years old this year. Standing by the poker table, Estre was both amused and annoyed. Despite it all, she 15-10 leaned in and whispered to Jason, ¡°It¡¯s half past two. Time to call it a night.¡± With a cigarette between his fingers, Jason kept his cool demeanor. It was as if Estre was invisible. Serene, trying to defuse the awkwardness, intervened, ¡°Estre, men will be men, with their games. Thomas and the others are here too, so you shouldn¡¯t worry too much.¡± Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tie the knot first, then lend me your hubby for a spin?¡± Serene was left speechless by the retort. After herment, Estre turned to Thomas and tapped the poker table, ¡°Thomas, get up.¡± Thomas looked up, ¡°E, you want in?¡± Jesse, who had apanied Estre on this infidelity hunt, chuckled, ¡°What, men can y and women can¡¯t?¡± With stylish short hair and a shy floral shirt, Jesse could easily be mistaken for a and Estre¡¯s secret lover. man With a knowing look, Jesse turned towards Estre. ¡°Hey Estre, I hear theds working at the hotel¡¯s club are quite the catch. I¡¯ll holler for a couple toe up,¡± she said with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. Estre slid into the chair Thomas had pulled out for her, and sat down with an air of nonchnce. ¡°Sounds great.¡± As Estre gave her approval, Jason¡¯s gaze finallynded on her face. Estre, paying him no mind, continued the game they were ying. ¡°Jack of diamonds,¡± she called out nonchntly. Before long, a few dashing young men stood in the suite¡¯s living room. Jesse directed the tallest and most handsome one to go keep Estrepany. The boy, with a mission in mind, sat down next to Estre with a grin. ¡°Lady luck¡¯s smiling on me. With me by your side, you¡¯re sure to rake in the dough.¡± Estre chuckled, ¡°If I win big, I¡¯ll slip you a fat tip.¡± It was true that the rounds kept going in Estre¡¯s favor. She seemed to have a knack for nly winning when Jason yed his hand, much to his chagrin. At this moment, with another sessful round under her belt, Jason mmed his cards down in frustration. His face was a picture of cold fury, almost chilling the air around him. Unperturbed, Estre pushed her cards back into the shuffler, ribbing him, ¡°Mr. Jason can¡¯t 15:19 take a loss? If you can¡¯t stand the heat, go home and hit the hay.¡± Her taunt only drew a ¡®dryugh from Jason. ¡°You wanna sleep with me? Don¡¯t even think. about it, Estre.¡± After his snide remark, Serene cast a wary nce at Estre, wondering if a divorce was on the horizon for these two. Ignoring his barb, Estre handed over her winnings to the young man beside her. ¡°Here¡¯s your tip, kid.¡± The boy¡¯s face lit up as he epted the cash, ¡°Thanks a ton!¡± The other girls in the room instantly perked up, green with envy. Flush with the cash from Estre, the boy suddenly blushed and said, ¡°I can make your night even better. How about I stick around with you tonight?¡± After the boy said this, the cigarette in Thomas mouth dropped to the ground with a snap, and the others looked up. In that moment, the room fell into a profound silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. 15-10 Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Chapter 2 Jesse lounged on the couch, one leg crossed over the other, breaking the silence. ¡°Estre, the guy¡¯s laying it on thick for you. Don¡¯t waste his gant gesture. No point in spurning a gift horse.¡± Once Jesse finished, Jason snapped back to reality with a cold, mockingugh. ¡°Starved for affection, huh? Might be time to find a man for a couple of shots of love.¡± At that, Estre rose to her feet, oozing allure, and said with a generousugh, ¡°Guys, looks like my better half has spoken. I¡¯m off for my shots. You boys enjoy.¡± ncing at the young man beside her, she teased, ¡°Shall we, handsome? Let¡¯s go check into our room.¡± ¡°Sure!¡± he replied, leaning in to whisper something in her ear. ¡°Really? Well, I¡¯ll have to check out your skillster,¡± Estre flirted back. The room went silent. Seizing the moment, Jesse, with another young man in tow, also made her er way out. Inside the room, Jason¡¯s schrlyposure shattered, and with a kick, he sent a chair flying. Next thing you know, the table flipped, sending the cards scattering all over the floor. Serene stood beside him, her face pale with fear, and she grabbed his arm, calling out, ¡°Jason.¡± Startled, Serene was told by Thomas that this wasn¡¯t the ce for her, so someone was sent to escort her home. At the doorway, Estre didn¡¯t even look back as she inquired about the boys¡¯ skills, their favorite positions, and if the job paid well. Jesse nced back with a smirk, feeling a sense of satisfaction. Shortly after, Estre approached another luxurious suite door with a room card in han just as Jason, icy as a winter storm, came. The idea of her sleeping with another man was out of the question. No one else would touch what Jason discarded. Upon seeing him, Estre greeted him warmly as if bumping into an old friend. ¡°What a coincidence, you¡¯re checking into a room too? And Serene? Why don¡¯t you call her over as well?¡± Without waiting for Jason to speak, Estre teased, ¡°We¡¯re married, after all. Even if I can¡¯t 15:19 have you, let me at least witness your virility in bed. Otherwise, post-divorce, when people ask about my ex-husband¡¯s skills, I¡¯d be lost for words.¡± Jesse, who had watched the banter unfold, doted on Estre with augh. Jason spat out bitterly, ¡°Estre, you¡¯re pathetic.¡± Estre smiled unaffectedly. ¡°Pathetic? Could I have married you and slept in your bed otherwise?¡± Their marriage ¨C just a certificate with no ceremony ¨C had been an issue for Estre. Because of this, not many knew about their union. As Jason cornered Estre, the young man apanying her quickly stepped forward, suggesting, ¡°Hey, maybe you should¡­¡± But before he could finish, Jason¡¯s foot crashed into his chest. The young man stumbled back, his face ashen, and copsed with a thud. Estre finally dropped her pleasant facade. ¡°Ehough, Jason.¡± Jason grabbed her face. ¡°You can stomach this trash?¡± Pulling at his arm, Estre retorted, ¡°What I can stomach is none of your business. You have your fun, and I have mine. Fair¡¯s fair.¡± His grip tightened, Jason¡¯s expression darkening as he grabbed her throat. Choking, Estre¡¯s face turned beet red. Sensing Jason¡¯s anger, Jesse quickly intervened. ¡°Jason, this is going too far.¡± Jesse¡¯s words brought Thomas and Grayson rushing over to pull Jason away. They hurried the young man and his friend out before things escted further. Catching her breath, Estre, without a word, delivered a fierce kick to Jason¡¯s abdomen. His face paled instantly, and Thomas and the rest were stunned. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Estre red at Jason, her voice icy. ¡°Tryying a hand on me again.¡± Her hateful gaze made Jason¡¯s heart lurch. Realizing his own impulsiveness, he looked down at Estre, then turned away silently, hands in his pockets. Grayson stepped in. ¡°Enough drama for one night. Settle this at home.¡± Grayson pushed the two apart, and Jason, reluctantly, guided Estre out by the her neck. nape of In the parking lot below, Estre sat in the passenger seat, turning to gaze out the window. The car fell into silence, punctuated only by Jason lighting a cigarette at the open window. He exhaled a smoke ring before speaking. ¡°You just sleep with anyone. Aren¡¯t you scared 15-10 of catching something?¡± Estre replied with nonchnce, ¡°I use protection.¡± Jason¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Protection? You think you¡¯re the man in this? Do you have a penis to put that on?¡± As they argued, Estre¡¯s phone rang. It was Kristin. Sighing wearily, Estre answered, ¡°Hey.¡± Kristin¡¯s frantic voice came through. ¡°Estre, did you find Jason?¡± With one hand on her forehead and the other on the phone, Estre replied tiredly, ¡°Found him. We¡¯re on the way back.¡± She mentioned nothing of the hotel quarrel. years. Hearing Jason was with her, Kristin pressed, ¡°Estre, seize the night. It¡¯s been. two years You and Jason need a child. Otherwise, if he wants a divorce next year, you¡¯ll have no ace up your sleeve.¡± Kristin¡¯s nagging was giving Estre a splitting headache. For two years, it had been the same old song ¨C Kristin insisting she have a baby while Jason refused. Estre felt like she¡¯s about to lose her mind The real issue was that Estre was dying to start a family, but Jason, well, he wasn¡¯t on board. Estre didn¡¯t respond right away, which put Kristin on high alert. ¡°Estre, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re having second thoughts about having a baby?¡± she prodded. Estre replied with forced enthusiasm, ¡°Of course, I want to. Really, I do.¡± Jason nced at her indifferently before mming his foot on the gas, the car surging forward. When they arrived back home, the ce was eerily quiet. After a quick shower, Estre emerged from the bathroom and couldn¡¯t help but think about Kristin¡¯s earlier admonitions, not to mention her own mother¡¯s frequent probing. Determined, she marched to the wardrobe and picked out a set of ck,cy lingerie that screamed sex appeal. She had just pulled on her pants and was about to wrap herself in a robe when the bedroom door suddenly swung open. Turning around, she found Jason standing there. 15.10 1 Chapter 3 At that moment, he was d in a pale gray pajama set, hand brushing through his hair that was neither dry nor wet, leaving the cor casually open to bare his chiseled chest. Jason rubbed his hair nonchntly as he said with a poker face, ¡°Don¡¯t bother, even in your birthday suit, it¡¯s pointless.¡± Jason¡¯s dismissive tone slightly dimmed the sparkle in Estre¡¯s eyes. She slowly lifted the sheer fabric, her voice steady as she said, ¡°Jason, just cooperate and let¡¯s get this task done. After that, you can do whatever you want. I won¡¯t intrude on your life.¡± Then she added, with a twist in her tone, ¡°If you¡¯re really not into it, we could consider artificial insemination.¡± After Estre finished, Jason tossed the towel angrily onto the floor, held her chin with a smirk, and asked, ¡°Estre, what do you take me for, a sperm bank on legs?¡± Sperm bank on legs? Forced to meet Jason¡¯s gaze, Estre was at a loss for words. Their eyes locked, and as she saw her reflection in his eyes, Jason suddenly leaned closer, so close their lips were almost touching. At Jason¡¯s advance, Estre instinctively struggled. That was when Jason seemed to snap out of it and straightened up, his voice icy as he said, ¡°Estre, dreaming of climbing the socialdder through having my child?¡± He paused before adding, ¡°You¡¯re hardly qualified.¡± Estre felt the sting of those words. He didn¡¯t like her, their marriage was arranged by their parents, and their two families wanted to join forces, so Jason didn¡¯t like her in any way. Then, he raised his right hand to the back of her neck, pulled her close again, and reminded her while looking into her eyes, ¡°Estre, you have one year. If you can¡¯t make me father a child with you in that time, pack your bags and leave.¡± With that, he turned and walked to the wardrobe, picked out a dark suit, put on his gold-rimmed sses, and mmed the door behind him. Bang! The door shut with a violent force, leaving Estre to copse weakly onto the bed, her right hand cradling her forehead. She didn¡¯t know about Jason¡¯s affection for Serene. If she had known earlier, she would never have agreed to the marriage proposal from Jason¡¯s father Landon, even if it meant never having children and never bing a mother. After sitting on the edge of the bed for a while, Estre got up, went to the wardrobe, and 15:19 pulled out another set of pajamas. From N?velDrama.Org. Though Customed to the rejection, Estre felt defeated as a woman each time Jason turned her away. She had done everything, yet Jason never touched her. There was nothing more she could do. The next morning, she was awakened by a call from Kristin. ¡°Hi Kristin.¡± ¡°Estre, how did it go with Jasonst night? Did you two make up?¡± Kristin¡¯s inquiry left Estre feeling helpless. For two years, Kristin¡¯s pressure for a grandchild had driven her to the brink of insanity. She thought if Kristin had wanted grandchildren so badly, she should have had more children, not pinned all her hopes on Jason. After a er a long silence, Estre replied with resignation, ¡°He left shortly after he came back.¡± Hearing that they had not ¡°seeded¡±st night, and that she had missed another chance to be a grandmother, Kristin felt a chill in her heart. She advised, ¡°Estre, you still need to be more proactive with Jason.¡± Estre thought to herself that she was almost begging Jason to take pity on her and sleep with her. How much more proactive could she be? Frowning in thought and unsure what to say, Kristin added from the other end, ¡°You see, you just don¡¯t take enough initiative with Jason. Go to the office and bring him lunch. You need to be more present, or others will think you¡¯re a pushover.¡± The ¡°others¡± Kristin referred to were Serene, who was Jason¡¯s secretary at thepany. Despite a hundred reservations, Estre couldn¡¯t refuse after Kristin had called and given her advice. So, she got ready, grabbed the lunch the maid prepared, and drove to Nelson International. ¡°Jason, do you think this revision works? If we adjust this¡­¡± Outside Jason¡¯s office, Estre hadn¡¯t even knocked when she heard Serene¡¯s delicate voice inside. The office door was ajar, and Estre peeked in to see Jason with a file in hand, speak to a leaning Serene, ¡°These figures don¡¯t make sense, and it could lead to safety issues the project.¡± ¡°And this cement in sector D,¡± Jason continued, abruptly changing the subject, ¡°Pull up a chair and sit.¡± At Jason¡¯s care, Serene smiled and pulled a chair next to him to sit down. Outside the door, Estre rolled her eyes discreetly. Right then, Estre wasn¡¯t sure if 15:19 Jason and Serene¡¯s interaction was normal, or if it was typical for a secretary to sit so close to her supervisor, but Estre knew one thing: since marrying Jason, he had never spoken to her with such gentleness. He never cared whether she stood or sat, knelt ory down, lived or died. Last year, she had a minor car ident, and when the doctor asked for a family member to sign the papers, Jason had hung up on her call. She spent several days in the hospital, and to this day, Jason remained unaware of the incident. After waiting at the door for a while and seeing that their discussion was far from over, Estre turned and left with the lunchbox. When she wandered around the ground floor and passed a pharmacy, she remembered Kristin¡¯s instructions and headed back to thepany. Indeed. Regardless of Jason¡¯s acknowledgment, she was hiswful wife. Why should she hide? She had done nothing wrong. Thus, returning to Jason¡¯s office, Estre didn¡¯t think twice before pushing open the door. Inside the office, Jason and Serene, hearing the sound, looked up towards the door, Chapter 4 Seeing Estr appear like this, Jason¡¯s brows slig Serene, initially startled, rose from her chair and greeted Estre with a smile that seemed to light up the room. ¡°Hey, Estre.¡±- Noting the lunchbox in Estre¡¯s hands, Serene¡¯s grin widened as she said, ¡°Came to deliver Jason¡¯s lunch, huh?¡± Then, turning to Jason with an amodating smile, Serene said, ¡°Jason, since Estre has brought lunch, let¡¯s skip going out to eat. It¡¯s not every day Estre visits the office. You should spend some time with her.¡± Serene¡¯s understanding demeanor was almost as if she were Jason¡¯s wife, not Estre. It seemed as though the opportunity to eat the lunch Estre brought was a gracious. concession from Serene herself. Estre, feigning indifference, retorted, ¡°Serene, either let Jason go against his father and get a divorce, or throw the evidence of my face. Quit the Our affair with Jason in passive-aggressive act. It¡¯s so disgusting.¡± If Serene had been more capable, Estre might have given her some credit. But as it stood, Estre couldn¡¯t bring herself to respect such mediocrity. Hearing Estre¡¯s disdain, Serene¡¯s face was a portrait of awkwardness as she exined, ¡°Estre, it¡¯s not what you think between Jason and me. We¡¯re just discussing work.¡± After her exnation, Serene¡¯s eyes dimmed as she added, ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two to chat. I¡¯ll step out.¡± As the door closed behind Serene, Estre approached the desk, setting down the lunchbox with an audible thud. She pulled out a chair opposite Jason and sat down as if nothing was out of the ordinary. ¡°Kristin asked me to bring you lunch.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Jason mmed down some documents on the desk and asked with a chilly edg ¡°Estre, can¡¯t you think for yourself for once? Estre silently watched him, her gaze piercing. His demeanor towards Serene hpletely different. Indeed, when you weren¡¯t liked, everything you did or said would be wrong. Even b him food, even being alive was like a mistake. After a long stare, Estre leaned back in the chair and said coolly, ¡°When ites to situation, I don¡¯t have a say. Your parents¡¯ word isw to me, and I can¡¯t defy them.¡± She was not only unable to defy Jason¡¯s parents, but she was also terrified of her own. mother¡¯s tears and guilt-trips, urging Estre to be obedient and good. 15.00 But then again, Landon had been decent to her When they got married, Landon set strict rules for Jason: he couldn¡¯t ask for a divorce, he couldn¡¯t betray her, and he had to do his best to make the marriage work. Otherwise, he would be kicked out of the Nelson family, and all the wealth and family business would belong to her.. If they truly couldn¡¯t get along, they were to try for three years before making any decisions. Now, only one year remained. Jason didn¡¯t respond, so Estre got up, fetched the utensils, and mimicked Serene¡¯s flirty voice, ¡°Jason, you know what they say, ¡®The body is an engine that runs on food.¡¯ Have a little bite, won¡¯t you?¡± When Jason looked up at her, Estre winked and pushed a piece of rib towards his mouth. Taken aback by Estre¡¯s cute act, Jason momentarily froze before opening his mouth as ifpelled. But Estre mmed the lunchbox onto the table with a snap, exasperated, ¡°Damn it, you really only fall for Serene¡¯s tricks.¡± She then threw the fork down forcefully and snapped, ¡°Eat it or don¡¯t. I¡¯m done pampering you.¡± After leaving Jason¡¯s office, Estre made a point to tell his secretary not to bother with dinner arrangements, as food had already been sent from home. However, around nine that evening, Kristin¡¯s call woke her with news that Jason was hospitalized for severe dehydration due to diarrhea. Estre¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She quickly dressed and headed to the hospital. Upon arriving at the ward and seeing Kristin so exhausted, Estre sent her home first. Back in the room, Jason looked up at Estre and used, ¡°So, Estre, you¡¯ve got nerve. now, poisoning me?¡± Estre moved closer, adjusting his nket, ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be so dramatic. Mo couples spice things up with love potions, notxatives.¡± ¡°You¡¯re denying it?¡± Jason said, hurling his phone at her, showing surveince fo her entering a pharmacy. He then tossed a pharmacy receipt at her. Caught red-handed, Estre fell silent under his gaze. Expecting her to exin, Jason was taken aback when Estre suddenly said, ¡°Don¡¯t at me like that, I might lose control.¡± ¡°Estre,¡± Jason¡¯s face darkened, and he threw a pillow at her. Catching the iing pillow, Estre retorted calmly, ¡°You¡¯re out partying all the time. while I¡¯m driven to the edge. A little medicinal payback RAMs fair.¡± 1540 ¨C At her words, Jason gripped her wrist, pulling her close, his voice a deep rumble, ¡°Are you jealous, Estre?¡± Caught off guard by his question, Estre burst outughing, ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯d sooner eat dirt than be jealous of you.¡± Estre¡¯s heartyughter prompted Jason to suddenly pull her back to him with force. Their foreheads collided, their noses brushed, and Estre gasped in pain. Before she could react, Jason¡¯s warm lips unexpectedly imed hers. Chapter 5 Estre was caught off guard for a moment. Did Jason really know what he was doing? As Estre¡¯s surprise registered, Jason¡¯s eyshes fluttered slightly before he came back to himself and let go of her, saying, ¡°You¡¯re always talking about wanting to have children, aren¡¯t you? What, are you still waiting for me to serve you?¡± Estre snapped back to reality, reaching for the buttons of his hospital gown while casually asking, ¡°In your current state, can you even do it?¡± Jason really wanted to sew Estre¡¯s mouth shut with needle and thread. Annoyed, her jerked his hand away from her, ¡°You sure have a knack for stripping people.¡± Then he changed the subject, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about the drugging incident when your folkse by tomorrow.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Estrended with a thump on a nearby chair after being pushed aside and frowned, ¡°Jason, you¡¯re taking the fun out of this.¡± Jason could mess with anyone he wanted, but not with Estre¡¯s mom and dad. They were her lifeline, and her absolute limit. Jason looked at her impassively, ¡°Weren¡¯t you scared when you drugged me?¡± With that, he pulled a bottle of pills from under his pillow and tossed it to Estre, ¡°Either take these now or let your parents be the judge.¡± Catching the pills Jason flung at her, Estre saw they werexatives and felt a surge of anger. She had to suppress her rage, grinding her teeth she said, ¡°Fine, Jason, you won.¡± Estre would rather stay in the hospital for a few days than endure her mother¡¯s tearful scolding. Then, she poured the pills into her palm and was about to throw them into her mouth. Seeing Estre about to swallow the pills, Jason once again grabbed a pillow and, without too much force, hit her again.. The pills scattered across the floor, and when Estre looked up at him, Jason said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m not as vengeful as you.¡± Estre burst intoughter, ¡°If you can¡¯t bear it, just say so.¡± Jason swept her with a cold nce, and Estre quickly mimed zipping her lips, falling silent. The room quieted down. After a while, thefort food Kristin had ordered from the hotel was delivered. Estre took the bowl and spoon and sat carefully by the bed, feeding Jason. Before each spoonful, she blew on it to cool it down and tested the temperature. Only when it was 15:20 cool enough did she bring it to Jason¡¯s lips. Everything felt like it had gone back to the way it was before their fight. They hadn¡¯t interacted so closely in a very long time. In the silence of the night, when Jason woke up, only a dim bedside nightlight remained 1. The light was faint, and Estre was asleep, resting on the edge of the bed. Two o years¡­.. It had been two years since he had looked at her like this. Jason lifted his right hand, about to touch her face, but stopped mid-air. He remembered every word she had said that day, the fire, and the irrefutable evidence. The past came flooding back, and Jason¡¯s hand finally rested on Estre¡¯s head as he muttered, ¡°Do you hate me so much that you¡¯d take my life?¡± After that incident, and the fire, they couldn¡¯t go back to how things were before. He couldn¡¯t possibly fulfill her wish of having a child. They were together, but it was jus mutual torment and suffering. Later, right up until he was discharged, Jason never spoke of Estre drugging him. As for Estre, she took care of Jason until he was discharged, then went back to work at thew firm afterpleting her annual leave. The two of them parted ways again, returning to days of seeming strangers. One afternoon, as Jason returned from a government meeting, Drew brought him some documents to sign. After Drew set down the documents, Jason asked, ¡°What¡¯s Estre been up totely?¡± It had been a month since Estrest sought him out. Drew replied, ¡°Sir, Ms. Estre has been busy with work, taking on quite a few divorce cases.¡± His voice dropped noticeably at thest sentence. Jason tossed aside the document in his hand andughed coldly, ¡°She¡¯s getting her practice in early.¡± Drew remained silent, sharing the same thoughts. Why Estre married Jason was an open secret to all. At Justice Guardians LLP, in the conference room, Estre sneezed and wondered who might be talking about her when the director turned to her, speaking earnestly, ¡°Estre, you¡¯re young, why take on so many divorce cases?¡± He then looked around at the other colleagues ¡°Don¡¯t bully Estre just because she¡¯s the 15-20 newbie. Don¡¯t just dump the unwanted cases on her.¡± Estre smiled and said, ¡°Director, it¡¯s not that serious. I¡¯m just treating it as training.¡± Her marriage to Jason might turn into a fierce battle, and she wanted to warm up f up first. The director frowned and said, ¡°That¡¯s not the way to train. Estre, take on fewer divorce. cases in the future, so it doesn¡¯t affect your view of marriage.¡± He was worried about her being influenced by the cases in her first year. Before Estre could reply, the director added, And don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t guide you as your supervisor. I heard Nelson International is looking to change legal representation. If you cannd Nelson International, you¡¯d make a name for yourself in this industry.¡± Over the years, the firm had vigorously pursued Nelson International¡¯s legal representation, but to no avail. This year, with a new face, they wanted to give it another shot. The director believed in Estre¡¯s attitude and ability. To ease her apprehension, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t feel pressured, Estre. The firm doesn¡¯t demand you secure Nelson International¡¯s representation. Just do your best.¡± With that encouragement, Estre reluctantly agreed to try, but the thought of dealing Nelson International gave her a headache. with So when Estre got home for dinner with her folks that night, and they started grilling her about Jason, she shot back with a frosty retort, ¡°Dad, do you and Landon really think pushing me to marry Jason is doing me a favor, or are you just setting me up?¡± Hearing this, Cole¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°What are you talking about, youngdy? We¡¯re obviously looking out for you. Plus, a bunch of fortune-tellers confirmed that your stars align only with Jason. Anyone else, and you¡¯re looking at a future without kids.¡± Estre nced at Cole. ¡°Landon has never doubted you? He didn¡¯t even doubt those fortune-tellers?¡± ¡°Your father-inw is the one who consulted them. I don¡¯t even know those people.¡± The idea that she could only have children with Jason was both absurd and infuriating. Was it her debt to him from a past life, or his to her, that fate insisted on entangling them this way? Surely no one else¡¯s life script was as melodramatically cursed as hers. Meanwhile, Estre¡¯s mom chimed in, ¡°Cole, if Estre does have kids and Jason still insists on a divorce, can she keep the children?¡± Cole nodded. ¡°Landon made it clear if ites to that, the kids will definitely stay with Estre. So her main job right now is to make sure she has a son or a daughter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± Estre¡¯s mom sighed with relief. ¡°Estre, did you hear that? You need to prioritize this, honey.¡± Estre replied with a hint of sarcasm, ¡°Got it Having kids with Jason is my priority now Chapter 6 Mom, rx, I got this.¡± She had initially brushed off the fortune-tellers words, but as they piled on with the same. predictions, Estre couldn¡¯t help but give it some serious thought. Regardless of what the future held with Jason, she had to get on the baby-making train pronto. After dinner and reassuring her parents she was on the case, Estre hit the road, leaving the sprawling Dorvold mansion behind. Back at Sandalwood Oasis, the moment she set foot inside, Marie bounded up with the news, ¡°Ms. Estre, Mr. Jason¡¯s returned.¡± Her hand paused mid-air as she was hanging up her bag. Estre was taken aback. He just couldn¡¯t stay away after all. It looked like Landon had put the squeeze on him. Estre paused for a moment before Marie, bubbling with excitement, said, ¡°I just went upstairs to change the linens. Saw Mr. Jason taking clothes to the bathroom. Looks like he¡¯s not leaving tonight.¡± When her husband came home, even the servants were thrilled for her, as if she were a queen finally graced by the king¡¯s favor. Estre couldn¡¯t help but mock herself internally. After slipping into her slippers, Estre said with a smile, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go up and have a look.¡± She pushed open the bedroom door to find Jason justing out of the bathroom. Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°You¡¯re back. Wait for me, I¡¯m going to take a shower.¡± Jason looked disgusted, ¡°Estre, can¡¯t you think of anything else?¡± Estre chuckled, ¡°What¡¯s so weird about taking a shower when I get home? And anyway, if I don¡¯t have that kind of urge upon seeing you, you¡¯d be the one crying.¡± Jason fell silent. Forty-some minutester, Estre emerged from the shower refreshed and saw Jason lounging on the bed with a book, his gold-rimmed sses perched on his nose. Estre, feeling fresh and invigorated, approached him, hitching up the leg of her pants and straddling Jason¡¯sp. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. As he looked up, Estre, ignoring his gaze, lightly unknotted the belt of his robe with a flick of her finger. With his book in hand, Jason looked at Estre andmanded without expression, ¡°Get off.¡± Estre stopped undressing him and asked, ¡°Jason, are you not up for it? If that¡¯s the case, I can go with you to the doctor.¡± Jason shot her a cold nce, and she quickly changed the subject, ¡°Don¡¯t want to talk about that, huh? Okay, okay, then let¡¯s discuss something else, something more serious.¡± Jason put down his book and spoke with rare gentleness, ¡°Have you made up your mind about the divorce?¡± Estre retorted, ¡°Can¡¯t you think of something positive?¡± With that, she scooted closer. Jason looked down and saw Estre wrapping her arms around his neck, ¡°What about the legal counsel for Nelson International? Could we¡­¡± She was interrupted as Jason cut her off, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± 15:20 ¡°Come on!¡± Estre protested. ¡°What¡¯s the difference between other firms and Justice Guardians LLP? Is there any condition we can discuss?¡± Jason eyed her, a smirk forming on his lips, ¡°Negotiate? With an unwritten rule? Estre, I wouldn¡¯t take you on even if you paid me, let alone me paying you.¡± Estre was stunning, the kind that haunted your dreams, but he saw right through her little schemes the moment she walked in. Jason¡¯s aloofness was palpable as Estre yed with his earlobe, ¡°How about I pay the fee and you give me a baby?¡± Jason looked up, ¡°So your son can inherit my fortune? Keep dreaming.¡± Two years into their marriage, Estre only seemed interested in having children whenever she saw him, which made Jason feel like nothing more than a means to an end. Estreughed, ¡°How do you know it would be a son? What if it¡¯s a daughter? How about I write you a promise that my son won¡¯t inherit your estate?¡± That only made Jason less inclined. His expression darkened as he ordered again, ¡°Get off.¡± Estre, hands still on his shoulders, looked into his icy gaze. His features were exceptionally handsome, his serious demeanor almost begging to be conquered. Instead of getting off, she cupped his face in her hands and leaned in to kiss him. Jason held her waist, attempting to push her away, but Estre¡¯s soft tongue enticed him, and he tightened his grip on her waist. He didn¡¯t have the heart to push her away after all. The scent of their closeness filled the room, the atmosphere thick with desire. Her nightgown slipped from her shoulders, revealing Estre¡¯s soft skin and curves. She drew ever closer to Jason. Work, rumors, none of it mattered as much as the prospect of having a child. As his right hand caressed her back, Jason¡¯s phone on the nightstand suddenly vibrated. The sound snapped Jason back to reality. He released Estre and reached for his phone. Hearing Drew¡¯s voice on the other end, Jason said, ¡°You go pick them up. I¡¯m on my way.¡± Jason hung up and was about to leave when Estre reached out and grabbed his arm. ¡°Jason, this is downright low!¡± Who would leave in the middle of sex? That was just despicable. Shrugging off her hand, Jason said, ¡°You thought it was serious?¡± Actually, if Drew hadn¡¯t called just in time, he might have lost control that night. Had Estre had her way, it would be a disaster. After Jason left, Estre was fuming. She called Jesse and they headed to the bar. Hearing that her opportunity had slipped away, Jesse questioned with a hint of suspicion, ¡°Jason didn¡¯t take the bait? Is he really impotent?¡± Estre mused, ¡°Most likely, he¡¯s just trying to spite me.¡± Jesse scoffed, ¡°He gets to have an orgasm. If you two ever split, he wouldn¡¯t even have to take care of the kid. What¡¯s he thinking?¡± ¡°If I had a wife like you, I¡¯d never let you leave the bed.¡± Jesse¡¯s suggestive talk made it seem as if she truly was one of the boys. And annoyingly, her tomboyish charm seemed to attract quite a few girls at the bar. As they shared these private conversations, Jesse flipped through her phone. Her expression suddenly darkened, and then she handed Estre the device, saying, ¡°Estre, your dear Jason has really crossed the line.¡± As she took the phone that Jesse offered her, Estre¡¯s mood plummeted as well. Bikeshares, power bank shares, and now it seemed she was dealing with a husband-share. His gallivanting was one thing but to give her the cold shoulder when they were together? Jason was showing her a seriousck of respect. Clunk! With a deft but casual flick of her wrist, Estre set her empty ss down on the table upside down. As she pushed her chair back to leave, a sudden blockade of giggling girls cornered her. ¡°Well, well, if it isn¡¯t Estre,¡± one of them teased with a sly grin. ¡°Looking a little worse for wear tonight, aren¡¯t you?¡± another chimed in, with a mock concern that didn¡¯t quite reach her eyes. ¡°Drowning your sorrows in booze?¡± 15-20 Chapter 7 The bar was dimly lit, a cacophony of voices blending with the pulse of music in the raucous night. Before Estre could utter a word, the girl blurted out, ¡°Jason¡¯s not home again tonight. Bet he¡¯s shacked up with some other dame.¡± Jesse, hands casually tucked in her pockets, shed a wry smile. ¡°Pa, are you also drowning your sorrows in alcohol? But seriously, you should. I mean, Jason¡¯s vor of the week changes faster than the specials at Joe¡¯s Diner, and you¡¯re still not on the menu. after two years.¡± ¡°Jesse, you¡­¡± Pa¡¯s face turned beet red with anger. ¡°So what? You honestly think Estre is Jason¡¯s wife? Let her call Jason ¡®hubby¡¯ and see if he even acknowledges it.¡± From N?velDrama.Org. Pa thought it was her who should have been cozying up with the Nelsons. Her dad and Jason¡¯s dad already toasting to their kids¡¯ impending nuptials, but then Estre swooped in and stole the show. So, behind the scenes, Pa had tried to trip up Estre more times than she could count, stirring up all kinds of trouble. Now, with this chance encounter, Pa wasn¡¯t about to let it slide. Jesse replied, ¡°Whether Jason answers to Estre, I couldn¡¯t tell ya. But if you call him, I bet he won¡¯t give you the time of day.¡± Jesse raised her eyebrows, her tone firm. ¡°Pa, you lost the game. Better quit those sneaky moves.¡± Pa was livid. ¡°Lost to her? If it weren¡¯t for Landon¡¯s momentarypse of judgment, she wouldn¡¯t stand a chance! Can she even keep Jason? He doesn¡¯t even treat her like a wife. They¡¯ve been married two years, and no wedding bash. All the while, Jason¡¯s had a parade of women. Doesn¡¯t Estre know? This is nothing but Jason¡¯s protest against the marriage and against her clinging on. If I were her, I¡¯d have killed myself by now. She¡¯s so shameless.¡± Jesse¡¯s expression darkened, and Pa continued, ¡°As for you, Jesse, you mother must be so disappointed seeing you like this. What are you? Really Are you a woman or a man? Do you even know it yourself?¡± the Pa¡¯s ranting didn¡¯t bother Estre at first, until she insulted Jesse. Estre picked up full ss of wine on the table, without saying a word, and sshed it on Pa¡¯s face. ¡°Had enough, Pa?¡± Serene, sure, she¡¯d take seriously. After all, that woman managed to stick around Jason, ying his secretary. But Pa? Not even a blip on Jason¡¯s radar, despite the Lamont family practically throwing themselves at him. To Estre, Pa was a nonentity. Drenched and fuming, Pa hurled her purse at Estre. ¡°You sshed me with your 15:20 drink?¡± Then it was on. Estre and Jesse, outnumbered, took on Pa and her posse. But they didn¡¯t need numbers ¨C Pa and her crew hit the floor before the night was over. Leaving the bar, Estre pulled out her phone and dialed a number. ¡°Officer, it¡¯s Estre from Justice Guardians LLP. Got a minute?¡± The man on the other end was the deputy chief of police. He admired Estre¡¯s brilliance after she had handled his messy divorce. Thirty minutester, when Estre got home, the news of Pa¡¯s arrest for causing a scene at the bar was trending everywhere. The inte, that fickle beast, turned on Pa as former ssmates came out of the woodwork with stories of how she¡¯d tormented them or stolen their boyfriends. The Lamonts managed to pull some strings, getting Pa out and the trend squashed, but not without a stern lecture. Estre felt a certain satisfaction. As for her bond with Jesse, well, that went back a decade to a harrowing event in early high school, a time that had left Jesse forever changed. After a shower, just as Estre was ready to turn in, Jason burst into the bedroom. ¡°Estre,¡± he began, ¡°I think it¡¯s time I reassessed you.¡± He just went out, and she¡¯d already stirred up trouble. His father had even called him asking what happened. Estre, lounging on the bed, retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t y the innocent. And Jason, keep it in your pants.¡± He knew well why she and Pa had shed. And she was tired of Jason not giving her the respect she deserved. Jason, shrugging off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves and looked at her with a smirk ¡°You¡¯re giving me orders now?¡± As he approached, Estre snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you tonight. Get out.¡± ¡°Calling off the baby ns?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± His grin widened. ¡°Are you sure you want to pass up this chance?¡± A lump formed in Estre¡¯s throat, followed by a surge of anger and sorrow. What kind marriage was this, where having a child meant begging and waiting on a man¡¯s mood? Estre¡¯s gaze grew icy. She decided it was time to reim some dignity. ¡°Get out,¡± she said, her voice a frosty whisper. 15:20 Jason¡¯s eyes narrowed with intrigue, and he taunted her with his belt. ¡°Where¡¯s that fire. you used to have, Estre?¡± Estre grabbed Jason¡¯s belt and smacked it against him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just a pain?¡± Everyone has their moods; no one feels like wearing a smile 24/7 just for someone else¡¯s benefit. The angrier Estre got, the more amused Jason became. He bent down, getting up close, ¡°I¡¯m in quite the mood today.¡± Chapter 8 With a swift movement, he caught Estre¡¯s hands just as she was about to push him away, pinning them against the headboard. Estre huffed, ¡°Fine, the one who quits is a loser.¡± In the end, during their tussle, Estre discovered that Jason was intent on ying rough. Seizing the opportunity when Jason was off guard, she grabbed a decorative piece from the nightstand and, without a second thought, smashed it over his head. ¡°Estre!¡± Jason bellowed her name and wiped his forehead, his palming away bloody. Estre, as if nothing had happened, tossed the ornament back onto the nightstand and dusted off her hands. ¡°I warned you.¡± She was clear in her message: If he wants to do it, fine. But forget about ying games with her. ¡°Jason, look at you now! To think Estrended you in the hospital.¡± In the hospital. Thomas, who hade along to keep Jasonpany while he got bandaged up, couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter seeing his friend¡¯s head wrapped in gauze. Estre was badass, unlike them who had only ever been on the receiving end of a beating. Jason threw him a cold look, and Thomas immediately made a zipping motion across hist lips, though his face was still struggling to hide a grin. While driving Jason back, Thomas couldn¡¯t stop chuckling every time he nced at him. ¡°Is Estre jealous?¡± Jason asked sideways. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Thomas replied. ¡°Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t havended you in the hospital. Jason, Estre¡¯s a keeper. You should treasure her.¡± Jason adjusted his cufflinks and patted the dried blood on his sleeve. His face suc lost its earlier grimness, and a sly smile crept onto his lips. ¡°Jason, have you been knocked senseless by Estre?¡± Thomas teased. ¡°You can sti smile at a time like this? Think about how you¡¯ll face people tomorrow, and how you¡¯l exin this.¡± Jason was unconcerned. What was there to exin? My wife hit me. Back at the mansion, after Jason had left with an injury, Estre didn¡¯t wait for him to return. 15:20 The next morning, she got ready and headed straight to Nelson International to discuss legal representation. In the reception room, the secretary politely informed her, ¡°Ms. Estre, Mr. Nelson is in a meeting. We won¡¯t be discussing legal representation today.¡± The secretary told Jason that Ms. Estre from Justice Guardians LLP was here, and Jason¡¯s response was clear: he wouldn¡¯t see her. Estre had the gall toe over to talk business after what she did to him? The nerve. Shortly after, the head of legal affairs arrived and told Estre, ¡°Ms. Estre, our group isn¡¯t considering Justice Guardians LLP.¡± This wasn¡¯t an exnation; it was a t-out rejection.. Despite visiting Nelson International several timester, Jason still refused to see her, and the legal department wouldn¡¯t engage with her either. A week went by, and as Estre was leaving work, she noticed a sleek ck Maybach parked not far from thew firm. Her steps slowed. Drew, spotting Estre, quickly got out and opened the back door. ¡°Ms. Estre.¡± Estre paused, and Drew said, ¡°Mr. Jason hase to take you back to the estate for dinner.¡± Estre nced at Jason sitting in the back seat and said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± She had tried to see him multiple times, and he hadn¡¯t even shown his face. Now he wanted her to y house? She wasn¡¯t going to y along. In the back seat, Jason remained seated, his expression unreadable. Jason remarked, ¡°It seems you really don¡¯t want to be a mother.¡± Thatment struck a nerve. Estre crossed her arms and looked down at him. ¡°Did you ever give me a chance?¡± Jason flicked an invisible speck of dust off his sleeve. ¡°Not being able to s a failure on your part.¡± sleep with me is Then, he looked up, ¡°Estre, from now on, I¡¯lle back once a month. Whether you tak advantage of that is up to you.¡± Once a month? What if the timing was off? That would be a wasted trip. And Jason wasn known for being cooperative or straightforward. Thinking this over, Estre countered, ¡°Once a week, non-negotiable.¡± Jason appraised her for a moment, his lips curving into a smile. ¡°Get in.¡± Landon had been on his casetely, and his grand-parents had put on the pressure. Whether or not they had a child wasn¡¯t the issue, but he had to show the right attitude. and she gracefully slid into the With Jason¡¯s agreement, Estre¡¯s smile turned sedu 15-20 F seat beside him. Drew closed the door with a relieved sigh and got into the driver¡¯s seat. Negotiating even for going home to sleep? This couple¡¯s dynamic was truly something else. No sooner had Jason and Estre entered the estate than Jason¡¯s grandmother, Amber, bustled out. ¡°Oh my! My little Estre¡¯s back! Let granny have a look, any sign of a baby bump?¡± Leaning over, Amber pressed her ear against Estre¡¯s stomach to listen. Estre felt awkward. ¡°Granny, not yet.¡± Amber¡¯s cheer faded as she stood up. ¡°Estre, you and Jason have been married for two years, why no news? Have you gone to the doctor? Is the issue with you or Jason?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been checked, and I¡¯m all clear,¡± Estre responded. She was more than willing, but unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t reproduce on her own; otherwise, she¡¯d have given birth to a whole brood by now.. Hearing this, Amber turned her gaze to Jason. Jason, if that¡¯s the case, it seems the problem is with you. You¡¯re tall and strong, how can you not father a child? All that nurturing for nothing.¡± ¡°Granny,¡± Jason replied, ¡°Estre and I are still young. We¡¯re not nning on it just yet.¡± Two years married and no ns? Who was he trying to fool? Amber was just about to give Jason a piece of her mind when Landon came down from upstairs, interrupting her with a calm, ¡°Mom, Estre and Jason can handle their own affairs. There¡¯s no need for you to meddle.¡± After a brief pause, he turned to Jason and said, ¡°Jason,e with me. We need to talk.¡± With Jason taken aside, Estre stayed in the living room, making small talk with the grandparents and watching TV. When it was time for dinner, after they¡¯d finished discussing whatever it was, Land right into business, ¡°Estre, I heard you¡¯ve been negotiating the legal representat thepany?¡± Estre lifted her gaze, ¡°Yes.¡± Landon was straightforward, ¡°You¡¯ll go to the office and sign the contract tomorrow When Estre graduated, Landon wanted her to join Nelson International and groom properly, but Estre had other ns.. Estre¡¯s spirits lifted, ¡°Thank you.¡± Over the years, Landon had been impable in his treatment of her, always considerate and supportive. If only Landon wasn¡¯t so much older than her, and Kristin hadn¡¯t been so 15:201 ve kind to her, Estre might have even entertained the thought of marrying Landon instead. Certainly, it would have been a much better choice than ending up with Jason. Meanwhile, Amber was busy fussing over Jason at the table, urging him, ¡°Jason, eat up. You need to build up your strength.¡± Estre nced over and couldn¡¯t help but notice that Amber was piling Jason¡¯s te with oysters. Chapter 9 Girandina sure didn¡¯t trust her grandan, did she? Estre, assing the alluation, als started piling toed onte Jason¡¯s te, saying, ¡°Thanks for taking care of the agency stuff. You should put up¡± Jason shot her a frosty look, but Estre just entled at him, her eyes crinkling into slits Havingnded the legal prosy, her spirits were earing Then, setzing the moment, Kristin chimed in, ¡°son, Estre, it¡¯s not often you guyse home Why don¡¯t you stay over tonight?¡± Amber added, ¡°This old house has great vibes You two stay the night, and who knows, Estre might get pregnant¡± She continued with a twinkle in her eye, ¡°Jaso, you put in a good effortter. Let¡¯s aim for twins¡± From N?velDrama.Org. Jason sighed. When all was said and done, the family just wanted them to hurry up and have a baby So, when they got back to the bedroom upstats, Estre asked, ¡°So, are we doing this?¡± Jason gave her an indifferent nce. ¡°Estre, can¡¯t you think of anything else?¡± Estre chuckled. ¡°What else is there to think about when I am with you? Besides, would you be okay if it was with someone else?¡± Jason stepped closer, pinching her cheek. ¡°You really have no shame, do you?¡± Estre brushed his hand away and wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°You¡¯re my husband. Why would I need any pretenses?¡± For her, having a child was far more important than maintaining her image. Besides, she had long since lost any image she had in Jason¡¯s eyes. Looking down at her, Jason said, ¡°Estre, that¡¯s no way for a woman to behave.¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± Estre retorted. ¡°I¡¯m exactly that kind of woman.¡± Then, standing on her tiptoes, her lips almost brushed his as she called out, ¡°Jason.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Jason¡¯s response seemed to wind around her. Taking the cue, Estre pressed her lips firmly to his. With the softness of her kiss, Jason tensed, his arms wrapping around her waist. As he meant to push her away, his hands kneaded her instead. He was starting to lose control. His body felt a surge of heat and restlessness, but Estre¡¯s little scheming, as well as the Intentions of his parents and grandparents, became clear once again. So, he pushed away Estre and went straight to the bathroom. 15:21 # In a split second, Estre¡¯s patience exploded. She ripped off her slippers and hurled them towards the bathroom. ¡°Jason, are you even a man?¡± Jason actually preferred to handle things in the bathroom rather than touch her. Estre felt humiliated. Half an hourter, when Jason emerged from the bathroom, Estre was already lying down, turned away from him. As Jason sat down next to her and identally touched. her, Estre spun around and kicked him, catching him off guard and sending him tumbling to the floor. ¡°Estre.¡± Jason roared in a low voice, but Estre remained silent, her back still to him. Rubbing his forehead, Jason knew she was genuinely angry this time. He sat beside her again, and when Estre tried to kick him, he pinned her down, leaving her no room to move. Knowing she was no match for Jason, Estre propped herself up on the bed. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll leave if that¡¯s what you want.¡± She couldn¡¯t ept the way things had gone with Jason just moments ago. No wife should have to endure such frustration. With a darkened expression, Jason said, ¡°Estre, can¡¯t you just keep it down for one night?¡± She was the one making a fuss? Estre felt a sudden surge of self-pity, her eyes welling up, but she quicklyposed herself. ¡°Jason, if you really can¡¯t stand this life, go and talk to your dad.¡± After two years, she was tired of the coldness and the loneliness. If it wasn¡¯t working, it was better to end things sooner rather thanter. Whether she had children or became a mother wasn¡¯t such a big deal. She started to reach for her coat in the wardrobe. Seeing she meant business, Jason grabbed her arm. Estre swung back, and with a forceful pull, he sent her sprawling onto the bed. As Estre tried to rise, Jason pressed. down on her, his hands over hers. ¡°Estre, let¡¯s not turn this into something we can¡¯t back down from.¡± They had just acted like a loving couple, and now she was turning her back and walking out? What would the elders think? Tears rimming her eyes, Estre turned her head away, refusing to look at Jason. Jason felt a tug in his heart and leaned in to kiss her, but Estre buried her face deeper into the pillow. At this moment, she was no longer willing, and she didn¡¯t care about Jason anymore. Powerless, he tried to reason with her gently, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree beforeing back? I wille home once a week.¡± 15211 For the first time in their two-year marriage, Jason was softening his stance, speaking to her with such patience, but Estre remained silent. That night, Jason held her as they slept. Estre, with her back to him, kept her eyes red and her heart empty. She knew that Jason¡¯s sudden good mood was merely out of concern for his family¡¯s feelings. To him, what was she? Nothing more than a shameless woman who was desperate to get into his bed. So, despite being married, even though she was the one making advances, he still wouldn¡¯t touch her. Estre spent the night awake. Jason, however, slept soundly with her in his arms, more peacefully than ever before. But when he woke up, her side of the bed was cold; Estre was already gone. Jason turned to look at the side, thinking about her stubbornnessst night. She didn¡¯t even let him touch her, always facing away from him. He felt ufortable in his heart. In the past, no matter what he said or did, how he red at her, she always faced him with a smile. This time, she wasn¡¯t ying along. Meanwhile, Estre had arrived at thew firm early, before office hours, to prepare the contract for Nelson International. Due to Landon¡¯s prior arrangement, after Estre went to Nelson International, she didn¡¯t go to find Jason directly. Instead, she signed the contract with the legal department. When Drew reported this to Jason, his face turned sour on the spot. When she had nothing pressing, she didn¡¯t even seek him out. Estre had caused quite a stir in the legal circles when she, as a neer, signed on as the legal representative for Nelson International under the banner of her firm. Nobody in thew firm had expected her tond such a prestigious client; they had sent her merely to test the waters, but Estre secured the deal with surprising swiftness. Her supervisor was over the moon, throwing avish dinner party that very evening to celebrate with the entire staff. At the dinner table, the director, beaming with pride, raised his ss to Estre, ¡°You¡¯re full of surprises, Estre! A delightful shock, indeed. We¡¯ve been chasing this partnership for years, and you snag it just like that on your first try. You, my dear, had a certain spark from the very first nce. I knew you were destined for great things. Here¡¯s to you, Estre.¡± Estre stood, ss in hand, ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± The supervisor downed his drink in one gulp, and Estre, not to be outdone, followed suit. At Sandalwood Oasis. the study Jason was home, which was a rarity in itself, yet at this hour, Estre had still 15:21 not returned He rose and walked over to the floor to ceiling windows, scanning for any sign of her arrival, but there was none With each passingmoment, his expression grew darker not returned. He rose and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows, scanning for any sign of her arrival, but there was none. With each passing moment, his expression grew darker. Chapter 10 It seems that she wasn¡¯t as he thought, with no personal life whatsoever. When Marie brought in some snacks and tea, Jason casually asked about Estre¡¯s usual routine. Marie said, ¡°Ms. Estre asionally works overtime, but not often, and she usuallyes home quite early. It¡¯s still early today.¡± Early? It was already past nine. She usuallyined about his infrequent visits, yet she herself wasn¡¯t much better. Jason thought that when he agreed toe home once a week, Estre would be waiting at home for him, eagerly watching for his return. But things didn¡¯t turn out as he imagined. With his hands in his pockets, Jason still stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, not leaving. Now, he was curious when Estre would return home tonight. Meanwhile, inside an Audi A4, a young man gripped the steering wheel, ncing over at Estre who rested her head against the window, her brow furrowed in difort. ¡°Estre, you okay?¡± he asked with concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied, her hand pressed against her chest. The night had crowned her the life of the party, leading to a few too many toasts in her honor. As the evening wound down, people suggested karaoke, but Estre could hardly walk straight, prompting her supervisor to arrange a ride home. Entering the prestigious Sandalwood Oasis, the young man¡¯s eyes widened in awe. The neighborhood was Ravenwood¡¯s cr¨¨me de cr¨¨me, where luxury whispered through the rustling leaves and reflected in the tranquil waters. The real estate prices were as breathtaking as the scenery ¨C outrageously so As they pulled up to Sandalwood Oasis No. 1, his shock deepened. If his memory served him right, this was the property of a prominent Ravenwood figure, sprawling over acres of primend. ¡°Estre,¡± he called out, just as the gates of the vi swung open, revealing a tall man in a crisp te-gray pajama set. His face was stern as he approached them, each step measured. The young guy¡¯s heart skipped a beat upon recognizing Jason. In the next instant, he was out of the car, greeting him respectfully, ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± Jason spared him a nce before opening the passenger door. Estre¡¯s scent, heavy with alcohol, hit him, and his gaze turned icy. ¡°Estre, why did you drink so much?¡± Estre, surprised by his presence, chirped, ¡°Hey! You¡¯re back!¡± She fumbled with her seatbelt, muttering about its stubbornness until Jason, despite his distaste, unbuckled it and lifted her from the car. Quiugby clung to his neck, protesting, ¡°Jason, I¡¯m not that drunk. Put me down. I can 15:21 |_ Chapter walk.¡± Instead, Jason tightened his hold, as if to assert his im over her. The young man, still by the car, was ck-jawed. The pieces fell into ce. Estre¡¯s connection to Jason exined her snagging the legal representation for Nelson International. The thought of any misunderstandings on Jason¡¯s part sent a shiver down his spine. He quickly retrieved Estre¡¯s purse, ¡°Mr. Jason, this is Estre¡¯s bag. We had a firm dinner tonight. I¡¯m allergic to alcohol, so I was the designated driver.¡± Jason epted the bag with a nonchnt ¡°Thanks,¡± and the young man watched them disappear into the vi, his mind reeling with Estre¡¯s high-profile connections. Once upstairs, Jason sat across from Estre in an interrogation-like manner. ¡°Estre, you sure that man is just a colleague? Did he bring anyone else home tonight?¡± are Estre, cradling a throw pillow, met his jealous gaze with a teasing challenge, ¡°Jason, are you jealous?¡± He lit a cigarette, only to extinguish it at her frown. ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb, Estre. Answer my question.¡± Herughter broke the tension as she tossed aside the pillow and straddled him, seeking his embrace. ¡°Jason, I need a hug.¡± Expecting him to push her away, she was surprised when he pulled her closer instead, his touch gentle yet firm. Their bodies pressed together, and the irritation within Jason began to ebb. Lifting her chin, he smirked, ¡°Feeling guilty? Trying to charm your way out?¡± Estre buried her face in his neck, her voice muffled, ¡°Jason, I¡¯m so tired, and I just want to sleep.¡± Her softness melted his resolve. ¡°Estre, this can¡¯t happen again,¡± he warned. If she came home drunk and escorted by another man in the future, regardless of the circumstances, his response would be far less forgiving. Estre ignored his caution, slumping bonelessly against his shoulder, her soft lips grazing his cheek. ¡°Jason, give me a kiss.¡± Jason grasped her wrists and gently pushed her away. ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck.¡± ¡°No kiss?¡± Estre sat up straight. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll kiss someone else.¡± As she made to get up from his embrace, Jason¡¯s expression darkened. He pulled her back by the waist. Estre stumbled and fell back into Jason¡¯s arms, her forehead crashing against his and her lips inadvertently pressing against his own. From N?velDrama.Org. Their warm lips touched. Jason¡¯s scent was refreshing, while Estre reeked of alcohol. Estre swallowed hard, about to retreat from Jason when he leaned in, sealing their lips together. Her eyes fluttering shut, Estre raised her hands to wrap around his neck. 1521 After a heated exchange, Estre looked up at Jason with woozy eyes and asked, ¡°Jason, do I taste sweet?¡± 15:21 Chapter 11 ¡°Yeah.¡± Estre yfully teased, ¡°So are you¡¯re smitten yet? Ready to start a family with me?¡± Scooping her up in a sideways embrace, Jason headed toward the bathroom, ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± With a content smile, Estre murmured, ¡°Thanks, boss.¡± Despite her feisty words, as soon as Jason ced her in the bathtub, she was out like a light, fast asleep. Jason had been on the verge of giving in, contemting sleeping with her after all. His face turned stormy with the realization that he¡¯d been yed. The next morning, Estre woke with a splitting headache, having no recollection of the previous night¡¯s events. Jason was already gone from her side. In the following days, Jason fell off the radar, just like old times. When Kristin called to check on them, Estre finally sent him a message. It wasn¡¯t long before Drew-called back, informing her that Jason was away on business. It was Friday evening, and the office was emptying out, but Estre was still working overtime. Her phone buzzed on the desk as she reviewed documents. Without looking up, she reached for the phone, but paused when she saw Jason¡¯s name on the disy. Two years into their marriage, and this was the first time he had ever called her first. Snapping out of her daze, she realized it was nearly eight o¡¯clock, and answered, ¡°Back from your trip?¡± On the other end, Jason¡¯s voice was cool, ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You¡¯re at home, I assume.¡± she continued, ¡°Go take a shower. I¡¯ll be home by the time you¡¯re done.¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened instantly. After a brief pause, he hung up the phone. With a flick of annoyance, he tossed the phone onto the car¡¯s dashboard, wishing he could crack open Estre¡¯s head to see what on earth she was always thinking. Estre, unfazed by the abrupt end to the call, gathered her things and left the office. Momentster, striding in her heels, she spotted Jason¡¯s limited edition Maybach with its shy license te waiting below. Expecting Drew to be behind the wheel, she was surprised to find the door unattended. She realized Jason hade for her himself a first since their marriage. In the past, he¡¯d often picked her up, but that had ended after ¡®that one time¡¯. Estre climbed into the passenger seat with a smile, ¡°Came straight from the airport?¡± 15:21 ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied tersely, ncing at her as she buckled up, then he started the car. What¡¯s with the unexpected call and personal pickup? Estre leaned back and watched Jason with an amused expression. Feeling her gaze, Jason reached out with his right hand, resting his fingers on her forehead, ¡°Stop staring at me.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°I just like you,¡± Estre retorted with a grin.. His left hand twitched on the steering wheel, sending a jolt through the car. Jason¡¯s reaction only made Estre¡¯s smile wider. She then cast a teasing nce downward and quipped, ¡°Jason, you¡¯re all hard.¡± He pinched Estre¡¯s cheek, turning her face forward, ¡°What are you talking about? Are you even a lady?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you check when we get home?¡± she suggested cheekily. ¡°You really have no shame, do you?¡± Estre could barely contain herughter at the sight of Jason¡¯s reddening ears. For all his power and control, a few flirtatious words were all it took to fluster him. away! Annoyed by her teasing, Jason kept pushing her gaze she tried to look at him. The drive home to Sandalwood Oasis took about an hour, and after their yful banter, Estre decided to stretch out and doze off, lulled by the autumn breeze and the cozy scenery. Jason gripped the steering wheel, casting a sidelong nce at the dozing Estre, his lips curling slightly at the memory of her brazen words. Estre was indeed shameless. Half an hourter, the car pulled into the driveway. As Jason was about to wake Estre, his phone, tossed aside earlier, suddenly rang. Picking it up, he saw it was Serene calling, and his expression involuntarily darkened. Still, he answered the call. As soon as the connection was made, Serene¡¯s voice, tinged with tears, came through, ¡°Jason, my mom, she¡¯s suddenly fallen ill. I¡¯ve called the ambnce, but the doctors aren¡¯t here yet. Jason, I¡¯m so scared! I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± After saying that, she burst into tears on the other end. Before Jason could respond, Estre¡¯s eyshes fluttered open. 15:21 Chapter 12 Serene¡¯s sobs were soft and sorrowful. Jason remained stoic, his voice calm as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll send Drew over to help you out.¡± With that, he ended the call and promptly dialed Drew, instructing him to make a trip over. Meanwhile, Estre¡¯s breathing had settled into a quieter rhythm. Estre had thought for sure that Jason would leave her side that evening. After hanging up, Jason nced over at Estre with an expression that didn¡¯t betray thoughts, ¡°If you¡¯re up, you can get out of the car yourself. I¡¯m not carrying you.¡± his Estre, however, didn¡¯t open her eyes. Seeing this, Jason unbuckled his seat belt, opened the car door, and walked toward the house without looking back. Realizing Jason was serious about leaving her in the car, Estre swiftly unbuckled. herself and hurried out after him. She caught up and looped her arms through Jason¡¯s. He nced down at her with a frosty look, but Estre maintained her usual cheery demeanor-an utter contrast to Serene¡¯s tearful episode. Their eyes met, and Jason quickened his pace. Estre kept up, her voice light, ¡°Jason, let¡¯s have a baby.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Jason¡¯s answer was brief and to the point, ¡°No.¡± Despite his words, he didn¡¯t remove her hands from his arm. Soon, they entered the house together, and Marie, seeing them return side by side, smiled dinner. more brilliantly than the garden flowers, bustling off to have the kitchen prepare Estre seemed in unusually high spirits that day, spending more time watching Jason and talking to him than usual. After dinner, when they retired to their upstairs bedroom, Jason reminded her not to get her hopes up, ¡°Estre, don¡¯t get too excited.¡± He had agreed toe home once a week, but nothing more. Estre brushed off his remark, ¡°I¡¯m off to shower.¡± When Estre emerged from the shower, Jason was already on the bed, deeply engrossed in a book, his nose still framed by those gold-rimmed sses. Approaching the bed, Estre knelt down, but before she could speak, Jason raised his hand, pressing a finger to her forehead to maintain a distance between them. As Estre¡¯s brow lifted, about to speak, her phone rang from her pocket, a call from a client. Cho nced at Jason, stood up from the bed, and quickly answered, ¡°Hey! Jo.¡± 15:21 The voice of a middle-aged woman,ced with indignant sobbing, filled the air, ¡°Ms. Estre, why are men such heartless creatures? When I married him, he didn¡¯t even have decent clothes to his name.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been through so much hardship with him, managed our home and children so well, and after all that, he just flips a switch and wants a divorce. Doesn¡¯t he realize what those girls out there are after? How can he treat me like this without fearing karma?¡± Her voice broke into tears at the end. Estre sighed, already knowing from the conversation that Jo had fought with her husband about the divorce again. Holding the phone in one hand and pouring herself a ss of water with the other, Estre consoled her, ¡°Jo, we¡¯ve done all we could at this point. We¡¯ve tried, we¡¯ve given, and we¡¯ve attempted to salvage this marriage. If your husband is still unwilling to continue, then we must approach the matter rationally. We need to fight for your financial rights, considering all the years of effort you¡¯ve put in.¡± At Estre¡¯s words, Jason looked up from his book, his gaze falling on her. Chapter 13 For some reason, Jason felt like those words were aimed at him, like she was telegraphing her own feelings in a roundabout way. She was trying to say that she¡¯d put in the effort, she¡¯d beenmitted, and if he was even considering a divorce, he better be ready for Estre to take the gloves off and fight tooth and nail for what she deserved. ¡°Ms. Estre, I get the logic, but I just can¡¯t swallow it. He just dusts off his hands after the divorce and marries some young thing in the blink of an eye. And me? What about all my years of youth, and everything I¡¯ve done for this family, and for him?¡± she raged over the phone. ¡°Am I supposed to go find myself some young stud now?¡± Estre replied with a chuckle, ¡°Why not? Jo, you can snag a young one too.¡± The woman on the other end of the line burst intoughter, ¡°Ms. Estre, you¡¯re a breath of fresh air, a realfort. I love talking to you.¡± Estre quipped back, ¡°I¡¯m just picking up tips from your experiences, Jo.¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened. It seemed Estre was using these divorce cases as -practice, hustling to build an empire for some young gun in her future. ¡°Ms. Estre, you¡¯re young, and you don¡¯t understand. Me and my husband, we met in our twenties, back when he was¡­¡± The woman on the phone was ready to pour her heart out, and Estre listened intently, feeling a crick in her neck, so she sprawled on the bed with the phone clutched to her ear. Lying down, she covered the mouthpiece and whispered to Jason, ¡°Client¡¯s going through a tough divorce. I need tofort her.¡± Jason gave her a nonchnt look and went back to his book. The client talked and talked, from how she met her husband thirty years ago, to how she supported him through their struggles, their children, and everything. This went on from early evening until nearly midnight, and Estre dozed off unknowingly on the bed while the middle-aged woman kept on about her hardships. Jason, however, stayed awake, nearly driven to the brink of madness. At that moment, he profoundly appreciated Estre¡¯s stoicism and brevity. Otherwise, he felt he might actually lose his mind. The vintage clock on the nightstand struck twelve, and the woman finally took a deep breath, ¡°Ms. Estre, thank you for listening all night. It¡¯ste, and you have work tomorrow. Get some rest.¡± Jason picked up Estre¡¯s phone and responded with a t ¡°Hmm. 15:21 From N?velDrama.Org. The woman, too caught up in her own emotions, didn¡¯t realize she was speaking to a man and after a few more words with Jason, finally ended the call. With a flick, Jason tossed the phone aside, staring at Estre who had fallen asleep on the bed. He remembered how she came home earlier, arm in arm with him, smiling and teasing, ¡°Jason, let¡¯s make a baby!¡± Jason¡¯s mood soured at the thought. Every time she dangled the possibility in front of him, and just when he showed a hint of interest, she¡¯d leave him hanging. Annoyed, when Estre¡¯s leg identally brushed against him, he kicked her away without thinking. He turned off the lights andid down silently beside her. Estre, like a kitten, snuggled into his arms, mumbling, ¡°Jason, you jerk. Don¡¯t¡­¡± Every time she got to the crux, Jason couldn¡¯t make out the words, but he knew they weren¡¯t good. ¡°Jason.¡± ¡°Here.¡± He answered her softly and pulled the nket over her. The night was serene. The glow from the bedsidemp was a rare warmth in the room as Jason¡¯s thoughts drifted to the past. ¨C Jason, you¡¯re worse than me. Without all this, or the Nelson family, would we have evene this far? That one time, he had pped Estre. The first and only time he ever raised his hand to a woman. He¡¯d never imagined that he could evere to hurt Estre. The past was too painful to dwell on. Jason switched off the small bedsidemp and closed his eyes. The next morning, as Estre woke up, Jason was already dressed by the window, tying his tie. Seeing that Jason was ready to leave, Estre, still groggy, muttered, ¡°Jason, we need to make up for last week.¡± She had intended to get down to business the previous night but somehow had fallen asleep without realizing it Jason didn¡¯t respond and left the house. Downstairs, Drew and the driver were waiting for him. In the car, Jason took the documents from Drew and asked without emotion, ¡°What happenedst night?¡± Drew reported, ¡°Ms. Serene¡¯s mom had an episodest night, but it¡¯s handled now. Her brother¡¯s got her staying with a teacher temporarily.¡± 15:21 He continued, ¡°Ms. Serene¡¯s not doing too well either.¡± ¡°Keep an eye on her.¡± ¡°Will do, Sir.¡± ¡°And Sir, the legal transfer isplete. Justice Guardians LLP will handle thepany¡¯s legal affairs from now on.¡± Jason looked disdainful, ¡°Estre only handles divorce cases. What does she know about corporate law? From now on, all legal matters go through me.¡± ¡°Understood, Sir,¡± Drew acknowledged. Back at the vi, Estre got ready and headed straight to the courthouse. She had a divorce case, another one Jason would scoff at. Aside from the Nelson International projects, her caseload was nearly all divorce or petty civil matters. Even though she had reminded Jason toe home that evening, he didn¡¯t seem to take it to heart. Estre waited at home until bedtime, but Jason didn¡¯t show up. And for the following days, he didn¡¯t return, effectively letting the issue expire. On that Friday evening, after sharing a hearty meal with Grayson and the other execs at a swanky downtown steakhouse, Jason was all set to be chauffeured back to Sandalwood Oasis. That was when Drew, his face a mask of sheer panic, rapped urgently on the car window. ¡°Sir,¡± he blurted out, breathless, ¡°Ms. Serene¡¯s in trouble.¡± _____ 15.21 Chapter 14 Meanwhile, back at the house. Estre, having just wrapped up her shift, walked through the door to find Marie practically bouncing with excitement. ¡°Ms. Estre,¡± she gushed, ¡°Mr. Jason called earlier. He said he¡¯ll being home later tonight.¡± Marie was well aware that it was a roundabout way for him to let Estre know he wasing without having to call her directly. Handing her bag over to Marie, Estre smiled and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head upstairs and freshen up a bit.¡± After pampering herself with a long shower and slipping into her newly purchased pajamas, she waited and waited. Yet, Jason was nowhere to be seen. As the clock ticked close to eleven and Jason still hadn¡¯t arrived, Estre lost all interest in working. In frustration, she tossed the case files on her desk, picked up her phone, and dialed Drew. ¡°Drew, what¡¯s going on with Jason? Wasn¡¯t he supposed toe home?¡± Calling Drew was ast resort for Estre because ever since ¡®that incident, Jason had stopped taking her calls. Anymunication had to go through Drew, which was a bitter pill for Estre to swallow. On the other end, Drew spoke with measured words. ¡°Ms. Estre, he is tied up with some matters.¡± After a brief pause, he continued, ¡°He probably won¡¯t make it back tonight. You might as well not wait up.¡± When Drew confirmed Jason wouldn¡¯t be returning, Estre ended the call abruptly. It was one thing not toe home, but another not to even notify her. Giving hope and then dousing it with a bucket of cold water-what was he ying at? With a huff, she tossed the phone onto the desk and ran her fingers through her long, dark hair, feeling a burning frustration within. She had prepared herself, and he wasn¡¯ting back. At this rate, her hopes for a child seemed to be slipping away. Time was also slipping by. What felt like a year not so long ago was now just a few months. Feeling off-kilter, she grabbed her phone again and called Bryce. ¡°Bryce, you¡¯re back, right? Can you check up on what Jason is up to tonight?¡± ¡°Sure thing, give me three minutes,¡± came the reply from the other end. Bryce, Jason¡¯s cousin and Estre¡¯s ssmate was unequivocally on her side through thick and thin. Coon Bryce¡¯s call came back with news that made Estre¡¯s expression turn cold, and a 15:21 self-mocking smile crept onto her lips. She had thought she could keep Jason close. In the hospital room. Jason, hands in his pockets, nced over at Serene, who was yet toe around. Checking his watch, he noted it was nearly midnight, and his expression darkened. Drew whispered, ¡°Sir, Ms. Estre called a moment ago.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Perhaps you should head back. I¡¯ll stay with Ms. Serene.¡± From N?velDrama.Org. Jason let out a sigh and was about to respond when Serene suddenly stirred awake. As she struggled to adjust, her pale face reddened around the eyes, when she finally opened her eyes and saw Jason. With tears clouding her vision, she choked out a single word, ¡°Jason.¡± Jason¡¯s demeanor grew even sterner at Serene¡¯s awakening. Drew, with a hint of sternness, said, ¡°Ms. Serene, you¡¯ve been so careless. If we¡¯d found you anyter, you might not have been saved.¡± After Drew spoke, Serene burst into tears. Lifting herself on trembling arms, she sobbed to Jason, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Jason. I didn¡¯t mean to trouble you. I just couldn¡¯t see a way out for my family¡¯s future, and I lost hope.¡± Wiping away tears, she promised, ¡°I won¡¯t make foolish mistakes again.¡± She had nearly overdosed on sedatives. If not for the timely discovery by Drew¡¯s arranged housekeeper, she might not have survived. Jason looked down at the distraught Serene and spoke softly, ¡°Your life won¡¯t be so difficult from now on. Don¡¯t overthink things.¡± Serene¡¯s father had passed in a car ident years ago, leaving her mentally unstable mother and a nine-year-old brother. The burdens of life were undeniable, but with a decent sry from Nelson International and her connection to Jason, she wasn¡¯t without support. Jason¡¯s reassurance led Serene to grasp his arm, looking up at him with hope. ¡°Jason, you won¡¯t abandon me, will you? You¡¯ll help me, right?¡± Jason¡¯s hand twitched in his pocket, but he didn¡¯t pull away from her grip. Instead, he looked down and assured her, ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, you can go directly to Drew. Drew quickly added, ¡°Ms. Serene, Mr. Jason is a man of honor, He won¡¯t leave you high and dry. You cane to me with anything.¡± Her life-saving deed for Jason had secured her a spot in the office and his implicit support With that, Serene reluctantly released Jason¡¯s arm, with gratitudeced in her voice. ¡°Thank you, Jason.¡± Then, turning to Drew, ¡°And sorry for the trouble, Drew.¡± After Serene¡¯s revival, Jason lingered in the hospital room for a short while before leaving. It was now the early hours of the morning. He had intended to return to Sandalwood Oasis, but remembering how he had upset Estrest time, he decided against it. Jason anticipated a cold reception and chose to be dropped off at an alternate residence. The doctor had advised Serene to stay in the hospital for observation, and Jason did visit asionally. After all, he felt partly responsible for her current state. Estre was aware of Jason¡¯s whereabouts these past few days. Having grown ustomed to disappointment, she chuckled ironically in her heart. She no longer took Jason¡¯s promises seriously, nor did she hope for his return. However, Kristin wasn¡¯t having any of it. When she learned that Jason had been visiting Serene in the hospital these past few days, hardly ever returning home, she let loose a tirade in thefort of her own living room. ¡°That little slut is probably pulling a fast one. It¡¯s a ssic sympathy y. She¡¯s just jealous that Jason and Estre are patching things up.¡± The housekeeper nodded in agreement, ¡°You might be onto something there, Ms. Kristin.¡± Kristin fumed, ¡°No way, I can¡¯t stand by while she ys her games.¡± With that, she instructed the chauffeur to drive her to Sandalwood Oasis. So, when Estre got home from work, she was met with the sight of a fuming Kristin in the living room. Startled, Estre handed her bag to the housemaid and asked, ¡°Kristin, what brings you here?¡± Kristin quickly stood up from the couch, ¡°If I didn¡¯te over, Jason might as well not be your husband anymore.¡± Estreughed it off, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not that serious.¡± Even though Estre was taking it in stride, Kristin wasn¡¯t influenced by her calmness. After a good round of berating Serene, she handed Estre a check. Estre, half puzzled, asked, ¡°What do you mean by this?¡± 15:21 Chapter 15 Kristin didn¡¯t miss a beat. ¡°That Serene¡¯s all over Jason like white on rice, just trying to squeeze a buck out of him. She wants cash, so let¡¯s just cut her a check and be done with it. So, Estre, you take this check to her, tell her to pack up her mama and little brother, and hit the road out of Ravenwood. Otherwise, she can kiss any hopes of a payday from Jason goodbye.¡± Looking at the twenty million dor check from Kristin, Estre was amused. Kristin was usually sharp as a tack, but now? She seemed to have lost her marbles. ¡°If I go to Serene with this, it¡¯s like throwing myself into the lion¡¯s den. She won¡¯t take the money. She won¡¯t leave Ravenwood.¡± If she really took this check to Serene, it would be tantamount to digging her own grave fast-tracking her divorce from Jason. And she hadn¡¯t even had babies yet. But Kristin was adamant. ¡°Listen Estre, trust me on this. It¡¯s foolproof. Give the check to Serene. I¡¯ll follow up with her. She¡¯ll crack under the pressure. Where else is she going to get twenty million? How else will she support her mom and brother?¡± ¡°This is¡­¡± Before Estre could finish, Kristin cut her off. ¡®Estre, you¡¯re too honest for your own good. That Serene¡¯s got more tricks up her sleeve than a magician. You won¡¯t beat her at her own game.¡± Seeing Kristin all worked up, Estre decided not to argue any further. It wasn¡¯t about outying Serene; it was that Jason¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t with her. The more she iled, the worse it got. In this game, the referee was biased. ¡°Estre.¡± Kristin called out again, snapping Estre back to reality. Estre took the check and said. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Kristin was so persistent, Estre figured she¡¯d better y along. Otherwise, if Kristin took matters into her own hands, things would only get uglier. Making a scene would tarnish both her reputation and that of the Nelsons. Having epted Kristin¡¯s check, Estre arranged to meet with Serene the next day. In the caf¨¦, she didn¡¯t beat around the bush with Serene, just told her to take the money and get her family out of here. Serene just sat there, ashen-faced, wordless. By the time lunch rolled Drew¡¯s call came through. ¡°Ms. Estre, Mr. Jason would Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. like you to stop by the office this afternoon.¡± 15:21 Hanging up, Estre couldn¡¯t help but chuckle wryly. She had a hunch abou wanted to see her. why Jason Sure enough, half an hourter, when she swung open the door to Jason¡¯s office, there was Serene, looking all pitiful beside his chair. Estre strolled in, cool as a cucumber, to find Jason mming the morning¡¯s check down in front of her. ¡°You gave her this?¡± As Jason tossed the check, Serene quickly jumped in with a tearful exnation. ¡°Estre, there¡¯s nothing between Jason and me. You¡¯ve got it all wrong.¡± Serene yed the victim, but Estre couldn¡¯t be bothered with her theatrics. She casually took a seat across from Jason, crossed her legs, and quipped, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Your sweetheart doesn¡¯t fancy the cash?¡± Then Estre added with a smirk, ¡°How about you write me a check for twenty mil? I¡¯ll have someone draft up the divorce papers and let you two lovebirds be.¡± Estre¡¯s indifference made Jason¡¯s expression darkened. Serene, taken aback, whispered to Estre, ¡°It¡¯s only twenty million.¡± As a richdy from the Dorvold family, Estre surely wouldn¡¯t consider divorce over twenty million. It was then that Estre looked up at Serene and said with a faint smile, ¡°Your love with him is stronger than gold. My worth to him is just this much.¡± There was that time at the old house, when Jason preferred the restroom over touching her, and how he¡¯d stood her up to be with Serene. And now, for Serene¡¯s sake, he was confronting her, ming her. There were too many of these moments, and even the most patient soul would grow weary and think of giving up. Estre was ready for a showdown when she handed over that check, ready for Jason to make a scene. Her nonchnt attitude seemed to punch Jason in the gut. After a long stare, he turned to Serene. ¡°You can go now.¡± As Jason dismissed her, Serene pleaded, ¡°Jason, Estre didn¡¯t mean it. It¡¯s just a misunderstanding. Don¡¯t fight with her, just exin and it¡¯ll be fine.¡± After some parting words to Estre, Serene left the office. In the corridor, Serene couldn¡¯t help but nce back. Serene never admitted it, but she envied Estre. Only Estre could stir Jason¡¯s emotions, and make him care. Even if it was just anger. Back in the office, Estre pocketed the check Jason had mmed down. 15:21 He looked up. ¡°Estre, do you really want out?¡± Estre lifted her gaze, exhaling softly, ¡°Jason, I¡¯ve tried so hard for you.¡± Her words left the decision up to him. She wouldn¡¯t cling on; she wouldn¡¯t drag it out. If Jason truly wanted a divorce, she wouldn¡¯t beg, even if it meant never bing a mother. Even if she once cared about him deeply. Dignity was worth something, after all. You can grovel for a while, but you can¡¯t do it for a lifetime. Estre¡¯s tone was detached, her words light, and suddenly, Jason didn¡¯t know how to respond. ¡°I¡¯ve got a meeting soon. I¡¯ll have Drew take you home,¡± he said eventually. Estre rose gracefully from her chair with a casual air, ¡°I can make my way back alone.¡± Drew was stubborn as a mule. Since Jason had tasked him with escorting Estre home, he was determined to do just that. Estre, amused and exasperated by his insistence, tossed him her car keys, ¡°Fine, you drive my car then. You can hail a cab backter.¡± Catching the keys tossed by Estre, Drew opened the door and slid into the driver¡¯s seat. Momentster, the engine hummed to life, and Drew, with both hands firmly on the wheel, nced at Estre and said, ¡°Ms. Estre, I think you¡¯ve got the wrong idea about Mr. Jason and Ms. Serene. Something came up with Ms. Serene¡¯s family recently, and she¡¯s been having a tough time, so¡­¡± Before Drew could finish, Estre cut him off, ¡°Even your boss isn¡¯t worried about my misunderstanding, why are you fretting over it?¡± ¡°He¡¯s just a bit embarrassed.¡± ¡°Embarrassed?¡± Estreughed. ¡°Well, he can keep on feeling that way.¡± ¡°Ms. Estre, it¡¯s really not what you think.¡± ¡°Drew, the more you exin, the worse it sounds. At first, I thought she was his mistress, and that¡¯s why he was so nice to her. But now you¡¯re telling me they¡¯re just colleagues and friends. That means he treats me, his wife, worse than a mere colleague or friend. Drew, you¡¯re rubbing salt in the wound.¡± With a few yful remarks, Estre left Drew speechless. ncing at Estre again, he noticed that despite her nonchnce, her eyes betrayed a sense of self- mockery. Drew then said, ¡°Ms. Estre, he looks after Seren¨¦ because three years ago¡­¡± Chapter 16 Before he could finish, Estre¡¯s phone buzzed inside her purse. It was a client on the other end. Without hesitation, Estre picked up, ¡°Hello, Danny.¡± As soon as she answered, Dannyunched into a tirade ofints, going on and on without end. Drew¡¯s intended words got stuck in his throat, unsaid. But what really got to him was Estre¡¯s constant referral to Jason as ¡°your boss.¡± It struck Drew that the gap between her and Jason was widening by the minute-she didn¡¯t even use his first name anymore. Over ten minutester, they pulled up to thew firm, and Estre, still on the phone, managed a quick thanks to Drew before dashing upstairs. That evening, Jason returned to Sandalwood Qasis, while Estre was out of town on business. For the next three days, Jason kepting home, but Estre was away on business in Silverbrook. She didn¡¯te back once during that time. Jason got a taste of what it was like to be home alone. It wasn¡¯t until Saturday afternoon, when everyone else was off, that Estre returned from Silverbrook. She went straight to the office to catch up on work. The life of awyer often meant no regr hours. Buried in case files, Estre lost track of time. Her mom called at dusk, inviting her for dinner, but Estre was too swamped even to eat. Clutching her freshly organized documents in one hand and pressing the other to her stomach, she ignored the twinge of pain that had started during her train ride home. However, following that, her stomach pain grew more intense than before, making her unable to straighten her waist. She felt weak all over, with cold sweat breaking out on her forehead. Unable to bear the difort any longer, she grabbed her phone and dialed Jesse, ¡°Hey, Jesse, you up?¡± Soon after, Jesse, with her short hair and in a dark floral shirt, rushed over, scolding her, ¡°How on earth did you wait this long to ask for help?¡± Without another word, Jesse helped Estre downstairs. At the hospital, the doctors diagnosed severe gastroenteritis. They admitted her and hooked her up to an IV. By her bedside, Jesse lectured her with a stern face, ¡°Everyone else is resting, and here you are, working yourself sick. Do you own the firm? Is all the money going straight into your pocket?¡± 15:22 Estre replied weakly, ¡°What else am I supposed to do when I¡¯m off?¡± Thinking about how things between Jason and Serene were getting out of hand, and how the office gossip had reached her ears, Jesse lost the heart to scold Estre further. We all needed an outlet for life¡¯s frustrations. They didn¡¯t notify Jason or Estre¡¯s family about the hospitalization, but by the next day, word had gotten out anyway. Early in the morning, Cole and Autumn came to visit, fussing over Estre for hours. Estre cated her parents with a story about eating something bad while on business, then gently ushered them out. When they were alone, Jesse chuckled, ¡°Your mom sure can nag.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Estre quipped, ¡°You should see her when she cries.¡± Jesse pocketed her hands, her smile tinged with envy. Jesse often wished for that kind of attention from her mother, but those days were gone. Just as Estre settled back into bed, the door swung open again. To her surprise, it was Jason. ¡°What are you doing here? Not busy today?¡± she asked, taken aback. Jason replied dryly, ¡°What would I be busy with on a weekend?¡± Estre fell silent. His tone wasn¡¯t like the old days. After a moment, she turned to ¡°Jesse, could you get him a ss of water, please?¡± Jesse, Her polite request, along with her initial surprise, made it seem like Jason wasn¡¯t her husband but an old friend she hadn¡¯t seen in ages. ¡°Sure,¡± Jesse agreed, grabbing a bottle of mineral water from the fridge and offering it to Jason, ¡°Mr. Jason, here¡¯s some water.¡± Jason didn¡¯t take it, instead staring coldly at Estre and demanding, ¡°Estre, is Jesse your husband now?¡± The night before, Jason had waited up for her, only to be told by Bryce the next morning that she was in the hospital. Everyone knew about her condition and visited, except for him. At Jason¡¯s usatory tone, Estre chuckled, I didn¡¯t want to trouble you.¡± All she wanted from Jason was a child; she had no expectations beyond that. But Jason¡¯s mood darkened further, ¡°Estre, cut the sarcasm.¡± Estre was trying to be cordial, yet Jason was unrelenting. She couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Jason, have ever fulfilled your duties as a husband? What right do you have to be upset?¡± Jason retorted, ¡°I haven¡¯t, but can Jesse?¡± 15:22 Estre¡¯s expression hardened at the mention of Jesse, ¡°Jason, are you really picking a fight with me?¡± She usually let hisments slide, but not when they were aimed at Jesse. Jason was about to respond when Jesse stepped forward, her voice cold, ¡°Jason, you are here to me Estre now, but where were you when she needed you?¡± Before Jason could answer, Jesse continued, ¡°Yes, Estre didn¡¯t call youst night, but do you even know why she didn¡¯t? That¡¯s because when she called youst year after the ident, asking you to come over and sign some papers, you hung up on her. She stayed in the hospital for more than ten days, and you never went to see her.¡± Jason¡¯s face went ashen with the realization. A whole year had passed, and she hadn¡¯t even mentioned that car ident once. In that moment, Jason¡¯s mind was flooded with images of Estre, the way she always seemed to carry a smile just for him. No matter how much he pushed her buttons or how icy his demeanor, she had a knack for defusing the tension with a few light-hearted words or a witty quip. It was her way, he realized, of keeping the peace and hiding her own hurts. 15:22 Chapter 17 Last year, when Estre had called him, he distinctly remembered the moment. He was in the middle of a meeting and had asked Drew to call her back. She said it was nothing. Then he had to leave on a business trip. Seeing Jason¡¯s face turn sour, Jesse nced at Estre and said, ¡°Estre, you should get some rest. I¡¯ll swing byter to check on you. The moment Jesse left, Estre faced Jason¡¯s icy silence with her usual grace. ¡°Come on, lighten up. With a low-maintenance wife like me, you should be counting your blessings.¡± She added, ¡°Buty off the small talk about Jesse. There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t know, and you¡¯re just picking at her scars by bringing it up.¡± Strangers had no right to speak of it, and even less so the man by her side. Estre¡¯s nonchnce was met with Jason¡¯s hand suddenly gripping the back of her neck, pulling her close, ¡°Estre, do you even care at all?¡± As he looked down at her, considering her stubborn nature- how she would learn from her mistakes and never make them again-Jason felt a twinge of fear. He worried that one day he might be the obstacle she chose to avoid. At his question, Estre chuckled, ¡°How could live if I didn¡¯t care?¡± She then scolded him yfully, ¡°Here I am, sick, and you came empty-handed, only to give me attitude. Shame on you, Jason.¡± With a few teasing words, Jason slowly let go of her neck. His hand gently caressed her face as he asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about something so big?¡± Any other woman would have held onto it, brought it up time and again, but Estre never mentioned it, not even once. Wearing her hospital gown with its simple stripes, she shrugged it off with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s all in the past, and I wasn¡¯t really hurt.¡± The more she downyed it, the more Jason felt a thorn in his side. No matter their rtionship¡¯s strains, he was still her husband, Estre tried to remove his hand from her face but Jason pulled her closer, causing her to stumble slightly into his embrace. As she looked into his eyes, which seemed to hold a deep affection, she wrapped her arms around his neck and teased, ¡°Figured it out, have you? Ready to have kids?¡± Jason retorted, ¡°Is that all you think about?¡± Estre, on her tiptoes, nudged his forehead with hers, coaxing, ¡°Let¡¯s have one. Life¡¯s so dull otherwise.¡± Jason insisted, ¡°No kids.¡± She was still naive like a child herself, her heart a maze yet to be 15:22 deciphered. ¡°Jason.¡± ¡°Mhm?¡± Their moment of intimacy was abruptly interrupted as the door swung open and Kristin¡¯s voice burst in, ¡°Estre, how on earth did you get sick?¡± In the room, they quickly let go of each other. At the doorway, Kristin paused, looking puzzled. After a moment, she asked uncertainly, ¡°Are you two fighting or being affectionate?¡± Estre didn¡¯t respond but instead asked, ¡°Kristin, you came to see me?¡± Her question made Kristin forget her own, and she replied, ¡°I rushed over as soon as Bryce told me you were ill.¡± Estre reassured her, ¡°It¡¯s just food poisoning. A couple of days on IVs and I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Just as she finished speaking, a nurse came in with her medication. Kristin sat by the bed, chatting with Estre, while Jason busied himself peeling fruit for them. As they talked, Estre dozed off on the bed.. Kristin said with a touch of concern, ¡°She¡¯s lost weight from the sickness.¡± Then she turned to Jason, ¡°Jason, transfer that Serene girl out of here, as far from Ravenwood as possible.¡± Jason handed her a slice of orange, ¡°There¡¯s nothing between Serene and me, Mom. Why can¡¯t you let it go?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have an issue with Serene. I¡¯m just afraid Estre might feel upset or ufortable, and I don¡¯t want her to suffer. Put yourself in her shoes. If Korey came back and hovered around her all the time, would you like that?¡± The mention of Korey visibly changed Jason¡¯s expression. He stuffed the half-eaten. orange slice into his mouth and looked back at Estre on the bed. Kristin whispered, ¡°Now that you¡¯re married to Estre, you should keep your distance from other women. And let me tell you, son, that Serene isn¡¯t as simple as she seems. Don¡¯t be fooled by her.¡± In Kristin¡¯s eyes, no girl could hold a candle to Estre. Jason responded tly, ¡°I don¡¯t have those feelings for her.¡± ¡°Then why can¡¯t you bear to transfer her away? Andst time, I asked Estre to give her a check. She actually refused it. Estre was right to say that my advice was pushing her towards trouble. Now I think I underestimated that Serene girl.¡± 15:22 Jason suddenly turned to Kristin. ¡°Was it you who told Estre to give the check to Serene?¡± He thought Estre wouldn¡¯t do that. He assumed she was purposely trying to annoy him, but, it turned out to be his mother¡¯s idea. What made him more upset was that while he threw the check back at her, she never mentioned his mother. There were many times when Jason would rather have Estre argue with him, like any other woman. It would make him feel a bit better. She was always so generous, and it only made him feel irrelevant. Kristin replied, ¡°Yeah, that was my own private money.¡± As Kristin rambled on, Jason¡¯s thoughts drifted elsewhere. Estre blinked awake as the midday sun streamed through the window, only to find that Kristin had already left. Jason, however, was still there, lingering in the room. With her arm thrown over her forehead like a makeshift visor, Estre squinted up at him and drawled, ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy today?¡± It wat genuine surprise. Jason always seemed to be caught up in a whirlwind of tasks mitments, his schedule as packed as a subway train during rush hour. §Ñ§â Wheth From N?velDrama.Org. today,¡± replied nonchntly, then with a hint of curiosity, he cocked his head Tha eck for Serene, it¡¯s from Mom, right? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± in answer, Jason¡¯s mind drifted back to that recent conversation. y imed that with twenty million in hand, she could easily have up their divorce papers. sa sincere sentiment or a joke, Jason was unsure. 15:22 Chapter 18 Estreughed it off, saying, ¡°Does it matter who writes the check?¡± What would he do with that information anyway? She figured he probably knew the score but yed dumb to keep things smooth. Estre¡¯s nonchnt attitude had Jason staring at her for a long moment before he said. with a cold expression, ¡°Estre, if you really want to live with me and have children, stop trying to please me superficially. Effort without heart isn¡¯t effort at all.¡± At that, Estreughed even harder. ¡°Someone who neveres home is teaching met how to manage a marriage?¡± Jason felt the sting of her words. Clearing his throat, his tone softened considerably as he said, ¡°Haven¡¯t I promised toe home once a week?¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Estre cut him off. ¡°You¡¯ve kept that promise exactly once. Let¡¯s just forget your ever said it.¡± And he could forget about asking her to y house again. ¡°I¡¯ll make it up to you, with interest,¡± Jason said, his voice husky and maic, which was particrly charming when he spoke to Estre. ¡°Sure.¡± Estreughed, genuinely pleased this time. ¡°But beware, my interest rates are steep.¡± Jason looked at her with disdain, pinching her cheek lightly, ¡°Estre, don¡¯t wear your schemes on your forehead.¡± Jason knew she wanted babies. Estre scooted closer, wrapping her arms around his neck. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to give it a try?¡± She was indeed persistent about having babies. Her seductive gaze met Jason¡¯s unmoved expression. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Estre, in disbelief, retorted, ¡°You say that, but your heart says otherwise.¡± and leaned in closer. ¡°Estre, let¡¯s take your temperature, and draw some blood.¡± Just as they were about to kiss, the door of the hospital room was pushed open by a nurse. In the hospital bed, Estre quickly scooted back and tucked her hair behind her ear, sitting up straight as if nothing had happened. chuckled to himself. Rising from his chair leisurely hands in his pockels, be looked down at her and said, ¡°Not hiding, are you?¡± Estre¡¯s fair leg kicked out from under the covers,nding a swift kick on Jason. At the door, the nurse¡¯s face turned beet red. After the temperature was taken and blood drawn, Estre still had a fever and the inmmation hadn¡¯t subsided. She needed to continue with the injections and 15:22 observation. In the afternoon, Bryce came to visit, along with a few cousins from the Nelson and Dorvold families. While everyone visited Estre, Jason quietly yed the host, asionally taking work calls. By evening, the hospital room went quiet again. Ready for bed after freshening up, Estre noticed Jason settling into the chair beside her. She scooted over and patted the empty space beside her, ¡°I saved you a spot.¡± Jason nced her way, nonchntly saying, ¡°I¡¯m not gonna sleep.¡± Estre chuckled, ¡°I won¡¯t bite.¡± Jason replied half-jokingly, ¡°I¡¯m actually quite afraid you might.¡± With his sses perched on his nose, Jason looked both schrly and roguishly handsome, quite irresistible. But the more obvious Estre was about her intentions, the less Jason wanted to give in. ¡°I¡¯m sick. I don¡¯t have the strength,¡± she teased. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to sleep with you just sitting there.¡± ¡°You slept fine this morning and afternoon,¡± he countered. ¡°Stop arguing. I won¡¯t do anything. Juste up here,¡± she insisted. Only after Estre¡¯s repeated assurances did Jason strip down and climb into bed. She promised not to mess around, so she didn¡¯t touch him once he was in bed, but then Jason rolled over and pulled her into his arms from behind. Estre turned her head, confused. Wasn¡¯t he the one who said not to touch? Before she could ask, Jason¡¯s voice rumbled close, ¡°You¡¯ve lost weight being sick, even here,¡± as his hand rested on her breasts. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Estre didn¡¯t move his hand away; instead, she joked with a smile, ¡°You like them bigger? I¡¯ll get an F cup. You won¡¯t be able to hold them with one hand.¡± Jason teased back, ¡°I don¡¯t like fakes.¡± Nestling back into him, Estre murmured, ¡°Well, maybe they¡¯ll get back to size after I¡¯m discharged.¡± In truth, Estre was already quite endowed, a full C cup. Pulling her closer, Jason rested his chin on her shoulder, his face against hers, ¡°Sleep.¡± Her fingers crept backward, ¡°It would be a waste not to do something in such a good atmosphere.¡± 15:22 Jason caught her wandering hand, ¡°I haven¡¯t started anything, and you¡¯re already losing control?¡± Estre looked at him, ¡°You¡¯re like this, and I¡¯m supposed to feel nothing? I¡¯m not dysfunctional.¡± ¡°Estre, do you believe I¡¯d throw you out the window?¡± She eyed him suspiciously, ¡°Jason, it feels like you¡¯re making me restless on purpose.¡± ¡°Sleep,¡± Jasonmanded, pulling her in even tighter. Estre protested, but within a short time, she started to snore lightly, while Jason was still awake, watching her. If she hadn¡¯t been sick, he might not have been able to hold back. A weekter, once the blood tests came back normal, Estre was discharged. Jason came to pick her up. Back home, after a shower and changing into her usual pajamas, Estre felt revitalized. As she stepped out of the bathroom, fixing her hair, Jason mentioned, ¡°Grandpa¡¯s big 70th birthday bash is on Saturday. The invitation came yesterday.¡± ¡°Hector¡¯s hitting 70, huh.¡± Estre eximed. Every year, when Grandpa¡¯s birthday rolled around, they¡¯d all make a point to join in the festivities and add to the merriment. ¡°Mhm!¡± Estre got an affirming grunt in response, and as she sauntered closer, Jason reached up to check her forehead. ¡°Feeling any better?¡± Wrapping her arms around his neck, Estre¡¯s lips curved into a teasing smile. ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± Jason naturally took hold of her slender waist. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°I love it.¡± The smile on Estre¡¯s face deepened. ¡°A lot.¡± With that, she tiptoed and pressed her lips to Jason¡¯s in a tender kiss. These days, the atmosphere between the two had been good, and Estre had been constantly thinking about seizing the opportunity to get things done while things were going well. Jason didn¡¯t push her away. Instead, his arm around her waist tightened slightly, pulling Estre close until there was no space left between them. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± The soft moan escaped Estre¡¯s lips unintentionally as she bumped into Jason. It was a soundden with intimacy. 15:22 Chapter 19 Jason¡¯s lips were soft and tender, his kissing skills masterful. In no time at all, Estre found herself weak in the knees from his passionate kiss. Clutching his neck, her chin resting on his shoulder. Just as she thought they were about to get down to business, Jason suddenly nibbled on her earlobe, his breath warm against her skin, and he whispered a reminder, ¡°Estre, Aunt Flo¡¯s in town.¡± At first, Estre didn¡¯t quite grasp the situation, thinking to herself, ¡°Isn¡¯t my aunt on a trip abroad these days?¡± A secondter, she realized Jason was referring to her period. Releasing him, she twisted around to check the back of her pajamas, only to see a telltale crimson spot. In that moment, Estre was too shocked to even react. It was her long-awaited moment. ncing up at Jason, who nonchntly picked up a book to read in bed, she understood he¡¯d known all along and had been toying with her for kicks. Biting back frustration, she muttered, ¡°You might dodge the bullet today, but you won¡¯t be so lucky forever.¡± Jason looked up, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to change? He wasn¡¯t interested, and what could Estre do about it? If he wanted her, she wouldn¡¯t be able to resist. In this game, the power was all in his hands. Scratching her head in resignation, Estre turned and retreated to the bathroom. With Aunt Flo visiting, Estre settled down. Even as Jason came home these past few days, she stopped flirting, focusing solely on her work. Now, Jason had her figured out. When she had no ulterior motive, she barely spoke to N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. him. Besides her yful teasing, all her time and energy were devoted to her work, no matter how mundane the cases were. Thomas was right, Estre was a keeper. If there was any w, it was that she didn¡¯t have him in her heart. ¡°Estre, it¡¯ste, why aren¡¯t you in bed?¡± Jason asked, setting down his book on the bed. ¡°I¡¯ll be done in a minute. You ahead.¡± go ¡°You are just a beginnerwyer busier than me he quipped, picking up his book again. ¡°Even a beginnerwyer has to be diligent.¡± After a while, as Jason continued reading, Estre suddenly pounced, straddling him. He 15:22 looked at her coolly, ¡°Aunt Flo leaves, and you¡¯re all over me?¡± Estre retorted, ¡°Can¡¯t I snuggle up even when she¡¯s here?¡± With that, she wriggled provocatively. Jason set his book aside again, his hands gently resting on her waist, ¡°Speak up if there¡¯s something on your mind.¡± Estre beamed, ¡°No reason, I¡¯m just happy.¡± She hadnded a big case today. Estre¡¯s clear-eyed disy of affection softened Jason¡¯s resolve. Once upon a time, she loved to yfully bother him like this. Holding Estre, listening to her talk about work until she grew drowsy, Jason finally turned off the lights. It had been a long time since they¡¯d had such a calm and peaceful conversation. Saturday. On Hector¡¯s birthday, Estre was working overtime meeting clients. It wasn¡¯t until Drew called that she left the client¡¯s office, ready to head home and change. When she arrived downstairs, Jason¡¯s car was already parked by the curb. Their rtionship had thawed a bit since the hospital incident, where Jesse had scolded him, and Kristin revealed the check matter. Opening the passenger door, Estre quipped with a smirk, ¡°Looking sharp today.¡± Jason retorted, ¡°When am I not?¡± Estreughed, ¡°You¡¯re something else.¡± By six-thirty, they arrived at the hotel. Most of the guests were already there. welled Jason kept Estre by his side all evening, wishing his grandfather well. It was the first time in two years of marriage that they appeared so close in public. Autumn¡¯s eyes up with emotion, thinking Estre¡¯s hard times had finally paid off. Their joint appearance sparked whispers and curiosity, but the guests, all from the same social circle, kept their musings discreet out of respect for Hector¡¯s celebration. Since Jason and Estre knew many of the attendees, conversations flowed easily. Just as they finished greeting a group of elders, Pa burst from behind them,tching onto Jason¡¯s arm, ¡°Jason, you¡¯re here already. I was waiting for you at the door forever.¡± Pa¡¯s dramatic entrance darkened Jason¡¯s expression instantly. He brushed off the arm she clung to. ¡°Jason, are you disgusted by me?¡± After noticing Estre beside him, Pa frowned, 15:22 ¡°Estre?¡± Surprised to see them together, since they were known to be at odds, Pa quickly wrapped Jason¡¯s arm again, her voice tinged with indignation, ¡°Jason, Estre is so vicious and sneaky. She started a fight at the bar, and then she had the nerve to call the police first. Jason, she¡¯s too cunning. You should divorce her soon, or you¡¯ll get bad luck.¡± Estre cracked her knuckles, ¡°Looks like I didn¡¯t hit you hard enoughst time.¡± Pa, frightened, hid behind Jason, ¡°Jason, see how violent she is? If you don¡¯t divorce her, she might end up abusing you.¡± Jason¡¯s sore spot seemed to have been hit. He had been a victim of domestic violence before and ended up in the hospital. Pulling Pa from behind him, he looked at Estre, ¡°If you want to hit her, I won¡¯t stop you.¡± ¡°Jason,¡± Pa whined, reaching for his arm again. Estre, unimpressed, grabbed Pa¡¯s arm and tossed it aside, ¡°Touch him again, I dare you.¡± Pa sneered, ¡°Can¡¯t I touch him? You think Jason¡¯s really yours? Did you even have a wedding? Does anyone acknowledge you as his wife? What right do you have to strut around here, Estre?¡± Pa had investigated Estre and Jason¡¯s rtionship more thoroughly than their own parents. The couple had been hitched for over two years, sharing a bed for only a handful of nights. She knew the tally better than Estre herself. guts, Before Estre could get a word in, Pa, with her nose in the air, taunted, ¡°What? Not letting me touch him, trying to stake your im? Come on, Estre, if you¡¯ve got the call Jason ¡®hobby¡¯ and see if he ys along.¡± Pa was convinced that Jason had no affection for Estre, and he wouldn¡¯t acknowledge her attempt. That was why, at the bar the other night, she had thrown the same challenge at Estre. As Pa¡¯s words hung in the air, Estre turned her gaze towards Jason and called out, ¡°Hubby?¡± 15:22 Chapter 20 ¡°Hmm?¡± Jason¡¯s voice, mellifluous and soothing, answered with a touch of warmth and a hint of flirtation. The couple seemed to have an unspoken understanding, and before Pa could even process what was happening, she was left dumbfounded once again. Estre was doing this on purpose. Pa was sure of it. But there was Jason, ying right along with her, responding so suggestively. ¡°Jason,¡± Pa said incredulously, staring at him as if he were a stranger. This wasn¡¯t the Jason she once knew. Snapping back to reality, she turned to Estre. ¡°Estre, you must have drugged Jason. I was going to let you maintain your image and not call you out in front of everyone for but you¡¯re just too arrogant. You don¡¯t even care about Jason¡¯s your s feelings.¡± With that, Pa whipped out her phone, scrolled through her gallery, and thrust it at Jason. ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by Estre¡¯s prim and proper act, she¡¯s been cheating on you. I¡¯ve got proof of her indiscretions right here. Take a look if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Pa¡¯s outburst drew the attention of the surrounding crowd. Jason, hands casually pocketed, nced at Pa¡¯s phone with detached interest. The pictures indeed showed Estre looking a bit too cozy with another man. At that moment, Pa red at Estre and seethed, ¡°You¡¯re done for this time, Estre. Estre lowered her gaze and nced at the phone, then chuckled disdainfully. ¡°I thought for a moment you¡¯d actually caught me in bed with someone.¡± Her nonchnce only made Pa¡¯s face redden with anger, ¡°Jason, can brazen she is? Just listen to her. It¡¯s clear she¡¯s been messing around.¡± you believe how Pa was beside herself with fury, but Jason, with a calm gaze, said, ¡°The man in those pictures is me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Pa was stunned. ¡°That¡¯s you in the pictures, Jason?¡± Shocked, Pa looked closely at the phone and, indeed, the silhouette bore a striking resemnce to Jason. ¡°Jason, how can this be.¡± Pa stuttered, at a loss for words. Estre, with her arms crossed, smirked, ¡°Pa, if you can¡¯t even recognize Jason, I guess I overestimated your fondness for my husband¡± The crowd snickered at Estre¡¯sment. When Pa first brandished the phone, Estre had immediately recognized the photos from the day she was discharged from the hospital and Jason hade to pick her up. 15:22 Estre genuinely thought Pa wasn¡¯t the sharpest tool in the shed. ¡°Estre, you¡­¡± With a pale face, Pa swung at Estre in a fit of rage. ¡°Did you just mock me? I¡¯ll teach you a lesson.¡± But before Pa¡¯s hand could make contact, Jason had intercepted her arm. Turning to see Jason holding her back, Pa¡¯s eyes welled up, ready to protest, but Jason coldly released her. ¡°You¡¯re not even worth touching her.¡± His protectiveness brought tears to Pa¡¯s eyes. ¡°Jason, don¡¯t be fooled by Estre. She¡¯s no good, and her marrying you is just¡­¡± She was cut off by Jason¡¯s ringing phone. Disinterested in her drama, Jason turned and answered the call. away Meanwhile, whispers spread among the onlookers, with those in the know informing the clueless that Estre had been married to Jason for two years. Pa looked wronged, and Estre took two steps forward, leaning slightly towards Pa, whispering in her ear. ¡°Thank you so much for making my marriage to Jason public, Pa.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Not many knew about her and Jason¡¯s marriage, but thanks to Pa¡¯s scene, that was likely to change. As Estre spoke, Pa retorted defiantly, ¡°So what if you¡¯re married? People get divorced all the time. Who¡¯s to say you won¡¯t be next?¡± Estre¡¯s smile didn¡¯t falter. ¡°Better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Pa was at a loss for words as Estre gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. ¡°Save your energy. The more you struggle, the more Jason will side with me.¡± Pa mped her mouth shut and stormed off in search of her parents. Once Pa left, Jason ended his call. He turned to Estre. ¡°I¡¯ve got to head out for a bit.¡± Seeing his demeanor, Estre knew without asking that the call was from Serene. She caught his arm, ¡°Do you really have to go?¡± Jason¡¯s gaze softened just slightly, ¡°Some one wille pick you upter.¡± With that, he gently disengaged from her grasp. Estre let out a self-deprecatingugh in her mind. There was no point in holding on to someone whose heart was elsewhere. She watched Jason depart, and remembering a small victory over Pa, Estre allowed herself a sarcastic smile. Once Jason had left, Estre found a corner to settle down and check her phone for legal documents. The banquet hall suddenly erupted with excitement. 15:22 ¡°Korey.¡± ¡°Korey.¡± ¡°Korey.¡± Estre looked up and saw that familiar figure. In the next second, she froze. Korey was back. ¡°Korey, I never expected you to make it tonight. I¡¯m so pleased,¡± Hector said, grasping his hand. ¡°By the way, when did you get back?¡± ¡°Just got off the ne. Mr. Hector, I heard you were celebrating your birthday, so I came straight here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re thoughtful, kid.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the least I could do, especially since our families share so much history.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Estre watched the scene from afar, choosing not to join the crowd. Instead, she turned her attention back to her phone. After the crowd dispersed, Estre said her goodbyes to Hector and left the party. Outside the hotel, a brisk breeze wafted by, prompting Estre to wrap her arms around herself instinctively. She had arrived with Jason, but he had left early, leaving her stranded. Not in the mood to wait for someone toe pick her up, Estre decided to hail a cab on her own. However, at this hour, it seemed like an eternity before one would be avable. ¡°Estre.¡± As she lingered by the hotel entrance, a voice unexpectedly reached her ears. 15:23) Chapter 21 Estre nced up to see a sleek ck sedan roll to a stop in front of her, the rear window sliding down to reveal Korey calling out to her from the backseat. A smile broke across her face as she greeted him. ¡°Hey, Korey.¡± Korey nodded affirmatively and offered, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a ride home.¡± When Estre hesitated, not moving towards the car, Korey borated, ¡°I¡¯m heading to Sandalwood Oasis. It¡¯s on the way.¡± Clearly, he was well-informed about Estre¡¯s recent goings-on. w open the With Korey insisting and his secretary having already stepped out to courteously open door for her, Estre felt obliged to get in. Once inside, Korey chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Estre returned the smile, ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been ages.¡± Two years ago, before she and Jason got married, Korey came to the Dorvold family to propose, and she turned him down. When Korey was transferred away from Ravenwood, he had asked to meet up onest time. At that moment, she had been vacationing with Jesse. So, their parting stretched over two long years. As they started to move, Estre shifted the conversation to Korey, asking, ¡°So, are you back for good or just on vacation?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been transferred back. The official notice should arrive any day now.¡± ¡°You must have been promoted. Congrattions in advance.¡± The secretary, noticing Korey¡¯s good spirits that evening, turned to Estre and said, ¡°Ms. Estre, Mr. Korey has been promoted to mayor.¡± Estre burst intoughter. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to start buttering you up, Korey.¡± Koreyughed along, ¡°If you really did, I¡¯d be over the moon.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get annoyed by me, though.¡± However, Korey had Estre pegged just right; she was never one to cozy up to people, regardless of their power or position. Meanwhile, in the hospital. As the doctor finished treating the wound on Serene¡¯s forehead, she turned to Jason with an embarrassed apology, ¡°Jason, I¡¯m sorry for the trouble and for wasting your time Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. 15:23 again.¡± Jason didn¡¯t engage with her apology, simply asking, ¡°Are you hurt anywhere else?¡± Serene shook her head no. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Throughout the drive, Jason¡¯s expression remained impassive, as if he were sitting next to a puff of air. Clinging tightly to the seatbelt, Serene watched him for a moment before venturing to speak, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into my momtely. Her condition seems to be getting worse, and the episodes more frequent. Luckily, Vincent¡¯s been staying at a teacher¡¯s ce these days, or he would¡¯ve been terrified by today¡¯s incident.¡± Serene¡¯s injury was the result of her mother¡¯stest bout that evening. With Drew handling her mother¡¯s situation, Jason had no choice but to apany Serene to the hospital. Gripping the steering wheel, Jason nced at Serene and suggested, ¡°Have you considered hospitalization?¡± He was referring to a psychiatric facility. Serene shook her head, ¡°No, I¡¯ll take care of her myself.¡± Jason reminded her, ¡°Yourst check-up wasn¡¯t great. You might feel more at ease if she is taken to the hospital.¡± After a heavy sigh, Serene said, ¡°If we send her there, she might nevere out. She might never live a normal life again. I¡¯d rather care for her myself. I believe she¡¯ll get better.¡± With that, Jason dropped the subject. As silence fell between them, Jason¡¯s phone suddenly rang. Thomas¡¯ voice came through, ¡°Jason, Korey¡¯s back in town.¡± The news of Korey¡¯s return visibly soured Jason¡¯s mood. Then Thomas added, ¡°I just saw him pick up Estre.¡± Jason¡¯s reaction was palpable. He ended the call and angrily tossed his phone onto the dashboard. Startled, Serene asked from the passenger seat, ¡°Jason, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Ignoring her, Jason floored the elerator, dropping Serene off at her ce within minutes. She got out, and before she could even say goodbye, Jason sped off. Left behind, Serene watched his car disappear with a poignant sense of loss. It had to be about Estre. 15:23 Having known Jason for over a decade, Serene had never seen him this upset over anyone else, unless it involved Estre. Right. There was also another woman. A formidable one. It wasn¡¯t until Jason¡¯s car had vanished from view that Serene, after lingering outside for a while, turned to head back home. Twenty minutester, Jason returned home with a stony expression. Marie looked at him in surprise, ¡°Sir, didn¡¯t you leave, with Ms. Estre? Why are you back early and alone?¡± Jason¡¯s mood worsened. ¡°Estre¡¯s not back yet?¡± ¡°No, not yet.¡± With that, Jason loosened his tie, fished a cigarette and lighter from his pocket, and headed upstairs. Standing by the bedroom¡¯s floor-to-ceiling window, smoking and staring into the night, he stewed over the call with Thomas. As he reached for his phone to have Drew check on Estre, the bedroom door swung open. Spotting Jason at home, Estre asked in surprise, ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Despite Jason having left her earlier, Estre wasn¡¯t holding any grudges. Jason, on the other hand, was not so forgiving. He stubbed out the remaining half of his cigarette and asked coldly, ¡°How did you get back?¡± Chapter 22 Jason¡¯s question was a light bulb moment for Estre. She realized he knew Korey was back in town and had given her a ride, and now he was looking for an excuse to pick a fight. Without looking for excuses or feeling guilty, Estre responded with casual confidence, ¡°Yeah, Korey was back in town and offered me a lift.¡± From N?velDrama.Org. At the mention of Korey, Jason bristled with indignation. ¡°Korey? Estre, you¡¯re awfully cozy with him.¡± He continued his interrogation with a scoff, ¡°Where¡¯s he living, huh? Just so happens to be on your way?¡± If she hade home anyter, Jason would have turned Ravenwood upside down. Despite Jason¡¯s attitude, Estre remainedposed. ¡°I was waiting for the cab, and he happened to be going my way.¡± Jason retorted with a sneer, ¡°What about Thomas, Grayson and the others? Jesse didn¡¯t have time for you? You could ride with anyone else, but you insisted on having him drive you. Didn¡¯t I tell you my driver could have picked you up?¡± Estre was fed up with his relentless questioning. Ultimately, it was Jason who was unreasonable first tonight. She removed her hair clip with a snap and tossed it onto the dresser, fixing Jason with a defiant gaze. ¡°One phone call from another woman, and you drop everything to rush over, showing concern and apanying her to the hospital. Now where do you get the nerve to shout at me like this? How can you interrogate me? If you hadn¡¯t done that, would I have needed a ride from Korey?¡± ¡°Jason, just because I don¡¯t fuss over every little thing, do you think I¡¯m a pushover? Let me tell you something, if I ever run off with another man, it¡¯ll be because you pushed me into his arms.¡± These words had been bottled up inside Estre for a long time. Estre always felt that their rtionship was like this. There was no need to say too much. As long as she got pregnant, it would be enough. But Jason was pushing her too far, and he was being too much of a jerk. When Estre mmed something in anger, Jason was even more infuriated. ¡°The minute Korey shows up, you¡¯re full of righteousness. You say you¡¯re loyal, but why don¡¯t I believe that?¡± Jason was still oblivious to his faults and pushing the me onto Korey, Estre snapped, ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m disloyal, you got that right. 15.23 ¡°And Jason, if you¡¯re so done with this marriage, just say the word. There¡¯s no need to beat around the bush. If you don¡¯t want to be the one to file for divorce, I¡¯ll take any me you want to pin on me.¡± She couldn¡¯t stand another day of this. He had apanied Serene to the hospital without a word, and now he was making a fuss over her catching a ride home. The double standards were unbearable. She was so done with him. No matter what lineage he came from or how many children he could give her, she was done. Mentioning divorce again sent Jason over the edge. His lips curled into a sardonic smile as he looked at her with icy eyes. He stepped close to Estre, his hand shooting up to grasp her face. ¡°Estre, if you regret not marrying Korey back then and want to be with him, don¡¯t hide your thoughts. If you¡¯re upfront about it, I might just grant you your wish.¡± Estre jerked his hand away. ¡°Yes, I regret not epting his proposal, and yes, I want to be with him. Besides, he had saved my life. Let me take this opportunity to thank you for your generosity.¡± Before Jason could retaliate, Estre continued, ¡°And just so you know, marrying anyone but you, would be a step up. So hurry up and end this sham of a marriage. Don¡¯t stand in the way of my happiness.¡± Throughout their two-year marriage, they had fought many times, and Jason had said his share of hurtful things. Estre thought she was immune to them by now, but Jason¡¯s biting remarks tonight had truly set her off. Even the most patient person has their limits. Instead of cating him as usual, she continued the argument. Her words hit Jason hard, darkening his expression further. He clenched his fists in his pockets, the veins on his hands bulging. Looking down at Estre, he scoffed, ¡°I¡¯m standing in the way of your happiness? Fine, Estre, let¡¯s see how happy you can be without me.¡± With that, he turned and left, mming the door behind him with a resounding thud. If he stayed, he couldn¡¯t guarantee they wouldn¡¯t continue to escte the fight, perhaps ending up like ¡®that time,¡¯ beyond control. So, he walked away, swallowing his anger. In the quiet of the room, Estre rested her hand on her forehead, the echo of the mmed door ringing in her ears, her heart unsettled. Damn it, not a single day of peace. At the bar, Jason downed several drinks, but the fire of anger in his chest still raged. He chuckled bitterly, ¡°She wants my blessing. She must be dreaming.¡± Bryce, ever the blithe spirit, said, ¡°Bro, if you keep this up, my E won¡¯t need your blessing 15:23 to run off with someone else.¡± A cold re from Jason, and Bryce quickly corrected himself, ¡°Not my E. Your E.¡± Thomas chimed in, ¡°Jason, Korey was just giving her a lift. You¡¯re making a mountain out of a molehill, man.¡± Jason remained silent. He was petty and he knew it. As Jason stewed, Bryce continued cracking nuts, ¡°What¡¯s he got to be jealous about? My E just caught a ride. Meanwhile, Jason here¡¯s the actual shameless one, apanying that woman to the hospital, even dropping her off at her door. Leaving his own wife hanging while he ys nice with someone else¡¯s girl? He¡¯s got no right to be mad at my E. If it were me, I¡¯d have cheated on him a thousand times over. Seriously, what¡¯s he thinking? What do those other women have to do with him?¡± As Bryce ranted, Thomas looked on, unable to stop him. Didn¡¯t this fool remember getting transferred to the Antarctica for three monthsst time because he couldn¡¯t keep his mouth shut? Bryce had juste back, and now he was asking for it again? After Bryce finished his tirade, Thomasmented, ¡°Can you please shut your mouth?¡± Bryce puffed out his chest, with a streak of defiance in his voice as he dered, ¡°I¡¯ve got to stand up for Estre. Otherwise, Jason will think he¡¯s got the upper hand.¡± ¡°Bryce, you¡¯re the man.¡± Thomas cheered, patting Bryce on the back, which only made Bryce¡¯s grin widen with pride. However, that self-assured smile quickly wilted when his gaze inadvertently met Jason¡¯s. The air around Bryce seemed to grow heavier, and his once-beaming face now struggled to hold the smile. Chapter 23 At that moment, Jason¡¯s gaze was icy enough to cut ss. ¡°Bro, I just ran my mouth off. Please don¡¯t exile me to the sticks again. I¡¯d never live it down.¡± Jason¡¯s smirk sent shivers down Bryce¡¯s spine. With a brittle grin, Bryce pleaded, ¡°Come on, don¡¯t banish me. I will infiltrate E¡¯s camp for you and do some snooping to get her real thoughts.¡± The mention of going undercover softened Jason¡¯s expression slightly. Having promised to spy for Jason, Bryce sought out Estre the next day. In thew firm, Estre was sorting files alone, working overtime. Bryce pulled up a chair beside her. Bryce had been shadowing her all morning, and Estre scoffed, ¡°Spit it out if you have something to say. Don¡¯t stick to me like gum. I¡¯ve got work to do.¡± Bryce leaned in, whispering, ¡°Estre, what¡¯s your real take on Jason? What¡¯s your n?¡± Estre replied dryly, ¡°He is the boss. What opinion or n could I possibly have?¡± She knew Bryce hade for this very reason. Bryce pressed, ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be so evasive. Give me the straight dope, so I¡¯m prepared.¡± ¡°Why should you be prepared? Are we an item?¡± Estre said, flipping through her case. files. ¡°Whatever Jason¡¯s thinking, just tell me straight. No need for secrecy. I can handle it.¡± Estre¡¯s response fired Bryce up. Rolling up his sleeves, he fumed, ¡°Jason has crossed the line. Last night, I criticized him for his dealings with Serene, and how sending her home was wrong. He didn¡¯t appreciate it, didn¡¯t see his mistake and even red at me. That look was like he wanted to y me alive. Estre, I¡¯lly it on the line for you. Jason absolutely wants a divorce. If I can¡¯t persuade you today, and you don¡¯t agree to it, he¡¯ll make me pay.¡± Before Estre could respond, Bryce continued, ¡°Jason¡¯s no saint, so let¡¯s just call it quits. We¡¯ll make sure to get a hefty settlement from him. And don¡¯t pay any mind to those fortune-tellers¡¯ words. They¡¯re all chatans. You have been kids ourselves for over twenty years. So you still think kids are that good? Worstes to worst, I¡¯ll be your son.¡± Bryce¡¯s offer met Estre¡¯s indifferent nce, ¡°No thanks. I wouldn¡¯t take you as a son even if you paid me.¡± Bryce, trying again, asked, ¡°Estre, what¡¯s your stance now? You still want to stick it out with Jason?¡± Casually typing, Estre answered without a ripple in her voice, ¡°Tell Jason if he¡¯s got the 15:23 divorce papers ready, I¡¯ll sign whenever.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Bryce¡¯s eye¡¯s lit up, ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, E. Men are a dime a dozen. Don¡¯t worry, E, I¡¯ll make get the best deal from Jason.¡± Sure you With Estre¡¯s assurance to sign the papers, Bryceforted her and left humming ¡®a tune to report to Jason. Facing Jason¡¯s desk, Bryce slouched back, legs crossed, boasting, ¡°Bro, E said if you¡¯ve got the divorce papers ready, she¡¯ll sign anytime. She¡¯s fed up with this sham, and if you want to be with that bimbo, she¡¯s all for letting you be.¡± Behind the desk, Jason snapped his pen in half. ¡°What else did Estre say?¡± Jason asked. Bryce cleared his throat, shifted his posture, and borated, ¡°E also said that you pushed her into bing a twice-married woman for no good reason, so you owe her financially. Thepensation has to be substantial. She won¡¯te near you, or mention your chapter in her life, to save you any difort.¡± The more Bryce spoke, the heavier Jason¡¯s heart sank. Bryce, lost in his own fabrications, thought he was achieving great feats. Jason¡¯s silent response to his storytelling prowess prompted Bryce to add, ¡°E¡¯s being more than fair. You¡¯ve got the money, so be generous with the divorce. People will speak highly of your magnanimity, or else they¡¯ll only remember your infidelity. Besides, your new fling doesn¡¯t hold a candle to my E. You¡¯ve got to make it worth E¡¯s while. Give her something to soothe her pride.¡± Bryce kept referring to E as ¡°his,¡± while Jason just watched silently. Bryce seemed oddly enthusiastic about the impending divorce. As Jason stared at him without saying a word, Bryce raised his eyebrows and asked, ¡°Did I handle this issue right for you? You¡¯ve been trying to divorce for two years without sess, but I sorted it out for you as soon as stepped in.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Jason replied with a grin, keeping his real emotions hidden. Bryce added, ¡°Keep in mind thepensation just mentioned to you. After all, you¡¯ve known E for so many years.¡± ¡°Definitely.¡± Jason responded. As Bryce met Jason¡¯s gaze, he sensed the mood was off. Jason wasn¡¯t ted about the sessful separation. Jason rhythmically tapped the desk, ¡°Bryce, you handle this well, and I¡¯m also pleased with your recent work ethic and results.¡± Bryce, caught off-guard by the sudden shift to work matters, quickly said, ¡°Thanks, bro. I¡¯ll keep at it.¡± 15:23 hapter 23 Jason then mentioned, ¡°Lately, thepany decided to sponsor the construction of 50 primary schools in rural areas for free. I think you would make a great leader for this project.¡± Bryce was stunned, ¡°Bro, I mean, Mr. Jason, I¡­ Jason¡¯s nce stopped him cold, ¡°Any objections?¡± With that look, Bryce felt a chill, shaking his head frantically, ¡°None whatsoever. How could I possibly object.¡± ¡°Pack your bags. You¡¯re hitting the road with the crew at 3 p.m. today.¡± ¡°What? Today at 3 p.m.?¡± Bryce had thought he¡¯d have at least a few more days to make some moves, to plead his case or wait for Jason to cool off. But there was no time given. Damn, that was ruthless. It was past noon already, and he barely had enough time to pack. Jason observed Bryce¡¯s despondent expression and added, ¡°In line with ourpany¡¯s phnthropic ethos, I want you to be fully involved in the construction of those 50 schools. You¡¯lle back when they¡¯re all built.¡± ¡°Bro, is it because I asked for too much money? If that¡¯s the case, you can cut my pay, man. I¡¯ll go talk to Estre about it.¡± Bryce was on the verge of tears. Fifty schools. Bryce was sure it would be the end of him. 15:23 Chapter 24 At that moment, Jason stood up, made his way over to Bryce, and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve got mad faith in you.¡± Bryce offered, ¡°Did E dump that agreement drafting gig on you? I¡¯ll chat with her and get it sorted. She¡¯s a whiz with this legal stuff, being awyer and all.¡± Jason¡¯s hand pressed down firmly on Bryce¡¯s shoulder, his words carrying weight, ¡°You handled this well. But step back from here on out.¡± Who the hell was talking about divorcing Estre? Two years and despite some harsh words, he had never mentioned divorce. Leave it to Bryce, saying he¡¯d y the mole for him, suss out Estre¡¯s thoughts. Instead, he just threw gas on the fire and brought back a pile of nonsense. Estre received Bryce¡¯s call while he was being hustled by Drew to board the train with. the group. On the other end, Bryce was crying his eyes out, begging Estre to save him. All Estre could offer was a sympathetic, ¡°Bryce, take care of yourself. I¡¯ll be here when you get back.¡± She added forfort, ¡°If your mom disowns you, I¡¯ll take the hit and take you in.¡± ¡°E, save me. Go plead with Jason.¡± ¡°Mr. Bryce, please get on the train,¡± Drew¡¯s voice came through, and the call with Bryce ended. Listening to the dial tone, Estre was baffled. She had agreed to divorce, so why Jason still not letting Bryce off the hook? was Unable to figure it out, Estre didn¡¯t bother trying. She¡¯d just wait until her vacation to check in on Bryce. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Just as she and Jason had started to mend their strained rtionship, it was on the rocks again. Jason stoppeding home. Rumors of his scandals were everywhere. Yet, he still hadn¡¯t brought up the divorce. Two dayster, after wrapping up a civil dispute case at the courthouse, Estre got a call from Grayson. He was throwing a wee-back shindig for Korey the next night and wanted her to clear her schedule. ¡°I¡¯ve got a big case in court tomorrow. Can I swing by after it wraps up?¡± Estre asked. ¡°That¡¯ll work.¡± 15:23 Korey was hitting 29, the same age as Grayson, a few years older than the rest of the group. They all grew up in the same circle, knew each other since they were kids. After being away for more than two years, Korey¡¯s return warranted a proper celebration. So, the next day, after court, Estre headed straight to the karaoke bar for the second half of the festivities. Half an hourter, she pushed open the door to the private room, where the party was in full swing, and Thomas¡¯ booming voice dominated the space. He¡¯d organized the after-party, ensuring no one would call it a night early. ncing around the room, Estre noticed some new faces, and there, beside Jason, sat a girl with an air of innocence. Estre was used to such scenes by now, numb to them. ¡°Estre.¡± ¡°Estre,e sit over here.¡± Jesse waved her over, and Estre made her way over. From a distance, Jason gave Estre a fleeting look, quickly averting his gaze. The annoyance from the other day still lingered. With Jason¡¯s casual nce, the girl next to him took a longer look at Estre. Estre was so pretty, no wonder Jason spared her a second nce. As Estre approached, Jason didn¡¯t greet her, and Estre acted as if she didn¡¯t know him, which made Korey¡¯s brows furrow. Korey had heard about the marital troubles between Estre and Jason but didn¡¯t expect such coldness when they met, not even a hello. ¡°Korey,¡± Estre greeted Korey across Jesse, and Korey asked, ¡°Estre, have you had dinner?¡± ¡°I ate beforeing.¡± Jesse, sensing an opportunity, joked, ¡°Should I give you two some space?¡± Korey just smiled, saying nothing. On another couch, Jason watched the trioughing and chatting, and, irritated, he picked up a cigarette and lighter from the coffee table and lit up. Thomas, not wanting Korey to sit out, took to the mic and announced, ¡°Let¡¯s quit the small talk and y a game together. No excuses, Korey. You¡¯re in.¡± The games in the karaoke bar were typical-dice, truth or dare. With a crowd this size, Thomas suggested pairing up, with the losers of each round taking a drink or answering a question. Erik was the first to say, ¡°Estre, Kelly and I will be in one group. You group up with 15:23 Koreyn.¡± She seemed to be doing it on purpose this time. Korey said, ¡°I¡¯ve got no problem, Estre, what about you?¡± Estre generously said, ¡°Okay!¡± The girl next to Jason had been watching Estre, whispering, ¡°Korey seems to like Ms. Estre very much. His eyes are full of Ms. Estre.¡± Estre was beautiful, and this girl had been watching Estre all night. She found that, Korey¡¯s eyes eyes were also full of Estre. Even though he tried his best to hide it, it couldn¡¯t be hidden. Jason¡¯s face became even gloomier. Damn it. Estre wasughing and talking with others right in front of him.. However, Estre hadn¡¯t done anything outrageous at the moment, and he didn¡¯t wan to seem petty. In no time, the pairing was done, and everyone started rolling dice. The one with the highest number could either punish others or ask others questions. The punished person. could choose to drink or answer. Jesse was usually being quiet and talking less, but when ites to drinking games, she¡¯s good at it. Every time she rolls the dice, she gets three sixes, always the winner. Tonight, she seemed to be at odds with Jason. Every time she won, she would choose Jason to answer the question. But Jason didn¡¯t take it. Before Jesse could ask, he would pick up his wine ss and drink. When Jesse rolled the highest number again, she turned to Jason again. This time, before Jason could even raise his ss, Jesse chuckled and said, ¡°Mr. Jason, this is the fourth time I¡¯ve gged you down tonight. If you keep drinking, it won¡¯t be any fun.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you give Jesse a chance to get to know you, Mr. Jason?¡± ¡°Jason, if you keep up this drinking, it¡¯s really gonna kill the vibe.¡± ¡°Come on, Mr. Jason. Give us an answer, will ya?¡± After Jesse threw down the gauntlet, the rest off the bunch chimed in. The chatter was all over the ce, but Jason simply lifted his gaze to meet Jesse¡¯s for a moment, and he didn¡¯t reach for his drink again. Jesse, with her slicked-back hair looking sharp as ever, sized up Jason and threw out a zinger, ¡°Jason, are you a virgin?¡± Pfft! As soon as Jesse dropped the question, Thomas couldn¡¯t help it-his drink sprayed out in a burst of laughter. 15:23 Jason had been married for two years now. Was there a screw loose in Jesse¡¯s head? But the others looked intrigued. Jesse¡¯s question hadyers to it, like a juicy scoop was about to unfold. Meanwhile, Jason just stared at Jesse with an icy re, his expression sour enough to curdle milk. If he admitted to being a virgin, it was as good as admitting something was off-kilter with him. But if he said no, he¡¯d essentially be confessing to Estre that he had indeed strayed. For over two years, he had managed to remain an enigma to Estre, never letting her truly see through him. Jesse¡¯s question was a real piece of work-sharp and loaded. 15:23 Chapter 25 Korey nced at Jason, his curiosity now piqued. Estre, meanwhile, wore a smirk that suggested she knew more than she was letting on. ¡°Jason, cat got your tongue? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re¡­¡± Thomas¡¯ voice trailed off as Jason to sav shot him a frosty look, effectively silencing whatever he was about After casting an indifferent nce at Jesse, Jason mentally noted the slight, though he didn¡¯t let on.. In the end, he still didn¡¯t respond to Jesse¡¯s inquiry and simply raised his ss. off that and had to down at least The other girls chided Jason, saying he couldn¡¯t get three shots. Without a word, Jason knocked back three shots in quick session. The liquor furrowed his brow, an expression that lingered long after the sses were empty. It was a rough taste to swallow. His evasion, though, was tantalizing, sparking wild guesses among the onlookers. The girl next to Jason, seeing his difort, quickly poured him a ss of water. Whether it was to defend Jason or for some other reason, in the next two rounds, the girl consecutively rolled three sixes each. First, she chose Jesse to drink, and the second time, she gave Jason the chance. ¡°Mr. Jason, we¡¯re a team here, so who¡¯s it gonna be? Truth or dare?¡± ¡°Mr. Jason, ask Estre something scandalous.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, go for it.¡± Estre, a stunner in any crowd, was not only smart but quick-witted, making most people hesitant to provoke her. Now that the opportunity hadnded in Jason¡¯sp, the crowd egged him on. Jason shot Estre a sidelong nce. He wasn¡¯t really into this game; if he was, he¡¯d win every time. But everyone was having a st, and he didn¡¯t want to be a spoilsport. Their eyes locked, and Estre crossed her arms, leaning back on the sofa with one leg over the other as if to say, ¡°Come at me, I can handle anything you throw.¡± If Jason asked if she was a virgin, she¡¯d admit it openly. It wasn¡¯t her reputation on the line. To Estre¡¯s brazenness, Jason was utterly disdainful and asked, ¡°Did you eat dinner?¡± ¡°Come on, Mr. Jason, what kind of question is that? It¡¯s totallyme.¡± ¡°Mr. Jason, you might as well have made Estre drink instead.¡± Ignoring the crowd¡¯s disappointment, Jason kept his gaze fixed on Estre, waiting for her answer. 15-23 He wasn¡¯t foolish enough to give people a show. If they were going to fight, they¡¯d do it behind closed doors at home. The most pressing concern for him at the moment was whether Estre was going hungry. A faint smile yed on Estre¡¯s lips, recognizing Jason¡¯s shrewdness. She replied nonchntly, ¡°No.¡± She had told Korey she¡¯d eaten, but that was just a polite lie. Next to her, Korey¡¯s expression shifted slightly, so it seemed Estre was still being polite with him, or maybe she was just closer to Jason, despite their constant bickering. Since Jason and Estre were not ying seriously, the group stopped singling them out and focused on their own fun. During a bathroom break, Estre and Jesse stepped aside, and Jessemented, ¡°Jason seemed pretty wary of you earlier. He didn¡¯t dare to pick up my line.¡± Estre chuckled and replied, ¡°He¡¯s scared I¡¯ll make a scene and his father won¡¯t let it slide.¡± Jason wasn¡¯t afraid of anyone, especially not her; otherwise, they¡¯d already be ying house for real. Jesse nodded, ¡°The chick with him tonight¡¯s a yer, quite the handful.¡± Estre quipped, ¡°He never goes for the easy ones,¡± and with that, they headed back to the private room. Shortly after their return, Korey announced he had a meeting early the next day, and Estre also needed to leave for a court date. When these two key yers decided to call it a night, the party naturally wound down. The group emerged into the KVT¡¯s open-air parking lot, and seeing Jason wasn¡¯t with Estre, Korey, mindful of her earlier drinks, offered, ¡°Estre, let me give you a lift.¡± ¡°Sure thing,¡± Estre agreed cheerfully. As she and Jesse were about to join Korey, her arm was suddenly yanked. Before she could react, Jason¡¯s voice cut through the night, ¡°Are you his wife? Why are you leaving with him?¡± Without waiting for Estre¡¯s response, Jason bundled her into the back seat of his car. Estre gasped as her arm thudded against the door frame, and once Jason got in, she kicked out, ¡°You¡¯re out of your mind!¡± Jason ignored her and instructed the driver, ¡°Drive.¡± The onlookers were left bewildered. Thomas, standing by with the girl who had been with Jason all evening, answered her puzzled look, ¡°Jason got hitched early, two years ago. None of you stand a chance.¡± 15:23. The girl was stunned. So Jason was married, and Estre was his wife. No wonder Jason kept ncing at Estre all evening. No wonder when she said Korey only had eyes for Estre, Jason¡¯s expression turned sour. After pulling away from the parking lot, Jason brushed off his trousers and said coldly, ¡°Wasn¡¯t one ride in his car enough? You want another?¡± Estre shot back, ¡°You have no right to talk about this.¡± Jason knew she was referring to the time he apanied Serene to the hospital and exined, ¡°I owed her a favor.¡± Estreughed sarcastically, ¡°Of course, you¡¯ve got such a convenient excuse, and you can do whatever you want now.¡± Estre¡¯s relentless jabs warmed Jason¡¯s heart. After two years of marriage, this was the first time she truly argued with him instead of brushing things off. This Estre felt like a wife to Jason. ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful in the future.¡± Caught off guard by Jason¡¯s sudden promise, Estre was momentarily stunned. He added, ¡°I didn¡¯t know the woman tonight, but yes, I did want to piss you off a bit.¡± Korey had just waltzed back into town, and deep down, Jason felt a twinge of unease, worried that he might have left the door open for someone to take his ce. Not waiting for Estre to throw him a lifeline, he swallowed his pride and made the first move. She rolled her eyes in disdain, too bothered to even grant him a nce. Estre¡¯s cold shoulder didn¡¯t soften when Jason leaned back in his seat, exhaling heavily with a groan, ¡°My head¡¯s killing me.¡± Still, Estre remained silent. Jason, casting a sidelong nce at her, cajoled, ¡°Come on, rub my temples for me, will ya?¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°Come on,¡± he insisted, gently grabbing Estre¡¯s hand and guiding it to his forehead. Estre didn¡¯t pull back. Though she looked annoyed, she gave his forehead a quick rub. After all, she was counting on him to be the father of her future kids. Half an hourter, they arrived home, and Marie and the others had already gone to bed. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. As Estre started up the stairs, she noticed Jason hadn¡¯t followed and was instead heading to the kitchen. With a teasing tone, she called out, ¡°Feeling guilty, huh? nning on bunking in the kitchen tonight?¡± Chapter 26 Jason cast an indifferent nce at her, a look that seemed to suggest she was overstepping her bounds. ¡°You cooking for me?¡± Estre scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t go chopping off your fingers now. I¡¯d hate to have to rush you to the ER.¡± Jason had never done so much as set a table, so what could he possibly whip up in the kitchen? Besides, Jason was way out of her league with his high and mighty attitude. If he really felt guilty and wanted to make it up to her, well, having a child together would settle the score. Jason threw her a sudden side-eye, prompting Estre to quickly backtrack, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll take your generous offer. I¡¯m off to take a shower. I haven¡¯t eaten since lunch. either, so make it a hearty one with some meat, will you?¡± With her instructionsid out, Estre yawned her way upstairs. In the kitchen, Jason set his phone to a video and started rummaging through the fridge for ingredients. Recalling a visit to the Dorvold family home, Autumn had mentioned Estre¡¯s delicate stomach and the importance of her eating regrly. Jason hadn¡¯tmented at the time, but Autumn¡¯s words had resonated deep within him. Now, in the dead of night, he opted for simplicity and settled on making spaghetti-the intricacies of gourmet cooking were beyond him at this hour. He sliced up some roast beef, threw in a bit of onion and garlic, and considered adding some chili oil for a kick. But then, remembering Estre¡¯s pte, he reluctantly put the bottle back. Estre descended the stairs at some point, now dressed in a pale pink nightgown with arge bow headband, her presence seemingly ethereal. Her arms crossed, she leaned casually against the doorframe, the hint of a smile ying on her lips. As Jason sprinkled onions into the pot, he turned to get a te and caught Estre watching him silently from the doorway. His face darkened. ¡°Could you make some noise next time?¡± Her smile widening, Estre sauntered over, her curls bouncing with each step. She was enchanting tonight. Side by side with Jason, she nced at the beef spaghetti that turned out quite alright and yfully bumped him with her hip. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± Jason gave her a look but keptdling out the spaghetti, ignoring her. Her grin grew as she probed, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer the question Jesse asked you 15:23 Jason cast an indifferent nce at her, a look that seemed to suggest she was overstepping her bounds. ¡°You cooking for me?¡± Estre scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t go chopping off your fingers now. I¡¯d hate to have to rush you to the ER.¡± Jason had never done so much as set a table, so what could he possibly whip up in the kitchen? Besides, Jason was way out of her league with his high and mighty attitude. If he really felt guilty and wanted to make it up to her, well, having a child together would settle the score. Jason threw her a sudden side-eye, prompting Estre to quickly backtrack, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll take your generous offer. I¡¯m off to take a shower. I haven¡¯t eaten since lunch either, so make it a hearty one with some meat, will you?¡± With her instructionsid out, Estre yawned her way upstairs. In the kitchen, Jason set his phone to a video and started rummaging through the fridge for ingredients. Recalling a visit to the Dorvold family home, Autumn had mentioned Estre¡¯s delicate stomach and the importance of her eating regrly. Jason hadn¡¯tmented at the time, but Autumn¡¯s words had resonated deep within him. Now, in the dead of night, he opted for simplicity and settled on making spaghetti-the intricacies of gourmet cooking were beyond him at this hour. He sliced up some roast beef, threw in a bit of onion and garlic, and considered adding some chili oil for a kick. But then, remembering Estre¡¯s pte, he reluctantly put the bottle back. Estre descended the stairs at some point, now dressed in a pale pink nightgown with arge bow headband, her presence seemingly ethereal. Her arms crossed, she leaned casually against the doorframe, the hint of a smile ying on her lips. As Jason sprinkled onions into the pot, he turned to get a te and caught Estre watching him silently from the doorway. His face darkened. ¡°Could you make some noise next time?¡± Her smile widening, Estre sauntered over, her curls bouncing with each step. She was enchanting tonight. Side by side with Jason, she nced at the beef spaghetti that turned out quite alright and yfully bumped him with her hip. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± Jason gave her a look but keptdling out the spaghetti, ignoring her. Her grin grew as she probed, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer the question Jesse asked you 15:23 tonight?¡± Jason served the spaghetti onto the te without acknowledging her. Estre chuckled, ¡°You can¡¯t possibly still be a virgin, right? Or maybe I should check for myself.¡± Jason¡¯s face lined with exasperation, ¡°Even if there were such a bargain, it wouldn¡¯t be with you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to waste a good opportunity on a stranger when you could have me. Besides, who could match my technique? Everyone needs a skilled teacher for their first time.¡± The more Estre spoke, the darker Jason¡¯s expression became. ¡°Estre, are you sure you still want to have my kid?¡± Her words suggested she was quite experienced with men, though in truth, she was a novice in matters of love. ¡°Of course, I do,¡± Estre replied nonchntly. I think about it all the time.¡± Jason, amused yet not showing it, carried the te of spaghetti to the dining better watch that mouth of yours.¡± area, ¡°You Her sharp tongue could have been put to good use in any field, yet she chose to studyw, bing unbeatable in verbal sparring. Following Jason to the dining table, she sat down gracefully as he pulled out the chair for her and handed her a fork si casually inquired, ¡°Did you put anything in this that¡¯ll make me hot and want to strip?¡± ¡°Your family cooks spaghetti with that kind of stuff?¡± Jason shot her a questioning look, baffled by her outrageousness. ¡°All the time, every meal.¡± Estre quipped. ¡°Stop your nonsense. Just finish this and go to bed.¡± Tasting the spaghetti Jason had prepared, sheplimented, ¡°Not bad for a rookie. Guess smart folks like you are good at everything, including making babies.¡± Jason could only shake his head at her relentless implications. He thought she was serious about wanting to split up. Seeing that he wasn¡¯t engaging, Estre switched to a more serious tone, ¡°I need to talk to you about something important.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Bring Bryce back. He¡¯s going stir-crazy over there.¡± 15:23 ¡°He¡¯s still in touch with you? Looks like I need to confiscate his phone.¡± ¡°He¡¯s your our cousin, for heaven¡¯s sake. Are you really going to keep pushing him to the edge? He¡¯s been sick as a dogtely.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of bringing him back? To encourage you to leave me?¡± Jason¡¯s retort caught Estre off guard, and she paused momentarily. Regaining herposure, she said confidently, ¡°So you don¡¯t want a divorce. You should¡¯ve just said so. Have a kid, and we won¡¯t be able to separate anyway.¡± Her words seemed to suggest that it was Jason who would be carrying the child. Jason replied coolly, ¡°Forget about it.¡± Estre said, ¡°I¡¯m serious, though. Let Brycee back, or your uncle won¡¯t let you off the hook if something happens to him.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you ever listen to reason?¡± ¡°Estre, plead for him one more time, and he¡¯ll stay there another month.¡± Silence. Estate quickly pped her lips shut. Before Min of hadished her meal, and they headed upstairs together. in emerged from the bathroom, towel-drying his hair, he caught sight ying on Estre¡¯sptop. One could only imagine his reaction. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. re piercing Estre, ¡°Estre!!!¡± smiled, ¡°All cleaned up? I found an educational video for you. After all, mors going around about you not being able to perform.¡± ing to keep hisposure, asked, ¡°What are you up to?¡± oached him, her hands finding the tie of his robe. She tiptoed closer, in his ear, ¡°A full belly makes one think of more carnal things.¡± eir ups and downs, Jason hade back tonight, and Estre still longed for at en if their paths would eventually diverge. Otherwise, her marriage would seem ess, as would the past two years of their cat- and-mouse game. on¡¯s hands were fire gripping Estre¡¯s wrists, ready to pull her away, when she held. tight, not letti ways leave linen unfazed. ¡°Reverse psychology, huh?¡± don¡¯t have the guts?¡± Estre raised her eyebrows provocatively. 15:23 No sooner had her words fallen silent than Jason, with a swift move, scooped her up into his arms. Estre¡¯s backnded softly-almost scandalously so-on the plush mattress, sending her heartbeat into a rapid frenzy. Before she could wrap her arms around him, Jason was already pinning her down, interlocking their fingers, holding her close against his chest. He wanted her-badly. The desire was palpable, especially tonight, after seeing her exchangeughs and stories. with Korey. The urge to have her beneath him, moaning, begging for mercy, was overwhelming, despite knowing her intentions weren¡¯t exactly pure. 15:23 Chapter 27 Estre¡¯s mouth was slightly open, exhaling, and her hands were caught and struggling slightly, as Jason¡¯s kiss came overwhelming. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Jason¡¯s kiss was intense and rough, like a long-caged beast released. Estre couldn¡¯t help but moan under the fervor. Her sultry voice edged with defiance. Then, Jason whispered against her earlobe, ¡°Flirting with other guys, Estre? Forget about it, not in this lifetime.¡± Estre thought to herself,¡± Just wait until I have his baby, then we¡¯ll see who¡¯s in control.¡± Still, her arms wrapped around Jason¡¯s neck, with a teasing spark in her eyes, ¡°Then you better make sure you can keep me satisfied.¡± Her words had barely left her lips when Jason¡¯s mouth was on hers again, and the sound of fabric tearing followed¡­ Jason¡¯s familiar scent,ced with the faint aroma of alcohol, snapped her back to reality. Jason had been drinking tonight, and not just a little. Tonight was not the night. She couldn¡¯t risk getting pregnant now. Estre pushed at Jason with sudden urgency, ¡°Jason, not tonight.¡± Jason¡¯s grip tightened on her waist, ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Got your period again?¡± ¡°You¡¯re drunk, and it¡¯s not good for the pregnancy,¡± she insisted.. Jason¡¯s temper red, ¡°You think I¡¯m some kind of baby-making machine?¡± Estre grabbed a nket and wrapped herself within it, ¡°Maybe some other time. I¡¯m tired. tonight.¡± She knew who she was, and Jason did too ¨C she wouldn¡¯t involve herself in something without a clear benefit. Estre yed coy, eliciting augh tinged with exasperation from Jason, ¡°Estre, the porn¡¯s already started, clothes are off, and now you¡¯re tired? No matter how exhausted you im to be, we¡¯re settling this tonight.¡± As he reached for the nket, Estre clung to it desperately, ¡°Come home early tomorrow, and I¡¯ll let you do this until dawn.¡± She even tucked the nket tighter beneath her to secure it. Jason watched, frustration boiling over as he aimed a yful kick her way, but as Estre nearly tumbled off the bed, his reflexes kicked in, and he caught her. 15.23 Damn it, she was infuriating like no other woman he¡¯d ever met. Her stubbornness was indelibly etched in his heart, irreceable. The following morning, as Estre awoke, Jason was already gone. Unbeknownst to her, Jason had tossed and turned all night, tempted to wake her. But he thought about her spending hours standing in court for a big case during the day, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to disturb her sleep. After a quick bite to eat at home, Estre drove to thew firm. ¡°Estre,¡± the familiar voice greeted her as she stepped through thepany doors. She turned to see Serene, ¡°What brings you here?¡± Serene approached with a smile, ¡°You were signed as thepany¡¯s legal representative, right? I¡¯m here to deliver the documents to you! ¡°Alright, hand them over,¡± Estre said, taking the documents with thanks and preparing to get back to work when Serene called out again. ¡°Estre?¡± She turned, ¡°What is it now?¡± Serene hesitated, ¡°Can we talk for a moment?¡± Sensing ulterior motives, Estre led Serene to the lounge and made her a cup of coffee, ¡°You¡¯re quite leisurely this morning.¡± Serene cradled her coffee, ¡°I rarely get a chance to see you or spe th you.¡± Estre sat down, ¡°Well, what¡¯s on your mind?¡± Serene stared at Estre, gripping her cup tightly, ¡°Estre think, not what the rumors say. Jason is out of my leag at the hotel was just a misunderstanding.¡± Estre took a sip of her coffee, a wry smile form She had seen Serene on Jason¡¯s arm, a pub! misunderstanding, Estre found it amus Serene continued, ¡°not afraid of y so. I¡¯m not del and I, we¡¯re not what you w my ce. That incident hink I¡¯m out to ge ow, with Serene don¡¯t see me as and rightly out my chi on, not even a in your game ying along after me at e her that tl saved him once passion,¡± Serene 15-24 summoned her courage, ¡°Jason¡¯s actions are beyond my influence. He hasn¡¯t forgotten. his one true love; he still holds on to her memory.¡± After Serene¡¯s confession, Estre remainedposed, though inwardly she scoffed at the notion. Knowing there was nothing between Serene and Jason only made it sting more. So she was just a sideshow for the past two years? Looking straight at Serene, Estre¡¯s smile was tinged with irony, ¡°Serene, you¡¯ve got quite the strategic mind.¡± Serene rushed to rify, ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth because I don¡¯t want to be your enemy, even though I don¡¯t deserve to be.¡± Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Estre sat up straighter, setting down her coffee, ¡°Your exnations don¡¯t really matter. I¡¯m not about to stoop to fighting you.¡± Serene was clever, never confronting her directly, always genuine in her sincerity and efficient in her work. It was no wonder Jason kept her close. Still, when it came to a woman¡¯s feelings for a man, Estre was no fool. She could see right through them. Serene had said all she needed to and got to her feet. ¡°Estre, I¡¯ll let you get back to work, I¡¯m heading out.¡± -He hadn¡¯t forgotten her. -She was always on his mind. As Serene left the guest room, the smile slowly faded from Estre¡¯s face. Serene was smart, always knew the perfect timing for doing things and saying words, and was adept at diverting attention. In the evening, Estre, rare for her to have an early shift, made ns to have dinner with Jesse. They met up at the diner, and when she saw Jesse¡¯s bruised and swollen face and scratched cheek, Estre¡¯s expression darkened instantly. ¡°Jesse, what the hell happened to you?¡± 15-24 Chapter 28 Jesse rubbed her nose with a wry smile, brushing off the concern as she said, ¡°Got into a scuffle this afternoon.¡± ¡°With who?¡± ¡°It¡¯s over, Estre. Let¡¯s not dig into it.¡± ¡°Jesse, don¡¯t make me investigate it myself.¡± Estre¡¯s temper was something Jesse was all too familiar with. She might seem all sunshine and rainbows on a regr day, but if you crossed a line with her, you¡¯d be in for a rude awakening. ¡°I ran into Pa today. She brought backup, and I was outnumbered.¡± As soon as Jesse finished her sentence, Estre was on her feet, heading for the door. Jesse grabbed her arm urgently. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Estre¡¯s face was a storm cloud as she snapped, ¡°You expect me to sit down for dinner when you¡¯re beaten up like this?¡± Jesse held on tighter, trying to calm the storm brewing within Estre. ¡°Estre, it¡¯s done, and it wasn¡¯t all Pa¡¯s doing. Don¡¯t do anything rash.¡± Estre saw there was more to the story. She reined in her anger and sat back down. ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t. Just tell me everything.¡± They settled back at the dining table, and Jesse began recounting the story. ¡°A few days. ago, I got into it with Melinda. Guess she couldn¡¯t let it go and teamed up with Pa.¡± Melinda was Jesse¡¯s stepsister. Jesse¡¯s mom had passed away when she was just a toddler, and her dad had quickly remarried Damita, who was pregnant at the time. Damita never took a liking to Jesse and would often take advantage of her husband¡¯s absence to berate and mistreat the child. After a particrly nasty incident in middle school, Jesse had changed. Her father, under the constant influence of Damita¡¯s whispers, had grown colder towards her. Life as a Manning wasn¡¯t exactly a walk in the park for Jesse. Estre¡¯s face was grim as she asked, ¡°Are you hurt anywhere else? Did you get checked. out at the hospital?¡± ¡°Just some bruises. Took a few kicks to the gut, bleeding a little, but the hospital said it¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Hearing about the injury, Estre¡¯s heart clenched with pain. She knew Pa must have ambushed Jesse on purpose, taking advantage of her less favored status in the Manning family to strike at her ¨C a proxy for her real target, Estre herself. 15:24 ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll take care of myself. Otherwise how can I keep up the good fight with those two?¡± ¡°If you say you¡¯re fine, then I trust you,¡± Estre said,dling out chicken soup for Jesse. ¡°Eat up, and next time, don¡¯t be a hero. If you see they have the numbers, just run.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± Jesse had intended to run that afternoon, but Pa had been prepared, blocking all possible escape routes. Jesse didn¡¯t share these details with Estre, not wanting to stoke her fiery nature. The Manning family¡¯s involvement and the existing business tensions between their fathers were enough reason to keep things low-key. After dinner, as they approached the crossroads in their cars, Estre warned, ¡°Jesse, call me the instant anythinges up, alright?¡± ¡°I will, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Good. Now go home and rest up.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jesse hesitated before adding, ¡°Estre, let¡¯s just let tonight¡¯s incident slide, okay? Don¡¯t go after Pa.¡± ¡°I got it. I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Listen to her? Not go after Pa? Estre might have agreed verbally, but as soon as they parted ways, her foot mmed down on the elerator, speeding towards the Lamont residence. If she let this slide, Pa would take every opportunity to go after Jesse, and Melinda would only be more emboldened Estre wasn¡¯t about to y nice. ¡°Ms. Estre, our youngdy isn¡¯t home. Perhaps you coulde back another time?¡± ¡°Ms. Estre, I must ask you to leave.¡± Despite the servants¡¯ attempts, they couldn¡¯t stop Estre from barging into the Lamont¡¯s grand hall. ¡°Miss Estre¡­¡± a servant began, but Estre cut them off with a re, her hands deep in the pockets of her cks. ¡°Bring Pa down to me.¡± No sooner had she demanded this than Pa, in her loungewear, descended the stairs, clearly annoyed. ¡°Estre, what¡¯s all this racket about? Is this the kind of manners you family teaches?¡± Without a word, Estre grabbed an antique vase from a side table and hurled it at Pa. ¡°Did you corner Jesse this afternoon?¡± The vase shattered against the wall, sending Pa into a panic as she dusted off the 1534 LI fragments. ¡°Estre, have you lost your mind? This is the Lamont residence, not some back alley!¡± As Pa¡¯s finger bled from a shard, her anger erupted. ¡°So what if I cornered her? I went after Jesse, not you.¡± Pa¡¯s admission fueled Estre¡¯s fury. In a few strides, she had Pa by the throat. ¡°Say that again. I dare you.¡± As Pa choked out her defiance, Estre¡¯s grip tightened. Today had been a direct hit at her through Jesse, and Estre was not going to let it stand. With one swift move, Estre dragged Pa down the stairs by her hair, determined to settle the score once and for all. Dragged down the steps by Estre, Pa was fuming with indignation. Scrambling to her feet, she lunged for Estre¡¯s face. ¡°You bitch! How dare you strike me in my house? I¡¯ll take you down!¡± However, her fingers barely grazed Estre when Estre¡¯s right leg shot out, delivering a brutal kick to Pa¡¯s midsection. Pa gasped in pain, stumbling backward tond hard on the floor. When it came to brawling, she was no match for Estre. Clutching her belly, tears streaming down her cheeks, Pa spat out a threat through gritted teeth. ¡°Estre, this isn¡¯t over. I swear, next time I¡¯ll take Jesse out myself.¡± Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Hearing the threat, Estre unleashed another two kicks squarely onto Pa¡¯s abdomen. In essence, Estre was serving back the same treatment Pa had intended for Jesse. Regrettably for Estre, she wasn¡¯t wearing her stilettos today, just some mid-heels. After the warm-up skirmish, Estre knelt on one knee in front of Pa, seizing her hair. ¡°Are Melinda and Damita in cahoots with you? Through her tears, Pa retorted, ¡°What does it matter who¡¯s with me? Just know that you and I¡­¡± Pa¡¯s words were cut short as Estre delivered several stinging ps across her cheek. ¡°Still talking tough, are we?¡± With each blow from Estre, Pa¡¯s face swelled and blood began to trickle from the corner of her mouth. Facing Estre alone, Pa was destined only to be on the receiving end of the beatdown. 1524 Chapter 29 ¡°Estre, you better¡­¡± Estrended two more swift ps on Pa¡¯s face. ¡°Going to talk now?¡± Estre¡¯s fluid series of actions left the Lamont family¡¯s servants dumbfounded. They never expected Estre to storm the Lamont household alone and take on their youngdy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you lot? Can¡¯t you run out back and call my parents and grandfather instead of standing here gawking?¡± It wasn¡¯t until Pa, through her tears, scolded them that the servants scrambled over each other to fetch the elders. By the time Pa¡¯s grandpa hurried over, Estre had already finished the beatdown and was nonchntly dusting off her hands after giving Pa another kick for good measure. Pa¡¯s grandpa nearly passed out from shock at the sight of his granddaughter bruised and swollen on the floor, unable to get up. Gripping his cane tightly, he jabbed it into the ground and spat out, ¡°Estre, you¡¯re out of control, showing no respect for the Lamont name. Is this how your parents raised you?¡± Estre slid her hands back into her trouser pockets, unfazed, and retorted, ¡°Seems like the Lamont family could use some discipline. I¡¯m just lending a hand.¡± Pa¡¯s grandpa trembled with rage. ¡°No matter what you think of our ways, it¡¯s not your ce to discipline us, Estre!¡± He then turned to Pa andmanded, ¡°Pa, stand up and hit her back, the same way she hit you! ¡°Estre, you¡¯re really pushing your luck,¡± Pa¡¯s mother sobbed, while her father turned ashen. ¡°Grandfather,¡± Pa whimpered, finding her voice now that her family had arrived. ¡°Stop your crying and fight back,¡± Pa¡¯s grandpa insisted. Wiping away her tears, Pa stood up and reached for an ashtray on the coffee table, but you. as she faced Estre, who coolly turned aside, she heard, ¡°Go on, I dare Pa, intimidated by the earlier altercation, hesitated and withdrew her hand, tears streaming down her face as she looked helplessly at her grandfather, ¡°Grandfather, I can¡¯t beat-her.¡± Seeing Pa¡¯s reluctance, Pa¡¯s grandpa turned to her father, ¡°What are you waiting for? Fetch my whip. I need to teach this insolent gir a lesson on behalf of the Dorvold family.¡± Upon thismand, Pa¡¯s father signaled a servant who quickly retrieved the whip. Estre quietly picked up a wine ss from the coffee table, smashed it, and brandished 15:24 the jagged stem threateningly. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind a bit of bloodshed, go ahead and make your move.¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Pa, seeing the broken ss in Estre¡¯s hand, backed away in fear. This time, she was genuinely scared of Estre. ¡°You insolent child, you¡­¡± Pa¡¯s grandpa was so angry he was at a loss for words. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Suddenly, a new voice echoed from the entrance. Everyone turned to see Jason arrive, apanied by Drew and several men in ck suits. Upon seeing Jason, Pa¡¯s vulnerability intensified. Sobbing, she rushed to him, ¡°Jason, Estre is out of line. She barged into the Lamont estate to attack me and even talked back to grandfather.¡± Pa¡¯s mother quickly joined in, ¡°Jason, she trulycks manners. She¡¯s not fit to be your wife.¡± Jason and Estre¡¯s rtionship wasmon knowledge. So in front of Jason, they felt free to paint Estre in whatever light they wished. Jason, however, said, ¡°Whether she¡¯s fit or not is for me to decide.¡± After a nce at the whip Pa¡¯s grandpa had just grabbed, Jason approached Estre and inquired, ¡°Did theyy a hand on you?¡± Estre dropped the stem, ¡°You arrived just in time.¡± Pa¡¯s mother couldn¡¯t ept this, ¡°Jason, are you condoning her behavior? Look at what she did to Pa! And in our own home, no less. Isn¡¯t that crossing the line?¡± Jason looked around and said coolly, ¡°It¡¯s already happened. Are you nning to retaliate?¡± With those words, the atmosphere amongst the Lamonts became tense, and even the servants exchangedplex nces. Pa had always been haughty, treating them with disdain. Now, someone hade to put her in her ce. Pa¡¯s grandpa¡¯s face was a mix of red and pale with anger, confronting Jason, ¡°She¡¯s your wife, Jason, and shees here causing trouble. If you don¡¯t give us a proper exnation, this won¡¯t end well.¡± Jason then turned to Estre, ¡°You really went overboarding here alone to settle scores. Next time, handle it outside. Don¡¯t take it to someone¡¯s home.¡± Jason¡¯s obvious bias made Pa¡¯s father lose his patience, ¡°Jason, are you really willing to cross the Lamont family over one girl?¡± 15:24 Jason surveyed the room and addressed Pa¡¯s father, ¡°I¡¯ll pay for any damages Estre caused, fair and square. As for medical expenses, I¡¯d suggest the Lamont family cover those themselves. After all, when Pa hit Jesse earlier today, Jesse paid her own way.¡± Jason never took a loss lying down. Yes, Estre had hit someone, but it was Pa who had been in the wrong first. Mentioning Jesse only worsened the Lamonts mood; they hadn¡¯t expected Estre to so fiercely defend her. Jason had made his stance crystal clear, and Estre, turning on her heel to face Pa, issued a calm but stern warning, ¡°Pa, if youy a finger on Jesse again, I¡¯ll take you down myself.¡± Pa¡¯s face turned as pale as a ghost. Off to the side, Jason lifted a hand to ruffle Estre¡¯s hair. ¡°You cool off?¡± he asked. ¡°If you¡¯re cool, let¡¯s head home.¡± The implication was clear: if Estre hadn¡¯t let off enough steam, she could keep at it, and he¡¯d have her back. Estre was about to say something when Jesse stumbled over in a half-run. ¡°Estre,¡± she gasped. Estre nced at Jason, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± As Estre approached Jesse, she patted Jesse reassuringly on the back. ¡°It¡¯s alright, let¡¯s head back.¡± Jesse watched as Pa nursed the brunt of Estre¡¯s wrath, and the faces of the Lamonts turned ashen. Her eyes brimmed with tears. Though born into the wealth of the Mannings, Jesse¡¯s life had been far from easy. Meeting Estre had been the lone stroke of luck in her life, forging a friendship that meant everything. Estre tousled Jesse¡¯s hair. ¡°As long as I¡¯m around, no one¡¯s going to mess with you.¡± ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go home.¡± As Jason led them away, a seething Pained, ¡°Mom, Dad, Grandpa, are we really going to let Estre get away with this?¡± Pa¡¯s grandpa clenched his jaw. ¡°This isn¡¯t over.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll deal with it when your brother gets back, said Pa¡¯s mother. In the back of the Maybach. Jesse rubbed Estre¡¯s hand. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were over it? Why sneak off to the Lamonts¡¯ without telling me? Good thing I had a bad feeling and called Jason.¡± 15:24 It wasn¡¯t often Jesse was so talkative. Estre sped Jesse¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°No one messes with you and gets off easy,¡± she asserted, including Melinda and Damita in her protective vow. Jesse, moved, said, ¡°Estre, thank you. As the two shared a moment, Jason¡¯s phone suddenly rang. 15:24 Chapter 30 As soon as Jason answered the call, his grandpa¡¯s stern voice came through, ¡°Jason, are you with Estre right now? Both of you need toe back to the family estate.¡± Jason remained silent, ended the call, and casually tossed the cell phone aside. Estre inquired, ¡°That was Grandpa, wasn¡¯t it? He wants us to head back to the family estate?¡± Tonight¡¯s incident was bound to reach the ears of their family, and the Lamonts were sure to make a fuss about it. ¡°It was,¡± Jason confirmed. Jesse, worried, asked, ¡°Estre, do you think there will be trouble?¡± Estre chuckled and reassured, ¡°If nothing happened at the Lamonts¡¯, then what¡¯s there to worry about at our own ce?¡± She then nced at Jason, who was driving, ¡°Right, Jason?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Jason¡¯s simple agreement was oddlyforting. After dropping Jesse off, they drove straight to the family estate. No sooner had they stepped into the yard than they saw that all the senior family members had gathered. Even her parents had been invited over, and Bryce¡¯s folks were there, too. The moment Jason led Estre inside, his grandpa, Keith, pped the table with a loud smack, ¡°You went to someone else¡¯s house to start a fight. Have you no respect for thew?¡± Keith was clearly agitated, yet he didn¡¯t call Estre out by name. Jason, calm as ever, retorted, ¡°What¡¯s done is done.¡± Estre shot Jason a nce. Tonight, he had really stood by her, as if their past friction and the silent treatment of thest two years had never happened. The reason for Estre¡¯s confrontation at the Lamonts¡¯ had been exined by Drew to Kristin a little earlier. Before Jason and Estre¡¯s arrival, Kristin had also cleared the air with Keith. So, when Jason spoke up like that, Keith found himself struggling to reprimand Estre. Seeing the stalemate, Kristin stepped in to defend, ¡°Estre has always been a righteous kid. Isn¡¯t that what you admire about her? Plus, Pa¡¯s just a bully who targets the weak. She resented Estre being with Jason, and when she couldn¡¯t get to Estre, she took it out on Jesse. You can¡¯t me Estre for losing her temper. If I were in her shoes, I¡¯d be just as mad.¡± Keith retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not saying she can¡¯t stand up for what¡¯s right, but taking matters into her own hands at the Lamonts¡¯ is still not eptable.¡± 15:24 Kristin wouldn¡¯t have it, ¡°eptable or not, it has to be eptable now. Unless you really want Pa to hit back, which I doubt you do. And even if you did, Pa wouldn¡¯t dare. She can¡¯t beat Estre.¡± Kristin was actually quite proud of Estre¡¯s fighting prowess. Besides, Pa should have seen the consequencesing the moment she hit Jesse. With Kristin stirring the pot, Keith was out of moves. He looked to Jason, ¡°Jason, your wife was the one who threw the punches. It¡¯s your ce to say something.¡± What Keith implied was for Jason to admonish Estre, if only for show, so he could give the Lamonts a more ptable response. Jason, however, turned to Estre and asked, ¡°Does your hand hurt? Should we get it checked out at the hospital?¡± Silence fell upon the room. Keith was utterly speechless. One person ying favorites was one thing, but two? How was he supposed to discipline anyone now? In the end, out of options, Keith stood up in frustration, ¡°I¡¯m too old for this. I can¡¯t deal with you kids anymore, and I won¡¯t. You sort it out yourselves.¡± With that, he turned to Cole and Autumn, ¡°Cole Autumn, Estre is your daughter. You take care of this.¡± Cole and Autumn quickly agreed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir. We¡¯ll certainly teach Estre a lesson and prevent any future misbehavior.¡± But as soon as Keith left, the Nelson elders began tofort her, ¡°Estre, don¡¯t take this to heart. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± ¡°Exactly, what¡¯s done is done. They started it, after all.¡± ¡°Were you okay at the Lamonts¡¯? They didn¡¯t give you a hard time, did they?¡± Cole and Autumn gave up. They might as well take their daughter home for a ¡®talk¡¯, or else who knows what bad habits she¡¯d pick up from this bunch. On the way back, Jason drove while Cole and Autumn sandwiched Estre in the back seat for a lecture. Autumn scolded, ¡°We sent you tow school so you¡¯d abide by thew, not break it by barging into someone¡¯s house and starting a fight.¡± Estre bristled at the criticism, ¡°Really? As if Pa doesn¡¯t know that hitting people is illegal? Why should I y by the rules if she doesn¡¯t?¡± ¡°You could have taken legal action,¡± Autumn suggested. ¡°You could sue her.¡± Estre scoffed, ¡°Yeah, right. So I can go through all that hassle for a mere apology and some medical bills?¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. 15:24 ¡°And what if the Lamonts sue you?¡± Autumn countered. ¡°You love being awyer. What will you do if you can¡¯t practice because of a record?¡± Estre was nonchnt, ¡°Let them sue. I¡¯d like to see who dares take the case. Besides, if I can¡¯t be a lawyer, you and Dad will be thrilled. I can always go work at thepany.¡± ¡°You and your ways,¡± Autumn sighed, unable to argue further with her daughter. Cole frowned, ¡°They won¡¯t sue. It¡¯s the businesspetition that¡¯ll get fiercer from here on out.¡± Before Autumn could worry, Cole continued, ¡°But let¡¯s not fret over spilled milk. The Lamonts probably provoked this on purpose, looking for a reason to openlypete with us. We saw signs of their impatience during thest few projects. And let¡¯s not rule out the Manning family¡¯s involvement either.¡± After years in business, Cole had a knack for seeing through such schemes. The Lamonts had their hearts set on marrying Pa off to Jason, but Jason wasn¡¯t having any of it. It was actually the Nelsons who approached the Dorvolds with a marriage proposal, saying if Estre didn¡¯t tie the knot with Jason, he¡¯d end up a lifelong bachelor. And the kicker? Jason was totally on board with it.¡± And let¡¯s backtrack a bit. This feud had been brewing for a while, and it was high time for a showdown. Autumn was freaking out. ¡°The Lamonts and the Mannings teaming up? What are we gonna do?¡± Cole was the picture of calm. ¡°Chill, Autumn. I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t I? If I¡¯m not sweating it, why are you? I¡¯m not about to shy away from them. Just keep living your life. Estre should keep going to work as usual, and hey, if she ever gets a clue, she cane help out at the office.¡± When Cole brought uping back to the office, Estre didn¡¯t bite. She was quite content with her current lifestyle, enjoying her freedom. Before long, they dropped Cole and Autumn back at the Dorvold residence, and the young couple headed back to their Sandalwood Oasis. Estre¡¯s actions that evening caused quite the stir in their social circles. Everyone, young and old, had something to say. ¡°Estre is fierce. She¡¯s my hero ¡°Pa had iting, always picking on the easy targets. I¡¯d set off fireworks in celebration if she got what¡¯sing to her.¡± ¡°The Lamonts really embarrassed themselves this time, but Pa really deserved it.¡± 15:24 ¡°Doesn¡¯t Estre fear anything? Making enemies left and right, she won¡¯t even see iting when her time is up.¡± While everyone had their two cents, Estre couldn¡¯t care less. She was more preupied with the fact that Melinda and Damita were still atrge, which was a thorn in her side. Momentster, Jason emerged from the bathroom, fresh from his shower. Estre put aside her frustrations, shed him a teasing smile, and joked, ¡°You¡¯ve been so protective today. Should I repay you with my hand in marriage?¡± 15.24 Chapter 31 Jason¡¯s demeanor darkened; it seemed she was plotting again. As he vigorously toweled his hair, he spoke with a detached tone, ¡°First, I had to y your knight in shining armor, and now I¡¯m expected to be your baby-making machine? Keep dreaming, sweetheart.¡± Estre continued to tease, her voice yful, ¡°You just lie back and rx. I can handle the heavy lifting.¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened as he lobbed the towel at her. ¡°Estre, you¡¯re such a pervert!¡± Their bickering was a game she never lost. Catching the towel, Jason¡¯s expression frosted over as he said, ¡°Going off solo to the Lamonts, do you actually think they wouldn¡¯t darey a finger on you?¡± Estre¡¯sugh was steady andposed, ¡°I don¡¯t take risks without certainty.¡± Jason¡¯s silent gaze seemed to question her confidence, as if asking, ¡®Are you so sure I¡¯d want to start a family with you?¡¯ Estre prodded further, ¡°You defended me so passionately today. Got a bit of baby fever, have you?¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Jason¡¯s face turned stony. ¡°Do you think I¡¯d let the Lamontsmand me around without consequence?¡± He was all about pride, Estre knew, and she was just using the opportunity to flirt. Just as Estre was about to respond, her phone, resting on the table, suddenly rang. She picked up to see it was from a client and said to Jason with a smirk, ¡°So, really not into the baby-making, huh? Well, if you¡¯re not, I¡¯d better get back to work.¡± With that, she answered the call, cheerfully greeting, ¡°Hey, Jo.¡± ¡°Ms. Estre.¡± The voice of the middle-aged woman on the other end broke into sobs. Estre quickly soothed her, ¡°Jo, don¡¯t cry, tell me what¡¯s wrong,¡± as she nestled into the bed, pulling the thin covers around her. Jason watched her slip into professional mode, his face a mask of disdain. He used to think he was Estre¡¯s priority, or at least that starting a family was. But now, he wasn¡¯t so sure. ¡°You take your time to figure things out. Alright, let me know when¡¯s a good time to meet and I¡¯ll walk you through the process.¡± 12:45 Beside her, Jason cast her a sidelong nce, convinced Estre was just teasing him, devoid of sincerity. An hourter, Estre finished the call, visibly drained. She yawned, stretched, and slid under the covers, ¡°I¡¯m hitting the hay first.¡± When Estre burrowed into the bed, Jason kicked her lightly with his foot. He had waited for her for over an hour, expecting some yful banter post-call, but she went straight to sleep. Jason felt an inexplicable annoyance. It was like downloading hundreds of gigs of movies only to find them all to be episodes of some insipid children¡¯s show. At the Manning residence, Melinda and Damita had been in hiding for over ten days after hearing Estre had stormed the Lamonts and given Pa a piece of her mind. Only when they felt Estre and Jesse might have cooled off did they dare to venture out. But as soon as they stepped out, they were bagged and beaten, sent straight to the hospital. Two dayster, while the nation celebrated a long holiday, Estre was meeting with her client Jo at a coffee shop to discuss a case. It was well past noon when they stepped out of the caf¨¦. The middle-aged woman apologized, ¡°Ms. Estre, it¡¯s really inconsiderate of me to drag you out at this time, but I hardly find time otherwise.¡± Estre responded with a smile, ¡°I understand. If you have friends going through a divorce, feel free to send them my way.¡± The woman promised to refer any relevant cases, praising Estre¡¯s dedication and responsibility. With a word of thanks, Estre was about to get into her car when she spotted Jason across the street, exiting a quaint watch shop with Serene¡¯s brother Vi who was animatedly chatting with him, while Serene herself looked on with a sweet smile. ¡°Jason, you¡¯re so smart. Even my sister couldn¡¯t solve that math puzzle this morning.¡± ¡°Can we go to In-N-Out for lunch, Jason?¡± ¡°Jason¡­¡± Despite the wide street between them, Estre could almost hear their conversation. The woman noticed Estre¡¯s halted attention and followed her gaze, asking, ¡°Ms. Estre, do you know that family?¡± Seeing Vincent chatting happily with Jason, and Serene looking blissful beside them, anyone would mistake them for a happy family. 12:45 * Chapter 31 The question made Estreugh wryly to herself before replying with a nonchnt, ¡°Acquaintances.¡± That was all she and Jason were now, acquaintances. As Estre got into her car, the woman added onestment about Jason¡¯s impressive presence and how Serene seemed mismatched with him. Estre merely replied, ¡°To each their own,¡± before saying her goodbyes and driving off, casting a final indifferent nce at Jason, who was gantly opening the car door for Serene and Vincent. In their two years of marriage, Jason had never once opened the car door for her. With a wry, helpless smile, Estre withdrew her gaze, refrained from calling Jason to check in, and sped back to her home. Once home, Autumn¡¯s disappointment was palpable as she realized Jason hadn¡¯te back with Estre. ¡°No ns for a getaway during the holiday?¡± Estre, changing her shoes, replied casually, ¡°He¡¯s busy.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gotta live a little, even with a packed schedule.¡± Autumn said, and then under her breath, she added, ¡°Wasn¡¯t Jason sticking up for youst time? No sparks flying between you two?¡± Autumn¡¯s mention of the past prompted Estre to recall her recent encounter with Jason, and she couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Asckluster as I may be, I¡¯m still his wife. He wouldn¡¯t turn his back on me.¡± Not keen on continuing the Jason topic, Estre quickly changed the subject. ¡°Mom, what treats have you whipped up today? And how¡¯s dad? What about that business deal he mentionedst time? Does he need me to take a look?¡± Estre, before graduating, had spent her holidays and internships in the family business, so she was well-acquainted with the ins and outs of thepany. Autumn replied, ¡°I made your favorites. As for business, go check with your dad in the study.¡± With a nod and a brisk ¡°Okay,¡± Estre made her way upstairs. It wasn¡¯t long before father and daughter emerged from the study, ready to enjoy a meal together. After dinner, Estre retreated to her room for some rest. At a little past three in the afternoon, she woke up to find Jason in a dark suit, sitting on the sofa next to her bed. His voice broke the silence, ¡°Awake?¡± Chapter 32 Startled, Estre inquired, ¡°Why did youe here?¡± With a nonchnt air, Jason replied, ¡°Can¡¯t Ie over for a meal?¡± Estre propped herself up on her elbows and chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s just that you haven¡¯te by in the past couple of years, so forgive me for being a bit flustered.¡± Jason gazed at Estre intently. Though she was smiling, something seemed off to him. Getting out of bed, Estre neatly folded her sheets. With Jason engrossed in a book on the couch, she poured herself a ss of water and settled down at her desk to catch up on work. From the couch, Jason nced at Estre, sensing that something was amiss. They were both absorbed in their tasks until Autumn knocked and called them down for dinner. ¡°Jason, it¡¯s so rare for you to visit. Please, help yourself to more,¡± Autumn offered warmly, making Jason feel somewhat ufortable. Since marrying Estre, he hadn¡¯t visited the Dorvold family often. As they dined, Cole and Jason struck up a conversation about work. Estre usually chimed in, but to she was engrossed in her phone, barely participating in the discussion. Noticing this, Autumn tapped Estre¡¯s te with her fork. ¡°Estre, what are you looking at on your phone during dinner?¡± ¡°Just reviewing a case file,¡± Estre responded ¡°Eat first. You can look at thatter. And it¡¯s the holidays. Time to rx.¡± Autumn scolded gently. ¡°Okay,¡± Estreplied, turning off her phone and focusing on her meal. Autumn continued to chide, ¡°You and your work, always work¡­¡± After Autumn finished, Jason shot Estre a sidelong nce, but she seemed oblivious to him. In the past, Estre would be visibly excited by his visits, often yfully teasing him, but today, she hardly seemed to notice. Later, sensing Estre¡¯s unusual silence, Autumn asked, ¡°Estre, are you having trouble at work? If you¡¯re unhappy, go back to thepany and help your dad. At least you won¡¯t have to deal with unpleasant attitudes.¡± Estreughed it off, ¡°Mom, stop worrying. Work¡¯s never gotten the better of me.¡± Although she was a neer to the legal field, Estre had an unbeaten record in her cases. Catching Jason¡¯s eye, she encouraged him with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. Eat up.¡± After dinner, around eight, the young couple spent a little time with Cole and Autumn. before heading upstairs. Estre retrieved some clothes from the wardrobe and asked Jason, ¡°You¡¯re not going back tonight?¡± In their t two years of marriage, Jason had never stayed the night at her ce. Jason, emotionless as ever, retorted, ¡°Am I not wee to stay?¡± Estreughed, ¡°Of course you are.¡± Her words were weing, but her demeanor was different. She no longer teased Jason. Normally, she would have made suggestivements by now, leaving Jason flushed with embarrassment. She then offered, ¡°You can use the bathroom here. I¡¯ll go to the guest room.¡± Normally, she would have suggested they shower together. As he watched Estre leave the bedroom, Jason¡¯s expression grew pensive. This was not the usual Estre; she was hiding something. Despite her smiles and warmth, something was off. When Estre returned from the guest room, Jason was already in bed, having finished washing up. Estre pulled up a chair at the desk and said, ¡°I¡¯ve got case files to go through. You get some rest.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Jason set down his book and looked at her. ¡°Not insisting on bearing my kid today?¡± For the six hours he had been in her presence that day, Estre hadn¡¯t teased him once, nor mentioned having sex. Usually, she would have taken advantage of the romantic evening, but now she was focused on work. Jason¡¯s question prompted Estre to reply, ¡°You can¡¯t be obsessed with that every day. There¡¯s work to do.¡± She then continued to peruse her case files. Jason got up and approached her, cupping her face to make her look at him. ¡°Estre, something¡¯s on your mind.¡± He had known her for 23 years, ever since she was born. He could usually read her emotions. Estre caught Jason¡¯s wrist, amused. ¡°So you¡¯re not used to me not harassing you?¡± She was about to mention the natural mood swings women would experience when Jason pulled her to her feet. Estre steadied herself and teased, ¡°Feeling frisky? nning to force me?¡± Estreughed; she had barely said anything today. How could she be used of sarcasm? Their eyes met and seeing Jason¡¯s determined look, Estre chuckled, ¡°Do I really have to beg you to have sex?¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened, and he gripped Her face tighter. Estre winced and pushed his hand away. ¡°I saw you this morning with someone else.¡± She didn¡¯t borate further. Realizing she meant his encounter with Serene and Vincent, Jason rxed his aggressive stance and exined, ¡°I told you. I owed her a favor.¡± Estre shot back, ¡°That¡¯s your business, Jason, but I have the right to be unhappy. I don¡¯t have to grovel for your affection.¡± Jason didn¡¯t like that response. ¡°Estre, you¡¯re being unreasonable.¡± Estre couldn¡¯t help but let out augh tinged with disbelief. ¡°Jason, why do you think! should be groveling for your attention when I see you spending time with another girl on a bills?¡± holiday? Did I ever take a dime from you, or have you been footing my Thest thing she wanted was to get into a spat with him, let alone bring up the top topic. All she wanted was to give him the cold shoulder, but he wouldn¡¯t stop hounding her. Since when had it be a crime for her not to please him, not to tease him? Jason¡¯s voice cut through the air, icy and sharp. ¡°Estre, have you been just toying with me all this time?¡± Chapter 33 Back in the day, Estre used toe around with a smile on her face, always seeking out his company. But this time, when Jason made the effort to visit her at the Dorvold family residence, she had dropped her usual antics. Jason couldn¡¯t ept the stark contrast. He felt yed, as if Estre treated him as some kind of fool, amusing herself with him when she was in good spirits and leaving him alone when she wasn¡¯t. Suddenly, Jason realized something. Although Estre was always the one initiating things, control never really seemed to be in his hands. It was always hers. She called the shots, acting on a whim. Augh escaped Estre as she said, ¡°What? I was nice to you once and now I¡¯ve got to be nice forever? What about my dignity?¡± Jason¡¯s anger got the best of him, and gripping the back of her neck, he yanked her toward him. ¡°Being with me means you¡¯ve got no dignity?¡± at her neck stung, and Estre looked up at him. ¡°Jason, this isn¡¯t fun anymor The tug she said. Then she added, ¡°Let go.¡± It wasn¡¯t like she ever had any dignity in his eyes anyway. Jason¡¯s grip didn¡¯t loosen, and his eyes were aze with fury. After struggling in vain to break free, Estre locked eyes with him and said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Jason, that it was your father who came to my family to arrange our marriage, and you were the one who agreed to it. Don¡¯t act like I owe you anything.¡± ¡°If you feel¡­¡± She was cut off mid-sentence as Jason pulled her into his arms and silenced her with a kiss, which was furious and passionate. It seemed he didn¡¯t want to hear what she was about to say. When the angry kiss ended, Estre¡¯s lips were swollen. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand as Jason turned away, changed clothes, and left the room without a backward nce. Left alone in the room, Estre seethed with frustration. She couldn¡¯t understand why it always seemed to be her fault, even when he spent the holidays with other women? Exhausted, she slumped back into her chair. Then, as if on cue, the door flew open, and Autumn breezed in asking, ¡°Estre, I thought I heard something. Everything okay?¡± ncing around, she added, ¡°Where¡¯s Jason?¡± Estre quickly masked her feelings and said nonchntly, ¡°He stepped out for some work stuff.¡± Autumn moved further into the room. ¡°Everyone¡¯s so busy, even during the holidays.¡± 12:47 They chatted for a bit, and Autumn eventually used, ¡°But you know, Jason¡¯s been better this year. At least he¡¯s around for a meal¡± Suppressing a yawn, Estre replied, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s nearly midnight. You should head to bed.¡± Autumn got up. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m off to rest. But dont be too hard on Jason. He¡¯s busy with work.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Estre responded. After two years of marriage, she was used to it. by now. , she¡¯d have driven herself mad Once Autumn left, Estre closed the door and let out a long sigh. Over the next few days, she didn¡¯t bother going back to Sandalwood Oasis, choosing Instead to spend time with her parents. One afternoon, shortly after Estre¡¯s waking from a nap, Kristin called. ¡°Estre, you haven¡¯t been hometely?¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. While pouring a ss of water, Estre replied, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m at my parents¡¯, spending some time with them.¡± ¡°That exins it,¡± Kristin said. ¡°I just stopped by, and Marie mentioned you weren¡¯t home.¡± Before Estre could respond, Kristin asked, ¡°So, when are you nning to return to Sandalwood Oasis?¡± ¡°After dinner,¡± Estre said. Kristin didn¡¯t need to exin, and Estre knew this call was urging her to return. In fact, even if she hadn¡¯t made the call, Estre would havee back anyway, because Autumn had been nagging her these past few days. Kristin seemed to rx with that answer, and after a brief chat, they ended the call. True to her word, Estre drove back after dinner. ¡°Ms. Estre, wee back!¡± greeted Marie. ¡°Yeah,¡± Estre replied. Her tone was casual as she changed her shoes. The festively decorated house was still empty. Marie, trying to lift the mood, whispered, ¡°Mr. Jason has been home these past few days, even came back early today.¡± Estre remarked dryly, ¡°That¡¯s a surprise.¡± Kristin called to ask when she wasing back, just because Jason was home alone. After chatting with Marie downstairs for a bit, Estre went upstairs uninterestedly. In the past, she would have eagerly gone upstairs to tease Jason, but today, she had no interest at all. 12:47 Herck of enthusiasm for Jason¡¯s presence didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Marie, who murmured, ¡°Ms. Estre doesn¡¯t seem too thrilled today¡± A momentter, Estre entered the bedroom to find Jason emerging from the bathroom after a shower. This time, without her usual cheerful greeting, Jason felt an unpleasant twinge. They had their squabbles before, but Estre never held a grudge. Things would go back to normal the next day. Sitting quietly on the bed, Estre didn¡¯t say a word. She turned on herptop and started working, ignoring Jasonpletely. Usually, it was Estre who broke the silence, but now, with her staying quiet, Jason¡¯s pride prevented him from speaking up. As Estre was reviewing case files, her phone suddenly rang. It was Korey. With a smile, she answered, ¡°Hey, Korey.¡± Her voice was as confident andmanding as ever. Jason, overhearing the familiar name, perked up and watched Estre as she stood up and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows, seemingly oblivious to his gaze. On the other end of the line, Korey said, ¡°Estre, I¡¯ve got a situation with some construction workers¡¯ wages and contract payments. You up for it?¡± ¡°Absolutely! I¡¯m pretty solid onborw,¡± Estre replied. Estre had a firm grasp of the legal disciplines she¡¯d studied, but internationalw was her true passion and favorite field. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you the rundown,¡± Korey said, proceeding to outline the case for Estre before instructing his secretary to send the relevant documents to her email. The issue wasn¡¯t directly rted to Korey¡¯s usual workload. Yesterday, as he was leaving the government building, his car had been blocked by a group of construction workers, who imed they hadn¡¯t been paid their wages and contract fees. Korey thought maybe Estre could handle it through legal channels. After Estre¡¯s hanging up with Korey, Jason finally broke his silence. His voice was tinged with a chilly undertone. ¡°The mayor himself can¡¯t find awyer and has to reach out to you, Estre?¡± Couldn¡¯t Korey¡¯s secretary just make a call? Then the construction site boss would rush to settle the wages and payments without Estre¡¯s needing to step in? Estre chuckled, ¡°What can I say? I guess I¡¯m just the nearestwyer to him.¡± Jason was not convinced and set down the book he was holding. Before he could articte his thoughts, Estre cut in. ¡°Jason, haven¡¯t done anything to provoke you tonight. I haven¡¯t even breathed loudly, so please, no picking fights.¡± ???? Chapter 34 If she didn¡¯t try her best to please him, he would use her of being sarcastic. When she shamelessly flirted with him, he would call her brazen and disgraceful. In the end, he simply couldn¡¯t stand her. No matter what she did, it was wrong in his so she decided to stay silent. She would agree to whatever he imed. eyes, Estre¡¯s deration only made Jason feel more uneasy. He would have rather had a heated argument with her than this stifling silence.. Looking at Estre, he said, ¡°Estre, why don¡¯t I believe you when you say Korey has no ulterior motives?¡± Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh. The guy hadn¡¯t been back in two years. With her arms crossed over her chest, Estre gave Jason a yful look and teased, ¡°Jason, shouldn¡¯t I be asking you the same question? With your resources, couldn¡¯t you find Serene a job anywhere? Why on earth did you have to ce her in the secretarial office at Nelson International? You assume everyone is up to the same tricks as you?¡± Jason was speechless. His gaze softened slightly as he asked, ¡°You¡¯re still bothered by her?¡± Estre chuckled, ¡°Who am I to take offense? Id consider myself lucky if you stopped giving me grief.¡± Estre never argued with him about external matters. Her policy was to focus on the major issues and let the minor ones slide. As long as Jason was willing to have children with her, that was enough for her. But now, she wasn¡¯t in the mood to have children, which made Jason somewhat redundant. Ignoring Estre¡¯s indifference, Jason coldly stated, ¡°Estre, you truly don¡¯t deserve the title of Mrs. Nelson.¡± ying along, Estre feigned a sigh, ¡°Two years of marriage and not a baby to show for it, I really don¡¯t deserve it, do I?¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened. He felt like she was insinuating something. Abruptly getting out of bed, he tightened the sash of his robe and retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not going to waste time arguing with you.¡± After saying that, he stormed out of the room. Estre nced towards the door, with a sarcastic smile on her lips, and then pulled out a chair at the desk and sat down to work. Shortly after, her phone on the table rang. It was a call from Kristin. Estre answered the call. ¡°Estre, are you home yet? Jason should be there, right?¡± Kristin¡¯s voice came through quickly from the other end. 1247 ¡°He just left.¡± Upon hearing that Jason was out again, Kristin¡¯s voice rose, ¡°Why¡¯s he gone out again? Wasn¡¯t he staying at home these past few days?¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Before Estre could respond, Kristin continued with earnest concern, ¡°Estre, this can¡¯t go on between you and Jason. If it keeps up, I¡¯m afraid your marriage won¡¯tst. You need to prioritize having a child. A man¡¯s heart will only settle once he has a child. And Estre¡­¡± Realizing what she was about to say might hurt Estre, Kristin swallowed the words about the fortune- teller¡¯s predictions. But she thought to herself that, all the fortune-tellers had said Estre could only have children with Jason. Why wasn¡¯t Estre taking it seriously? If it had been Kristin, she¡¯d have been obsessed with it day and night, not going off to work. Estre, tapping away at her keyboard, reassured her mother, ¡°I know. I¡¯m taking it to heart.¡± The thought of spending a lifetime with Jason was more than she dared to hope for. Having a child already seemed like reaching for the stars. Kristin spoke up, ¡°Then I¡¯ll give Jason a call and have a word with him.¡± After hanging up with Estre, Kristin dialed Jason. The call connected, and she immediatelyid into him, ¡°Jason, did you leave again? Estrees home and you¡¯re out. What are you trying to do? Do you even want this marriage? I¡¯ll tell you now. There won¡¯t be another daughter-inw for me besides Estre. So reign in your wandering eye, If you dare even think about divorcing Estre, you¡¯ll see what your father does to you. You won¡¯t get a dime.¡± After listening to Kristin¡¯s tirade, Jason rubbed the bridge of his nose and replied, ¡°I haven¡¯t left. I¡¯m at home.¡± Surprised, Kristin paused before urging, ¡°If you¡¯re home, then go and make it up to Estre. There¡¯s no shame in a man sweet-talking his wife. And remember, the holiday is over. The year is almost up. I can¡¯t count on you for a grandchild this year, but at least get Estre pregnant before the New Year. Otherwise, the gossip will be unbearable.¡± Even if others didn¡¯t talk, she herself was starting to wonder. It had been over two years. Why wasn¡¯t Estre pregnant? The check-ups showed she was healthy. Could it be that her son was the issue? Jason remained silent as Kristin pressed on, ¡°Jason, are you listening to me? Now go andfort Estre. Couples fight, but the bed is where¡­¡± Before she could finish, Jason abruptly hung up. Kristin could talk till dawn and still have more to say. 12:47 Jason carelessly tossed his phone onto the nightstand and nced at the door, thinking of Estre¡¯s cool demeanor earlier. He flopped back onto the bed, toozy to get up. He had already made the effort to visit the Dorvold family the past few days; he wasn¡¯t about to keep humbling himself before her. In the room, Estre, with ck framed sses perched on her nose, was deeply engrossed in a case file,pletely oblivious to Jason. Thoughts of children had slipped her mind. The following morning, as Estre was getting ready to head to thew firm, she opened her bedroom door to find Jason emerging from the opposite room in his pajamas. Estre, surprised, remarked, ¡°You didn¡¯t go out? Then I wronged youst night when I talked to your mom.¡± True to form, Estre was straightforward. Jason gave her a disdainful look. Then, taking the opportunity while she was speaking to him, Jason inquired, ¡°Why are you up and about so early when everyone else is resting?¡± Estre replied with a smile, ¡°Some people are lucky, but I have no such fortune. No one¡¯s looking after me, so I have to go earn a living!¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened; he felt slighted again. However, when he thought about it, he found it was true. In the two years they¡¯d been married, he hadn¡¯t given Estre any money or gifts. we Jason was left speechless by Estre¡¯s blunt remark. She sauntered over to him and to Well why don¡¯t w straightened out his pajama top. ¡°Feeling guilty after my little dig, huh? Well, why just have a baby? I don¡¯t need your money. You just enjoy the ride.¡± Jason¡¯s face darkened instantly. He reached out to pinch her cheek. ¡°Estre, if you were a guy, no woman would be safe from your mischief.¡± Though he teased her with his words, Jason actually sighed in relief internally. That shameless Estre had finallye back, so it seemed they were moving past the whole. festival fiasco. After their recent spat, Estre had been all talk and no action, not constantly throwing herself at Jason like before, leaving him feeling a bit discontent. He felt something was missing. As a result, he grew even colder towards her. In the dead of night, Estre was fast asleep when she was suddenly awoken by amotion downstairs. Wrapping herself in a thin nket, she opened her bedroom door only to find Jason, dead drunk, being carried home by Thomas.. Estre¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Thomas, what¡¯s going on?¡± 12:47) ¡°E, thank goodness you¡¯re here. Give me a hand, will you? I can hardly hold Jason up anymore.¡± He continued, ¡°We all got together tonight, and Jason drank too much with the boss.¡± Estre descended the stairs. ¡°He¡¯s not one to be reckless with himself. Did something happen?¡± Ever since they were married, she hadn¡¯t seen Jason behave like this. Even at Korey¡¯s wee party, he had grabbed a drink but never ended up like this. Seeing Estre¡¯s concern, Thomas leaned in and whispered a few words into her ear. ** 12:47 Chapter 35 After hearing it, Estre¡¯s face immediately soured at the mention of a breakup. ¡°Breakup? For heaven¡¯s sake, I haven¡¯t been out with another guy, so who¡¯s he breaking up with?¡± Thomas offered a theory, ¡°Maybe his heartache¡¯s not about you¡± Estre paused, thinking back to how Jason had beening home every single night, regardless of the hour. It seemed he had taken a hit to the ego; someone had given him the cold shoulder. No wonder he had been moping around with a face like thunder. With arms crossed tightly over her chest, Estre nced down at Jason and, in a swift motion, kicked him. ¡°Estre, cut it out!¡± Thomas intervened hastily ¡°Don¡¯t go breaking Jason. I¡¯ll be the one med for it, used of being the kicker.¡± Then he added, ¡°E, give me a hand, will ya? I can¡¯t lift him by myself.¡± Estre scoffed, ¡°Lift him yourself. It¡¯s a miracle I haven¡¯t chucked him out already, considering his darling isn¡¯t even me.¡± As Estre finished speaking, Jason tried to heave himself up from the couch but promptly plopped back down. Themas let out a sigh. ¡°He¡¯s been feeling down for days. My friend said it¡¯s ssic heartbreak blues, and I reckon he¡¯s hit the nail on the head.¡± Estre snorted derisively. Heartbreak? Jason was really moving up in the world. Whether it was Serene or some old me he couldn¡¯t shake, Estre didn¡¯t care to ponder anymore. It definitely wasn¡¯t her. ¡°Where¡¯s Serene? Have they been together these past few days?¡± Estre inquired. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen her. They probably had a spat, which is why Jason¡¯s been down in the dumps. Who knows when he¡¯ll snap out of it. I¡¯ve never seen him like this,¡± Thomas exined. Listening to Thomas, Estre withdrew her gaze coldly and pulled out her phone to call Serene. ¡°Serene, get yourself over to Sandalwood Oasis.¡± Without waiting for a reply, Estre hung up. Thomas was puzzled. ¡°E, why are you dragging Serene over here?¡± He had brought Jason back to Sandalwood Oasis to create an opportunity for the two of them, but she seemed oblivious to it. Estre tossed her phone aside and spoke with cool detachment, ¡°I can¡¯t sober Jason up, and I sure as heck can¡¯t untangle his heartaches.¡± Thomas pushed further, ¡°Then in this situation, you should be more careful. You really done with Jason?¡± 12:47 Estre smirked, ¡°If his heart¡¯s not in this house, no safeguarding will help. Besides, adversity breeds romance. The more I interfere, the deeper they¡¯ll fall. And honestly, after all these years, I¡¯m tired of interfering. Let them sort it out. Jason can make his own choices.¡± As Estre¡¯s words hung in the air, a drunken Jason mumbled something iprehensible. Estre didn¡¯t catch it and turned to look at Thomas. He tranted, ¡°Serene, Jason¡¯s looking for Serene.¡± Hearing this, Estre let out a mockingugh. What devotion! When Jason sobered up tomorrow, he¡¯d surely have a heartfelt ¡°thank you¡± for Thomas¡¯ assistance. Half an hourter, Serene arrived in a flurry, d in pajamas and slippers, asking anxiously, ¡°Estre, what¡¯s wrong with Jason?¡± Serene¡¯s urgent appearance made Estre suddenly feel superfluous. ncing at Jason, she said, ¡°Jason¡¯s had too much to drink. Thomas thinks it¡¯s because of you. Sort it out.¡± Serene¡¯s face fell. ¡°Estre, could there be some misunderstanding here?¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°I¡¯m heading upstairs. If you need help, call Marie,¡± Estre said as she left them to it. As Estre ascended the stairs, Thomas couldn¡¯t help but admire her. Such magnanimity was something he couldn¡¯t rival even with all his masculinity. Estre was such a fine wife, but Jason didn¡¯t know how to cherish her. What more could he want? She deserved a national award for best spouse. After Estre¡¯s departure, Thomas looked back at Jason and caught Serene¡¯s eye. Serene was at a loss for words, so Thomas offered, ¡°I¡¯ll help you get Jason to the bedroom.¡± Serene snapped back to reality. ¡°Yes, please.¡± At the end of the hallway, Estreid awake in the second bedroom. She rarely suffered from insomnia. Life couldn¡¯t go on like this. She couldn¡¯t always watch Jason in a passionate tangle with someone else. Whether she¡¯d ever be a mother, she had done all she could. If it wasn¡¯t in her cards, she¡¯d have to ept it. This was the first time she had seen him so helplessly drunk. If it wasn¡¯t for an overwhelming love, an inability to let go, he wouldn¡¯t be tormenting himself like this. His devotion exhausted her. She felt utterly powerless. Meanwhile, in the master bedroom, Serene stayed awake all night by Jason¡¯s side. Every breath of air, every object, carried Jason¡¯s scent. To Serene, it all felt like a dream. If not for tonight¡¯s mishap, she might never have stepped foot in Sandalwood Oasis, never have watched over Jason like this. ??? 12:47 ¡°Jason,¡± she whispered tenderly. Her hand was resting lightly on his forehead, and her voice was filled with gentle satisfaction. Estre and Thomas had imed Jason¡¯s drunken state was because of her. She clutched his hand tightly. Her eyes shone brightly with hope. The next day, Jason awoke with a pounding headache and a throat as dry as a bone. He felt terrible all over, barely remembering being helped into a car by Thomas and having a vague dream about Estre. ¡°Jason, you¡¯re awake!¡± Serene rushed to assist him. Her voice tinkled like a bell. ¡°Does your head hurt a lot?¡± Jason¡¯s expression flickered with annoyance at her voice. Realizing he was in his bedroom and Serene was holding his hand, he quickly withdrew it. ¡°How did you get in here?¡± Serene¡¯s cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she watched Jason retract his hand. She rubbed her hands nervously against her jeans and exined, You had a bit too much to drinkst night, and Estre called me toe over and take care of you.¡± Jason¡¯s lips drained of color. Was Estre being too open-minded? Seeing the change in Jason¡¯s expression, Serene asked with concern, ¡°Jason, are your feeling alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have my driver drive you home,¡± Jason replied. His voice was deep and chilling, cutting through the silence like a de in the night, seizing her breath away. Serene had stayed up all night to look after him, barely blinking an eye, but now he woke up, and his first move was to send her away with the driver. How was she supposed to face Estre after this? Where would she put her dignity? Swallowing hard, Serene managed a forced smile. ¡°I¡¯ll go after you¡¯ve had breakfast.¡± Jason ignored her and picked up his phone from the table, dialing the driver¡¯s number without giving her another nce. With her hands clenched into fists, Serene pondered how many more years it would take to get even a step closer to him, to make him care for her, even just a little. She wanted to ask Jason something ¨C anything ¨C but the courage failed her. She resigned herself to leave Sandalwood Oasis as he wished. No sooner had Serene left the master bedroom than Jason strode down the hallway to the room at the end. Chapter 36 When a bucket of ice water drenched Estre, he shot up from her bed like a cat that had just had its tail stepped on iling to rid herself of the cold shock The young maid, trembling with the empty bucket still in her hands, stammered. ¡°Ms. Estre, it was Mr. Jason¡¯s orders. The maid cast a fretful nce at Jason, who stood with his hands nonchntly tucked in his pockets, eyeing Estre with icy detachment Without a word, Estre grabbed a decorative paperweight from the nightstand and hurled it at Jason, shouting, ¡°Jason, are you out of your damn mind?¡± Water droplets scattered as she threw the object with all her might The maid, sensing Estre¡¯s fury, scampered out of the room, clutching the bucket. Jason dodged the paperweight with ease. Estre, soaked and fuming, leaped from the bed to confront him physically. Despite her usually impressive agility, she found herself at a disadvantage against Jason. Her attempts to hit him with various objects only managed to leave a slight scratch on his cheek When Estre threw her clothes at Jason in a fit of anger, he grabbed her chin. His voice cut through the air like a knife, ¡°Is it me going crazy or you, Estre? You invited a stranger into our home, into my room?¡± His grip was firm, whitening the skin of her cheek. Estreughed bitterly, shaking off his hand ¡°Jason, if you can¡¯t remember what happenedst night, why don¡¯t you ask Thomas to jog your memory? Ask him whose name you were slurring when you stumbled home.¡± His face changed at the mention of his drunken antics, but his irritation red at being pushed away by Estre. ¡°You want to y the saint, Estre? Fine, I¡¯ll indulge you. I¡¯ll bring her home today, and you can clear out. Pack your stuff and get as far away as possible.¡± Over two years of marriage, he had barely done anything with Serene, and Estre had already let someone into their lives. Fine, he¡¯d make it official. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Estre¡¯s coldughter followed her bold deration, ¡°I¡¯ll leave. I¡¯ll leave right now.¡± After saying that, she stormed out, not looking back. Jason, in a rage, destroyed anything within reach in the room. Half an hourter, as Estre was leaving with her belongings, the household staff tried to stop her. ¡°Ms. Estre, Mr. Jason was just drunkst night. Please don¡¯t take it to heart,¡± Marie pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m not going to thew firm because I¡¯m angry with him,¡± Estre replied. 12:47 For over two years, she had humiliated herself trying to win his affection, to seduce him, to talk about starting a family. Had he ever taken her seriously? Had he ever acknowledged her publicly, introduced her to others without reservation? Every holiday, she went to her parents¡¯ house alone. Had she everined? Now, facing pressure from his family, he returned home, but treated her with nothing but indifference. Why should she keep chasing after someone who clearly didn¡¯t care about her at all? Reflecting on their marriage, Estre realized her enthusiasm and tolerance for Jason had eroded over time. She had hoped by turning a blind eye, things would eventually get better. She was wrong. If she couldn¡¯t be part of his life, his heart, then she didn¡¯t need him. Marie bit her lip, troubled, as the young maid whispered, ¡°Ms. Estre, Mr. Jason has ordered that you cannot leave.¡± Estre looked toward the yard and saw the bodyguards blocking her way. Determined to leave, she was stopped by the bodyguards who ryed, ¡°Ms. Estre, Mr. Jason wishes to present you with a parting gift. Please stay for now.¡± Estre smirked, understanding the game. Jason wanted her to witness him bringing someone else home, someone to rece her as his wife. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll stay for the show,¡± she said coolly. Meanwhile, Jason arrived at his office, with a storm brewing in his expression. Serene, his secretary, slipped in tentatively. ¡°Jason,¡± she murmured. He grunted a response, barely ncing at her weary face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry aboutst night. I was just worried about you,¡± she said, approaching his desk. Jason, massaging his temples, didn¡¯t reply to her apology. Taking his silence as invitation, Serene started to massage him, whispering, ¡°You look tense. Let me help, or you won¡¯t be able to work.¡± Jason leaned back, allowing her to continue for a moment, but said nothing. His thoughts were elsewhere. Serene stayed quiet, knowing Jason¡¯s moods well after serving as his secretary for years. Out of the blue, Jason exhaled deeply, as if releasing a weight. Serene nced at him, wondering if he was thinking about Holly. If it was her resemnce to Holly that had gained her favor, she was grateful for it. Their moment was interrupted by Thomas, who barged into the office. ¡°Jason, Drew 12:47 mentioned you wanted to see me.¡± Thomas paused, taking in the scene, and said with a smirk, ¡°Seems like I¡¯vee at a bad time.¡± ¡°Mr. Thomas,¡± Serene greeted, quickly stepping away from Jason. Jason opened his eyes and locked eyes with Thomas, an unspoken tension filling the room. As Serene made herself scarce, Thomas casually took a seat across from Jason, ready to get down to business. She brewed a cup of coffee for Thomas and then silently slipped out of Jason¡¯s office. The door closed with a gentle click, prompting Thomas to nce back and ask, ¡°Made up yet?¡± At the mention of making up, Jason¡¯s expression instantly darkened. ¡°You¡¯re the one who drove me homest night?¡± Thomas responded casually, ¡°Yeah, that was me! But hey, Jason, you don¡¯t need to be overly polite. If you really want to show your gratitude, how about that project¡­¡± 12:47 Chapter 37 Thomas had barely finished his sentence when Jason chuckled with a hint of mischief, ¡°Thanks! I definitely owe you one.¡± Without missing a beat, he added, ¡°Bryce¡¯s team is short-handed, and you seem like a perfect fit to jump in and get some exercise.¡± At the mention of going over to Bryce¡¯s domain. Thomas¡¯ face turned ghostly pale. ¡°Jason, are you returning a favor or seeking revenge? That ce is just¡­¡± Before Thomas could finish hisment, Jason had already dialed a number. ¡°Drew, get everything ready for Thomas.¡± Thomas felt like crying without tears. ¡°Jason, what did I do wrong? I¡¯ll change. I promise I¡¯ll change, okay?¡± ¡°Is it because you haven¡¯t smoothed things over with Serene yet? Then you better sweet-talk her yourself! And for the record, I already cleared the air with Estre yesterday. She said she¡¯s not pressuring you and that you two should sort things out on your own. She even called Serene back for you Estre said she respects your choices.¡± As Thomas went on, Jason¡¯s expression grew increasingly grim. After Thomas rattled off his piece, Drew entered, looking seriously at Thomas. ¡°Sir, your ticket has been booked, and Ben will meet you at the station.¡± I ¡°Jason, where did I go wrong?¡± Thomas was on the verge of tears. He was too sophisticated for a fate simr to Bryce¡¯s. After being ushered out of Jason¡¯s office by Drew, Thomas pulled out his phone and called Grayson and the others for help, but they could only tell him to take care of himself. In the end, Thomas had no choice but to call his mother for help. On the other end of the phone, Thomas¡¯ mother, while ying cards, said, ¡°Thomas, I think Jason¡¯s decision is excellent. You¡¯ve been too impulsivetely, and it¡¯s time for some real-world experience. Your father and I are grateful to Jason. Don¡¯t worry about the family business; your dad¡¯s got it under control.¡± Thomas felt utterly abandoned. Back in the office, picturing Thomas¡¯ deste expression, Jason finally exhaled a sigh of relief. Since when did he get drunk over Serene? And who told Thomas to spout nonsense in front of Estre? When he rememb face darken push a¡¯s generosity and her indifference that morning, Jason¡¯s since Korey returned, her attitude had changed. She even s she looking for a way out of their marriage? aive enough to think that, she had another thinging. ight in the evening. 12:47 When Jason returned to Sandalwood Oasis with Serene, Estre was descending the stairs. ¡°Estre, Serene greeted her eagerly upon seeing here down. ¡°Ms. Estre,¡± Drew, carrying Serene¡¯s luggage, also greeted her awkwardly. Estre nced at them indifferently, nonchntly continuing downstairs, nonchntly pouring herself a ss of water, ignoring everyone. Seeing Estre¡¯s reaction, Serene took the initiative to exin, ¡°Estre, Jason said you¡¯re not in a good mood and asked me toe keep youpany.¡± Serene knew all too well why Jason had here over. It was clearly to smooth over the awkwardness. Drew, trailing behind them, also felt the tension,pletely at a loss as to what y his boss was staging. Jason, however, remained stony-faced. ¡°Why should you be afraid of her?¡± Then, turning to Drew, he ordered, ¡°Drew, take the luggage to the master bedroom.¡± ¡°Ah! The master¡­¡± Drew didn¡¯t finish his words before a cold nce from Jason silenced him. ¡°Right away, Sir.¡± As Drew passed by Estre with the luggage, his eyes were full of sympathy. s, this might be the end. Then Marie emerged from the kitchen, whispering, ¡°Sir, thete-night snack is ready.¡± Jason, expressionless, turned to Serene, ¡°Let¡¯s have something to eat first.¡± Serene¡¯s gaze lingered on Estre, urging, ¡°Estre, have you had dinner? Join us for a bit!¡± Estre paused her ascent, turned to Serene, and said, ¡°Serene, since Jason has brought you back to Sandalwood Oasis, you must mean that much to him. Instead of figuring out how to deal with me, you might want to focus on securing your hold on him.¡± Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. When Jason wasn¡¯t so brazen, she could still throw some harsh words around. Now that Jason had brought someone home, if she still acted like Mrs. Nelson, it would only diminish her own standing. After saying her piece, Estre turned to leave but then added as a reminder, ¡°Oh, and make sure to leave me enough evidence.¡± After saying that, she continued upstairs. In the living room, Jason, with his hands in his pockets, wore a deeply unpleasant expression. Estre¡¯s reaction felt like punching a soft pillow to him- no impact. Beside Jason, Serene stole a nce at him, and seeing he remained silent, she chose not to speak either. 12:47 Half an hourter, when Serene followed Jason to the upstairs master bedroom and heard him suggest she spend the night there, she panicked. ¡°Jason, this isn¡¯t right! Is there a misunderstanding between you and Estre? If there is, you should exin Women love to hear sweet nothings. They soften right up.¡± Jason ignored Serene and moved to the bedside cab, shifted a vase, and retrieved a pinhole camera. He then methodically found several more hidden cameras around the room. As Jason tossed the pinhole cameras onto the coffee table, Serene¡¯s face turned ashen white. She was frozen in shock. In the second bedroom, Estre, fresh from her shower, was interrupted by the frantic knocking of a young maid. ¡°Come in,¡± Estre said calmly. The maid burst through the door to report breathlessly, ¡°Ms. Estre, Mr. Jason has found the cameras, and he¡¯s removed them all.¡± Estre responded withposure, ¡°I¡¯m aware. You may go.¡± Once the maid left, Estre opened herptop, and instantly, the live feed from the master bedroom appeared on her screen: On the other side of the camera¡­ As Jason was buried in his work, Serene sat dazedly in front of the dresser, not daring to! sleep on the bed or touch any of Estre¡¯s belongings. Perhaps due to a restless night before, it wasn¡¯t long before Serene, seated by the dresser, slumped over and fell asleep. At the desk, Jason noticed Serene dozing off. He stared nkly ahead for a moment before setting aside his work. He grabbed a thin nket, the one that neither he nor Estre had used, and carelessly draped it over her. Afterward, he turned and walked over to the bookshelf. Reaching up, he pulled down a book and gently flipped through the pages until he retrieved an old photograph from years past a group shot. ¨C At herptop, Estre watched Jason¡¯s every move. When Jason pulled out that photo, Estre couldn¡¯t help but pause. If her memory served her right, that photo must have been seven or eight years old. Why had Jason kept it? And who in that photo meant so much to him? Observing her room from an outsider¡¯s viewpoint, and seeing the picture in Jason¡¯s hand, Estre suddenly had a startling realization. Despite the years they¡¯ve been married, they had never taken a single wedding photo, not even a simple joint snapshot. Jason continued to gaze at the photo, and after watching for a while, Estre closed the surveince feed and went to rest. In the deep silence of the night, as Estre fell asleep, a sense of unease lingered. Even in 12:47 her dreams, she felt as someone was trailing her, spying on her. A bout of sleep paralysis gripped her. When Estre jolted awake, all she saw was a dark figure sitting on the couch, staring at her in the pitch-ck room. 12:47 Chapter 38 Estre bolted upright in her bed and pped the bedsidemp switch with a swift motion. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. It was Jason sitting on the couch. Estre sighed with relief at first, but then her brows knitted in annoyance. ¡°It¡¯ste at night. Why are you staring at me here instead of sleeping? And didn¡¯t you bring Serene home? Just leaving her hanging like that? Is this your idea of getting things done, Jason?¡± Yawning and with a hint of disdain, she grumbled, ¡°Get back over there, will you? Don¡¯t SO stand around here like some kind of guardian statue.¡± It was reallyte now. If he was not going to sleep, at least he should let others sleep. Having said her piece, Estre was about to lie back down when Jason¡¯s icy tone stopped her cold. ¡°Go ahead and sleep if you dare, Estre.¡± Her back, which had just started to curve back down onto the mattress, straightened again as she looked up at Jason. ¡°What on earth are you up to now, Jason? Can¡¯t a girl -get some sleep around here?¡± Jason bit back, ¡°You think you can sleep?¡± Serene was here, but Estrelle still had the mood to sleep. Seriously? ¡°I can sleep just fine!¡± Estre retorted as she peered at Jason with half-closed eyes. ¡°Can¡¯t you?¡± She prodded further, ¡°Haven¡¯t sweet-talked her yet?¡± ¡°Jason, no offense, but you really need to work on that temper of yours. Money and power don¡¯t give you the right to expect everything to revolve around you. Everyone has their limits. If you don¡¯t head back to Serene now, by sunrise you¡¯ll be out of luck. Women are easy to appease. If sweet nothings don¡¯t do the trick, just go for angry sex. It will work.¡± With another yawn, shezily advised, ¡°I¡¯ve given you a tip. Now go and mull it over.¡± As Estre reached to turn off the light, Jason¡¯s arm shot out, grabbing her wrist. She looked up at him and he stepped closer, bending down to her level. ¡°Estre, are you teaching me how to woo you?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Jason, that¡¯s a bit funny, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m usually the one who has to woo you. Enough with the chit-chat. If you don¡¯t go back soon, the sun will rise. If Serene really gets angry, there will be nothing you can do. Not all women are as forgiving as I am.¡± All Estre wanted now was to sleep and for Jason to take a hike. ¡°So you¡¯re eager for me to make things right with her?¡± 12:47 She brushed off his hand. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be the one setting off the fireworks when you two tie the knot.¡± After saying that, she flopped back onto the bed. Jason, struck by her words, felt a storm brewing inside. ¡°Estre, if you really fall asleep, you¡¯ll face the consequences.¡± ¡°Fine! Go ahead and light a fire under me!¡± Estre pulled the covers over herself, done with any further conversation. She just wanted to sleep. Jason kicked her yfully in the rear, but Estre merely tightened her grip on the nket, not even opening her eyes. ¡°Move over a bit,¡± Jason grumbled. Estre didn¡¯t move. Frustrated, Jason stripped off his clothes andy down beside her, reaching for her nket. Estre, squinting, warned him, ¡°Really? Don¡¯t make me unleash the slut within.¡± ¡°Go ahead. Show me,¡± Jason teased. Estre was too exhausted to argue, so she just moved closer to the center of the bed, murmuring, ¡°Jason, consider this your final warning. If you steal my nket or touch me again, I¡¯ll be stuck to you like glue, and you¡¯ll never get rid of me.¡± Jason chuckled and curled up under the covers, wrapping his arms around her from behind. Estre couldn¡¯t fathom his intentions. Every time she tried to back off, he shamelessly closed the gap. When Jason¡¯s hand found its way to her chest, Estre¡¯s sleepiness was almost shattered by irritation. ¡°Touching costs a million.¡± Jason didn¡¯t hesitate and began caressing her. The man had nothing but money. Estre didn¡¯t even know what to say. She grabbed his hand. ¡°You¡¯ve really lost all shame, haven¡¯t you?¡± She pped his hand away, exasperated. ¡°I¡¯m genuinely tired. Leave me alone.¡± When Estre imed to be sleepy, Jason finally stopped bothering her. After a while, he whispered in her ear, ¡°Estre, let¡¯s talk.¡± There was no response from her. Jason rolled her over to find her softly snoring. She waspletely unbothered. Switching off the lights, Jason wrapped his arms around her and followed her into sleep. Neither of them slept in their ownfortable room, and they instead on squeezing into the guest room. This was so ridiculous. ¡°Ms. Estre, thedies are here.¡± A servant¡¯s voice jolted Estre from her dream of 12-47 winning awsuit celebration. Rubbing her forehead, she asked, ¡°Who¡¯s here?¡± ¡°The mothers, Ms. Estre. Your mother and Mr. Jason¡¯s mother.¡± Estre groaned internally. What kind of early morning assembly was this? Yawning, she remembered Jason hade overst night and had taken advantage of her. ¡°Ask them to wait a moment, please.¡± Before she could finish, Kristin and Autumn barged in. ¡°Estre.¡± Estre addressed both women with a scratch of her head. Kristin demanded, ¡°Where¡¯s Jason?¡± Estre nced around the room. ¡°Jason? He should be at work.¡± As she spoke, Jason emerged from the shower. ¡°Mom, what brings you here?¡± Seeing Jason, Kristin¡¯s anger red. ¡°It¡¯s your mess that¡¯s brought us here. You brat, I¡¯m gonna deal with you.¡± After scolding Jason, she turned to Autumn with an apologetic smile. ¡°Dear, let me have a word with Jason. Perhaps you could have a chat with Estre.¡± Kristin had been roused by an early call from Thomas, who ranted about Jason¡¯s idea of divorcing Estre for Serene and taking her back to Sandalwood Oasis. He imed Estre had agreed to the divorce. Thomas even mentioned he had spent the entire evening trying to reason with Jason, but Jason refused to listen. Thomas ended up getting sent off to build the elementary schools with Bryce. When Kristin heard Thomas¡¯int, her mind practically exploded. She immediately called Autumn, starting off with a flurry of apologies before asking her toe over and help mediate the situation. Autumn listened to Kristin¡¯s request and solemnly nodded, ¡°Sure thing, Kristin. I¡¯ll take care of Estre.¡± They only thought about the couple¡¯s arguing and getting divorced. Neither of them. realized that Jason and Estre had actually slept in the same room the night before. Kristin dragged Jason to the study and, grabbing a feather duster nearby, started to beat him with it. ¡°You little brat, have you lost your mind? It¡¯s not enough for you to go flirting. around town, and you have the nerve to bring someone into our home?¡± ¡°Nelsons have been good-for-nothings for generations, but you¡¯ve taken the cake!¡± Jason raised his hands defensively. ¡°Mom, do you even know the whole story?¡± 12:47 Afternding a few more hits with the feather duster, Kristin put her hands on her waist and retorted, ¡°You¡¯re asking if I know the whole story? Fine, let¡¯sy it all out. Did you or did you not bring someone back here?¡± Jason remained silent. Kristin pressed on, ¡°And is it or is it not true that you refuse to have kids?¡± 12:48 Chapter 39 Kristin pressed on, and her temper red, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Estre? She¡¯s beautiful, smart, has a killer body, an impressive education, andes from a good family. She¡¯s leagues above that Serene, yet you treat her like she¡¯s invisible¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°And didn¡¯t you agree to this marriage? You brought Estre home, but now you¡¯re just leaving her alone. Isn¡¯t that just heartless? If you want this way, you should have never agreed to the marriage! It¡¯s been over two years since you¡¯ve been married. How often have you been home? Estre¡¯s always the one reaching out. Do you think this is appropriate? ¡°If someone wishes for you to have a fulfilling life with Estre, you would direct them to construct schools in distant locations You are a total disgrace to the Nelson family.¡± Jason¡¯s head was pounding. He massaged the bridge of his nose and met Kristin¡¯s gaze, which was fiery with indignation What now? You want me to head off and build schools too? Jason muttered 1 wouldn¡¯t dare¡± Indeed, Estre had always been the initiator throughout their marriage But why did Estre get married with him and be the initiator? Everyone in the family knew the reason and her purpose Had Estre been sincere had that incident not urred. things might have been different Jason didn¡¯t want to argue with Kristin so he cated her ¡°We¡¯re not getting a divorce, okay? We¡¯ll work it out¡± Kristin¡¯s eyes lit up ¡°What about kids? Will thake grandchildren to dote on? Jason was blunt. ¡°No kids Kristin exploded, swatting at him with a feather duster ¡°Say that again!¡± Meanwhile, in Estre¡¯s room After Kristin dragged Jason away, Autumn started sobbing ¡°Why did you have to be so impatient? Why did you agree to this?¡± Estre, feeling a headache said wearily. Mom, please. It¡¯s too early for a flood of tears And besides, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s a shortage of guys out there. What are you worried about?¡± After saying it, she handed her mom a tissue, who epted it but cried harder. ¡°You forgetful child. Have you forgotten what the fortune-teller said? Do you want to end your lineage? Estre remained silent, prompting Autumn to hdd, ¡°Even if Jason has a wandering eye, women have to share the me for not keeping our husbands close.¡± Estre scoffed. ¡°You me yourself more than anyone else.¡± Autumn, drying her tears, asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± Estre deflected. 1 said it¡¯s my fault, for not keeping your son-inw close to my heart.¡± Deep down she was relieved her father wasn¡¯t fooling around, or she¡¯d be unsure whom to call ¡°Mom¡±, Without arguing. Autumn continued, ¡°We can¡¯t solely me you. Jason has his faults, and so do those other women.¡± Estre admitted, ¡°I¡¯m not at fault here.¡± Ignoring Estre¡¯sment, Autumn insisted, To keep a man¡¯s heart, a woman should bear his child. Otherwise, he¡¯ll always be restless.¡± Estre couldn¡¯t agree. Her child would be for herself, not for anyone else. Silence from Estre prompted Autumn to probe, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡± Estre conceded. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Autumn, now serious, revealed, ¡°I came here toy it out for you. Forget about divorce. Your father and I will never approve of it. He said, no matter how tough it gets, you have to have a child. What will you do when we¡¯re gone? You can¡¯t be left alone.¡± Estre relented, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll have a child.¡± Autumn, wiping away thest of her tears, made Estre promise, ¡°You said it yourself. Don¡¯t go back on your word.¡± Estre touched her temple, affirming, ¡°I promised.¡± Autumn, still doubtful, urged, ¡°Your father¡¯s stressed withpany issues. Don¡¯t distract him further.¡± Estre straightened up, ¡°What¡¯s happening to thepany?¡± Her family¡¯s wealth was not to be trifled with; it was her future security. Autumn disclosed, ¡°It¡¯s something to do with the Lamont family. So, no more troubles for your father.¡± Estre nodded, ¡°Understood.¡± Satisfied, Autumn said, ¡°As long as you prioritize and reduce the friction with Jason, things will be better.¡± Estre agreed, ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Later, Autumn left to check on Jason. Exiting the room, they ran into Kristin and Jason, 12:48 and thetter still h had the marks from the feather duster on his face. Kristin approached with a smile, ¡°Autumn, have you finished the heart-to-heart?¡± ¡°Yes, I gave her a thorough talking to,¡± Autumn replied. Kristin took Estre by the arm,forting her ¡°I¡¯ve just given Jason a piece of my mind. Serene has left, and I¡¯ve had everything in the house changed. If it still bothers you, we¡¯ll move.¡± Estre yawned, ¡°I didn¡¯t even change my husband. No need to change the house.¡± Kristin cooed, ¡°Whatever you want. We¡¯ll do it your way.¡± As Estre ignored Jason, Autumn nudged her. ¡°Estre, Jason¡¯s looking at you. Say something to him.¡± Estre winced as she felt a jab. Her gaze swiftly rose to meet Jason¡¯s eyes. There was a fleeting moment of charged silence as their eyes locked. Jason¡¯s face, marked with the distinct imprint of a feather duster, brought a smug sense of satisfaction to With her hands casually buried in the pockets of her pajamas, she watched Jason with a Tanguid air and said, ¡°So,st night you touched my boobs with your hands. Time to pay 100 up.¡± After Estre¡¯s remark, Kristin and Autumn were initially taken aback, and then their faces flushed a deep shade of crimson. 12:48 Chapter 40 Autumn frowned, pondering what nonsense the kid was spouting this time. Jason was shamelessly grinning, and quipped) ¡°Full service tonight. Let¡¯s settle it all in one go.¡± Estre chuckled dismissively, ¡°Sure, if you think you can handle it.¡± Their shameless banter left Kristin and Autumn exchanging embarrassed nces, feeling awkward beyond words. Estre and Jason had turned their cheeks crimson with their talk, yet those two acted as if it was nothing at all. Autumn gave Estre another poke in the waist. ¡°Estre, did I raise you to talk like this?¡± Estre furrowed her brows, turning to Autumn. ¡°Mom, if you keep poking my sides, I¡¯ll never be able to have kids.¡± ¡°God forbid!¡± Autumn spat out the words thrice, dismissing the jinx. Krist¨ªn, caught between amusement and dismay, quickly tried to smooth things over, ¡°Look, since the kids have agreed to make a go of it, let¡¯s leave them to it and head back.¡± Autumn nodded in agreement with Kristin, and the two women made their exit. Once they had gone, Estre gathered herself and headed straight for the Dorvold Group headquarters. In the chairman¡¯s office, Cole was on the phone. Estre pulled up a chair and took a seat across from him. After Cole hung up, he looked up at her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you working today? Don¡¯t you have thew firm to attend to?¡± Estre, with her legs crossed, probed, ¡°Mom mentioned you were troubled by somepany issue involving the Lamont family.¡± Cole sighed, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about thepany. You and Jason just focus on building a good life and having a baby.¡± Estre was insistent. ¡°I¡¯ll live well and the baby wille, but thepany is equally important.¡± Sensing her determined stance, Cole exhaled slowly, ¡°Digital Springs is our most critical project for the latter half of the year. We had a solid grasp on it, but somehow, the Lamont family got a hold of our project proposal and undercut us by almost ten percent. The higher-ups are reconsidering.¡± ¡°Ten percent less?¡± Estre scoffed. ¡°The Lamont family not interested in making a profit anymore?¡± Cole replied, ¡°They¡¯re just trying to best us, to win the project and put Dorvold Group under 12:48 oper 4AU Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. pressure. It¡¯s a government contract, and the quoted price is not high. If we go any lower, we¡¯d be shooting ourselves in the foot, which might be exactly what they want.¡±¡± He took a breath, ¡°If we lose the project, Dorvold Group could be relegated to the second tier, which will affect us for years toe.¡± After hearing him out, Estre said, ¡°Send me the project proposal and the bid to my email. I want to take a look.¡± Estre had a background inw and had interned at thepany. She was familiar with proposals and bid documents. ¡°Do you really have the time and energy for this? Can you manage with your own workload?¡± Cole questioned. Estre stood up confidently. ¡°I can make time She was already heading for the door. ¡°Just remember to send me the files, Dad.¡± ¡°Will do,¡± Cole replied, rising to see her out. After leaving Dorvold Group, Estre didn¡¯t return to thew firm but headed to the Urban nning Bureau. She wanted to get a firsthand look at the development in Digital Springs. ¡°Estre, what brings you here today?¡± greeted Wes with a smile. ¡°Hey, Wes! You are here today!¡± Estre replied with a grin. ¡°Just checking out the city¡¯s future developments. I want to see where it¡¯s more suitable to buy a house.¡± Although Estre only took on divorce cases, inheritance cases, and some minor cases, it was because of these cases that she met influential people. After all, ordinary people rarely went through legal procedures when they divorce. ¡°Wes, if you know of any good spots, I might just buy a block,¡± she joked. Wesughed, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s chat in my office. I¡¯ll show you some promising developments.¡± After their meeting, Estre had gleaned some useful information from their conversation. As she hummed to herself, ready to leave the nning office, someone called her name. She looked up to see Erin. ¡°Erin! Here on business too?¡± Erin, with his hands in his pockets, replied with a smile, ¡°Give up on divorce cases to help out at your dad¡¯spany?¡± Estre quipped back, ¡°Thanks to your family, I¡¯m about to switch careers.¡± Erin leaned in close and whispered, ¡°You¡¯ve got guts, challenging the Lamont family on your own.¡± 12:48 Erin was the picture of elegance ¨C like an idyllic prince. His smile was a visual treat Estre faced him, ¡°Pa deserves every bit of my generosity.¡± With a gentle gaze, Erin replied, ¡°Taking out your frustrations with Jason on Pa?¡± Estreughed it off, ¡°She¡¯s not that important¡± Returning to the topic, Erin offered, ¡°Are you here to help your dad find out what he needs to know? Spend an evening with me then. If you can make it worthwhile, the Lamont family might just back off from Digital Springs. And who knows, you might even take over as our legal counsel.¡± With that seemingly harmless smile, Erin was the epitome of a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. Estre turned her face, barely masking her irritation before Erin¡¯s whisper tickled her ear, ¡°Jason¡¯s hardly ever home, huh? Must be tough, ying the lonely housewife.¡± She fixed him with a steely gaze. ¡°You think you can just waltz in and wear Jason¡¯s shoes? And his wedding ring?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Erin said. His lips curled into a smile, which was warm and deceivingly gentle. ¡°If Jason hadn¡¯t been so quick, Pa might be your sister-inw by now.¡± Estre saw right through him. Erih was just toying with her, trying to one-up Jason in some petty game of egos. Men like him, she thought, they had got no room in their hearts. for anything but their own reflection and their ambitions. With a yful tug at his tie, Estre leaned in. Her breath was warm against his ear. ¡°Well,¡± she murmured, ¡°I sure hope you can make my hight worthwhile.¡± Erin¡¯s hands snaked around Estre¡¯s waist, sneaking in a little thrill before fishing out a key card from his pocket and pressing it into her palm. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Estre nced at the card, then back at Erin with a teasing promise in her eyes. ¡°Then it¡¯s a date.¡± Erin adjusted his tie, with a hint of eagerness betraying his cool facade. 12:48 Chapter 41 Sliding into her car, Estre carelessly y tossed the hotel keycard Erin had given her onto the dashboard. Hooking up with her, Erin was really ying with fire. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. She let out a sardonicugh and fired up the engine, heading back to thew firm. It was past nine when Estre got home from work, and Jason was already there. As she pushed the bedroom door open, Jason emerged from the bathroom, fresh from his shower. Noticing him, Estre ced her phone on the table. ¡°ying the good boy, huh? Came back earlier than me?¡± Jason responded with indifference, ¡°Maybe you should think about getting a different job.¡± He¡¯d been coming home more oftentely, not thrilled with Estre pouring most of her time and energy into her career. Estre chuckled. ¡°And here I was thinking you wanted to support me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself,¡± Jason retorted Estre sauntered over and yfully undid the belt of his robe. ¡°Or maybe you satisfy me, and I¡¯ll consider taking care of you instead.¡± Jason looked at her coolly. ¡°You think your family is that loaded, and I can¡¯t bankrupt it?¡± ¡°Why not give it a shot?¡± Estre teased. Jason made a face of disgust ¡°Go take a shower¡± Estreughed again. ¡°In such a hurry! Alright, wait for me then.¡± After saying that, she straightened out his robe and headed for the bathroom, a spring in her step. After a while, Estre emerged, drying her hair, when her phone on the table started. ringing. She picked it up with a meaningful smile. She answered the call at a leisurely pace. Then Erin¡¯s angry voice came through, ¡°Estre, are you ying games with me?¡± Estre sank into a chair,zily responding, ¡°You know, I¡¯ve got quite the appetite. I wasn¡¯t sure you could satisfy me, so I thought I¡¯d have a few girls test you out. If you can handle bed.¡± them, then maybe you¡¯ll qualify for my Earlier that day, after receiving Erin¡¯s key, Estre had sent ten girls from a nightclub over 5204 to him. Not only did she pay them, but she also promised a hefty bonus for their services no cap on earnings. So when Erin arrived, those girls saw him as a cash cow. All of them were using their allure to win him over, and he had to exert some effort to escape their clutches. Jason, overhearing Estre¡¯s conversation, nced her way. Without asking, he knew she was up to no good outside. Estre¡¯s brazenness was met with a coldugh from Erin, ¡°We¡¯ll see, Estre.¡± With a dismissive snort, Estre abruptly hung up. Erin thought he could get with her? It wasughable. Tossing her phone aside, she caught Jason staring and shed a teasing smile, ¡°Can¡¯t control your desire?¡± She even nced down suggestively at his lower half. ¡°Estre, don¡¯t start something you can¡¯t finish Jason warned. ¡°Erin was looking for you?¡± As she picked up a hair tie and casually gathered her hair up, Estre replied, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s ¨¢ crush. Even gave me a key card. Then I asked ten girls to entertain him.¡± Jason was speechless. Estre was not one to be outdone. She was a force to be reckoned with in Ravenwood, and Erin had some nerve. With a disdainful look, Estre returned to her desk. ¡°He also said, if you weren¡¯t so quick, Pa would be my sister-inw by now.¡± Jason¡¯s eyes darkened slightly but he didn¡¯t dwell on it. He changed the subject, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sleep?¡± Estre picked up a file. ¡°I¡¯m not as lucky as you. I¡¯ve got to review the Digital Springs. project.¡± Cole had sent the project proposal to her email at noon. Busy withw firm matters during the day, she had to burn the midnight oil. Jason didn¡¯t respond, and Estre turned to him. ¡°Jason, don¡¯t you want to use the project to get a grip on me? I¡¯m willing to sleep with you if you can help me secure the deal for Dorvold Group.¡± Jason chuckled, ¡°Sounds to me that you get all the good stuff.¡± She wanted to sleep with him and have him help Dorvold Group? She sure had wishful thinking. ¡°You¡¯re not seizing the opportunity,¡± Estre quipped before returning to her work. Time slipped by. When Jason looked up from his book, he saw Estre had sumbed to sleep on the desk. He got up from the bed, lifted her gently, and ced her carefully on the bed. She pretended to be indifferent about returning to thepany to help Cole, but she knew 12 48 better than anyone what mattered most. Her dreams and her life ¨C she was unwilling to sacrifice either. The next morning, after exchanging a few sharp remarks with Estre on the way to the office, Jason was at his desk when Erin walked in. His face was bruised and his left arm was in a cast. Despite his injuries, his refined demeanor remained intact. Taking a seat across from Jason, Erin asked, ¡°Was it your peoplest night?¡± Soon after his call to Estre, his car ride back to the Dorvold family estate was abruptly interrupted, resulting in his current state. Jason looked up nonchntly. ¡°I heard you wanted Pa to start calling my wife sister-inw.¡± Erin¡¯s face darkened. He hadn¡¯t expected Estre to tattle to Jason, especially S since their marital strife was no secret. Adjusting his shirt cor with his right hand, Erin tried to appeal to their families¡¯ rtionship. ¡°Can you really take Estre¡¯s word for it? She¡¯s just trying to stir the pot. Our families have always had a good rapport. Surely, there¡¯s some trust between us.¡± Erin was at a disadvantage, so he swallowed his pride and appealed to their long-standing cooperation. Jason met his gaze. His voice was cool. ¡°Since when are you in a position to talk about rapport with me?¡± After a long stare, Erin stood up, conceding with a smile, ¡°Fine.¡± After saying that, he left Jason¡¯s office. The office door closed with a deliberate, soft click, and Erin¡¯s eyes immediately darkened with a chilling intensity. Jason, utterly dismissive, had barely acknowledged his presence. Erin adjusted the cor of his shirt, and felt the muscles in his neck tense. The veins bulged visibly even against the backdrop of his otherwise refined demeanor. His hand, despite being encased in a ster cast, showed veins that throbbed angrily on the back. Inside the office, Jason allowed a cool, mocking smile to dance on his lips. Erin was clearly out of his depth. Regardingst night¡¯s conversation with Estre, it was obvious she wanted to use Jason as a pawn to put Erin back in his ce. Jason was all too happy to oblige her this little favor. Chapter 42 No sooner had Erin stepped out of Jason¡¯s office than Estre breezed in, clutching a sheaf of documents in her hand. With a smile, she pulled out the chair opposite Jason¡¯s desk. ¡°Heard you had someone rough up Erinst night.¡± Jason looked up. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you wanted to see?¡± Estre¡¯s smile widened. ¡°You know me so well, huh?¡± As she sat down, she tossed a yful barb his way. ¡°You¡¯d make a perfect husband if you only liked me a bit more.¡± Before Jason could respond, Estre handed over the documents, getting back to business. ¡°The legal department says you need to sign off on these.¡± He took the papers, but Jason¡¯s thoughts lingered on her earlier quip about hisck of affection. He skimmed the document briefly before scribbling his signature at the bottom, next to the ¡°Party A¡± section. Estre collected the signed papers. ¡°So cooperative! I should reward you with a surprise tonight.¡± Jason was unmoved. ¡°I¡¯ll pass.¡± The only surprises Estre offered were the kind you¡¯d rather avoid. ¡°Oh,e on, we¡¯re an old married couple now. No need for formalities!¡± she said with al chuckle, standing up. Just then, Jason¡¯s phone buzzed. He appeared busy with work, so Estre whispered a goodbye. Her face was beaming with satisfaction as she left his office. In the corridor, right after Estre¡¯s departure, Serene rounded the corner. Spotting Estre, she approached with a smile. ¡°Hey, Estre.¡± With a nonchnt ¡°hmm,¡± Estre acknowledged her. Serene nced at the documents. ¡°You were getting Jason to sign off on these, right?¡± After her remark, she grabbed Estre¡¯s arm, whispering urgently, ¡°I never touched anything in your room the other night. I just sat by your dresser all evening, and Jason, he also¡­¡± Before Serene could finish, Estre cut her off. ¡°Serene, live your own life and don¡¯t ruin it for yourself.¡± If Serene hadn¡¯t brought it up, Estre would have almost forgotten. She was not sure if Serene was genuinely exining or not. Serene looked troubled, speaking softly, ¡°I know. I just didn¡¯t want you to get the wrong idea.¡± 12:48 As if truly concerned about upsetting Estre, Serene quickly raised the lunchbox she was holding ¡°I made Jason some soup. You should have some too, Estre!¡± Serene¡¯s deferential demeanor was met with a half-smile from Estre. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say no to that¡± Then, Estre took the whole thermos from Serene¡¯s hands. Making soup early in the morning took more effort than she would ever bother with. No wonder Jason kept her around. Serene hesitated, reminding Estre, ¡°You can¡¯t finish all that soup by yourself. There¡¯s also¡­¡± Estre assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve got a big appetite.¡± Serene looked troubled, but Estre coldly added, ¡°Serene, I¡¯m not a man to fall for your damsel in distress act. Jason isn¡¯t someone you should pine for. Keep your ambitions in check.¡± Serene grew anxious. ¡°Estre, I¡¯m just grateful to Jason. I¡­¡± Estre, uninterested in hearing more, simply walked away. ¡°Ms. Estre,¡± Drew called out, stepping out of a nearby office. Without a word, Estre handed him the thermos. ¡°Toss this for me. And if Jason eats any of her food, Drew, you can forget about your own meals from now on.¡± Drew felt a surge of anxiety but quickly reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Estre. I¡¯ll -personally oversee his meals.¡± Knowing it was best not to cross Estre, Drew reminded Serene once more after Estre had left, insisting that he would handle Jason¡¯s dining arrangements. Serene remained silent, watching Estre and Drew leave before she turned to seek out Jason. She timidly knocked on the office door, and Jason, sensing something amiss, asked, ¡°Ran into Estre?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Serene confirmed. ¡°I made you some soup, but Estre¡­¡± She swallowed her words, noticing the look in Jason¡¯s eyes. Changing the subject, she asked, ¡°Are we still visiting the cemetery this afternoon?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go get things ready.¡± Out of nowhere, Jason warned, ¡°Stay away from Estre.¡± Serene paused, and then softly agreed, ¡°Okay.¡± 12:48 Jason returned to Sandalwood Oasis after 9 in the evening. Estre had arrived earlier than him. Greeting him as usual, she said, ¡°Back already?¡± Jason hung his coat on the rack. ¡°You threw out Serene¡¯s soup today?¡± Estre¡¯s smile didn¡¯t waver. ¡°Fancy y some soup? I¡¯ll have Marie cook up a few pots for you. tomorrow. Whatever kind you want.¡± At her indifference, Jason¡¯s voice turned icy. ¡°Estre, stop bullying the easy targets.¡± Thatment amused Estre, who abruptly halted her approach, crossing her arms over her chest. After a moment of staring at Jason, she quipped, ¡°If I don¡¯t bully her a bit, it¡¯s almost like I¡¯m not giving you the chance to protect her.¡± Jason shot her a cold look, and Estre¡¯sughter grew louder. She wanted to retort, but ended up just chuckling, ¡°Scared I¡¯ll go after her? Then let¡¯s have a kid! You could move out and live with her if you want.¡± even The words came out withughter, but there was an indescribable taste to them. She was stung by Jason¡¯s scathing gaze. Jason¡¯s reply was dismissive. ¡°Forget about the kid.¡± Estre¡¯s smile slowly faded into a rigid mask. He had been questioning and warning her since the moment he walked in the door, but she had remained amiable, even cheerful. Now, she couldn¡¯t muster a smile any longer. The tension between them was palpable when Jason¡¯s cellphone suddenly broke the silence. He averted his gaze to answer the call and Serene¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Jason, I left my bag in your car. Are you free right now? Can Ie pick it up?¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Jason replied, ¡°Give me half an hour. Meet me downstairs to get it.¡± Hearing that Jason would bring her the bag, Serene perked up with delight. ¡°Great, Jason, I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡± After hanging up, Jason cast a cool nce at Estre before leaving the bedroom they shared. Alone in the room, Estre let out a mockingugh. He imed he only owed Serene a favor, but she just couldn¡¯t believe his words. As the sound of the car starting up reached her ears, Estre snapped back to reality and noticed a few petals on the carpet by the door. Curious, she approached and picked them up. They were yellow rose petals. Jason had visited the cemetery today, and Serene had apanied him. Estre gazed at the two stray petals when suddenly her own phone, nestled in her pocket, began to ring with an unknown number. Without any rush, Estre answered, only to be greeted by an explosive voice on the other end, ¡°Estre, help me!¡± Chapter 43 After a brief exchange, she hung up, grabbed her car keys, and headed out the door in at hurry. Jason had just parked his car downstairs in Serene¡¯s old apartment when she emerged with something in a bag. ¡°Jason!¡± Spotting him, Serene scampered over Jason nced at the ajar car door. ¡°The bag¡¯s inside,¡± Bending down, Serene retrieved the bag and then shut the car door. ¡°Vincent¡¯s buried in homework, and Mom¡¯s been pretty stabletely,¡± she said. Jason just nodded, nomittal. Serene carried the bag over her shoulder. When she looked up at him, her eyes were shining with unspoken words. Jason, with his hands buried in his pockets, spoke with a calm edge, ¡°With the family situation under control, maybe it¡¯s time you started thinking about your own life, huh?¡± Serene let out a sigh of resignation. ¡°Vincent¡¯s still a little guy, and Mom¡¯s just stable for now. I don¡¯t have the energy to entertain any personal distractions.¡± Then, with a start, she added, ¡°Jason, don¡¯t get it twisted. My being single has nothing to do with you! Don¡¯t you dare feel pressured on my ount. I¡¯ve got my own ns, my own life.¡± As she rattled off her exnation, her words tumbled out faster. Despite her denial, she couldn¡¯t fool herself. She had fallen for Jason. From the moment sheid eyes on him, he had her heart. She feared if she wasn¡¯t single, she¡¯d lose even the right to like him. Jason just said, ¡°I¡¯m not overthinking it.¡± Relieved, Serene handed him the bag. ¡°These are homemade dumplings Vincent and I whipped up. You and Estre should give them a try.¡± Jason shrugged. ¡°We don¡¯t cook.¡± Undeterred, Serene grabbed his hand and pressed the dumplings into his palm. ¡°Just take them. Have Marie boil them or something.¡± With her bag slipping, she readjusted it on her shoulder and added, ¡°Vincent made me promise to give these to you. They¡¯re fresh out of the oven.¡± Jason stopped refusing. He turned and ced the pie in the backseat of his car. Serene smiled. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, Jason. You should head back to Estre. And hey, thanks 12:48 for bringing my bag. ¡°No problem.¡± W After watching Jason¡¯s car vanish into the night, Serene turned and walked back inside. *++ At the same time, Estre pulled up to the train station in her Audi. As soon as she stepped out, Bryce came barreling toward her, a whirlwind of emotion, ¡°Estre! Estre! I¡¯m here!¡± Estre turned at his voice, and Bryce enveloped her in a hug. ¡°I¡¯ve finally made it back to Ravenwood, back to you!¡± Pushing him off, Estre eyed him critically. ¡°What happened? Why did youe back in the middle of the night? And look at you¡­. you¡¯re a mess.¡± With Bryce¡¯s disheveled hair, faded clothes, and unhealthyplexion, had it not been for his voice, Estre wouldn¡¯t have recognized him. Mentioning his appearance only set him off. ¡°It¡¯s all my brother¡¯s doing. Can you believe it? After I got everything sorted for him, after you agreed to the divorce, he double-crossed me. He¡¯s banished me!¡± When his thoughts turned to Jason, he became wary. ¡°Estre, my parents don¡¯t know I¡¯m back. I don¡¯t even know how I got my hands on a train ticket. I only trust you and Jesse. Please, don¡¯t betray me.¡± Estre eyed him skeptically. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning on staying at my ce.¡± Bryce pleaded, ¡°Where else would I go? I¡¯ve been exiled because of you.¡± Estre sighed. ¡°Clean yourself up first.¡± With an ¡°okay,¡± Bryce was about to get into the Audi when he took a step back, appalled. ¡°This car? When have I ever settled for anything less than a million-dor? You want to shake up my world even more?¡± Estre kicked him yfully. ¡°You came on a slow train, but now you¡¯re fussing? Get in.¡± Threatened by Estre¡¯s tough tone, Bryce scurried into the car. Estre-owned several limited edition luxury cars, but since her identity was a secret at thew firm, she drove something modest. After sprucing up Bryce from head to toe, almost bringing back the old Bryce, finally agreed to take him to her spacious apartment. Estre Once inside, Bryce reiterated to Estre not to sell him out before asking, ¡°Estre, you got anything to eat here?¡± 12:48 Estre, loungingfortably, responded, ¡°No one¡¯s been living here. Where would foode from? I¡¯ll order takeout.¡± Before long, a feast of barbecue delights arrived. Changing into her loungewear, Estre rolled up her sleeves and joined Bryce in the feast. Biting into a skewer ofmb, Bryce asked between sips and mouthfuls, ¡°Estre, how have things been with my brothertely?¡± Chewing on her own skewer, Estre replied nonchntly, ¡°Same, same as before.¡± Bryce bit down hard on his food. ¡°Why on earth did you fall for him? Aside from his good looks, a bit of smarts, some cash, and a decent physique, what¡¯s so great about him? Why are you torturing yourself over this guy?¡± Estre looked up. ¡°Are you trying to talk me into a breakup or into staying with him?¡± Bryce spat out in disgust, ¡°Talk you into staying? Jason¡¯s a rotten apple. I swear all the Nelson family¡¯s vices are embodied in him. I¡¯d be thrilled if you left him.¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. As Bryce ranted on, Estre continued eating, just handing him a lemonade when he ran out of steam. After a tirade that exhausted him, Bryce finally paused to summarize, ¡°Look, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m gonna be okay with you sticking it out with my brother.¡± Estre, exhausted by the rant, conceded, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll leave him, okay? Save your sermons.¡± As her words hung in the air, Bryce squinted at her with suspicion. ¡°Wait, something¡¯s up. Did my brother stand you up again? Did you guys have another fight?¡± Estre froze. Was she that transparent? Was her mood so tantly obvious that even Bryce could see it? She took a sip of her iced tea as a deflection. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just par for the course?¡± Bryce wasn¡¯t convinced. ¡°No, there¡¯s something different about you today.¡± Estre chuckled, teasing him, ¡°Well, you are smart today.¡± Bryce dropped the irreverence, propped his right foot on the chair, and faced Estre squarely. ¡°Out with it! What¡¯s really going on?¡± Bryce¡¯s sudden disy of earnest masculinity prompted Estre to reveal, ¡°Your brother went to the cemetery today.¡± Chapter 44 Bryce¡¯s expression instantly darkened. ¡°It¡¯s been these years. Is Jason that sentimental? If he really cared that much, couldn¡¯t he spare some of that affection for you?¡± A soft chuckle escaped Estre¡¯s lips. ¡°Cut it out, Bryce. You¡¯re actually getting worked up over this.¡± The more Estreughed, the more Bryce¡¯s brow furrowed in annoyance. No need to spell it out ¨C after returning from the cemetery, Jason must have given her the cold shoulder. If his heart belonged to someone else, why did he agree to this marriage? To wed her and leave her alone, what was that all about? His gaze turned icy as he faced Estre. ¡°Listen, Estre, get a grip. And how can you be sure th those fortune-tellers are right if you haven¡¯t tested them yourself? Are you really going to tie yourself to Jason for life?¡± Bryce, talking seriously and sternly, got a reluctant promise from Estre to consider leaving Jason. His mood lightened only after she conceded. They resumed their meal and light conversation until Estre, wiping her hands with a napkin, stood up from the sofa. ¡°I should head back. You should get some rest too.¡± Bryce got to his feet as well. ¡°Why go back? Someone waiting for you? Or someone to warm your bed?¡± ¡°As Estre turned to leave, she swiftly kicked Bryce¡¯s backside. ¡°You are bold today, huh?¡± Unfazed, Bryce patted his bottom and casually said, ¡°Go on. Get washed up and hit the sack.¡± Reminded by Bryce, Estre really did find going back pointless. She stretched and headed to the bedroom. Bryce, with his hands tucked in his pockets, watched Estre let go of the idea of returning home, and his mood improved further. At the same time, Jason had left Serene¡¯s ce and parked his car by the curbside. ¡°Jason, I understand without you saying a word. I won¡¯t call the cops.¡± ¡°Jason, Serene saved both you and me. She¡¯s an innocent victim in all this. If I can¡¯t make it through this ordeal, she¡¯s going to be my stand-in. You need to look after her.¡± Jason, with his left arm resting on the car window, lit a cigarette with his right hand and took a deep drag, exhaling a perfect ring of smoke. 12:48 Memories surged, darkening his expression even further. He finished his cigarette in silence and finally started his car, heading towards Sandalwood Oasis. When he arrived home, Marie came in from the backyard, surprised to see him. ¡°Mr. Jason, you¡¯re back!¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Jason responded tersely as he moved upstairs. Marie called out again, ¡°Sir.¡± He paused and turned. Marie awkwardly informed him, ¡°Ms. Estre just stepped out.¡± Then, as if to cover for Estre, she added, ¡°She seemed in a hurry. Must have been something urgent.¡± At the mention of Estre¡¯s sudden departure, Jason¡¯s face turned stormy. He pulled out his phone and dialed her number. His departure followed by her immediate exit wasn¡¯t the first time. Watching Jason ascend the stairs, Marie wiped her hands on her apron and sighed. Back at Bryce¡¯s ce, Estre¡¯s phone, which she left on the sofa, began to ring. Bryce, with the beer in his hand, came over. He saw it was Jason calling, and his mood soured once again. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. He tossed the half-finished beer into the trash and grabbed Estre¡¯s phone, disconnecting the call without a second thought. Jason couldn¡¯t forget Holly and he also had Serene; he just needed them and that was enough. After hanging up, Bryce switched off her phone too. On the other end, Jason¡¯s face grew even darker when the call disconnected. The next morning, Estre woke up stretching and found Bryce in the kitchen. He was preparing breakfast. With his mouth full, Bryce mumbled, ¡°Clean up and eat. I ordered us some takeout.¡± Estre yawned. ¡°Let me know when you actually cook. Then we¡¯ll talk.¡± Bryce wiped his mouth with a napkin. ¡°Even if I manage to cook, you wouldn¡¯t eat!¡± ¡°Help me take my clothes to the dry cleaner if you¡¯ve got nothing better to do,¡± Estre instructed. ¡°Consider it done,¡± Bryce assured her. As they sat down to eat, Bryce didn¡¯t bring up Jason¡¯s call or the fact that he had turned off her phone. So, when Estre finished work and saw Jason¡¯s car parked outside thew firm, she was genuinely surprised. Jason stared at her from inside his car, and Estre approached withposure. ¡°Working on a case?¡± Jason looked up. His voice was cold. ¡°Estre, are you so eager to work on your own 12:48 divorce?¡± Estreughed. ¡°Just preparing myself! Either have your kid or I take half your assets.¡± Her indifference irked Jason. ¡°Get in the car.¡± Estre leaned on his window. Her eyebrows raised yfully. ¡°I only meet men in bed. You sure about this?¡± 12:48 Chapter 45 Jason ¡°Don¡¯t you want the Digital Springs project anymore?¡± Estre immediately opened the door on the passenger side, smiling as she got in, Talking business works for me too.¡± Jason¡¯s expression remained one of distaste, Dammit, she was always so pragmatic, wanting only the most tangible things in life. As the engine roared to life, Estre shot Jason a look full of ambiguous admiration, her smile wide and seemingly adoring. Out of the corner of his eye, Jason caught her gaze and felt his skin crawl with goosebumps. Anyone who didn¡¯t know better might think Estre was head over heels for him. Jason tugged at his cor with his right hand trying to shake off the feeling and said coolly, ¡°You hung up on me, and you even turned off your phone. Have you found your next option? Are you sure he can give you a child?¡± Estre¡¯s smile faltered, no need to ask-it was Bryce¡¯s doing. He just sneaked back by -hitching a ride on the train, but it seemed he really can¡¯t learn his lesson. After a moment of eyeing Jason, Estre chuckled. ¡°Are you actually worried about me?¡± At herugh, Jason¡¯s face soured. He deflected, ¡°Where were youst night?¡± Estre straightened up and gazed ahead. ¡°Felt down. Took a drive to Waterfall Acres.¡± Her excuse did little to alleviate the silence between them. Estre was actually used to Jason¡¯s moods long ago. She was just making things up to him. With Jason staying quiet, Estre prodded, ¡°Feeling guilty?¡± Before Jason could reply, Estre pressed on, ¡°If you really feel bad, why don¡¯t you lend a hand with the Digital Springs project?¡± Jason¡¯s hands gripped the steering wheel as he replied indifferently, ¡°Dream on.¡± Estre was not having it. ¡°So you were just stringing me along?¡± Jason just kept silent. Seeing this, Estre, in a huff, grabbed a water bottle from the side and threw it at him. Twenty minutester, they were back home, tucking into a hearty meal of meatloaf and mashed potatoes, after which Estre took a long shower and settled down at herputer to work. The Digital Springs project was a ticking clock, and she needed a game n. Emerging from the bathroom with a towel rubbing his hair, Jason caught sight of Estre, now donning ck-framed sses, absorbed in her tasks. A sense of contentment 12:48 E washed over him, He approached her and propped his arms around her, casually ncing over the project proposal in her hands. Estre¡¯s phone, resting beside her, suddenly rang. Startled by Jason¡¯s proximity, she jumped up, regaining herposure quickly, and teased, ¡°I¡¯m working, not cheating on you. No need to hover.¡± With that, she picked up her phone, nced at the caller ID, and said, ¡°If you¡¯re interested, give it a proper look. I have a call to take.¡± Jason watched her retreat to take the call privately, his patience wearing thin. ¡°Estre, take that call right here.¡± ¡°I need to pee,¡± Estre bluffed and dashed into the bathroom. Once inside, she barely had the phone to her ear when Bryce¡¯s voice came through, frantic and scolding, ¡°Estre, am I just talking to the wind? I called you all day to Jason, and to not go back to Sandalwood Oasis. Are you deaf? I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯re the stay away from one spoiling him. Get back here, pronto.¡± Estre was about to retort when Jason¡¯s voice intervened from outside, ¡°Estre, Get out by the count of three, or you¡¯ll regret it.¡± His instinct told her this call wasn¡¯t trivial. Inside the bathroom, Estre ignored Jason¡¯s threat and bluntly addressed Bryce, ¡°You nning on hiding forever?¡± On the other end, Bryce¡¯s tone softened at her challenge, ¡°Estre, I¡¯m doing this for your sake. You wouldn¡¯t understand. You¡¯re not a guy. Guys are jerks. The more you chase, the less they care. Ignore him, and he¡¯ll start thinking about you.¡± Estre scoffed, ¡°You lecture me, but you can¡¯t even tie the knot yourself.¡± Bryce deted at her rebuff, ¡°Estre, your ce is too big, and I¡¯m scared on my own. Hurry back.¡± Outside the bathroom, Jason, who had been ignored, grew visibly irritated and called out sternly, ¡°Estre.¡± Estre peered at the door and said to Bryce, ¡°Jason¡¯s trying to break down the door. Gotta go.¡± ¡°Jason is back?¡± Bryce reacted with surprise, then added, ¡°Then don¡¯t stick around in Sandalwood Oasis. He¡¯s a drag. Come keep mepany.¡± Not in the mood to haggle with Bryce, Estre hung up. She then casually opened the bathroom door. Estre found Jason, looking rather grim, about to kick the door down. Leaning against the door frame with crossed arms and azy smile, she teased, ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to 273 12:48 162 count? Why¡¯d you stop?¡± Jason¡¯s hand shot out to pinch her face. ¡°Whose call was that?¡± Even if he usually couldn¡¯t stand her, the thought of her with someone else was intolerable. Estre¡¯sughter grew brighter at his anger, casually removing his hand. ¡°I haven¡¯t even done anything and you¡¯re this worked up. What if I really did cheat on you? You wouldn¡¯t survive.¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Don¡¯t y games with me,¡± Jason demanded, holding out his hand. ¡°Your phone.¡± ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to?¡± Estre challenged. ¡°Then I¡¯ll find out myself,¡± Jason warned. Estreughed mockingly. ¡°Jason, if I really had someone on the side, the fact that I¡¯d take their call behind your back is already giving you too much respect.¡± ¦§ Her words were a stark reference to his recent bag delivery to Serene. As they locked eyes, Jason¡¯s brows furrowed, and his tongue pressed against his cheek. as he fell silent. Suddenly, Estre¡¯s Messenger rang, and it rang several times in a row. Jason coldly ced his hand in front of Estre, and this time, he didn¡¯t say a word. Estre slowly peeled herself away from the doorframe, straightening up as the smile on her face faded into a more serious expression. 12:48 Chapter 46 As thest trace of her grin fixed in ce, she said, ¡°Jason, our rtionship doesn¡¯t give you the right to snoop through my phone.¡± Jason¡¯s eyes darkened, with a dangerous glint within them. He resembled a tiger, coiled with pent-up energy, ready to pounce at any moment. After Estre made her point, she breezed past him, but Jason¡¯s arm shot out, gripping her. tightly. A sharp pain shot through Estre¡¯s arm as she turned to face Jason, whose normally suave features now bore no trace of warmth, only a chilling aloofness. Estre remained nonchnt. ¡°Jealous, are we?¡± In a swift move, Estre spun around, casually tossing her phone into the toilet as if it were no big deal. ¡°Estre!¡± Jason¡¯s voice was edged with steel. Unperturbed, she replied, ¡°Well, now neither of us can check it, can we?¡± Jason let go of her arm and grabbed his own phone to call Drew. ¡°Drew, check-¡± Before he could finish, Estre snatched his phone and cut him off. ¡°If Drew finds -something, will you have any dignity left? I¡¯ll admit it. I do have someone on the side.¡± Estre¡¯s indifference didn¡¯t sit well with Jason He suppressed his anger and asked, ¡°Was it Korey?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Estre taunted. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t take the bait, so why shouldn¡¯t I throw myself at someone else? At least I might get something out of it.¡± Swallowing hard, Jason¡¯s voice dropped to a low growl. ¡°How far has it gone?¡± Estre egged him on. ¡°So curious? Why don¡¯t you check for yourself?¡± Jason didn¡¯t push her away, nor did he move any closer; he just clenched his jaw and warned, ¡°Estre, you¡¯re ying with fire.¡± With a touch of amusement, she retorted, ¡°We had an agreement, right? You do your thing, I do mine, and we don¡¯t interfere with each other.¡± Suppressing the rage in his chest, Jason lifted his hand and removed Estre¡¯s fingers from around his neck, one by one, finally holding her chin in a warning grip. ¡°Estre, you better be lying. Otherwise, say goodbye to the Digital Springs Project, and Dorvold Group can forget about ever getting involved in doing business.¡± After his ultimatum, Jason strode to the closet to change into a fresh suit and left the house without another word. Even so, he managed to keep his temper in check, not once mentioning the word ¡°divorce.¡± 12:48 The door mmed shut behind him, and Estr let out a chuckle before retrieving her phone from the tollet. She had nothing to hide from Jason. She just couldn¡¯t stand. Jason¡¯s high-and-mighty, double standard attitude. And after his attitude the previous night, her interest in him had waned. She had only wanted to rile him up for her own amusement. Drying off the phone, she removed the SIM card and had Marie bring her a new phone. No sooner had she inserted the card than dozens of messages from Bryce appeared-pleas for her attention and missed calls. Scowling at the barrage, she got Bryce¡¯s call just then. She answered the call with a tirade. ¡°Bryce, have you lost your mind? Keep pestering me, and you¡¯re out on your ear tomorrow.¡± From the other end came Bryce¡¯s pitiful defense. ¡°Estre, I just wanted to make sure you wouldn¡¯t throw me under the bus in front of Jason.¡± Estre ended the call with a snap. If only those two brothers could bnce each other Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. out. Jason had just left Sandalwood Oasis in his car for a short while when Drew¡¯s call came in. ¡°Sir,¡± Drew reported, ¡°Korey has been away on a business trip and hasn¡¯t been in touch with Ms. Estre. Her whereabouts are normal. She indeed spentst night at Waterfall Acres.¡± Jason responded with a detached grunt and hung up, his frustration simmering. Estre¡¯s every word seemed a maniption. But realizing she had bluffed, Jason felt a slight relief. At least she was cautious, which meant she still cared about their marriage. Back in the bedroom, after ending Bryce¡¯s call, Estre dialed Cole to discuss her decision. to maintain the project¡¯s price while improving its quality. Cole considered her strategy and then suggested earnestly, ¡°Estre, why don¡¯t youe back and help me at the firm?¡± Estre brushed off the proposal. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re still young. We¡¯ll talk about thister.¡± Cole persisted, highlighting the challenges of her legal career, especially since she was handling divorce cases that wouldn¡¯t lead to a prominent position. He urged her to reconsider. Laughing, Estre ended the call, assuring him she knew what she was doing. Just as she was about to rest, the bedroom door swung open again. Estre looked up to see Jason returning, a mix of annoyance and humor crossing her face. 12:48 Tossing her phone aside, she quipped, ¡°All this back and forthte at night-aren¡¯t you tired?¡± Jason took off his jacket and tossed it onto the nearby cab. Thinking about Estre¡¯s nonsense and intentional provocation just now, he raised his hand and unbuttoned another button on his shirt. Beforeing upstairs, Marie had cornered him for a chat, going on about how Estre was such a stand-up woman. Aside from visiting her folks and the asional business trip, she hardly ever came homete. Marie had said that any other woman would have taken the chance to gallivant around town by now, and that if Estre was ever sharp-tongued, it was only because she was upset and taking it out on him. Marie¡¯s words had a way of melting Jason¡¯s resolve Jason remained silent, which prompted Estre to tease, ¡°Haven¡¯t seen my phone, and your can¡¯t swallow that pride?¡± Her nonchnce only made Jason give her a cold look. The two stood very close. Seeing that he was ignoring her, Estre was yawning and about to go to bed, only to feel Jason¡¯s long arm reach out and pull her into his arms with a bit of force. Caught off guard, Estre barely had time to react before Jason leaned in and captured her lips with his. Chapter 47 Confusion clouded Estre¡¯s eyes as she stared at Jason, unable to fathom his actions. She had thought he was off drafting a divorce agreement, notunching into an impromptu lip-lock. As Jason¡¯s insistent kiss pushed her back step by step, Estre tumbled onto the plush bed, his hands interlocking with hers firmly. His breath warmed her ear as he whispered, ¡°Estre, let¡¯s cut to the chase. You just want me toe around more often, and to cement this marriage, right?¡± Estre turned her face towards him, her voice tinged with defiance. ¡°Is that a crime now?¡± Jason¡¯s breath heated her ear again as he murmured, ¡°I¡¯ll give you what you want.¡± With that, he captured her lips once more. While Jason¡¯s kisses were fervent, Estre¡¯s mind drifted to the image of Serene serving him soup, their visits to the cemetery, and his lingering memories of Holly. ¨C ¡°Estre, how will you know if those fortune tellers are right or wrong if you don¡¯t give it a shot? Are you really willing to hang all your hopes on this one man?¡± ¨C ¡°Forget about having kids.¡± Despite Jason¡¯s rare initiative that evening, Estre¡¯s thoughts were elsewhere. Was she truly ready to have a child with him? Could she maintain herposure and contentment as a single mother if they divorced and Jason moved on to marry and have children with someone else? Estre realized, almost to her own surprise, that her mindset had shifted subtly over the past months. The idea of parting ways with Jason had even flickered through her mind more than once. With these thoughts crowding her mind, Estre suddenly pushed Jason away. ¡°I¡¯m just not feeling it tonight.¡± No matter how much she wanted toplete the most important task of her life, Estre couldn¡¯t force herself to go through with it, not whenpliance seemed impossible. Besides, knowing Jason¡¯s temperament, he might just toss her a couple of pills in the morning, and then she¡¯d be left worse off than before, utterly frustrated by him. At Estre¡¯s refusal, Jason gripped her chin. ¡°You don¡¯t want this?¡± stre chuckled. ¡°Jason, you can¡¯t possibly think I¡¯m helpless without you, can you?¡± She ed his hand away, adding, ¡°Besides, I¡¯m feeling guilty. Scared you might find out something.¡± Jason¡¯s mood soured at her words, his expression darkening. 12:48 Seeing his reaction, Estre quickly opened the bedroom door. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep next door. Sweet dreams. She quipped before dashing away. In the bedroom, Jason¡¯s expression was predictably stormy. By the time he pursued her to the next room, Estre had already locked the door from the inside. The next morning, Jason woke up with a grim look on his face to find that Estre had already left for thew firm. His mood worsened, and he headed to the office without even touching his breakfast. Meanwhile, over at Lamont Corporation, Hunter learned that the Dorvold Group had not lowered their budget for the construction project, instead, they¡¯d raised the quality of the materials at the same price point. Hunter¡¯s face grew stern. They could either give up or up their game and take a loss by matching the material upgrade. Cole was ying hardball. Erin, looking over the Dorvold Group¡¯s project budget, let out a softugh. ¡°Looks like Cole¡¯s stopped cleaning house and is now going head-to-head with us in broad daylight.¡± ¡°Erin, what¡¯s our next move?¡± Holding the project documents, Erin sighed and said, ¡°We secure the project first, then look at making adjustments during the construction phase.¡± For the Lamont family, this was a heated potato they could opt to drop, sticking to the original n. But since they had instigated the challenge and after Estre had outyed him, Erin was even less inclined to back down. They would have to match the material quality and secure the project at the original price. Hunter listened to his son and furrowed his brows, choosing to remain silent. Back at the Lamont family estate, Pa was up in arms after hearing the news from her mom Janie. ¡°Why should we be the ones to lose out on this project? I refuse to believe it. I¡¯m going to see Estre.¡± After finding out where Estre was, Pa made a beeline there. At the same time, Estre had just finished with a client and stepped out when Pa cornered her at the caf¨¦ entrance. ¡°Estre.¡± Estre, nonchntly, paused in her tracks upon seeing Pa. Pa dered, full of bravado, ¡°Estre, I thought your Dorvold Group had some fight in you, but my brother just made a move and snatched the project right from under you. Guess your dad¡¯s prowess is just so-so, and Dorvold is soft after all.¡± Estre approached Pa and straightened her wind-tossed cor with a gentle touch. ¡°If your dad and brother don¡¯t find it too hot to handle, by all means, take it. MOCK ON 12:48 CIUM WEE E ¡°Estre, you¡­¡± Pa started to re up but caught herself, remembering her purpose foring. Pa regained her haughty demeanor. ¡°Estre, the Digital Springs project is ours, and Jason will end up mine, sooner orter.¡± Estre smiled. ¡°Well then, congrattions in advance.¡± Continuing, Estre leaned in close to Pa¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°I just wonder, with all the effort you and your brother are putting into thepany, how much of it you two will actually get to share.¡± Pa¡¯s face twisted in anger, and she turned to confront Estre. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Estre replied with a smile that didn¡¯t quite reach her eyes, ¡°I mean exactly what I said.¡± Pa wasn¡¯t satisfied and blocked Estre¡¯s path, demanding rity. ¡°If you have something to say, Estre, say it. Don¡¯t beat around the bush.¡± Estre shrugged Pa off with a nonchnt smile and walked away towards her car in her high heels. Still not content, Pa chased after her, but a single cold nce from Estre made her halt in her tracks. Pa remembered thest time she had confronted Estre, and the fear of being hit again made her back off. Pa¡¯s approach had no effect on Estre, who did not lower the bidding price and directly had Cole submit the project proposal. In the end, the Lamont family secured the contract without any surprises. They stuck to their original quote, although they had no choice but tomit to using higher-grade building materials. Considering all the years of hustle and the potential billion-dor dip into their savings, Hunter and Erin had mixed feelings about winning the contract. Their smiles were strained, but they had to feign joy. And with the timing being critical, they had to leverage. the excitement ofnding the deal to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the o Invitations were sent out to everyone in the circle, and of course, the Dorvold family received theirs too. When Autumn got her invitation, she immediately phoned Estre. ¡°Estre, do you think your dad and I should attend?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Estre replied without hesitation. ¡°Of course, we should go.¡± Autumn confessed, ¡°I just really don¡¯t want to see Pa¡¯s mom¡¯s face, and Jesse¡¯s stepmom is sure to be there too. I cannot stand either of them.¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Estre soothed her with a chuckle, ¡°Mom, just think of it as going to a show. There¡¯s bound to be some surprises.¡± 12:49 At that, Autumn grew suspici plotting now?¡± suspicious. ¡°Estre, what do you mean by that? What are you 12.49 Chapter 48 Autumn asked Estre with suspicion. She had known since childhood that Estre was no angel. Estre, with a hint of mischief, retorted, ¡°What bad thing could I possibly be up to? I¡¯ve just been through the wringer, almost got taken advantage of, you know.¡± Autumn¡¯s concern deepened at Estre¡¯s words ¡°Estre, what happened? Tell me With a dismissive chuckle, Estre replied, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s alright. Juste with Dad on Saturday, okay? Otherwise, people might start calling you petty.¡± Autumn sighed, resigned. ¡°Fine, I¡¯lle with your father.¡± So when Saturday night rolled around, Autumn and Cole headed off to the g together. Ever since Estre rejected Jason a few days ago, he hadn¡¯t returned to Sandalwood Oasis. He didn¡¯t invite her when the Lamont family extended an invitation, so Estre attended the event with Jesse. Estre was dressed to kill in a little ck dress, while Jesse sported a crisp suit, her hair short and slick. Together, they were a force to be reckoned with, drawing stares from all the guests. ¡°Estre, you¡¯ve got some nerve showing up.¡± Pa sneered as the duo entered the party. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d have buried myself in a hole by now.¡± Estre, clutching her clutch bag and smirking, fired back, ¡°Seems the Lamonts are happy making a loss, must be nice to have such deep pockets.¡± Pa, bristling, managed to keep her cool. ¡°You¡¯re just jealous, Estre. And my brother is too smart to make a bad deal.¡± Estre¡¯s eyes twinkled with a knowing light. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got my eyes on the project. It won¡¯t be easy for the Lamonts to avoid a loss.¡± Pa shot back, ¡°As if we need you watching over us. You should see how much our stock has soared since wended that project. The Lamonts were busy celebrating their soaring stock prices, which brought them many other benefits. ¡°Some things aren¡¯t about immediate profits,¡± Estre said cryptically, a smile ying on her lips. ¡°I hope the Lamont family¡¯s stock continues to rise.¡± Verbally gaining the upper hand, Pa finally felt happy. When Pa¡¯s gaze fell on Jesse next to her, she noticed Jesse ring at her coldly. Pa thought of Estre hitting her. Scared, she quickly slipped away. Pa¡¯s mother had warned her to keep her temper in check tonight, and not to embarrass the family. As Pa bolted, Jesse snickered, her hands buried in her pockets, thinking, ¡°What a 12:49 ZATION coward!¡± No sooner had Pa left than Melinda and Damita approached. Seeing Jesse dressed in a suit, Damita scolded, ¡°Jesse, where¡¯s your sense of decorum? If you have no shame, at least think of your father¡¯s reputation.¡± Jesse¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°What I wear is none of your business.¡± Damita was livid, but Melinda calmed her down, suggesting it was toote to argue about Jesse¡¯s attire. Damita turned to Estre and threatened, ¡°Someone will put you in your ce eventually.¡± Estre was unfazed. ¡°Not in your lifetime,¡± she replied coolly. Damita was furious, vowing to find evidence against Estre for the previous incident. Estre admitted to orchestrating the attack on them. ¡°Go ahead and take it to court,¡± she challenged. Seeing Melinda and Damita leave in anger, Estre¡¯s face became increasingly serious. Wasn¡¯t it Damita who nned everything that¡¯s happened to Jesse today? Even when Jesse was just a child, Damita never thought of letting her go, and for this kind of evil person, Estre has no sympathy at all. ¡°You talk so sharply, aren¡¯t you afraid of them trying to sabotage you?¡± Just as Melinda and Damita left, Erin¡¯s voice came from behind slowly. Estre calmly turned around to see Erin still as gentle and refined as ever. She smiled lightly and said, ¡°Why would I fear them sabotaging me from behind. Haven¡¯t your two families already joined forces and dered war on me?¡± Erin leaned in close, a whisper brushing against Estre¡¯s ear, ¡°Estre, are you scared? How about fulfilling the promise you madest time?¡± Estre raised an eyebrow, ¡°Did Jason¡¯s lessonst time not stick?¡± ¡°Jason?¡± Erin stood up straight, his hands slipping casually into his pockets. ¡°Didn¡¯t you twoe together today? What, another lovers quarrel?¡±This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Erin¡¯s voice was maic, a soothing melody to the ears, but the words that flowed from him weren¡¯t always as charming. ¡°Yeah, well,¡± Estre sighed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you head over to Sandalwood Oasis, and I¡¯ll fulfill that promise for you.¡± Erin¡¯s smile slowly faded as he locked eyes with Estre, ¡°What if I want it now?¡± They were in a hotel, after all, where conveniences for ¡°handling things¡± were plentiful. Estre reached out, grabbing Erin¡¯s tie and pulling him closer with a tug, ¡°Then go ahead, try to carry me away right here, in front of everyone. I¡¯d like to see just how capable you 12:49 really are.¡± Their gazes locked fiercely, each reflecting the other¡¯s face. Estre bet a hundred to one that Erin didn¡¯t have the guts. The smile on Erin¡¯s face widened. Estre really knew how to set a trap. Suddenly, a buzz swept through the crowd, ¡°Mr Jason, there¡¯s Mr. Jason, looking sharp as ever!¡± ¡°How can Jason be so effortlessly handsome they murmured. Chapter 49 The standoff between the two had reached a stalemate when a stir suddenly rippled through the banquet hall. Estre followed the collective gaze and there he was-Jason had arrived, with Serene trailing beside him in a stunning powder blue cocktail dress. ¡°Jason looks dashing tonight. Who¡¯s thedy with him?¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s his personal secretary. I¡¯ve heard Jason treats her really well, and she¡¯s like his shadow.¡± ¡°Personal secretary? I¡¯m green with envy. To see Jason every day must be a dream.¡± The chatter of the women buzzed around Jesse who, with a turn of her head, watched Estre¡¯s expression. Damn it, couldn¡¯t the guy tone it down and save Estre some dignity? Half the room today was privy to their history. Beside Estre, Erin wore a smirk that held a hidden message. ¡°Sticking with Jason is a losing game, Estre.¡± Estre stepped forward, looping her fingers through Erin¡¯s belt. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you¡¯re brave enough to take on Jason, then.¡± Erin stiffened, but eventually pried Estre¡¯s hand away, leaning in to whisper, ¡°If you can¡¯t¡± swallow your pride, I¡¯ll be your plus one tonight.¡± Across the room, Jason¡¯s eyes swiftly picked Estre out from the crowd. Observing her tete-a-tete with Erin, and the hint of an intimate charge between them, Jason¡¯s gaze. turned sharply piercing. Serene, noting the tension, tugged Jason¡¯s sleeve discreetly, ¡°Jason, Estre¡¯s over there.¡± Jason averted his gaze, feigning ignorance of Estre¡¯s presence, unaffected by her. As fate would have it, they soon found themselves within close quarters. Jason was mingling with a group of businesspeople from Hong Kong, potential investors attracted by Ravenwood government. ¡°Estre!¡± Spotting Estre at the Lamont family¡¯s annual celebration, one person greeted her with both surprise and delight. ¡°Danny,¡± Estre returned the greeting with a beaming smile. Seeing her, the middle-aged man called out, ¡°Estre,e join us. I¡¯d like you to meet a few big shots. They might be potential clients.¡± ¡°Thank you, Danny,¡± Estre responded graciously. The man was thrilled to introduce her. ¡°Estres awyer. Ourpany¡¯s legal matters 12:49 are handled by her firm. She hasn¡¯t directly worked with us, prowess. My son had a minor run-in with an old man, which turned out to be a con. Ms. but I admire her attitude and Estre handled it with courage and wit. If you ever have legal needs, Ms. Estre¡¯s your go-to.¡± The praises for Estre flowed as if he were boasting about his own daughter. Hearing this, the guests mentioned they¡¯d keep Justice Guardians LLP and Ms. Estre in mind when their current contracts expired. Estre shed a professional smile, expressing her gratitude. Meanwhile, Jason watched on with a sneer, his gaze cold and dismissive. He had always thought the cases Estre picked were trivial, adding nothing to her growth. Yet here she was, making connections through these very cases. People who had worked with her, particrly the older generation, were fond of something Jason had to respect. His father was a prime example, almost desperate for him to marry Estre. As for what his father imed about Cole helping him, Jason never believed it. He thought his dad was just making it up. After Danny¡¯s round of introductions, he turned back to Estre with a sheepish apology, ¡°Estre, my boy hasn¡¯t been pestering youtely, has he? He¡¯s head over heels for you, poor kid. Got himself in a mess because of it. If only you¡¯d consider him, Estre. With your capabilities, you¡¯d be running my company in no time.¡± Following this, someone asked, ¡°Danny, is your son even of age?¡± ??? ¡°Just turned 18 a couple of months ago,¡± Danny chuckled. ¡°Got him a car, and that¡¯s how he met Ms. Estre.¡± Post-incident, Alex, Danny¡¯s son, had be quite attached to Estre, bringing his friends to the firm and yfully introducing Estre to them as his girl. During those days, Estre had a convoy escorting her every day, causing her a lot of headaches. It took a stern talking-to from Danny and a little intervention from Estre to get the boys, including Alex, to back off-though he promised he¡¯d return. Jason had remained expressionless throughout, but the news of an infatuated teenager chasing after Estre drew his gaze sharply to her. One Korey wasn¡¯t enough; now she was wrapping kids around her finger too-she was really something. When Jason¡¯s searching look fell on her, Estre couldn¡¯t be bothered to return it, until Danny formally introduced them. Only then did she acknowledge Jason. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Estre, this is Mr. Jason from Nelson International.¡± ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± She extended her hand in greeting Jason, taking in her feigned indifference, grasped her hand firmly, and as Estre attempted to retreat, he tightened his grip. 12:49 Estre looked up, and Jason offered a sardonic smile, ¡°Ms. Estre.¡± Holding his gaze, Estre responded, ¡°A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Jason, I specialize in divorce cases, so if you ever need one, make sure to call me.¡± Jason¡¯s grip tightened, ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to remember that.¡± Estre gasped sharply, locking eyes with Jason and digging her nails into the back of his hand with fierce resolve. To the onlookers, the scene was a puzzle ¨C a silent drama they couldn¡¯t quite grasp. Danny nced between Jason and Estre, curiosity piqued. ¡°Do you guys know each other?¡± Both released their grip simultaneously, with Estre speaking up first. ¡°No, we don¡¯t.¡± Right then, Estre¡¯s right hand was flushed red, while Jason¡¯s hand bore the angry crescents of her nails, his expression darkening considerably. They didn¡¯t know each other? Estre had been on Jason¡¯s radar since the day she was born. With a brooding look, Jason shoved his hands into his pockets. He forgot how many times he had imed not to know Estre in the presence of others. Danny chimed in with a smile, ¡°Well, now you¡¯re acquainted. It¡¯s always good for the young folks to network a bit more.¡± Estre returned the smile. ¡°Thanks for the introduction, Danny.¡± After exchanging pleasantries with Danny, Estre slipped away. But as fate would have it, just as she emerged from the restroom, she ran smack into Jason. She pulled a couple of paper towels to dry her hands and greeted him coolly, ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± It had been over ten days since theirst encounter. Jason always avoided public association with her, so Estre, ying it polite and detached, addressed him formally as Mr. Jason. Jason¡¯s gaze hardened, and he stepped in her path. Leaning in, he asked with a low voice, ¡°You don¡¯t know me?¡± Chapter 50 Estre scoffed, ¡°What, should I go around proiming you¡¯re my hubby? Aren¡¯t you afraid of losing your street cred?¡± Her sarcasm elicited a chuckle from Jason, ¡°ying with kids who aren¡¯t even out of high school, Estre, you really got some nerve.¡± Estre shed a carefree smile, flipping her hair with ir, ¡°Can¡¯t help it, I¡¯m just irresistible to all ages.¡± Jason snorted coldly, then slid his arm around her waist and yanked her into his embrace, ¡°Estre, you better behave yourself out there, or you¡¯re going to face the music.¡± Korey had been eyeing their marriage like a hawk, Erin was up to no good, and now some Alex was in the picture? Jason wondered how he¡¯d never noticed before how Estre seemed to be a ma for men.. Estre casually looped her arms around Jason¡¯s shoulders and said nonchntly, ¡°If you leave me lonely at home all the time, I can¡¯t make any promises. You y your game, and I y mine. Fair¡¯s fair, Mr. Jason.¡± Before Estre could finish, Jason¡¯s lips silenced hers. Estre¡¯s face darkened. Damn it, was he getting addicted to taking advantage of her? Either make it real or back off. What was this ambiguous game he was ying? As Jason forcefully pried her lips apart, Estre kept herposure, but once he was distracted, she bit him hard and pushed him away. Jason gasped, touching his lips and said, ¡°Estre, what are you, a damn canine?¡± Estre pulled out her lipstick and mirror from her purse, touching up her makeup with an unfazed expression, ¡°Mr. Jason, let¡¯s keep the public disys of affection out of the public. eye, shall we? Don¡¯t interfere with my man-hunting.¡± After running his thumb over his lips, Jason¡¯s eyes sharpened as he looked toward Estre, but someone rounded the corner. ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± As someone greeted Jason, Estre took the opportunity to leave, her heels clicking away. ¡°Estre.¡± Just as she returned to the ballroom, Serene approached her. Estre eyed her from head to toe, speaking coolly, ¡°If you came with Jason, then keep an eye on him. Why the hell are you always on my case?¡± Estre couldn¡¯t stand Serene, who always seemed to seek her out as if they were close. Serene offered an embarrassed exnation, ¡°Estre, are you upset? There¡¯s nothing between me and Jason. He just couldn¡¯t find a date today, so he asked me toe Couldn¡¯t find a date? Estre chuckled. What, was she invisible? Sometimes, Estre couldn¡¯t tell if Serene was genuinely naive or just ying dumb. ¡°Serene, don¡¯t go looking for trouble, or you might find it with me,¡± Estre warned. ¡°Estre, you¡¯re in the wrong here. Serene¡¯s just doing her job. Aren¡¯t you being a bit petty?¡± Janie¡¯s voice cut in just as Estre finished with Serene. Looking up, Estre saw Janie nked by Pa, Melinda, and Damita, along with a few of her own friends. Estre gave a faint smile. It seemed that they had nned to embarrass her tonight. Before Estre could speak, Janie added, ¡°Besides, if Serene can stay by Jason¡¯s side, she must be doing something right, takin care of him in every way.¡± As Janie spoke, she turned to Serene, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Serene?¡± The pointed question left Serene pale, and she quickly looked to Estre, shaking her head, ¡°Estre, please don¡¯t believe this. The secretary¡¯s office has many assistants, and Jason treats everyone equally.¡± Despite Serene¡¯s im of equality, her constant reference to Jason was telling. Other colleagues wouldn¡¯t dare to do so. Janie¡¯s provocation and Serene¡¯s exnations left Estre feeling cornered. Pa, sensing strength in numbers, arrogantly chimed in, ¡°Estre, my mother is only trying to teach you a lesson because youck manners. Not to mention, you¡¯ve been married to Jason for over two years and haven¡¯t given him a child to carry on the Nelson family name. How do you live with yourself?¡± ¡°This is something any woman could easily aplish. You¡¯re not, by any chance, barren, are you?¡± Pa¡¯s venomous words were aimed at Estre¡¯s most vulnerable spot. After Pa¡¯s remark, Serene watched Estre with pitiful eyes, softly calling out, ¡°Estre,¡± her voiceden with sympathy. Estre maintained herposed smile, appearing as an outsider watching their performance. Damita joined in the provocation, ¡°All day long, doing God knows what with Jesse. Didn¡¯t your parents teach you how to act like a proper woman?¡± Unperturbed, Estre retorted, ¡°At least my parents didn¡¯t teach me to seduce someone else¡¯s husband or to seize power while the wife was on her deathbed. As for how Jesse¡¯s mom passed away, Damita- can you rify that?¡± Estre¡¯s barb left Damita as pale as a sheet, ¡°Estre, what nonsense are you spouting?¡± 12:49 Not long after Jesse¡¯s mother passed away, Damita quickly rose to her position. There were quite a few r rumors and gossip in the circle at that time. Pa¡¯s mother quickly took over the conversation, ¡°Estre, we¡¯re your elders, and we mean well. How can you talk such nonsense?¡± Estre arched an eyebrow, a glimmer of mischief shing in her gaze. ¡°It¡¯s for my own good, is it? Well then, I¡¯m all ears. Please, Janie, do enlighten me on how to be the perfect Mrs. Nelson and how to keep Jason¡¯s heart from wandering.¡± Janie knew Estre was up to no good, and she certainly had no intention of giving her genuine advice. After all, there was no love lost between them. Sitting on her high horse and wielding the authority of her seniority, Janie put on airs and said, ¡°Stop showing off and causing trouble outside, and focus on being a good wife and mother at home. The most important thing is to give Jason a child, or this-marriage will end in failure.¡± Janie was well aware that Jason was the one against having kids, and, their biggest issue was their childlessness, yet she deliberately poked at this sore spot. Estre chuckled lightly, ¡°From the sound of it, it seems all the issues are on me, not Jason. But now that you mention it, I do have something to learn from you. How does Mr, Hunter manage to leave his mark everywhere he goes? He¡¯s quite the prolific man. That¡¯s something I should definitely have Jason pick up on.¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Upon hearing Estre¡¯s words, Janie¡¯s expression instantly changed. The expressions of the people nearby also changed, wearing a look of confusion. Staring at Estre, Janie asked with a puzzled tone, ¡°Estre, what on earth do you mean by that?¡± Chapter 51 Janie¡¯splexion shifted like the turbulent sea. Estre, cool as a cucumber, reached into her bag, pulled out her smartphone, and flicked through the gallery before presenting it to Janie with a nudge. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Hunter in the photos?¡± With a skeptical nce at Estre, Janie took the phone, her fingers brushing against the cool screen. ¡°Just swipe left and right for more,¡± Estre prompted with a hint of mischief in her voice. Janie looked up, then back at the screen, her eyes scanning the images that would shatter her world. In a heartbeat, her face turned ghostly pale, and her body began to tremble, the phone in her quivering hand nearly slipping to the floor. The photos depicted Hunter, strolling through town with Ruby, dining in quaint cafes, shopping for trinkets, and more importantly, with a pair of twin boys who looked about five or six years old. The images painted a picture-perfect portrait of a happy family of four. Janie flicked through more photos, each one a knife into her heart ¨C Hunter with Ruby, with her and the children, all taken in foreignnds. Her mind was a whirlwind of disbelief and betrayal. Hunter and Ruby? Impossible. How could this be? Ruby was more than just her best friend. She was Janie¡¯s younger cousin, a decade. younger than her. Ruby was always so gentle, and willing to listen to Janie¡¯s advice. Ruby had even imed to be a die- hard bachelorette, swearing off marriage for life. Yet here she was, already having yed house with Janie¡¯s husband, coveting Janie¡¯s very life.. With shaky hands, Janie turned to confront Ruby, who was also there, having been invited. to this fateful gathering. Ruby, caught under Janie¡¯s furious gaze, swallowed hard and asked with trepidation, ¡°Janie, what¡¯s wrong?¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The moment Ruby finished her question, Janie flung Estre¡¯s phone at her. ¡°You home-wrecker, you bitch! To think I trusted you like a sister, and you¡­ you seduce my husband. How could you betray me!¡± Janie¡¯s voice quivered with rage and disbelief. Damita and the others were stunned, frozen in ce until they snapped out of it and rushed to Janie¡¯s side. ¡°Janie, what¡¯s going on? What happened?¡± Pa, too, was beside herself with worry, grabbing hold of Janie. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s happening? You¡¯re scaring me.¡± Janie, barely able to control her trembling finger, pointed usingly at Ruby. ¡°This woman 12:49 seduced your father, and they¡¯ve had twins behind our backs!¡± ¡°Ruby, you won¡¯t get away with this.¡± Janie spat out, her voice seething with venom. The thought of Hunter¡¯s betrayal, let alone with Ruby, was too much for Janie to bear. Even with her ir for drama, this revtion was beyond her control. Pa, upon hearing her mother¡¯s words, grabbed the discarded phone and, without a second thought, lunged at Ruby. ¡°You bitch! I¡¯ll tear you apart!¡± The memory of her strange conversation with Estre came flooding back, the cryptic hints about what she and her brother would inherit. Everything clicked into ce. ¡°Pa, you have to listen to me. Let me exin!¡± Ruby pleaded, covering her face with her hands. ¡°Bitch! How could you do this to my mother?¡± Pa cried out, her anger mixing with her mother¡¯s, Janie, unable to swallow her pride, joined in, pping Ruby across the face¡± you or your sons off the hook, Ruby.¡± will not let ¡°Through her tears, Ruby insisted, Janie, I never meant to hurt you. Hunter and I truly love each other. I never intended to break up your family. I was just envious of your happiness, and Hunter was such a good man. I only wanted to be a part of your lives.¡± But her exnations only fanned the mes of Janie and Pa¡¯s fury, and the beating intensified. The onlookers, witnessing the chaos, hesitated to intervene, murmuring among themselves about Ruby¡¯s betrayal and ingratitude. Only Damita remained calm, attempting to pull mother and daughter aside. Janie, Pa, whatever it is, can wait until after the Lamont Corporation¡¯s annual g.¡± But Janie and Pa were beyond reason, blinded by their rage as they continued to unleash their fury on Ruby. Theirmotion drew the attention of the entire assembly, turning the g into a spectacle. The press, sensing a story juicier than any corporate announcement, turned their lenses toward the unfolding drama.. Damita, realizing the situation was spiraling out of control, sent Melinda to fetch Hunter and Erin. Hunter and Erin arrived to a scene of chaos, pulling the brawling family members apart. Erin, with a face like thunder, barked, ¡°Can¡¯t this wait until after the celebration? Must you ruin tonight¡¯s event?¡± He had been wary of Estre causing a stir, but instead, it was Janie and Pa who had lost their composure. Pa, tears staining her cheeks, turned to Erin, ¡°Ein, this woman seduced Dad! She even had twins with him.¡± 12-49 12177 Erin¡¯s face darkened with fury, but heposed himself, sternly saying, ¡°We will discuss this at home.¡± With Erin and Hunter¡¯s intervention, the drama concluded as abruptly as it had begun. But. the damage was done. The Lamont family¡¯s festive night ended in shambles, their dirtyundry aired for all to see, thanks to the unstoppable tide of gossip flooding social media. Estre, humming a tune and apanied by Jesse and her parents, descended the stairs, a spring in her step. Witnessing Estrelle¡¯s satisfaction, Autumn scolded her. ¡°I knew it. You were up to no good. Look at the mes you¡¯ve made of the Lamont family¡¯s celebration. Indeed, Estre had promised a surprise, and she had delivered nothing short of a bombshell. Estre sighed, the exasperation clear in her voice. ¡°Mom, I swear this has nothing to do with me. I didn¡¯t push Hunter to chase skirts, nor did I egg Janie and Pa on to throw punches. As awyer, I¡¯m all about letting the truth shine for everyone to see.¡± Autumn shot back, her tone a mix of weariness and frustration, ¡°Whatever you say, you¡¯re always right. I can¡¯t win against you.¡± From the sidelines, Jesse chimed in, trying to bring peace to the fray. ¡°Estre¡¯s in the clear tonight. Besides, it was Janie and Pa who started poking the bear. If there¡¯s any me to pass around, it¡¯s on them for not keeping their cool.¡± Estre had Janie and Pa¡¯s number, alright. She didn¡¯t need to lift a finger to make the Lamonts the talk of the town. Those two were doing a bang-up job all on their own. Autumn thought about it and realized that it was indeed the case. Estre provided them with evidence, and how this matter would unfold and conclude was entirely up to them. As the group made their way to the parking lot, Estre¡¯s phone erupted from her bag. She fished out the device, her face clouding over as she checked the screen. Chapter 52 s up?¡± The phone rang and she answered with a casual, ¡°What¡¯s Jason¡¯s voice floated through from the other end. ¡°Where are you?¡± Estre replied with a yawn, ¡°Back home, hit the sack already.¡± No sooner had she finished than she hung up the call with an abrupt click. It was peculiar; in the past few months, Jason had been calling her more frequently than ever. He used to ignore her calls altogether. After disconnecting, Autumn eyed her curiously. ¡°Estre, who was that?¡± ¡°Jason.¡± ¡°And what was with that attitude?¡± Autumn chided. ¡°Can¡¯t you be a bit nicer to Jason? You¡¯re just pushing him away acting like that.¡± Jason hadn¡¯t apanied Estre to the evening¡¯s soiree, much to Autumn¡¯s dismay. Now that he had finally reached out, she thought Estre should be more sweet and delicate in persuading him toe back. Estre rubbed her temples, irritated. ¡°Lucky for you to marry my dad. If it were any other man, you¡¯d be crying your eyes out.¡± ¡°Youngdy, watch your tone,¡± Autumn scolded. Jesse, hands casually tucked in the suit pockets, chuckled. ¡°Estre¡¯s not in the wrong. Can¡¯t coddle a man too much; give him an inch and he¡¯ll take a mile.¡± Jesse then turned to Cole, who hadn¡¯t said a word, and quipped, ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Cole hummed nomittally, before addressing Estre. ¡°I don¡¯t care about your little power struggles with Jason, but try to avoid a divorce, will you? Think about starting a family soon.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Estre responded distractedly, already opening her car door. After a quick farewell to her parents and Jesse, she revved the engine and drove off. Just as she left the hotel parking lot, her phone buzzed again. Bryce was calling. ¡°When are youing back?¡± he inquired. Estre scoffed, ¡°Great, first Jason¡¯s keeping tabs on me, now you? The event just ended.¡± ¡°Come over tonight, and keep mepany.¡± That sounded suspiciously like ae-on to Estre. She didn¡¯t respond immediately, prompting Bryce to add, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen another living soul in five days, and I haven¡¯t spoken to anyone. Don¡¯t you feel a bit sorry for me soul in five days, a 12:49 TE Estre retorted. ¡°Bryce, maybe you should go back to fundraising for somemunity project or something. Cooped up at home all day, what¡¯s the point?¡± ¡°No way, I¡¯d rather die here than go back there, he retorted. ¡°Hurry up ande over. It¡¯s lonely by myself. I¡¯ll order us some pizza.¡± Estre couldn¡¯t help but feel like Bryce was treating her like a toddler. But considering Jason hadn¡¯t been home in over a fortnight and was out with Serene at the Lamont family bash, she wasn¡¯t keen on returning to an empty house. So, she told Bryce to wait and hung up. Meanwhile, at the Lamont residence. The family had just stepped inside when Janie was on the verge of an outburst. However, it was Hunter who lost his cool first, berating her and Pa, ¡°Can¡¯t you two ever measure your actions? Do you not understand the importance of today¡¯s event? I specifically asked you not to let Estre cause a scene, and instead, you two mess it up.¡±. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Janie turned pale with rage, confronting Hunter. ¡°How could you me me and Pa? Isn¡¯t this all thanks to your own fine work? You sneak around with that bitch Ruby and even fathered twins. How can you face me, Pa and Erin?¡± At the mention of his affair, Hunter¡¯s guilt showed, but his anger remained. Janie, seizing on his silence, pressed, ¡°You were all high and mighty earlier. Why so quiet now? Exin your little tryst with Ruby! I¡¯m making it clear, Hunter, I want a divorce. Pack your bags and get out.¡± No matter how fiercely Janie threatened, Hunter was unmoved. He held the reins to the family wealth and thepany shares. Without his consent, nothing would change. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re out of line,¡± Pa erupted. ¡°How could you betray Mom like that? How could you have children with another woman? And why are you ming us instead of yourself?¡± Hunter¡¯s expression softened as he looked at Pa and Erin. Ignoring Janie was one thing, but he had to consider his kids, especially Erin. After a tense silence, Hunter said with a heavy sigh, ¡°Ruby is all alone in Ravenwood, and she needs someone. I just couldn¡¯t stand by and watch her struggle in life. Janie, Ruby has always been gentle and unambitious. Why can¡¯t you just let it be? As for the divorce, it¡¯s not happening. You¡¯re the only wife for me. I hope you can be more forgiving and ept Ruby.¡± At Hunter¡¯s words, Janie¡¯s tears fell like rain. Sheughed bitterly, ¡°Me, giving her a hard time? When have I ever done that? Have I ever neglected her? I¡¯ve been too good to her, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re walking all over me. You want me to be more forgiving, and to ept her? How, Hunter? How can I possibly do that?¡± 12:49) Estre retorted. ¡°Bryce, maybe you should go back to fundraising for somemunity project or something. Cooped up at home all day, what¡¯s the point?¡± ¡°No way, I¡¯d rather die here than go back there, he retorted. ¡°Hurry up ande over. It¡¯s lonely by myself. I¡¯ll order us some pizza.¡± Estre couldn¡¯t help but feel like Bryce was treating her like a toddler. But considering Jason hadn¡¯t been home in over a fortnight and was out with Serene at the Lamont family bash, she wasn¡¯t keen on returning to an empty house. So, she told Bryce to wait and hung up. Meanwhile, at the Lamont residence. The family had just stepped inside when Janie was on the verge of an outburst. However, it was Hunter who lost his cool first, berating her and Pa, ¡°Can¡¯t you two ever measure your actions? Do you not understand the importance of today¡¯s event? I specifically asked you not to let Estre cause a scene, and instead, you two mess it up.¡±. Janie turned pale with rage, confronting Hunter ¡°How could you me me and Pa? Isn¡¯t this all thanks to your own fine work? You sneak around with that bitch Ruby and even fathered twins. How can you face me, Pa and Erin?¡± At the mention of S affair, Hunter¡¯s guilt showed, but his anger remained. Janie, seizing on his silence, pressed, ¡°You were all high and mighty earlier. Why so quiet now? Exin your little tryst with Ruby! I¡¯m making it clear, Hunter, I want a divorce. Pack your bags and get out.¡± No matter how fiercely Janie threatened, Hunter was unmoved. He held the reins to the family wealth and thepany shares. Without his consent, nothing would change. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re out of line,¡± Pa erupted. ¡°How could you betray Mom like that? How could you have children with another woman? And why are you ming us instead of yourself?¡± Hunter¡¯s expression softened as he looked at Pa and Erin. Ignoring Janie was one thing, but he had to consider his kids, especially Erin. After a tense silence, Hunter said with a heavy sigh, ¡°Ruby is all alone in Ravenwood, and she needs someone. I just couldn¡¯t stand by and watch her struggle in life. Janie, Ruby has always been gentle and unambitious. Why can¡¯t you just let it be? As for the divorce, it¡¯s not happening. You¡¯re the only wife for me. I hope you can be more forgiving and ept Ruby.¡± At Hunter¡¯s words, Janie¡¯s tears fell like rain. Sheughed bitterly, ¡°Me, giving her a hard time? When have I ever done that? Have I ever neglected her? I¡¯ve been too good to her, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re walking all over me. You want me to be more forgiving, and to ept her? How, Hunter? How can I possibly do that?¡± 12:49 Pa was furious but felt helpless against her father. She wanted him to send th woman and her cursed twins away, but judging by his stance, it was unlikely that Pa turned to Erin and pleaded, ¡°Erin, with everything that¡¯s happening, you¡¯ve got to say something. Don¡¯t just stand there all silent.¡± Pa¡¯s call to action and Janie¡¯s tearful eyes now fixated on Erin. ¡°Erin, your father has gone too far. You have to speak up for me. You have to be on my side.¡± Janie knew all too well that arguing with Hunter was futile. The only one who could truly stand up to him was his son. Erin stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Hunter as he spoke with a tone that cut to the heart of the matter, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve got Ruby and her twin boys covered. Could you moment to sign these two share transfer agreements?¡± utako a Hunter¡¯splexion shifted dramatically at Erin¡¯s request. He nced at the share transfer agreement Erin ced on the table and then looked at Erin, asking, ¡°Erin, what exactly are you driving at?¡± With a cool detachment, Erin replied, ¡°Dad, thepany and the Lamont family¡¯s future are inevitably going to be mine and Pa¡¯s. I trust that¡¯s what you, mom, and grandpa have in mind too. Since it¡¯s bound to happen, why not just sign the agreements now?¡± Seeing this, Pa quickly scooped up the two agreements to scrutinize them. Erin had divided their father¡¯s shares evenly between herself and her brother. Beneath her own share transfer, there was an additional agreement. Chapter 53 Her shares would be managed by her brother, and Pa was totally cool with that. She¡¯d never been the corporate type- just show her the money and she was golden. As far as she was concerned, it didn¡¯t matter whose hands her shares were in, as long as they were well taken care of. She trusted her brotherpletely. He wouldn¡¯t let her starve, she was sure. He¡¯d look out for his little sis. After skimming through the agreement, Pa immediately sided with Erin, ¡°Dad, Erin¡¯s right. Just sign on the dotted line, will ya?¡± With Exi With Erin stepping in to handle the situation, Janie felt a weight lift off her shoulders. Hunter furrowed his brow, ¡°Erin, my heart has always been in this family, and every bit of the Lamont family is surely yours and Pa¡¯s. But I¡¯m only 53 now. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit too early for me to sign the stock transfer?¡± Hunter was hesitating, but Erin kept his cool, ¡°I¡¯m not in a rush. You sign when you feel like it.¡± But Hunter wouldn¡¯t be seeing Ruby or the twins until those papers were signed, Erin¡¯s calm demeanor unnerved Hunter. Erin didn¡¯t say much, but that didn¡¯t mean Hunter didn¡¯t get the message. Erin was tougher, more decisive than Hunter ever was, and Hunter had seen that even before the kid was fully grown. Plus, Lamont Corporation owed its sess to Erin¡¯s hard. work. After weighing the pros and cons, and thinking of Ruby and his young sons in Erin¡¯s hands, Hunter¡¯s voice trembled as he conceded, ¡°I¡¯ll sign. Right now.¡± No sooner had Hunter agreed than Pa handed him a pen. Janie was seething with and frustration, but she didn¡¯t dare speak out with Erin taking charge. And as for Ruby, that bitch caught in her son¡¯s, Janie knew she¡¯d have her chance for revenge. Hunter took the pen, signed the papers, and looked up at Erin, ¡°Erin, I¡¯ve signed. Now, about Ruby and the boys¡­¡± Before he could finish, Erin cut him off, ¡°Once the transfer is effective, you¡¯ll see them.¡± Hunter stared at Erin for a long moment, eventually realizing he had nothing left to say, and left the house, drained. As soon as Hunter was gone, Janie started her waterworks again, crying about all her hardships over the years. Whileforting Janie, Pa looked up at Erin, ¡°Aren¡¯t you mad about the crazy stuff Dad pulled?¡± 12:49 Erin was as cool as a cucumber, ¡°Getting angry doesn¡¯t solve anything Fixing the problem does. Mom, pull yourself together. We¡¯ll have a press conference tomorrow morning to clear the air about tonight¡¯s drama. Say you were misled.¡± Janie¡¯s tears stopped as if they¡¯d never been, and she looked up at Erin. He rified, ¡°Thepany¡¯s interestse first.¡± ¡°I got it,¡± Janie said. With the family drama handled, Erin didn¡¯t linger. He had a mess to clean up tonight. As he started the car, a sinister smile yed on Erin¡¯s lips. Estre, things were getting interesting. Meanwhile. Estre had barely stepped through the door when Bryce dropped his gaming phone and enveloped her in a bear hug, ¡°Estre, seeing a living, breathing person is a blessing.¡± Estre rolled her eyes, ¡°Enough. Don¡¯t act like a dog who¡¯s just seen a bone.¡± She prodded, ¡°nning to hide out here forever?¡± Bryce was all over her, taking her bag, massaging her back, ¡°Even if I have to hide here for the rest of my life, I won¡¯t go to that damn ce.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ve been back this long and no one¡¯s noticed? Thomas isn¡¯t ratting you out?¡± ¡°Thomas sneaked back too,¡± Bryce said confidently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ve got it all under control over there.¡± If Jason found out they¡¯d both snuck back, he¡¯d va gasket While kneading her shoulders like a loyal servant, Bryce nced at the living room, ¡°I ordered your favorite midnight snack. Didn¡¯t even touch it ¡¯til you got back.¡± ¡°That sweet, huh?¡± ¡°Absolutely. Plus, you went to the Lamont family to stir things up. Bet you didn¡¯t get to eat.¡± Estre sank back into the couch, and Bryceid out thete-night spread before her, handing her a fork, ¡°Jason and that Serene went together, right? Time to put that divorce on the agenda?¡± Estre took the fork without expression, ¡°You¡¯re so keen on me getting a divorce, Bryce. Got a crush on me?¡± Bryce¡¯s face turned red, ¡°You¡¯re fierce, Estre. I¡¯d crush on anyone but you. I just can¡¯t stand Jason¡¯s arrogance, and he¡¯s a total jerk, to begin with.¡± Estre took a sip of water, ¡°You should tell that to your family.¡± ¡°I will, and I¡¯ll make sure to give Jason a piece of my mind after this blows over.¡± 12:49 Estre chuckled, knowing full well Bryce never won against Jason. ¡°Estre, let me tell you, a guy like Jason¡­¡± Bryce ranted on about Jason¡¯s faults. At the same time, Jason had just arrived home and Marie greeted him with a beaming smile, ¡°Mr. Jason, wee back.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Estre?¡± ¡°Ms. Estre didn¡¯te back with you? Then she hasn¡¯t returned yet.¡± Not back yet? Jason¡¯s expression darkened. She wasn¡¯t home asleep? Pulling out his phone, Jason dialed Estre¡¯s number. ¡°As a kid, Jason was the worst. We¡¯d get something to eat, and he¡¯d always take the best part first. Never got to taste the heart of a watermelon because of him. ¡°He¡¯d set me up to disturb hos¡¯ nests, and one summer, he even got me bitten by a snake. Estre, tell me that¡¯s not messed up?¡± Bryce yce was in the midst of his tirade against Jason when Estre¡¯s phone rang. She nced at it, and with a dismissive smirk at Bryce, said, ¡°Looks like the Nelson family¡¯s not-so-fine specimen is calling.¡± Bryce mmed up, his indignation suddenly deting. Estre let out a contemptuousugh before coldly answering the phone, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± On the other end of the line, Jason¡¯s voice came through charged with fury, ¡°Estre, where the hell are you?¡± He had wanted to head back with Estre after the g ended. She had told him that she¡¯d gone home and was already asleep, but when he got back, she was nowhere to be found. Estre pulled the phone away from her ear, her brows and eyes knitted in annoyance, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°You have 10 minutes to get your ass back here,¡± he demanded. Bryce, with all the gravity of a judge, stared at Estre. An opportunity like this was rare, and he felt he ought to do something about it. Otherwise, he¡¯d be letting Jason down. So, Bryce cleared his throat, dropped his voice an octave, and teased, ¡°Ms. Estre, why aren¡¯t you over here? The water¡¯s getting cold. Weren¡¯t we supposed to bath together?¡± Estre¡¯s gaze shot towards Bryce. Was he really that bold? Bryce raised an eyebrow, a smug look stered on his face. Jason wasn¡¯t going to get any sleep tonight. Or the next night. Or even the night after that. 12:49 On the phone, Jason¡¯s breath carried a sense of hostility as he sharply asked, ¡°Is there someone with y you? breath Estre replied, cool as a cucumber, ¡°No, you must have heard wrong.¡± Seeing his chance, Bryce continued, ¡°Ms. Estre, who are you on the phone with? Don¡¯t tell me there¡¯s another man behind my back when you¡¯ve imed you¡¯re single. Hang up the phone already. I promise you a night of blissful ecstasy.¡± 12:49 All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Find a hiding spot, now¡± They barely stepport fuck into the apartment when the doorbell our te sorg ce Bvce pleaded, ¡°Estre, don¡¯t at the ca t Pushing him away, Estre urged, ¡°Get in there Estre, if you don¡¯t open up, you can kiss this ce goodbye,sons ro/2008 Estre leaned casually against the doorframe arms crossed over her chest, wearing s seductive smile ¡°Well, well, what brings you to my doorstep? Dressed in a bright red pajama set, she exuded an air of nonchnce, looking every of the part of a sultry night worker. Jason¡¯s face darkened as he pushed past Estre and barked at Drew, ¡°Not a fly gets o of here.¡± ¿¯ ¡°Understood, Sir Estre, straightening her slipping pajama shoulder, followed Jason into the bedroom. ¡°What¡¯s this about, Jason? Ignoring her, Jason beelined for the master bedroom. After an unsessful search, Estre feigned pealization with augh, ¡°A lover¡¯s tryst, perhaps?¡± She added, ¡°Do I look like the kind to sneak around? If I hadpany. I¡¯d have bragged about it already It¡¯s all clear¡± Jason stepped closer, pinching her cheek ¡°Clear? You think I¡¯m deaf?¡± Estre, trying to save Bryce from a dire fate, bluffed with a steady voice, Tve been glued to the TV. What did you hear?¡± With a smirk, Jason released her face ¡°You better hope I don¡¯t find anything He had already had Drew check the building¡¯s surveince on the way over. No one had entered or left Estre¡¯s block, meaning if there was someone in her apartment, they couldn¡¯t have flown out Estre conceded. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll help you look, okay? She yfully opened the bathroom door ¡°My lever, oh dear, where are you?! Finding no one in the Bathroom, Estre tumed to Jason. ¡°No one here ¡± After searching a few more spots and finding nothing. Estre challenged. If you don¡¯t find anyone here today, Jason you owe me amexnation.¡± Jason brushed her off ¡°Don¡¯t try to cover it upstrea Estre continued the search Drew listening to Estres repeated calls of lover struggled to contain hisughter When it came to bantering. Jason was no match for M¡­ Estre. As Jason rummaged and Estre kept calling out for her lover Jason couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated Estre seemed determined not to let up until she found her lover However, as their search went on and no one was found Jason¡¯s anger began to subside ¡°Lover oh lover, where are you?¡± Jason finally had enough ¡°Estre shut it,¡± he snapped coldly Estre turned, with a mocking smile on her face. Just speak your mind, ?Jason. No need to use me wrongly How dare he try to catch her in the act when he was the one bringing dates to gs? Jason moved on to the fourth bedroom, and Estre quickly opened the door ahead of Chapter 54 him, calling out again for the ¡®lover¡¯. After checking under the bed and in the bathroom, Estre finally opened the closet, then closed it. ¡°Well, Jason, what now?¡± Every nook and cranny was searched, and still nothing found. Jason stared at Estre for a long moment, then slowly approached the bed. His gaze settled on the neatly made bed, finally resting on something at the foot. Estre watched him, expecting some sort of exnation. After a long stare, just as Jason was about to leave, he paused. Bending down, he picked up a short hair from the foot of the bed. Estre imed it was hers with cool confidence. Jason, skeptical, moved towards the wardrobe, pushed Estre aside, and opened it. Atop the wardrobe, Bryce froze, watching Jason like a statue. When Jason saw someone in the closet, it was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped on him. But upon realizing it was Bryce, he breathed a sigh of relief. No matter how reckless Estre might be, she wouldn¡¯t be involved with Bryce. And Bryce wouldn¡¯t dare cross that line with Estre. The two looked at each other, and finally, it was Bryce who spoke first. He called out, ¡°Hi.¡± Jason, cool as ice, stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets and tossed out a casual ultimatum, ¡°You coming down on your own, or should I help you make the trip?¡± ¡°I¡¯lle down myself, okay?¡± Bryce hurriedly surrendered. He knew better than to provoke Jason¡¯s assistance; it wouldn¡¯t end well for him. Momentster, they regrouped in the living room, where Bryce had turned sheepish. ¡°Jason, I was just being a jerk and intentionally teasing you earlier.¡± At the entrance, Drew¡¯s jaw was practically on the floor. ¡°Bryce, weren¡¯t you out building schools?¡± he blurted out, visibly shocked. What Drew hadn¡¯t expected was that Estre¡¯s house was indeed harboring a man.. ¡°Just couldn¡¯t adjust to the new ce, so I came back to rest a bit,¡± Bryce exined away. Jason lounged on the couch, a picture of ease, his legs sprawled out before him. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he fixed Bryce with a calm, prating gaze. ¡°What do you have to make me believe that you were just being a jerk and nothing happened between you and her?¡± 12:49 Jason had heard a man¡¯s voice on Estre¡¯s phone, but he hadn¡¯t really gone after her. His entire focus was on hunting down that mystery man and putting an end to him. As Bryce listened to Jason¡¯s questioning, his voice immediately raised, ¡°Look, bro, Estre¡¯s a tough cookie that only you dare to bite into. She¡¯s so fierce, I go limp just looking at her. How could anything happen between us?¡± As he spoke, Bryce raised his hands as if taking an oath, ¡°Man, I swear, there¡¯s nothing shady going on between Estre and me. I promise.¡± Whether that would change in the future, he couldn¡¯t say. Feelings and thoughts are like rivers, always flowing. Bryce threw Estre under the bus without a second thought, even went so far as to say she was such a tough nut to crack that he couldn¡¯t get it up around her. Estre¡¯s face soured like she¡¯d bitten into a lemon, and she kicked Bryce several times in response, ¡°Bryce, you ungrateful mutt, what the hell kind of talk is that?¡± And with that, she sent a few more fierce kicks his way. Jason wasn¡¯t too pleased with the conversation himself, and with a cold tone, he asked Estre, ¡°So, you want him to get excited over you?¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Estre, fuming, gave Bryce another kick and turned to Jason with an exasperated look, ¡°Do what you gotta do to him.¡± ¡°Hey, we¡¯re supposed to be in this together. Why are you kicking me?¡± Bryce dodged another kick from Estre and turned back to Jason, ¡°Bro, seriously, there¡¯s nothing going on. Besides, if there were, we would¡¯ve been an item already.¡± At the doorway, Drew looked on with sympathy, thinking Bryce was nning on bing a permanent outcast from Ravenwood. Jason just gave them an icy nce, and Bryce pped himself in the face, ¡°I¡¯ve got a loose tongue, I admit it. But, bro, please, no more talk of sending me to work on some school project. That ce is a nightmare.¡± ¡°How could Thomas stay there?¡± Jason retorted. Bryce quickly added, ¡°Thomas has alreadye back.¡± With an amused snort, Jason turned to Drew, who was already dialing to start an investigation. Sympathy still evident, Drew said to Bryce, ¡°Bryce, I don¡¯t think anyone can save you now. You¡¯ve spilled the beans pretty thoroughly.¡± With a look of innocence, Bryce turned to Jason, who smirked and said, ¡°So, you want to y house? Have a bit of heavenly fun?¡± ¡°Bro, it¡¯s just me running my mouth, I was just trying to stick up for my E after you took Chapter 55 that Serene to the party.¡± ¡°Your E?¡± ¡°Yours, yours, all yours.¡± Jason ordered, ¡°Drew, take Bryce here for a nice steamy bath, and let him have a bit of heavenly fun.¡± Bryce panicked, ¡°Bro, are you out of your mind? I¡¯m still a virgin!¡± Drew said with a hint of amusement, ¡°Bryce, after you.¡± ¡°Jason¡­¡± Bryce was led away by Drew, and Estre, stifling a yawn, told Jason, ¡°Alright, Mr. Jason, since everything¡¯s sorted, you can see yourself out.¡± Instead of leaving, Jason pulled Estre close, ¡°You think you can hide your guy from me and get off that easy?¡± Estre poked at his chest in disagreement, ¡°Ask yourself, is Bryce neves?¡± lly a man in your Jason found himself at a loss for words. After a moment of silence, he finally said, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about Bryce. Let¡¯s settle tonight¡¯s score.¡± Estre stood up from his embrace,ughing, ¡°You mean for bringing another woman t the g?¡± Knowing he was in the wrong, Jason stood as well, ¡°Time for a bath and bed.¡± to Estre wasn¡¯t having it, grabbing his arm, ¡°Hold on. We haven¡¯t settled the score for me dismissing you earlier.¡± Since Jason was on shaky ground there too, he rubbed his temples and said, ¡°Estre, know when to quit.¡± ¡°I never let anyone take advantage of me, Mr. Jason. If there are any unsettled scores¡­¡± Before Estre could finish, Jason turned around, pulled her into his arms, and nted a kiss on her lips. Whenever he couldn¡¯t win an argument with Estre, Jason would kiss her. Estre pushed him away, a burst of rage following, ¡°Jason, you¡¯ve got some nerve! Making a scene herete at night and then trying to take advantage of me? You¡¯re too used to getting your way!¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Keep your dirty hands to yourself.¡± She pushed him out the door, throwing his jacket after him, ¡°Go find someone else to bug. Just stay away from me.¡± Jason snapped as well, ¡°Estre.¡± ?? 12:49 ¡°Get lost!¡± With that, she mmed the door on him, leaving him fuming outside. Damn it, he thought, twenty-six years old and he¡¯d never been treated like this. ¡°Estre, open the damn door.¡± She ignored him. ¡°Estre.¡± Still no response.. After several shouts, Jason finally exined, ¡°Last time I tried to sleep with you but you refused, so I was trying to tick you off tonight.¡± Meanwhile, Estre had already retreated to her bedroom. It was her house, and she¡¯d kick o whoever she wanted. After yelling to no avail, Jason eventually kicked the door in frustration and muttered, ¡°Such a temper.¡± ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve hadints of disturbance and breaking and entering,¡± announced themunity security as Jason withdrew his foot. Damn you, Estre, he thought, conceding defeat. With Bryce gone and Jason finally leaving, Estre¡¯s world returned to peace, and after a refreshing bath, she copsed into bed and was soon fast asleep. The next morning, Estre was rudely awakened by a relentless series of calls. She groggily fumbled for her phone beneath her pillow, her eyes still closed. ¡°Who is it?¡± she mumbled. On the other end, Kristin¡¯s voice crackled with urgency, ¡°Estre, Grandpa is throwing a fit. You need to get yourself over to the family estate, pronto.¡± Estre indulged in a few more moments of shut-eye before replying with anguid, ¡°Okay, got it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you be dawdling in bed, youngdy. Get yourself over here,¡± Kristin admonished before muttering to herself, ¡°These kids nowadays, not a single one that doesn¡¯t give me headaches.¡± Estre simply listened as Kristin vented her frustration. After hanging up, Estre reluctantly peeled herself from thefort of her bed. As she freshened up, Jesse updated her. Apparently, Janie had just held a press conference iming the previous night¡¯s scandal was a big misunderstanding, and she¡¯d been set up. Regardless, the Lamont family had pulled out of the Digital Springs project. The family¡¯s stocks had evaporated overnight, erasing all the recent gains and then some, costing 12:49 them billions. Ravenwood was abuzz with the scandal, By the time Estre pulled up to the Nelson estate in her Audi, the senior members of the family were already assembled. Jason and Bryce had also made an appearance. Bryce looked particrly rough around the edges, with dark circles that could rival a panda¡¯s. Had Jason done a number on him? Had he taken a leaf out of Estre¡¯s book and saddled Bryce with a bevy of beauties? Chapter 56 ¡°Estre,¡± Kristin called out with a wave of her hand as she spotted her approaching. Estre came closer and whispered, ¡°Did someone have their way with Bryce?¡± Kristin shook her head, ¡°No. It¡¯s not that serious.¡± The Nelsons were known for calling a family council only when there was a serious issue at hand. These meetings used to be a rarity, but ever since Estre tied the knot with Jason, they seemed to be a tad more frequent. Keith took his seat at the head of the table and eyed Estre as she walked in. ¡°Estre,¡± he began, ¡°the Lamont family said you incited Janie and Pa to hit someonest night.¡± Estre shrugged. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m not that powerful. Justid out some truth for them. Whatever happened next, that¡¯s on the Lamonts to decide.¡± Her words made Keith¡¯s face darken a bit for show, though inside he was clear as day that the girl was up to no good. He retorted, ¡°Even so, you shouldn¡¯t have stirred the potr right now. Any other time would¡¯ve done.¡± ¡°Janie was trying to school me on life, and how to bear sons. So, I figured I¡¯d just seek some tips from Hunter on how he¡¯s so darn capable,¡± Estre shot back. The elders began to chime in. ¡°Estre¡¯s always been sensible. Last night, it must have been Janie and Pa who provoked her first.¡± ¡°Exactly. I saw it with my own eyes,¡± Jason¡¯s aunt eximed. She had initially wanted to rush to Estre¡¯s defense, but seeing Estre in full control, she held back. She didn¡¯t want to cramp Estre¡¯s style by stepping in and ying peacemaker. Instead, she enjoyed the drama from the sidelines. And what a delightful show it was. ¡°Dad, Estre knows where the line is. She wouldn¡¯t start anything,¡± Kristin also sided with Estre. One by one, everyone rallied behind Estre, leaving Keith with no room to scold. He knew all too well that the Lamonts had grand ambitions and were gunning for the Dorvolds. Unable to berate Estre, he turned his attention to Jason. ¡°Estre¡¯s got a passable excuse. What about you, Jason?¡± Jason, hands in his pockets, coolly replied, ¡°No excuse.¡± Estre, intrigued, quietly asked her aunt-inw, ¡°What did Jason do to Bryce?¡± Her aunt-inw whispered back, ¡°That rascal soaked Bryce in a bath all night and wouldn¡¯t let him relieve himself with anydies. Nearly broke the man.¡± 12.50 Estre mused, ¡°Might as well have just had someone take Bryce by force.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not the way,¡± her aunt-inw replied ¡°Grandpa says all of the Nelson family¡¯s mischief seems to havended on that one.¡± Keith¡¯s expression darkened as he dered, ¡°You two, each as mischievous as the other. I say you better just stick together for life and spare the rest of the world your trouble.¡± It was clear to him that either of them paired with another would be unmatched; no one could handle their level of mischief. Looking at Jason¡¯s demeanor, Keith spoke up with dissatisfaction, ¡°Jason, even if Bryce Was hur you shouldn¡¯t punish him like that. What if it causes a real problem?¡± With a serene air, Jason said, ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Estre gave Jason a sidelong nce and then shot Bryce a sympathetic look. Bryce, taking the cue, dramatically lunged for a hug, sobbing, ¡°Estre, Jason is a monster. Last night, he almost killed me.¡± As Estre moved to console Bryce, Jason shot her a frigid stare, ¡°Bryce, try touching her.¡± Bryce¡¯s arms, mid-air, froze, and then he bawled even louder, ¡°Estre, Jason won¡¯t let me hug you.¡± Feeling sorry for Bryce, Estre went over and hugged him. ¡°There, I¡¯ll hug you. That better? If you need more, I¡¯ll scout out some goodpany for you.¡± Herment left everyone flushed with embarrassment. This brazen girl. Bryce, even more despondent, confessed, ¡°I can¡¯t even think about it anymore. I¡¯m scared I¡¯ll never be able to perform again afterst night¡¯s blunder.¡± The room fell silent. Estre teased, ¡°Worstes to worst, I¡¯ll apany you for a gender reassignment surgery. Life¡¯s easier as a woman, less effort involved.¡± The elders didn¡¯t know where to look. Seeing Estre still hugging Bryce, Jason kicked her yfully, ¡°Can¡¯t let go. Estre let go and retaliated with a couple of kicks of her own, ¡°Stay away. you?¡± from me.¡± Jason¡¯s domineering attitude rubbed his aunt the wrong way, and she couldn¡¯t help but remark sarcastically, ¡°Jason, I thought you couldn¡¯t stand Estre. Weren¡¯t you the one insisting on a divorce? What¡¯s this about now? ¡°When did I ever say I didn¡¯t want her or insist on a divorce?¡± Jason countered. His aunt reminded him, ¡°We all heard it. Estre herself can testify. But Jason was adamant. ¡°I never said that.¡± 12:50 200 Keith, seizing the opportunity, shifted the conversation, ¡°Since that¡¯s not the case, you two better start working on having kids. Seems to me the only way you¡¯ll straighten up is by bing parents.¡± His aunt looked skeptical. ¡°Jason, are you sure you¡¯re up to it? Maybe you should get some tips from Hunter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s got three sons, with the youngest being twins.¡± ¡°No need, thank you.¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened. Jason, no shame if there¡¯s a problem. We¡¯re all family here.¡± Bryce chimed in, ¡°Bro, if you can¡¯t manage, I can put our past behind us and lend a hand.¡± Thatment took a weird turn. As soon as Bryce finished, both Estre and Jason kicked him in unison. Bryce looked confused, ¡°What did I say wrong now?¡± His mother spoke up, ¡°You deserved those kicks.¡± Still, Bryce couldn¡¯t figure it out. Everyone was saying the same thing, and why was he the one getting hit? The group was buzzing with chatter, and Kristin eventually turned to Jason, her gaze locking onto his with an intensity thatmanded the room. ¡°Jason, by the end of the year, Estre better be expecting, or you¡¯re marching straight to the doctor, no ifs or buts.¡±, ¡°Yeah, Jason, it¡¯s high time you and Estre had a kid. It¡¯s starting to look odd,¡± another All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. voice chimed in. ¡°Jason, why don¡¯t you let Brycee with you for a check-up at the clinic?¡± suggested someone else, trying to lighten the atmosphere. Jason, unfazed by the mounting pressure, casually pulled his hand from his pocket and ced it heavily on Estre¡¯s nape, kneading it with a familiarity that spoke volumes. some serious ¡°Estre, you sure know how to get everyone on your side. You¡¯ve got s skills.¡± Estre, with a scoff that resonated with self-assurance, shrugged off his hand. ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m just a good person.¡± Kristin, not satisfied with Jason¡¯s nonchnce bore down on him with a look that could ahy or not?¡± cut steel. ¡°Jason, we need an answer. Are you two going to have a Jason lifted his head, feeling the weight of all their stares, the silent anticipation hanging in the air. Everyone was waiting for his response. 12:50 Chapter 57 It felt like there was no chance he¡¯d be walking out of here today unless he gave them the answer they wanted. With his hands casually tucked into his pockets, his gaze settled on Estre. Staring at her. for a while, Jason said expressionlessly. ¡°Alright. Estre couldn¡¯t help but let out a smug chuckle at Jason¡¯s concession, as if to say, ¡°I thought you had more backbone.¡± In reality, the pressure from Kristin and Keith meant nothing to him; how he¡¯d respond to the collective push from the family was entirely up to his current mood. It was his choice to make. ¡°Jason, you¡¯ve given your word, and now we¡¯re all looking forward to toasting to your new fatherhood next year.¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s about time you settled down,¡± people chimed in around him. Jason pulled his right hand out of his pocket and ced it on the nape of Estre¡¯s neck, his voice calm, ¡°Let¡¯s head back and get the job done. As Estre lifted her head, Jason nudged her towards the door, guiding her out of the yard Jason, you get scared too, huh? Estre teased With one hand still in his pocket and the other on her neck, Jason retorted, ¡°Do you really believe that?¡± She shrugged off his hand and turned to yell into the house, Kristin Before she could finish, Jason had opened the car door and practically tossed her inside: The car roared to life shortly after, and as they pulled away, Jason nced at her and remarked, ¡°You¡¯ve turned the whole Ravenwood upside down ¡®Don¡¯t tter me I¡¯m not that influential, Estre replied As her voice faded, Jason¡¯s phone rang with a work call While Jason was on the call, Estre absentmindedly scrolled through her phone. Despite Erin¡¯s efforts to scrubst night¡¯s trending topics and Janie¡¯s public apology, the Lamont family¡¯s stock had still plummeted at opening, and the losses were substantial Estre¡¯s phone rang as well, it was a call from Cole ¡°Dad¡± ¡°Estre, I just got a call from Wes asking if we¡¯re interested in the Digital Springs project,¡± Cole¡¯s voice was tinged with excitement yet steady. BEN BEST ?? 12:50 M ¡°Just say yes, Dad.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Cole exhaled deeply, ¡°Estre, you should think abouting back to work at thepany.¡± She chuckled, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let you know when I¡¯ve made up my up my mind.¡± At 23, Estre was in no rush to be tied down, with dreams and ambitions of her own to pursue. After a brief chat, they hung up. Estre had ensured the quality of materials for Digital Springs not just as a precaution but as a testament to Dorvold Group¡¯smitment to the project. If Janie hadn¡¯t caused a scene the hight before, taking on the project would have meant a loss for the Lamont family. Estre was well-prepared for any oue. After disconnecting the call, Jason too ended his phone conversation and tossed his phone aside, saying, ¡°Making the Lamont family take such a big hit, you y rough, Estre.¡± Estre responded with a smirk, ¡°If I¡¯m not tough on them, they¡¯ll be tough on me. Jason, still silent, gently pinched the nape of Estre¡¯s neck. To him, she was like a kite, it seemed she belonged to him, and she also appeared to need him, always taking the initiative. But their rtionship was tethered by a thin kite string, fragile and easily severed, and Estre¡¯s ambitions were no smaller than his. Jason¡¯s sudden gentleness caught her off guard, and with a yful smile, she teased, ¡°Scared?¡± Jason scoffed, ¡°Erin can only spar with you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Estre¡¯s eyes sparkled, and then she added, ¡°I have a client meeting. Take me to thew firm.¡± Without protest, Jason drove her straight there. Come evening. As Estre left work, she noticed a shy blue sports car parked outside thew firm Erin¡¯s ride. Her pace slowed, even halting for a moment. ¨C Erin rolled down the window, a warm smile ying on his lips, ¡°You really manage to bnce your dream and life so well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a stretch, but manageable,¡± Estre replied nonchntly. ¡°Get in. I¡¯ll give you a ride.¡± Estre quipped, ¡°I¡¯m afraid your car might be too bumpy for me.¡± Having just undercut him, she dared not get into his car. There was no telling what might happen next. As Estre stood her ground, Erin stepped out of his vehicle. Approaching her at a 12:50 Cuple 57 leisurely pace, Erin¡¯s voice held a teasing edge, Estre, are you scared?¡± Estre¡¯s hands remained in the pockets of her ck wide-leg pants as she nced at his car, ¡°Next time you want to pick me up, bring a better car¡± it was a jab at Erin, who had recently lost a car race to Jason. Erin didn¡¯t lose his temper but kept the same warm smile, countering, ¡°Better than your little Audi worth a few tens of thousands?¡± Estre replied, ¡°I don¡¯t care what I drive, but when ites to a man¡¯s car, I only ride in limited editions.¡± She was referencing Erin¡¯s failed attempt to outdo Jason, and Erin¡¯s response was to shift the conversation to business. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the legal representation for the Lamont family,¡± Erin suggested. Estre burst intoughter, ¡°Erin, is this your way of pledging allegiance? Still eyeing the project?¡± With the Lamont family stripped of their representation and their stocks on a downward spiral, Erin¡¯s visit was likely an attempt to curry favor with Estre in hopes of involving the Lamont family in the Digital Springs project, even if just in name. Realizing his intentions, Estre couldn¡¯t help but tease him further, ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m that easy to talk down, Erin? That I¡¯d throw the Lamont family a lifeline?¡± He had teamed up with the Manning family more times than he could count, and this time she had finally caught her chance. Estre wouldn¡¯t rest until she had them begging for mercy. Why on earth would she give them an opportunity to recover? Erin took two steps forward, leaned in close, and whispered into her ear, ¡°Estre, having one more friend is always better than one more enemy.¡± Estre retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t try to brainwash me. I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I¡¯m not foolish enough to invite the wolf into my home.¡± If the Dorvold family were ever to fall from grace, Erin would be the first to kick them while they were down, the first toe out and shame her. It wasn¡¯t just because of the family ties; more importantly, she was Jason¡¯s wife, and he had always wanted to outdo Jason. Erin¡¯s eyes grew colder. ¡°So, you¡¯re immune to persuasion and charm?¡± Estre looked up, straightening Erin¡¯s cor with a smirk. ¡°What if I am?¡± If she showed any weakness to the Lamont family today, it would be like nting mines in her own. backyard. She wasn¡¯t so blind to danger, nor did she have the luxury of excessivepassion. was ¡°Estre, you¡¯re bing more and more interesting to me.¡± Estre just smiled. ¡°Is that so? But you¡¯re still light years away from Jason.¡± She couldn¡¯t allow Erin¡¯s focus to remain solely on her. She needed to divert some of his 12:50 attention to Jason. When Estre suggested he was no match for Jason, Erin¡¯splexion shifted noticeably. The atmosphere tensed, and suddenly the insistent re of a car horn interrupted the standoff. Both instinctively turned their heads to look. 12:50 ?? Chapter 58 The car door swung open, and Korey¡¯s secretary stepped out, extending a greeting to Ms. Estre. The subtle smile on Erin¡¯s lips carried a significant meaning. ¡°ke,¡± Estre greeted nonchntly, as if it were any ordinary day. I ke smiled and said to Estre, ¡°Ms. Estre, can¡¯t thank you enough for helping those construction guys get their overdue pay. Korey would like to take you out for a meal, to express his gratitude in person.¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± Estre agreed promptly, then turned to Erin. ¡°Mr. Lamont, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Erin responded with a chuckle, ¡°Seems like Jason¡¯s got some stiffpetition.¡± Unruffled by Erin¡¯s taunting, Estre took a couple of steps forward, leaned in slightly, and whispered in a low voice, ¡°So, Erin, you¡¯re not in my league.¡± Erin¡¯s gaze hardened, his eyes taking on a chill as they followed Estre. Estre, however, simply smiled nonchntly, casually straightened Erin¡¯s cor, and -walked away. ke held open the back door of the car for her, and as Estre slid inside, Korey caught Erin¡¯s eye and nodded casually at him. Erin¡¯s expression darkened as he watched the car drive away. He was all too aware that in Ravenwood, where the talented were many, his journey to the top was still long. The engine of the luxury car hummed to life as Korey spoke with a warm cordiality. ¡°Estre, I really appreciate what you didst time. I¡¯ve been meaning to take you out for dinner but got tied up with meetings out of town.¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Estre offered a polite smile. ¡°You¡¯re being too formal, Korey.¡± Their conversation flowed as the driver steered the vehicle toward a private bistro. Estre wasn¡¯t keen on attending Korey¡¯s dinner invitation, but since he hade all the way to thew firm, and with Erin present that day, she feltpelled to ept. Meanwhile, at Sandalwood Oasis. Upon returning, Jason, noticing Estre¡¯s absence, sent Drew to track her whereabouts. Soon after, Drew reported back, ¡°Sir, Mr. Erin sought out Ms. Estre this evening.¡± Jason¡¯s face clouded over with a mix of emotions. ¡°Where is she now?¡± On the other end, Drew cautiously continued, ¡°Mr. Korey also approached Ms. Estre 12:50 ning with bir today. She¡¯s currently and I presume¡­¡± I a spring Before Drew could finish, the bedroom door burst open. Estre¡¯s voice, fresh as breeze, filled the room, ¡°You¡¯re back already? Weren¡¯t you just giving me lip service? What¡¯s this, a change of heart?¡± As Estre entered, Jason tossed his phone aside with a flick of his wrist. She nced at him, shrugged off her coat, and hung it on the tack. Jason, hands in his pockets, watched her with a frosty demeanor. ¡°Where¡¯ve you been?¡± Estre, feeling the weariness in her neck, replied, ¡°Just had dinner with a friend.¡± Jason¡¯s arm snaked around Estre¡¯s waist, pulling her close. ¡°What friend? Care to say the name?¡± Estre, half-amused, half-bewildered, asked, ¡°Jealous?¡± Her yful smirk did little to appease Jason. Holding her chin, he said firmly, ¡°Estre, if the Dorvold family intends to establish a stable presence in Ravenwood, I¡¯m sure you know what you should and shouldn¡¯t do, and who to keep at arm¡¯s length.¡± Estre¡¯s smile faded as she met his gaze squarely. ¡°Are you threatening me, Jason?¡± She hated threats, and what right did Jason have to make them? Before her smilepletely disappeared, Estre brushed his hand away, asking calmly, ¡°So, Jason, you really think I can¡¯t stand up to you?¡± The tone of the conversation had shifted, and Estre knew she couldn¡¯t take his words lightly. ¡°Are you dering war, Estre?¡± Jason¡¯s tone was sharp. Estre, not in the mood for a fight, grabbed her pajamas from the closet and said evenly, ¡°Nobody¡¯s dering war. Just a reminder: my parents and the Dorvold Group are my lines in the sand. Don¡¯t cross them.¡± With that, she headed for the bathroom, but Jason caught her arm and pulled her back. into his embrace. Estre, fed up, lost her usualposure and snapped, ¡°Enough, Jason! You keep Serene close to you, and you expect me to make a scene every day? Should I just give up on my work and life?¡± Her outburst only fueled Jason¡¯s anger further. ¡°Every time you meet with Korey, you pick a fight with me. It seems your heart has already wandered.¡± Estre was exasperated. ¡°Yes, my heart has flown away. Now what? What do you want to do about it?¡± Their quarrels seemed endless, and she wished he would just stay away. Exhausted from her hectic life, she had no energy left for his tantrums. 12:50 At her words, Jason turned away, hands still pocketed, and fell silent. After a moment of silence, he turned around and looked at Estre coldly, saying, ¡°Estre, do you think you are the victim in this?¡± Her brows furrowed. ¡°Are you saying you are? you have something to say, Jason, just say it. There¡¯s no need to beat around the bush. I¡¯m not someone who shies away from responsibility or confrontation.¡± His response was to light a cigarette and walk over to the floor-to-ceiling windows. As smoke filled the room, Jason faced Estre again. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re waiting for me to speak up.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Estre replied, too weary to argue. ¡°It¡¯s clear enough what you want. I¡¯m just the one who¡¯s too stubborn to see it, right?¡± Before she could finish, Jason cut her off. ¡°What have I made clear?¡± Their domestic battlefield was set, with neither side willing to yield. want to Estre¡¯s voice was a mixture of frustration and resignation. ¡°Jason, if you really tally up our ounts, let¡¯s settle them today. We¡¯ve been married for over two years, and you haven¡¯t even thrown me a wedding reception. You¡¯ve never bought me anything, and don¡¯t even have a wedding ring to speak of.¡± She took a deep breath, her chest heaving slightly as she prepared to unload more grievances that had been simmering beneath the surface. ¡°And then there¡¯s Serene. You keep her by your side as if she¡¯s at your beck and call, ready toe and go with a snap of your fingers. You take her to all sorts of events, big and small. It¡¯s always her, isn¡¯t it?¡± Her voice cracked, a blend of anger and hurt, as she delivered the question that had been haunting her. ¡°Tell me, Jason, between her and me, who is really your wife?¡± 12:50 Chapter 59 ¡°And then there¡¯s Bryce and Thomas. They couldn¡¯t convince me to get a divorce, so off you shipped them to the hignds to build schools. And in all these years, when have you evere home without giving me the cold shoulder?¡± Estre had aundry list of grievances that she couldn¡¯t even begin to tally up, and frankly, she couldn¡¯t be bothered to itemize them to him. She had never been one to dredge up the past. Usually, she¡¯d let bygones be bygones. But Jason was relentless, picking fights every chance he got. Like when she¡¯d juste home. Estre had been in a good mood, trying to chat with him. He was snippy, but she let it slide-only for him to escte it into a full-blown row, even using her family as leverage. Even the saintliest patience has its limits. As Jason was about to retort with a stern face Estre cut in, ¡°This morning at the family estate was just the same. You made promises in front of everyone, and then behind their backs/you dismissed it all as lip service. Jason, do you really think I have no self-respect? That I can be walked all over?¡± By now, Estre had regained herposure and continued, ¡°Jason, my patience isn¡¯t endless. I won¡¯t keep indulging you. So, don¡¯t put too much stock in those fortune-tellers¡¯ words. I haven¡¯t tried being with anyone else. How do you know I can¡¯t live without you?¡± Even as she spoke, Estre was striving to keep her emotions in check. It wasn¡¯t just the prophecies that mattered to her; it was the years of connection they shared. She remembered her mother always saying that the first person she saw when she was born was Jason. And so, she cherished that bond. One could only imagine the storm clouding Jason¡¯s face at her words. Having known Estre for 23 years, he understood her temperament. She wasn¡¯t one for conflict or wasting words, but when truly upset, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to get real. This was the second time in months that they¡¯d had a point-by-point argument, and both times, it was over Korey. He was bothered by it. As the tension between them thickened, Estre¡¯s phone abruptly rang from her pocket. It was Thomas. Without any secrecy, Estre answered in front of Jason, putting the call on speaker. ¡°What¡¯s up, Thomas?¡± Her voice, as always, was bold and hearty. On the other end, Thomas sounded desperately pathetic. ¡°E, I really need your help this time.¡± Estre nced at Jason expressionlessly, then prompted, ¡°Go on.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°I¡¯ve escaped from the school project, and Jason caught wind of it. I heard Bryce¡¯s already been through the wringer. E, you¡¯ve got to save me. 12:50 Calmly, Estre asked, ¡°And how am I supposed to do that?¡± ¡°Look, just temporarily convince Jason that you¡¯re considering the divorce. I don¡¯t need you to actually go through with it, just help me buy some time. After all, Jason¡¯s been itching for a divorce for a while now.¡± His plea was almostical to Estre. Her marria for others to curry favor. was nothing but a bargaining chip After a brief, self-deprecating chuckle, Estre said, ¡°Fine. Not just a temporary lie-I¡¯ll even agree to a real divorce for your sake.¡± Thomas was nearly moved to tears. ¡°E, I can¡¯t thank you enough. I owe you big time. If you really split with Jason, I¡¯ll set you up with someone decent. Someone more straightced than Jason, who won¡¯t mess around or leave you lonely.¡± Every word Thomas said was a stinging satire of Estre¡¯s marriage. Estreughed it off. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll hold you to that promise of a good man.¡± Jason, meanwhile, was seething, his face a picture of disgust. In their eyes, his marriage. to Estre was a sham. As Thomas gushed his thanks, Jason strode over, snatched the phone from Estre, and hung up. Estre, unfazed, remarked, ¡°You heard the call. Whenever you¡¯re ready, let¡¯s get the paperwork sorted.¡± Her sarcastic tone was not lost on Jason. ¡°So, our marriage is just at everyone else¡¯s disposal?¡± ¡°It¡¯s mutually beneficial,¡± Estre shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter who calls the shots.¡± ¡°Mutually beneficial? For you or for me?¡± Jason challenged, cupping her chin before leaning in to im her lips. His kisses, scented with a trace of tobo and his own clean fragrance, were an assault on her senses. Estre, irked by his presumptuousness, didn¡¯t even close her eyes. Instead, she pushed against him with her foot. But that only seemed to intensify Jason¡¯s passion. As Estre recalled her grievances, Jason did feel a twinge in his heart. He thought she didn¡¯t care, but it turned out she did. Her myriad concerns made Jason see a semnce of a wife in her. However, as for Bryce and Thomas, those two rascals needed a lesson. Since when did he ask them to push for a divorce? Damn it, both meant more trouble than they were worth. As Jason¡¯s kisses became almost suffocating, Estre, her face flushed, finally pushed him away. ¡°Have you no shame?¡± 12:50 ¡°Shame? We¡¯re cut from the same cloth, you and I, Jason quipped, not missing a beat. Estre rolled her eyes in disdain. Then, looking straight at him, she asked, ¡°Jason, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve changed your mind? That you can¡¯t bear to part with me?¡± The call from Thomas, though harsh, did lighten the mood somewhat. Caught in Estre¡¯s deep and bright gaze, Jason felt a stir within. Chapter 60 Jason¡¯s gaze rested on Estre, a flicker of restlessness shing in his eyes as he felt the weight of many eyes upon her. His right hand grazed her side, a touch both possessive and tender, as he murmured, ¡°I can¡¯t stand the thought of all these people ogling you.¡± Estre rolled her eyes. Men always took what they had for granted until someone else showed interest. Then even the mundane became precious. With a disdainful look, Estre brushed Jason¡¯s hand away as it crept beneath her blouse to caress the softness of her breast. She¡¯d tried to soothe his ego before, but he had been indifferent. Now that she was fed up and ready to walk away, he came crawling back. How typical. Breaking free from Jason¡¯s grasp, Estre hadn¡¯t gone far when he pulled her back. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Estre turned, exasperated. ¡°To take a shower. Do I need to file a formal request?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind you as you are,¡± Jason replied, as Estre pushed against his chest. ¡°Well, I mind you,¡± she retorted. They¡¯d just had an argument, and she wasn¡¯t in the mood to sleep with him, no matter how skilled he might be. Estre took the clothes and went to the bathroom, while Jason went to the floor-to-ceiling window and lit a cigarette. The smoke rings were flowing slowly and heavily, and Jason also breathed out a sigh slowly. The earlier spat seemed to have dissipated, but Estre¡¯s temper had been ring up more. often, even broaching the topic of divorce twice. When Estre emerged from the bathroom, Jason snuffed out another cigarette in the ashtray. She shot him a nce. ¡°You¡¯ve been smoking a lottely.¡± He opened the window wide. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t need to if you didn¡¯t get on my nerves.¡± Estreughed. ¡°I have that much influence over you?¡± Jason couldn¡¯t help but admire Estre¡¯s forthrightness. Moments after a fight, she could still joke around. Now, she sauntered toward him in a crimson nightgown that made her skin glow and her beauty more radiant, like a starlet from an old Hollywood flick. She smoothed hand lotion over her skin, and as Jason encircled her from behind, his hands found their familiar ces on her waist and breast. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. After taking a shower, she hadn¡¯t bothered with a bra. Jason deliberately ran his thumb twice across her nipple. Estre flicked her gaze upwards, catching their reflection in the vanity mirror. Jason, his gold-rimmed sses perched on his nose, rested his chin tiredly 12:50 on her shoulder, eyes closed. Slowing the rhythm of rubbing in her hand cream, she slipped her right foot out of her slipper, gently rubbing her soft sole against his calf, ¡°Feeling frisky?¡± Jason pinched her gently, causing Estre to gasp in surprise. ¡°Are you out of your mind?!¡± she snapped back, ¡°If these were fake, you would have popped them by now!¡± ¡°If they were fake, I wouldn¡¯t even bother touching them,¡± Jason retorted. In response, Estre stomped on his foot with her slipper. Jason reacted by pulling her towards him and spinning her around so they were face to face. He leaned in and kissed her gently, their quarrel seemingly forgotten in that moment. They pressed into each other, his arms wrapping around Estre¡¯s waist. The quiet night wrapped around them, their bodies close in spite of their previous argument. As Jason¡¯s lips moved over hers, Estre couldn¡¯t deny the rush of pleasure it brought her. She reached up to sp the back of his neck pulling him closer as he scooped her up and ced her on the vanity table. In the mirror, she saw her reflection ¨C the naked shoulder peeping out from her red robe was an enticing sight. In the silence that followed, Jason¡¯s lips traced a path from her mouth, across her cheek and to her earlobe, where he whispered her name. Estre tilted her head back, eyes closed as she lost herself in Jason¡¯s touch. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Estre moaned, leaning her head back with her eyes closed. Her dark, wavy hair tumbled loosely, creating a breathtaking sight. .Thoughts of pregnancy and children didn¡¯t cross their minds. All their worries were forgotten, buried deep beneath the physical urge they both harbored for each other. Embraced in this moment, they indulged in each other, basking in the pleasure their bodies provided. Standing between her legs, Jason covered her skin and tits with kisses, driving Estre into a sea of pleasure. She felt him. He was very¡­ As her robe slid below her shoulders, Estre opened her eyes justo find Jason staring right at her. She smirked at him, ¡°Impressive¡­¡± Smiling back, he gently bit on her chin, ¡°I am the only one who can satisfy you.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Estre teased back as she snaked her arms around his neck; ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we take this to the bed?¡± Hearing this, Jason carefully picked her up and gently set her down onto their bed as if she were fragile china. Once on the bed, Estre shrugged off her robe remained only in her ckcy underwear. ¡°I¡¯ve been hunched over theputer all day.¡± she half-asked, 12:50 WED half-instructed. ¡°You can help me rx.¡± With her lying prone on the bed, her perfect legs and round bottom were on full disy. Jason yfully smacked her bottom, joking, ¡°So now I¡¯m your masseur?¡± Sheughed and shot back, ¡°Sounds like fun! Besides, you could stand to engage in a little. forey. First, you can help me rx. Then, I¡¯ll take the lead.¡± With that, she reached for the hem of Jason¡¯s sleepwear, beckoning him to join her. Jason began giving her a back massage which Estre seemed to enjoy immensely as she hummed in satisfaction, ¡°Wow Jason, you¡¯re just as good, no, better than the real professionals.¡± Despite her enjoyment, Jason¡¯s tone was serious as he worked on her aching muscles, ¡°Stay away from Korey. I don¡¯t like it.¡± 12:50 Chapter 61 Estrezily said, ¡°After thatst case closed, he took me out for dinner. Had his secretary by his side, so it wasn¡¯t exactly a private affair.¡± Jason¡¯s hands pressed firmly along her spine, don¡¯t care if his secretary was there or not. Just keep your distance from him.¡± As he spoke, Jason deliberately intensified his pressure. ¡°Ouch, take it easy, Jason,¡± Estre protested, squirming under his touch. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my distance, sure, but it depends on how well you treat me tonight. If you make tonight worthwhile, I¡¯m all yours from now on; but if not, I can¡¯t promise my heart won¡¯t wander.¡± Thwack! As soon as Estre finished her sentence, another resounding pnded on her backside. ¡°Go easy,¡± she reminded him. Without looking, she knew there would be the imprint of his fingers. After their brief exchange, silence fell again. Jason¡¯s hands moved lower, to the small of her back, prompting Estre to remind him with closed eyes, ¡°Lower, a bit lower.¡± Jason nced up at her and continued his descent. ¡°A bit lower,¡± she insisted again. Jason increased the pressure of his hands and looked at her face, suspecting that Estre was doing it on purpose. After kneading her for a moment, his fingers trailed along the edge of her panties. The next second, Estre tensed up, and Jason, observing her reaction, leaned in close to her ear, ¡°Should I go lower? Do you want me to enter?¡± She had only meant to tease him a little, knowing that Jason tended to get all bashful whenever she got shameless. She hadn¡¯t expected him to turn the tables on her this time. Estre opened her eyes, feigningposure as if nothing had happened, but Jason. added, ¡°Estre, your face is as red as a beetroot.¡± With that, his hand moved decisively. Estre caught her breath, grabbing his hand, ¡°Jason, you damn¡­¡± He didn¡¯t pull away, a smirk ying on his lips, ¡°I¡¯m just getting started with the forey.¡± She had thought he was clueless, but he turned out to be quite the expert. As Estre pondered how to regain the upper hand, Jason cut to the chase with a kiss. Half an hourter, Jason casually wiped his fingers with a tissue from the nightstand and tossed it aside before shrugging off his pajama top, ¡°You should be satisfied with the forey.¡± He then recalled, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you who said if I came home early we could go at it 11:29) till dawn?¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. On the bed, Estrey in disarray, her underwear still on but looking thoroughly ravished. Jason was such a jerk. Estre had resisted, but it was only when Jason got serious that she realized the stark disparity in strength between men and women-something she had underestimated before. Turned out he was just ying with her before. Jason flung his pajama top to the floor, and Estre quickly wrapped herself tightly in the thin quilt, ¡°I¡¯m spent for today. Let¡¯s continue tomorrow.¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°So you¡¯re done after your fun?¡± He leaned down, pinching her chin. Estre held the quilt tight, ¡°I said tomorrow, and it will be tomorrow.¡± The forey had left Estre a bit intimidated, and she could tell Jason was still irritated about her meal with Korey. He was definitely messing with her. So, of course, she gave in, tired as she was. Jason chuckled in disbelief, still holding her chin, ¡°Estre, are you ying me?¡± Holding onto the quilt, she imed, ¡°I think your nail might have scratched me. Let me rest a bit.¡± At the mention of a scratch, Jason¡¯s concern red, tugging at the quilt, ¡°Let it go, and let me see.¡± Instead of loosening her grip, Estre wrapped herself even tighter, ¡°No need to look. I know my own body. I¡¯ll make it up to you tomorrow, with interest.¡± Jason stood bare-chested, staring at Estre for a moment before kicking her lightly, ¡°Dammit, Estre, you¡¯re ying me for the forey, aren¡¯t you?¡± Estre, still cocooned in the quilt, couldn¡¯t bother to open her eyes. Seriously? ying him for the forey? Their recent argument, along with the increased frequency of their fights, seemed to have shaken her resolve. Was she still sure she wanted children? And who knew what tomorrow would bring? Perhaps he¡¯d wake up to find several contraceptive pills handed. to him. ¡°Estre!¡± Jason¡¯s voice resounded above her. Estre took a deep breath, ying asleep convincingly. Jason huffed, irritation shing across his face. He bent down to pick up the discarded robe, slipping it back over his head as he spat, Estre, don¡¯t try this trick again. Also, don¡¯t ever mention wanting kids again.¡± 11:30 Estre remained motionless, eyes still closed. When she felt like having children, she would bring it up again. And besides, he still had his hands. That time in the old house, he had ingested a dose of aphrodisiacs and had relieved himself in the bathroom without even touching her. This time, he could do the same! She usually didn¡¯t hold grudges, but when she did, she was sure to seek revenge. The next morning, Estre woke up to find Jason had already left, as usual. Heading downstairs for breakfast, Marie whispered, ¡°Ms. Estre, did you and Mr. Jason fight. against night? He seemed quite upset when he left this morning, and didn¡¯t even touch his breakfast.¡± Estre replied with airy nonchnce, ¡°I just swindled him a bit.¡± The ways of the young were beyond Marie¡¯s understanding. Jason¡¯s forey had ensured Estre slept soundly throughout the night, not even a dream to disturb her rest. It made her see him in a new light. She had expected him to be a bore, to charge ahead in bed without a thought for her pleasure, but he was surprisingly skillful, far exceeding her expectations. But whether he would live up to the test when it came to the real deal remained to be seen. Upon seeing Estre¡¯s radiant expression, Marie said, ¡°Ms. Estre, you seem in quite a good mood today.¡± Estre responded with a simple, ¡°Not bad.¡± Not long after Estre had finished her breakfast and arrived at thew firm, the director buzzed with excitement as he called out to her, ¡°Estre, we¡¯ve got a few new cases at the firm, and the clients mentioned they¡¯d prefer you to be theirwyer. Come and discuss the details when you¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°Sure thing,¡± Estre replied, already suspecting that Korey had something to do with this. She¡¯d just set her bag down on her desk and was about to head to the director¡¯s office when another colleague suddenly stood up from taking a call and said, ¡°Estre, we got a ring from Nelson International. They need you to swing by ASAP for some legal matters.¡± Talk about timing. The director, overhearing the conversation, reluctantly said, ¡°Estre, you¡¯d better head over to Nelson International first, then. We can chat about these new cases once you¡¯re back.¡± Estre picked up her bag again, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll check out the situation at Nelson International first.¡± 11:30 As she stepped out of the building, she saw Jason¡¯s sleek ck Maybach parked right below thew firm. Drew, seeing Estre descend the stairs, hurriedly got out and opened the car door, greeting her with a ¡°Ms. Estre.¡± Drew was waiting right there, and Estre didn¡¯t need to ask to know what Jason was up to. Jason was well aware that the firm had taken on new cases and he was trying to keep her from getting entangled with Korey. ¡°Seems like there are eyes Once the car was rolling, Estre let out a soft chuckle, everywhere, and the news travels fast.¡± She hadn¡¯t even had a chance to look into the cases before Jason had someone waiting for her downstairs. Drew offered a sheepish smile, ¡°Ms. Estre, I¡¯m not quite sure what you mean.¡± Estre shot back, ¡°Keep ying dumb.¡± Drew maintained his goofy smile, seemingly unfazed. ¦§ It wasn¡¯t until Estre dropped the subject that Drew finally spoke up, ¡°Ms. Estre, actually, regarding the Digital Springs project, the government offcials have approached Nelson International.¡± At the mention of this, Estre turned to face him, her interest clearly piqued by the topic. Chapter 62 Drew continued, ¡°Mr. Jason turned it down. He said that Dorvold Group had been prepping for this project for ages and that they¡¯re a better fit. Plus, he¡¯s made it clear to them that if Dorvold Group ever needs a hand during theter stages of the project, Nelson International will be all in to assist.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Jason knew Cole had his eye on the Digital Springs project, so he had stayed out of the picture from the get-go. Otherwise, all the drama that followed would¡¯ve been non-existent, and Nelson International would¡¯ve snagged the project from the start. After Drew wrapped up, Estre offered a wry smile and kept mum. Jason had turned down an invite from the top brass, which took her by surprise. Drew struck while the iron was hot, ¡°Ms. Estre, he really values you. There¡¯s so much going on behind the scenes that you¡¯re not aware of.¡± Estre chuckled at Drew¡¯s constant championing for Jason, ¡°Drew, you¡¯re so dedicated. I¡¯m almost tempted to poach you for the Dorvold Group.¡± Drew chuckled back, ¡°Ms. Estre, you are just humoring me.¡± Estre¡¯s personality was a hit. Drew adored it, and so did all of Jason¡¯s friends. If it hadn¡¯t been for that fateful incident three years ago, they might have been blissfully happy by now, with their children toddling around and calling out ¡°mommy¡± and ¡°daddy¡±. Half an hourter, Estre arrived at Nelson International and was promptly led to an avable office. The desk was piled with documents and reports, along with a stack of expense reimbursement forms. When Estre looked puzzled and confused, the secretary exined, ¡°Ms. Estre, Mr. Jason insists that you personally review and sign off on these applications, contracts, and expense forms. He¡¯s worried about oversights otherwise.¡± Estre blurted out, ¡°Don¡¯t you guys have an admin department? What about legal?¡± The secretary meekly replied, ¡°Admin and legal have already signed off. Mr. Jason said it¡¯s not good to go until you¡¯ve had a look too.¡± Estre couldn¡¯t help but probe, ¡°Did your previous legal team handle these things? Even the approval of expense reimbursement forms?¡± The secretary squirmed a bit, ¡°Supposedly, yes Contract paperwork fell within Estre¡¯s purview, but expense reports and application forms? This had Jason¡¯s fingerprints all over it, as if she had time to deal with Korey¡¯s mess. With a huff, Estre tossed her bag aside, ¡°Jason sure knows how to keep people busy.¡± 11.30- In reality, even if Jason hadn¡¯t pulled this move she wouldn¡¯t have taken cases rted to Korey. She already had enough cases on her te. As sher started to work, the secretary offered in a soft voice, ¡°Ms. Estre, let me get you some coffee.¡± No sooner had the secretary spoken than a young man arrived bearing coffee and a fruit. tart, ensuring that Estre could work undisturbed. There¡¯s an old saying, ¡°You can¡¯t bite the hand that feeds you.¡± Having signed the contract, and considering the firm¡¯s reputation, Estre couldn¡¯t well argue with Jason, so she got down to business at the desk. She meticulously reviewed and signed the contracts, but the notion of signing off on office supplies and even a janitor¡¯s mop and bucket was too much. Did Jason really think. she had nothing better to do? So, after signing onest expense report, Estre stormed off to find Jason. She barged into his office, finding him at his desk, and greeted him with a smirk, ¡°Working hard, I see?¡± Jason nced up, still irked about being stiffed by her the night before, and asked bluntly, ¡°What do you want?¡± Estre sauntered over, dropping the expense reports in front of him, ¡°Mr. Jason, don¡¯t you think I¡¯m a bit overqualified for this?¡± Jason shot back dryly, ¡°You¡¯re indeed quite qualified.¡± He still couldn¡¯t get over how she¡¯d gotten away with just the forey and then slept like a baby. She¡¯d had her cake and eaten it too. His expression soured, and Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Still upset, huh? Didn¡¯t I say I¡¯d make it up to you tonight?¡± Jason dismissed her, ¡°Lost interest.¡± Since his pride wouldn¡¯t let him admit it, Estre perched on the arm of his chair, she mentioned the project he¡¯d turned down. ¡°If you¡¯d told me sooner, Lwouldn¡¯t have shortchanged you. I¡¯d have gone the whole nine yards with you instead.¡± Jason scoffed; he wouldn¡¯t fall for that. Swatting her hand off his shoulder, he said coolly, ¡°Hands off.¡± Estre teased him further, ¡°Really that mad, huh? How about I make it up to you right now?¡± His gaze met hers, and he retorted, ¡°Estre, all you¡¯ve got is that mouth of yours.¡± She had blushed at his touch the night before, and now she was just betting he wouldn¡¯t dare make a move here at the office. 11:30 When Jason didn¡¯t rise to the bait, Estre, still perched on his chair arm, said, ¡°You make me sign off on a mop purchase? Really, Jason, if you¡¯re so keen to keep me around just for Nelson International, your retainer¡¯s going to have to be a whole lot heftier.¡± When the conversation turned to work, Jason finally looked her way, ¡°All day it¡¯s divorce cases and neighborhood squabbles. Is that really what you want, Estre?¡± If it weren¡¯t for the Nelson International gig, she wouldn¡¯t have a single noteworthy case on her hands. Estre replied, ¡°Clearly, you¡¯re out of touch with themon folk.¡± Jason offered, ¡°If you¡¯re fed up with your family firm,e to Nelson International. Pick any title you want.¡± Estre had mentioned a couple of times about Serene in thepany. But for him, Serene was a commitment he had to honor. If Estre didn¡¯t believe him, she was wee toe and see for herself. Hearing that, Estre¡¯s smile grew even wider, Jason, seems like you¡¯re really smitten by me.¡± ¡°Jason.¡± Estre had barely finished speaking when the door to Jason¡¯s office burst open. Serene, grinning ear to ear, waltzed in with a lunch box in her hand. Upon seeing Estre there, not just in Jason¡¯s office but perched on his chair, Serene was momentarily taken aback. Regaining herposure, Serene strode in with the lunchbox, cheerfully greeting Estre. ¡°Hey, Estre.¡± Unperturbed by Serene¡¯s arrival, Estre casually acknowledged her with a nod, making no move to vacate her seat on the armrest of Jason¡¯s chair. Estre leaned into him, her arm still casually draped over his shoulder. Next to Estre¡¯smanding presence, Serene seemed all the more meek. Aware that Estre took issue with her bringing Jason food, Serene quickly tried to make amends. ¡°The lunch is from thepany cafeteria. You haven¡¯t had lunch either, right, Estre? I¡¯ll go grab a portion for you too.¡± ¡°Sure, thanks, Serene,¡± Estre replied. Serene ced the lunch she had brought for Jason on the desk and scurried out to fetch Estre¡¯s meal. Once Serene brought back Estre¡¯s portion, she closed the door and made her exit. As she left, she couldn¡¯t help but cast a longing nce back at the office, wishing she could possess Estre¡¯s confidence, but it was clear shecked that self-assurance. Back in the office, after Serene had set down the food, Estre stood up and moved to the dining area to open their lunch boxes. Jason followed, his expression unreadable, and watched Estre as he said, ¡°Are you gonna dig in without hesitation. Aren¡¯t you worried she might have spiked your meal?¡± Chapter 63 Estre nibbled on her food, casually remarking, ¡°Serene isn¡¯t that foolish. Her tactics are far more subtle.¡± There¡¯s nothing quite like the venom a woman can have for another, and Serene¡¯s intelligence lied precisely in her refusal to stoop to petty schemes. That way, Serene never gave anyone anything to hold against her, always appearing as the most pitiful and innocent party. Jason remained silent, approached the dining table, and took a seat beside Estre. Estre, who had always detestedtro and bell peppers since childhood, found them unfortunately ubiquitous in restaurant dishes. Noticing Estre¡¯s untouched meat dishes, Jason poured her a ss of water and began picking out thetro, ¡°If it still tastes too strong, just rinse your bite in the water.¡± At his gesture, Estre chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re quite attentive, remembering all these little quirks This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. of mine.¡± Jason¡¯s face was as expressionless as ever, ¡°I¡¯ve known you for 23 years.¡± Estre¡¯s smile grew more pronounced, yfully nudging him under the table with her foot, ¡°Tonight, I¡¯m in your service, satisfaction guaranteed.¡± Jason didn¡¯t buy it for a second, ¡°Quit bragging.¡± After a few flirtatious teases, she¡¯d usually leave him hanging. He wasn¡¯t falling for it this time, and Estre might as well forget about bringing a child into the picture. ¡°No lies,¡± Estre insisted, ¡°I¡¯m still thinking about motherhood, you know.¡± Jason just said, ¡°Just eat.¡± Estre added, ¡°I¡¯ve got something this afternoon, so I¡¯ll head back to the firm first, okay? Have someone bring over those expense reports and filings.¡± Jason gave a chuckle, ¡°Took you long enough to get to the point.¡± ¡°You¡¯re i just worried I¡¯ll take on those cases because of their connections to Korey. I won¡¯t, and that¡¯s that.¡± After Jason seemed to have softened towards her the night before, and considering what Drew had told her that morning, Estre was inclined to give in to him a bit. Estre volunteered to pass on the cases rted to Korey, and only then did Jason¡¯s expression ease up. He picked up a slice of her favorite steak and ced it on her te. Meanwhile, at Erin¡¯s suburban vi, he was gearing up to head to the office when Janie 11:30 came by. ¡°Erin.¡± Erin frowned, ¡°Mom, what brings you here?¡± Janie stepped closer, her gaze fixed on him, ¡°Erin, you said Ruby and those kids were in your hands. Where are you hiding them?¡± After several days of stewing over it at home, despite Erin telling her to stay out of it, Janie couldn¡¯t swallow her pride and hade to seek answers.. Erin replied calmly, ¡°Why are you asking about this, Mom?¡± Janie was visibly upset, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking for days and I can¡¯t let this go. I need to see Ruby. I have to vent this frustration.¡± In front of her own son, Janie didn¡¯t hold back, believing he had the right to exact revenge on Ruby. Yet Erin remained stoic, ¡°Mom, I won¡¯t hand Ruby over to you, and I don¡¯t want to sully your hands with this mess. Please go back.¡± Janie¡¯s eyes instantly reddened with emotion, ¡°Erin, I always treated Ruby like a sister, including her in all the good things. I can¡¯t ept her betrayal.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do much, just a small cut across her face, then let¡¯s see how she seduces men after that.¡± Erin stood firm, ¡°I won¡¯t give her to you.¡± H Knowing Janie¡¯s temper and what she might do, Erin would never hand Ruby over. Erin stubbornly refused to listen, and Janie stopped crying all of a sudden. ¡°Erin, are you siding with her and your father? Don¡¯t forget, she bore him two sons, sons who might im your and Pa¡¯s inheritance.¡± Erin said unaffectedly, ¡°Dad doesn¡¯t have anything left.¡± Janie pressed, ¡°You really won¡¯t hand her over?¡± Erin, hands in his pockets, was about to respond when Hunter hurried in. Upon learning Janie was looking for Erin, Hunter had rushed over, fearful that Erin might give Ruby up to Janie¡¯s wrath. Seeing Hunter, Janie¡¯s demeanor shifted instantly, ¡°How could you still show your face here after what you¡¯ve done to your son?¡± Janie looked ready to devour Hunter with rage, while Hunter nced at her indifferently. before turning to Erin, ¡°Erin, thepany shares have been transferred to you and Pa. The business is now yours tomand. Isn¡¯t it time to let Ruby and your brothers out?¡± 11.30 Hunter¡¯s insistence on calling the twins his brothers darkened Erin¡¯s expression further. Hunter didn¡¯t even give her a second nce as he demanded Erin to surrender someone to him, and even insisted Erin acknowledge the twins as brothers. Janie, full of fury, lunged at Hunter. ¡°Hunter, how could you still sleep at night? After all these years I¡¯ve dedicated to our family, this is how you repay me? Can you honestly tell yourself that this is how I deserve to be treated?¡± Erin hadpelled Hunter to give up his shares, and now Hunter spared no courtesy for Janie, especially with the divorce on the horizon. As Janie charged at him like a harpy, Hunter brushed her off impatiently, ¡°Janie, don¡¯t act as though you¡¯ve sacrificed so much. Yes, you bore me two children. But aren¡¯t they also yours? Would you not have to bear children if you married someone else?¡± ¡°Hunter, you¡­..¡± Janie¡¯s hand trembled as she pointed at him, struggling to catch her breath. Hunter continued unapologetically, ¡°All these years married to me, have I ever made you earn a penny or lift a finger for work? Haven¡¯t I provided for you? Don¡¯t paint yourself as the victim.¡± Erin had demanded all shares from Hunter, and while Hunter was resentful, he dared not vent on Erin and instead unleashed on Janie. Speechless from Hunter¡¯s words, Janie never expected to hear such things from him, to be portrayed as someone he had merely supported. Pale-faced and livid, Janie was left speechless by Hunter for a long time until she finally turned to Erin with tearful eyes, ¡°Erin, do you see? This is your father.¡± Erin remained silent. Hunter, ignoring Janie, simply said to Erin, ¡°Erin, where are Ruby and my children?¡± Hunter¡¯s tone suggested as if Erin and Pa were no longer his children. Even though Erin¡¯s heart seethed with rage and dissatisfaction, he didn¡¯tsh out at Hunter with even a hint of his fury. Instead, Erin simply looked up at the bodyguard pacing the second-floor hallway and commanded, ¡°Release them.¡± Donning a sleek ck suit, the bodyguard heeded Erin¡¯s instruction, opened the door, and called inside, ¡°Ms. Ruby, you¡¯re free to go.¡± In the living room below, Hunter looked up at the stairs and saw Ruby with disheveled hair, disarrayed clothes, and bruises on her body and face. Dried tear streaks marked her face. as she emerged with two children. Hunter¡¯s expression changed instantly, his mind exploding in an instant. In that moment, witnessing Ruby¡¯s disarray, Hunter¡¯s thoughts raced to the worst possible scenarios. Chapter 64 On the second floor above, Ruby¡¯s tears welled up the moment she saw her salvation. Below her, Hunter was waiting, and she sobbed out, ¡°Hunter.¡± ¡°Daddy.¡± ¡°Daddy.¡± The two children, upon seeing Hunter, excitedly shouted ¡°Daddy¡± and ran towards him. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Erin watched the scene unfold with a gaze filled with icy detachment. When Hunter shielded Ruby and the kids in front of him, Ruby looked at him, tears streaming down her face as she choked up, ¡°Hunter, I¡­¡­¡± She tried several times to say something to Hunter but stopped short, unsure where to begin. She never imagined that despite her close bond with Janie, Erin could be so ruthless, that he would actually¡­ Ruby¡¯s hesitant expression spoke volumes, and Hunter didn¡¯t need to ask to know what -had happened. Furious, Hunter approached Erin and, without a word, pped him hard across the face, ¡°You bastard! She¡¯s family, for crying out loud!¡± Erin touched his pped cheek nonchntly, nced coldly at Hunter, Ruby, and the kids, and said icily, ¡°Hunter, I spared your kids seeing the worst. Consider it a favor.¡± Hunter liked to cheat, but Erin wanted to see if Hunter could stomach it in the future now that Ruby was gang-raped. ¡°Daddy.¡± ¡°Daddy.¡± As Hunter moved to strike Erin, the little ones tugged at his arms, pleading, ¡°Daddy, stop it. Don¡¯t hit people.¡± The two little ones pleaded on behalf of Erin. Janie¡¯s eyes became even redder, and even in her moment of anger, she had to admit that these two children were innocent. Ruby wiped her tears and pulled Hunter away, Hunter, let¡¯s just go.¡± She couldn¡¯t bear to stay another second in Erin¡¯s presence, every moment a nightmare. As Ruby passed Erin, she halted and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Erin, and thank you for not hurting my babies.¡± But the humiliation she suffered at his hands was something she would never forget or forgive. Erin, hands in his pockets, remained unmoved until Hunter, Ruby, and the kids hadpletely left. Only then did he stir. Janie snapped back to reality and approached Erin, calling out, ¡°Erin.¡± 11:30 Erin was known for his calm but ruthless ways, which Janie was well aware of, but she hadn¡¯t expected him to go so far with Ruby, so far that she hadn¡¯t dared to ask how many men he¡¯d summoned. Erin looked at Janie and calmly said, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll have the driver take you home.¡± Soon after the driver took Janie away, Erin instructed his assistant to sell the apartment, then drove off himself. Hunter¡¯s affair was a slight not easily overlooked by him or his mother, and Erin was determined that Hunter¡¯s days ahead would be anything but easy. Erin wanted Hunter¡¯s share of thepany back, and certainly, a divorce was likely on Hunter¡¯s mind. Erin would make sure Hunter¡¯s life was anything but joyous. Tossing his half-smoked cigarette out the car window, Erin floored the elerator, speeding away. The midday sun beamed gloriously as Estre stepped out of the courthouse, victorious over Jo¡¯s case, her face radiant in the sunlight. This morning¡¯s court battle had been a resounding win for Estre. ¡°Ms. Estre, thank you so much for helping me secure such a generous settlement,¡± Jo caught up with Estre as she descended the courthouse steps. Estre replied with a professional smile, ¡°Just doing my duty.¡± The middle-aged woman sighed deeply, gratitude resonating in her voice, ¡°Ms. Estre, I know everything. I know my ex-husband¡¯swyers approached you, offering a bribe to go easy on the case. But you didn¡¯t take it.¡± pack Estre¡¯s smile widened as she slipped her hands into her trouser pockets. ¡°Jo, you¡¯re well-connected to have such private information.¡± The woman chuckled, ¡°After thirty years of marriage to that man, I know him too well. But I never expected him to act on a divorce so soon.¡± Despite receiving half of her husband¡¯s assets, the sentiment of years gone by weighed on her. ¡°If only he hadn¡¯t been swayed by the outside world, we could have spent the rest of our lives together.¡± Sensing her client¡¯s mncholy, Estre patted her arm reassuringly, ¡°Jo, we¡¯vee this far, and we¡¯ve fought hard. No regrets. Your kids are grown. Take care of yourself from now on. You¡¯re the priority.¡± Touched by Estre¡¯s constion, Jo looked at her gratefully, ¡°Ms. Estre, you¡¯re a friend worth having. Are you free for lunch? Let¡¯s dine together.¡± ncing at her watch, Estre responded, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, and I have matters at the firm. 11:30 Maybe next time?¡± As Jo was about to reply, her newly divorced ex-husband emerged from the courthouse. Seeing the two women together, his face darkened with displeasure. He passed them, his eyes lingering on his ex- wife before turning to Estre with evident dissatisfaction. The man, in his fifties, neither short nor slim, was dressed in a loud shirt covered by a casual ck zer. His shy gold ne and wristwatch, along with his distinctive beard, revealed wealth, though not on par with people like Jason. Passing by, he said with a hint of recognition, ¡°Youngdy. you are quite impressive. You take your work seriously. If I ever have a case, you¡¯ll be my first call.¡± Damn, that little firecracker was impervious to bribes. He had people approach her with an offer of a cool $8 million to just let this case slide, but she dug up everyst penny of his hidden assets, including the wealth he¡¯d been shuffling around for years, andid it all out to split with his ex-wife. His ex-wife walked away with over $300 million of his fortune! She was already hitting fifty; a few million for a cushy retirement would¡¯ve done just fine. What did she need all that cash for? The man suppressed his anger, while Estre nonchntly smiled and said, ¡°Well then, I suppose I should thank you, Richie.¡± Estre, with her nonchnt grace and an air as light as a summer breeze, watched as the man pulled out his shaking right hand from his pocket, waved it at her in a futile gesture, and then stormed off, teeth clenched in anger. As soon as the man and his cronies were out of sight, Estre turned to give Jo a casual wave, promising to catch up for dinner next time. With that, Estre hopped into her Audi and drove off. Estre had nailed thiswsuit, and the buzz in the legalmunity started humming almost the moment she stepped out of the courthouse. After snagging the legal representation for Nelson International, and now nailing this divorce case, the neer at Justice Guardians LLP was making waves. Rumor had it she was a real knockout too, with a figure to die for. Gripping the steering wheel with both hands, Estre hummed a tune, feeling on top of the world, when suddenly her phone rang. Chapter 65 Seeing the call was from the director, Estre answered directly through the car¡¯s speakerphone, ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Estre, you rocked that courtroom today. The whole legal beehive¡¯s buzzing about the case. Got a fewpanies just rang up asking about you; looks like they want you on their legal team.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head to the office now and we can chat more then.¡± you ¡°Estre, you haven¡¯t grabbed a bite yet, have you? What do you fancy? I¡¯ll order something. Steak and pepper potpie, right? I¡¯ll get it ordered so it¡¯s hot and ready when you arrive.¡± ¡°Thanks, Logan.¡± Even after hanging up, the smile lingered on Estre¡¯s face, her spirits clearly lifted. Winning a case always gave her a sense of aplishment, a feeling that life was truly meaningful. This joy was something she couldn¡¯t find under thefortable shade of her family¡¯s business. A short driveter, she arrived at thew firm, devoured the potpie the director had ordered for her, and plunged back into her work with full gusto. At half-past eight, Grayson called to say they were knocking back a few at the bar and invited her over. Only then did Estre realize the office was empty and work hours were long over. Having just wrapped up her tasks, she stretched, shut down herputer, packed her files, and clocked out. Meanwhile, at the bar. Bryce and Thomas¡¯ phones were confiscated by Jason and ced on the coffee table. As Jasonzily leaned back on the sofa, watching the two with a nonchnt expression, both Bryce and Thomas were on the verge of tears. ¡°Jason, I messed up. Give me a couple of days off, and I¡¯ll get back to working on the school project.¡± Thomas found Jason¡¯s silence more terrifying than any outburst. Bryce chimed in hurriedly, ¡°Didn¡¯t we settle my debt already? What¡¯s this about?¡± Bryce¡¯s pitiful look earned him a tap of ash from Jason¡¯s cigarette. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the debt you racked up hiding out at Estre¡¯s.¡± Bryce, whining, said, ¡°Can¡¯t you just lump it into one big bill?¡± Before Jason could respond, Bryce continued in a teary voice, ¡°That ce was hellish. We 11:30 had to get out of there. Ask Thomas if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Thomas nodded vigorously, ¡°He¡¯s right, Jason. That ce was no ce for humans. My skin¡¯s peeling off.¡± Once the golden boys who turned heads everywhere they went, they nowmented theirck of second nces on the street. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Jason, unimpressed by their defense, asked coolly, ¡°Is that all my fault?¡± ¡°No way, absolutely not,¡± they both shook their heads in unison. Seeing Jason was still not appeased, and considering that he hadn¡¯t divorced Estre yet, Thomas suspected Jason was taking out his frustrations on them. So, he quickly shifted gears, ¡°Give us another shot, Jason. We¡¯ll go find E, and convince her to sign those papers. We¡¯ll pull you out of this mess.¡± Just a few days ago, Thomas had begged Estre over the phone to save his skin. And Estre had agreed to go through the divorce, even if it was real. Thomas believed that if he showed up on Estre¡¯s doorstep himself, he was sure to seal the deal. Bryce also pleaded, ¡°Jason, if you hadn¡¯t exiled mest time, I¡¯d have sorted your divorce already. Just give me and Thomas another chance. We won¡¯t let you down.¡± After their pleas, Jason¡¯s gaze was icy as he stared at them, his expression unreadable. On the side, Grayson and Taylor exchanged nces, sensing that things were getting more interesting. They vaguely seemed to understand why Thomas and Bryce were reassigned. The two youngsters clearlycked the finesse to navigate the situation. Continuing indifferently, Jason suggested with a half-smile, ¡°And you are gonna find. Estre someone better maybe?¡± His words left Thomas stunned. How could Jason know about his conversation with Estre? Staring at Jason in shock for a moment, Thomas quickly shook his head. ¡°No. way. We¡¯d never set Estre up with another guy. Even if she did divorce, we wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± Bryce added, ¡°Exactly. Besides, my E¡¯s a catch. She¡¯s gorgeous. She doesn¡¯t need setups. Guys would line up for her all the way down to the courthouse-¡± Before Bryce could finish, Thomas turned pale and kicked him, ¡°Bryce, if you want to dig your own grave, leave me out of it.¡± ¡°I was just stating the obvious,¡± Bryce protested. Thomas cut him off again, ¡°Even if it¡¯s true, you can¡¯t just blurt it out. That¡¯s like calling Jason blind, isn¡¯t it?¡± After Thomas¡¯ment, Jason¡¯s gaze fell on Bryce, and he said emotionlessly, ¡°Bryce, 11:30 you¡¯re up. Tell me, how would you like to meet your maker?¡± ¡°Jason!!¡± Bryce cried out. ¡°I¡¯m your flesh and blood. I¡¯ve already agreed to help you. Why can¡¯t you let this go? You¡¯ve got to respect our family ties.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Quite the party.¡± Just as Bryce finished his plea, Estre burst in, taking in the scene. Thomas and Bryce, looking like they¡¯d seen a lifeline, quickly pulled her in, ¡°E, you seriously nning to keep living like this?¡± Estre immediately caught on: they were being punished by Jason. No wonder Grayson had insisted on calling her over. Estre said with a grin, ¡°That¡¯s really up to Jason. I¡¯m not one to force things. After all, not one likes a loveless match.¡± With those words, she gave the two a lifeline they desperately needed. Jason¡¯s expression had turned darker since a moment ago, and Grayson, ever theposed one, casually reminded them, ¡°Estre, I think Bryce and Thomas might have gotten the wrong end of the stick with Jason here.¡± Grayson was a few years older than Bryce and the others, which lent him a more steady demeanor, and a clearer perspective on things. Estre, taking note of Grayson¡¯s words, turned to look at Jason. Catching him shooting her a frosty nce out of the blue, she nonchntly asked, ¡°Is Mr. Jason in a bit of a mood?¡± After that, she turned to Bryce and Thomas with amanding air, ¡°Bryce, Thomas, read the room, will you? Jason¡¯s over here brooding Go on, pour the man a drink.¡± Estre carried herself as if she owned the joint. Bryce and Thomas, heeding Estre¡¯s direction, hurriedly filled a ss for him, ¡°Jason, let¡¯s have a toast.¡± ¡°Bro, drink up.¡± After both had poured drinks for Jason, Estre added, ¡°To lift Jason¡¯s spirits, tonight¡¯s round is on me.¡± With that deration, Jason looked up at her, ¡°Did you hit the jackpot or something?¡± It was clear to everyone there that Estre was in an exceptionally good mood that evening. At Jason¡¯s question, Estre sauntered over to him and plopped down on hisp, wrapping her arms around his neck with a yful ease. Chapter 66 Thomas and Bryce were at their wits¡¯ end with Estre¡¯s ambiguous stance. Was she still considering divorce? Would she still have their backs? Grayson and his crew couldn¡¯t help but smirk with knowing nces as Estre plopped down beside Jason, who seemed visibly cheered by her presence. With her arms wrapped tight around Jason¡¯s neck, Estre, all smiles, teased, ¡°You didn¡¯t bite when I mentioned divorce just now. That must mean you don¡¯t want to split. That makes me happier than a jackpot winner.¡± Her yful words were like music to Jason¡¯s ears, though he feigned indignation, ¡°Estre, so many people are staring at us. Come on.¡± Unfazed, she retorted with a grin, ¡°I¡¯m hugging my own husband, not someone else¡¯s. I¡¯ll be shameless if I want to.¡± Then, turning to Grayson and the others, she quipped, ¡°Right, guys?¡± Grayson and Taylor chuckled. ¡°Estre, only you can handle Jason like that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me too much credit,¡± Estre shot back yfully. ¡°As long as he doesn¡¯t start cheating on me, we¡¯re good.¡± Thomas and Bryce exchanged puzzled nces, wondering if they should still be pushing for a divorce. Estre, noticing their confusion, said with a mix of amusement and exasperation, ¡°What are you two still standing there for? Sit down.¡± After Estre finished speaking, the two of them stole a nce at Jason. Seeing that Jason didn¡¯t say anything further, and Grayson also gestured for them to sit down, they both breathed a sigh of relief and sat down. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. As Bryce and Thomas settled down, Estre tried to move away from Jason, but he tightened his grip on her waist. She paused, then looked up at Jason only to find him casually chatting with Grayson and the others, his gaze lingering on herst. She couldn¡¯t help but smile. Leaning closer, she whispered a yful warning in his ear, ¡°Jason, easy there, we¡¯ve gotpany.¡± Jason¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he pinched her waist firmly before resuming his nonchnt. conversation. Estre gasped at the pinch and, under the cover of the dim bar lights, gave Jason¡¯s dick a vengeful squeeze in retaliation. Only Jason¡¯s fleeting change in expression gave away their mischief to the onlookers. Jason, having been teased by Estre, pinched her and whispered in her ear, ¡°Prepare the 11:30 time off first. You won¡¯t be getting out of bed for three days.¡± ¡°Bring it on!¡± Estre challenged. Their whispered banter seemed to quell Jason¡¯s earlier irritation about the divorce meddling. As the evening continued, Estre returned to her phone, diving into case files. She had taken on a criminal case the day before, and with Jo¡¯s trial wrapped up, it was time to focus. Her earlier flirtatious disy had been a strategic move, sensing Jason¡¯s reluctance to end their marriage. She had deftly defused the situation for Thomas and Bryce. Estre didn¡¯t join in the yful chatter with everyone else but instead worked on her own with the materials. Jason was surprisingly moved. Throughout, he had always appreciated Estre¡¯s ability to distinguish between what was important and what wasn¡¯t, knowing when to assert herself and when to hold back, especially in public. When midnight struck and it was time to settle the bill, a server informed them that Estre had already taken care of it. Grayson looked at Estre in surprise. ¡°You really picked up the tab?¡± Estre, packing up her things, stood by Jason and teased, ¡°Well, my dear Mr. Jason will reimburse me.¡± Without responding, Jason simply took her bag and carried it for her. Thomas and Bryce were still trying to figure out if Jason wanted a divorce or not when Taylor yfully knocked some sense into Bryce with a piece of paper. Despite their differences, Jason hadn¡¯t considered divorce seriously. For now, their story was still unfolding. Outside the bar, their drivers were waiting. Once Estre and Jason were in the car, Jason remarked on her good mood. Estre smiled. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± She had won her case today, after all. As Jason massaged the back of her neck, he asked about the case. Estre shared the details of her victory, which prompted a serious response from Jason. He unbuttoned his shirt slightly and offered his support, in every sense, if she ever wanted to leave the legal field. Estre reassured him that she knew what she was doing. ¡°Outsiders will celebrate your achievements. Your family worries about your safety,¡± Jason said earnestly. Her smile broadened at his concern. ¡°So I¡¯m family now? 11:30 He pulled her closer, avoiding the distraction. ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject.¡± The driver watched the two with a kindly smile. Since Jason¡¯s wedding, he hadn¡¯t seen them this close. Estre, getting serious, assured Jason, ¡°I¡¯ll be careful. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Estre was hell-bent on being awyer, a goal she pursued with unwavering determination. Meanwhile, Jason, feeling the need for a break, rolled down the car window and lit up a cigarette. Estre reached over, plucked the cigarette from his lips, and snuffed it out. ¡°That¡¯s nasty stuff. You should cut back,¡± she chided, with a note of genuine concern in her voice. Jason actually appreciated Estre¡¯s attention, but due to the presence of the driver, he refrained from any excessive behavior. Instead, he pinched her thigh twice in acknowledgment. After a drive thatsted a bit over twenty minutes, the pair arrived back at Sandalwood Oasis. As Estre rummaged through the closet for some fresh clothes, Jason sauntered up behind her and, with a mischievous grin, selected a set of ckce nightwear. ¡°Try this on,¡± he suggested with a suggestive raise of his eyebrows. Chapter 67 Estre turned to look at Jason and couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you in the mood? Your wish is mymand.¡± But as soon as Jason finished his shower and stepped out of the bathroom, he found her back at the computer, poring over case files. She was still wearing her sultry nightgown, but her face showed no sign of desire. Jason slowed his towel-drying and his expression darkened, ¡°ying lip service again, huh?¡± She had been teasing him at the bar earlier, only to lead him on. Hearing his words, Estre nced over her shoulder, holding printed documents in hand, ¡°I promise I¡¯ll make it up to you tomorrow.¡± Before Jason could respond, she continued, ¡°This case is a bitplex. I won¡¯t be able to sleep until I get a handle on it.¡± Beneath her yful exterior, Estre was a true workaholic. Jason tossed the towel aside and ran a hand through his hair, his tone indifferent, ¡°Estre, you¡¯re running low on credibility with me. Cut out the empty promises.¡± Estre set aside her work and stood up, wrapping her arms around his neck, ¡°Are you upset?¡± He removed her hands without a word, She hugged him again, ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be mad. Let me sort out my thoughts, and I¡¯ll join you for a bit of fun. I¡¯m just not in the mood right now.¡± Again, Jason peeled her arms away, ¡°I¡¯m not as eager as you are. Go entertain yourself.¡± Since Estre didn¡¯t have any such intentions, Jason didn¡¯t have much interest either. After all, it was always Estre who initiated things, spicing the mood between them. After being pushed away again, Estre called out with a feigned stern face, ¡°Jason.¡± Jason adjusted her slipping gown and spoke calmly, ¡°Thought you had work to do. Get to it.¡± Seeing that Jason wasn¡¯t really angry, Estre pushed her luck, ¡°You¡¯re not doing anything anyway. Come help me sort out these case files.¡± Not only did she not let him make love with her, but she also expected him to help her with the work in the middle of the night. Still, Jason ended up helping her. As Estre sifted through the files, she exined, ¡°It¡¯s a murder case. The suspect is a boy who just turned 20st month. His mother was bullied by her inws when he was seven. After speaking out for her side of family, his father and uncles beat his mother to death in front of him.¡± 11:30 ¡°In the countryside, and with the whole family involved, the case just fizzled out back then. ¡°The boy¡¯s mother died, and the boy¡¯s father remarried within six months. You can imagine his life after that ¨C never a full stomach, but no shortage of beatings. ¡°At eleven, he ran away from home. I can¡¯t even begin to imagine what he went through over those nine years. He¡¯s not talkative, and before I officially took on the case, I visited him twice, spending a lot of effort to get him to speak. ¡°Two months ago, he returned to his hometown. He waited for the right moment and killed his father and uncles, without harming anyone else, not even his grandparents who egged on the beating.¡± Estre¡¯s voice grew heavy with emotion. After a moment of silence, she continued slowly, ¡°If his father and uncles had shown a little mercy back then, the boy wouldn¡¯t have to live with hatred his entire life.¡± She paused, then added, ¡°Back then, in the countryside, drinking pesticide, hanging, and jumping into rivers were the exclusive ways women died. Despite the progress we¡¯ve made, advocating for gender equality and justice, true fairness for women remains elusive.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. That was why she took on divorce and civil cases, no matter how trivial family disputes. seemed to others. She listened and did everything to solve them, because you never know what dangers lurk behind the things people take for granted. It was rare for Estre to be so earnestly reflective, especially on such a grave subject. Jason realized why she had previously used him of being oblivious to the hardships of the world. The legal profession indeed exposed one to the dark underbelly of society and the failings of humanity. Lifting his right hand, he massaged the back of her neck, and Estre let out a long sigh, ¡°No one should see only darkness in life, or live forever in the shadows of resentment.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not seeking acquittal or a short sentence, just hoping to get him life imprisonment, with a chance for paroleter on.¡± As Estre finished, Jason¡¯s grip on her neck tightened. slightly, a sign of his empathy with her heavy heart. She was indeed not in the mood for anything else tonight. Estre gently sped Jason¡¯s wrist, ¡°Thew isn¡¯t perfect, but I hope for a bit more fairness in society.¡± Estre finished, and Jason leaned in to kiss her lightly, ¡°You work on that. I¡¯ll go warm you some milk.¡± Her mood lifted at his gesture, and she teased, ¡°Feeling sympathetic, huh? You¡¯re such a sucker, Jason.¡± He pinched her cheek yfully, ¡°Focus on your work.¡± 11:30 With that, Jason got up to make her a warm milk, knowing her tease was meant to lighten the mood and spare him from sinking into sorrow. When he returned with the milk, Estre was so absorbed in her work, she didn¡¯t notice until he called her name. Distractedly, she drank the milk. Then, while Estre worked, Jason sat beside her, looking over the case files. Time passed, and when Jason looked back at Estre, she had sumbed to exhaustion, her head resting on the desk. Carefully, he lifted her and carried her back to bed. In their own way, this was a Next morning, as Jason woke and opened his eyes, he found Estre already awake, lying on her side in bed, watching him. Her eyelids didn¡¯t flutter, her eyes sparkled with light. Seeing Jason stir from his slumber, Estre¡¯s feet crept covertly beneath the warm cocoon of their shared quilt, her toes yfully grazing his legs. ¡°Was it you who swept me off my feet and into bedst night?¡± she teased with a whisper. Jason, feigning a solemn tone, brushed her foot aside. ¡°Nope, wasn¡¯t me.¡± Estre, not one to back down easily, draped her left leg over him in a flirty gesture. ¡°Why the two faces, Jason? Angel by day, devil by night?¡± He quirked an eyebrow. ¡°And just what devilish face are you referring to?¡± With a sly grin, Estre retorted, ¡°You¡¯re particrly susceptible to temptation after dark. She paused before yfully warning, ¡°Just make sure you don¡¯t go around falling for every girl who drops her panties.¡± She¡¯d been sheddingyers for more than two years, and he¡¯d never made a move. The very idea of him doing so with anyone else was even more unlikely. Disgusted, he tossed aside Estre¡¯s leg, intent on getting up. But in a swift movement, Estre flipped over him, her fingers intertwining with his, her voice dripping with seduction. ¡°Seems like I¡¯ve spotted your little tent, Jason. Should Lhelp you take care of it now?¡± A momentter, she added, ¡°Whoa, you¡¯re poking me there.¡± 11:301 Chapter 68 Jason¡¯s face was a picture of exasperation. Gripping Estre¡¯s wrists with both hands, he remarked with a smirk, ¡°Trying to mooch off me again, huh? Having a bit too much fun at my expense?¡± Estre wriggled her right hand free and yfully smacked his shoulder. ¡°Can¡¯t there be at little trust between us?¡± Jason wrapped his right arm around her waist, pulling her close. ¡°Looks like someone¡¯s more spirited in the morning.¡± He whispered teasingly into Estre¡¯s ear, which was enough to make her face turn a shade of pink. As Jason held her by the waist, Estre was about to retort when suddenly, the bedroom door burst open. ¡°Estre, you¡¯re still not up? Taking the day off work today?¡± They both turned sharply, to find Kristin bustling in. At the doorway, Kristin froze at the scene before her. After a moment, she regained herposure. ¡°Oh, Jason¡¯s home! Carry on, you two, carry on.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. With that, Kristin closed the door behind her, leaving the couple to themselves. She thought Jason hadn¡¯t been home for a while, so she came to find Estre, intending to discuss a n to quickly get pregnant. Once the door clicked shut, Estre couldn¡¯t help but let out a giggle at Jason¡¯s reaction. ¡°Jason, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m not keeping my promises. It¡¯s just that your mom¡¯s here.¡± Jason gave Estre¡¯s bottom a yful p. ¡°Get off.¡± With Kristin in the house, their intimate moment was over. It was time for breakfast. Jason¡¯s mood, which had been on the rise, was doused, eliciting Estre¡¯s sympathy. She consoled him, ¡°Tonight, then. I¡¯m not workingte today.¡± After a lingering kiss, he finally let her go. Momentster, they made their way downstairs where Kristin sat with an embarrassed. look on her face, not expecting Estre to so boldly tackle Jason. It seemed the issuey with her son, not with Estre. ¡°Here you are.¡± Kristin greeted them with a smile, then added, ¡°I¡¯ve brought some tonic for Jason. Make sure he finishes it, Estre.¡± ncing towards the kitchen, Estre saw an array of supplements for libido ¨C Kristin was certainly a caring mother. ¡°Sure thing,¡± Estre agreed with a grin. Jason looked peeved. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t you have anything better to do?¡± Kristin¡¯s eyes widened in mock surprise. ¡°Indeed, I have too much free time, which is why 11:30 you need to hurry up and give me a grandchild to look after.¡± Jason¡¯s expression soured. ¡°If you keep barging in like you just did, you can kiss your dreams of being a grandmother goodbye.¡± Kristin¡¯s concern was palpable. ¡°Did I scare you that much?¡± ¡°As if I wasn¡¯t having enough trouble,¡± Jason muttered. Kristin looked remorseful, while Estre tried to smooth things over. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s not as bad as you think.¡± ¡°Estre, I know you¡¯re just trying to save dignity for Jason,¡± Kristin said, taking Estre¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯ll have to bear with it a bit longer, dear.¡± ¡°Family doesn¡¯t keep score,¡± Estre replied nonchntly, though she was nearlyughing on the inside. Amidst their banter, Jason nudged Estre with his foot. Kristin¡¯s displeasure was evident. ¡°You¡¯ve got issues, and you don¡¯t even let Estre talk about them. Just take care of yourself and don¡¯t let Estre down.¡± Jason rubbed his temples. One Estre was enough of a headache; his mother¡¯s meddling was thest thing he needed. ¡°Let¡¯s eat,¡± Kristin suggested, mistaking Jason¡¯s grimace for embarrassment. She ushered the young couple to the table for breakfast. After a hearty meal at home, Jason offered, ¡°I¡¯ll drive you.¡± Estre epted with augh. ¡°Sure.¡± It wasn¡¯t often that Jason volunteered, and Estre wasn¡¯t one to refuse. Seeing the couple get along, Kristin felt a wave of relief ¨C her hopes for a grandchild seemed more promising. Once the car started, Estre couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the morning¡¯s mix-up. Jason shot her a look of disdain and she quicklyposed herself. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. We¡¯ve got plenty of time.¡± In twenty minutes, they arrived at thew firm, and after a bit of yful banter, Estre stepped out of the car. Watching her until she disappeared from view, a faint smile yed on Jason¡¯s lips. Later, at the office, Estre¡¯s teasing texts about arrangement that evening brought a smile to his face. He didn¡¯t reply, but he was clearly enjoying the flirtation.. Since she had promised Jason that she wouldn¡¯t work overtime tonight and had flirted with him online all day, Estre packed up her things and left the office, as evening approached and it was time to finish work. 11:30 ¡°Ms. Estre, our boss would like a word,¡± a group of men in shy outfits surrounded her just as she reached her Audi. The ringleader opened the door of a nearby car. ¡°Ms. Estre, if you please.¡± Encircled by several burly men, Estre had little choice but to get in the car. ¡°I¡¯ll just home and let them know,¡± she said calmly, reaching for her phone. Before she could dial, her phone was snatched away. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Estre. Our boss just wants to talk. It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Before she could protest, she was pushed into the car and sandwiched between two hulking figures. The car then took off. An hourter, they pulled up to a luxurious private vi. Estre was ushered out of the car and into the opulent residence. The vi¡¯s interiors were a spectacle of opulence, straying into the territory of gaudiness with even some goldden ornaments adorning the walls. As Estre stumbled from a forceful nudge, suddenly, footsteps echoed from the staircase above. Lifting her gaze, Estre caught sight of Jo¡¯s ex-husband making a grand descent down the stairs, adorned in an outrageously mboyant floral robe. Witnessing his men shoving Estre, the man bent down, slipping off his designer loafers and hurling them at the offender. ¡°Show some respect to Ms. Estre,¡± he bellowed. ¡°Who/ gave you the nerve toy hands on her? Tony, drag this fool out and trim his fingers by a couple.¡± ¡°Boss, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry. My apologies to Ms. Estre,¡± the subordinate pleaded. But the man, unimpressed and rolling his eyes in irritation, waved dismissively, signaling for the brute to be taken away. Estre smiled faintly at the situation and said, ¡°Richie.¡± Chapter 69 ¡°Ms. Estre, please take a seat,¡± the man gestured to Estre, thenmanded the servant, ¡°Make Ms. Estre a cup of coffee.¡± Estre settled into her chair with an air of indifference, and the servant soon brought over the coffee. ¡°Ms. Estre, your coffee.¡± The man then lit a cigar, and smoke began to curl around them. Estre frowned at the haze, but the man didn¡¯t snuff out his cigar. He looked at Estre with a smirk. ¡°Ms. Estre, you take your work quite seriously, don¡¯t you?¡± Taking a sip of her coffee, Estre replied with a nonchnt smile, ¡°So does that mean. you have a case for me?¡± The man¡¯s smile slowly faded as he tapped ash from his cigar. ¡°How much do you make. as awyer?¡± ¡°Just enough to get by,¡± Estre responded simply. As her words hung in the air, the man¡¯s expression darkened, and he crushed the cigar in the ashtray before looking up at Estre, ¡°Just getting by, huh? I offer you eight million to y ball and you still won¡¯t cooperate?¡± His sudden anger was palpable, but Estre remained cool andposed. She had known what was unt moment those beefy guys stopped her in the parking lot. Estre¡¯s calm demeanor only fueled his rage, and he red at her, ¡°Youngdy, do your have any idea how hard it is to earn three hundred million? Do you know how much time I¡¯ve spent, how many smiles I¡¯ve faked, and how much crap I¡¯ve taken? You just p your lips, and I¡¯m supposed to hand over half my fortune to Jo? I¡¯ve been supporting her for thirty years.¡± Speaking of his financial loss, veins on the man¡¯s neck stood out in anger. He hadn¡¯t slept well for days, haunted by thoughts of the wealth he¡¯d lost in the breakup. Estre leaned forward slightly, calmly setting down her coffee cup, ¡°Richie, if thew has this provision, then it must be there for a reason. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t need me to exin it to you.¡± Everyone talked about a woman¡¯s contribution to the family, and how a man¡¯s sess is often thanks to a well-managed home. Richie understood these things. He knew better than anyone, but it was just selfishness and vanity that made him disregard a woman¡¯s efforts. He felt that by giving you a bite to eat, you should be grateful instead of still eying his fortune. Men are inherently more selfish and calcting, and once they¡¯ve squeezed everyst 11:31 drop of value from you, they turn faster than anyone else. If his life isn¡¯t going well, he clings to you, unable to bear the hardship alone. He needs a woman to apany him, to take out his dissatisfaction and anger on, someone to tend to his needs. And sometimes, they even me their lack of wealth on the women. Estre had seen too many of these selfish types through her divorce cases, so she didn¡¯t waste her breath on those who tried to outsmart thew and their wives, hiding and transferring assets. She would do her job with integrity. Unruffled by her demeanor, the man¡¯s face turned pale with anger. He¡¯d been in business for years and had never met someone like Estre, who was impervious to his charms and wealth. After a long stare, he let out a cold, teeth-clenchedugh, ¡°After taking over three hundred million of my money, Ms. Estre, you must have taken quite a cut for yourself, didn¡¯t you?¡± Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Are you asking me to spit out mymission, Richie?¡± Her nonchnt response sparked an inexplicable fury in him. He¡¯d been around the block, but Estre was the first woman who didn¡¯t fear him, and few men dared to do so- unless they were out of his league. Adjusting his neck, he rose leisurely from the sofa, buckled his belt with a nk face, and said, ¡°You¡¯ve just taken over three hundred million from me, Ms. Estre. I haven¡¯t slept a wink for days.¡± Then, with a sudden shift in tone, ¡°With all thatmission, it wouldn¡¯t be too much to ask for you to spend a night with me, to let off some steam, right?¡± His im of sleepless nights might have been an exaggeration, but it wasn¡¯t far from the truth. The moment his transferred and hidden assets were exposed, he felt like his world crumble right in front of his eyes. After thinking it over and unable to swallow his pride, he concluded that Estre had set him up. Considering Estre¡¯s youth and beauty, he eventually had someone ¡®invite Estre over. This, he thought, might alleviate some of his vexation. Hearing his proposition, Estreughed. ¡°Richie, there¡¯s a long line of people who want to sleep with me, and I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re not even on the list. Think you can sleep with me? Wishful thinking.¡± Before Richie could speak, Estre continued, ¡°Besides, I won¡¯t take your eight million, so what makes you think I¡¯m easy to bed?¡± Estre¡¯s defiance enraged him, and pointing at her, he barked, ¡°You¡¯re awyer, and I won¡¯t believe a damn word you say. Since I¡¯ve invited¡¯ you here today, you¡¯re not leaving without giving me something in return.¡± 11:31 The man was beyond reason. Estre tensed, her voice sharp, ¡°Richie, I¡¯m not someone you can touch.¡± If Richie dared toy a finger on her, regardless of whether Jason would let it slide or not, the influence of her own family was not something he could afford to provoke. Undeterred, Richie scoffed and said, ¡°Ms. Estre, do you want to go upstairs willingly, or shall we stay here in the living room?¡± Without waiting for Estre to reply, he added, I don¡¯t usually hit women, Ms. Estre, so the less you struggle, the less you¡¯ll suffer.¡± Estre¡¯s lips curled into a smirk, and then she slowly began to remove her jacket. Meanwhile, inside the Maybach, Jason¡¯s expression was beyond grim. He¡¯d called Estre six times since 5:30 p.m., with no answer. That damn woman was ying him again. With all those flirty texts during the day, and the barrage of lingerie photos for his approval, now she had gone off the grid after work, even more devious than him. He dialled Estre¡¯s number once more, but the call went unanswered. Jason mmed his phone down on the dashboard, cursing under his breath, ¡°Damn it!¡± The more Estre remained out of reach, the more Jason¡¯s resolve hardened. With a mix of frustration and determination, he snatched his phone from the dashboard once more and dialed her number, this time opting for a voice call. The phone rang on and on, but Estre¡¯s end remained silent, no sign of her picking up. As the ringing drew to a close, Jason¡¯s irritation slowly ebbed away, morphing into concern. Something was off. Even if Estre was messing with him, she wouldn¡¯t just ghost him on Messenger. She¡¯d make up some excuse, and keep him on the hook. After knowing Estre for 23 years, Jason knew she wasn¡¯t one to dodge issues. With the realization that something wasn¡¯t right, Jason immediately called Drew, ¡°Drew, can you check if Estre¡¯s clocked out? Find out where she might have gone after work. Also, get herw firm to send over her recent client files, including any contacts rted to her cases.¡± ¡°Got it, sir,¡± came Drew¡¯s prompt reply, already on the move to carry out his orders. Jason tossed his phone back onto the dashboard, swung the car around, and made a beeline back to thew office. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ???? 11:31 In the man¡¯s vi at that very moment. Chapter 70 Estre, having tossed her coat onto the sofa, sauntered over to the man with one hand yfully tugging at the sash of his robe and the other resting on his shoulder. She leaned in close, her breath tickling his ear, ¡°Richie, you know if I take care of you just right, I might just have to charge you extra.¡± The seductive tone of her voice brought a smile to the man¡¯s lips, ¡°Damn, I knew you were just as bad as me. Alright, if you can keep me entertained, I might just set you up with your ownw firm.¡± Her eyebrows arched suggestively as she gently pulled him to his feet by his robe¡¯s sash, ¡°Shall we head upstairs then?¡± The prospect of heading upstairs had Richie beaming, his eyes glinting with delight. It seemed to him that the three hundred million-plus he¡¯d forked over to Jo wasn¡¯t a loss but a divine setup for a steamy affair. Sure, he was out three hundred million, but he still had an equal amount tucked away along with hispany. Money could be earned back, but he hadn¡¯t slept with awyer before, especially one as stunning and sophisticated as Estre. If he could keep her close long-term, the money would have been well spent. With just a couple of coy words and batting eyshes from Estre, Richie was utte This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. utterly disoriented. If he could resist temptation, he wouldn¡¯t have insisted on divorcing his ex-wife. Little did his mistress know, before she could even think of securing her ce, he was already intent on keeping another woman by his side. Upon reaching the second-floor bedroom with Estre, Richie was grinning from ear to ear, his foul mood from the past days entirely dissipated. With a definitive click, Estre shut and locked the door behind them, then turned to Richie with a facade of sweetness, ¡°Just a heads up, Richie, I can y rough. Hope you can. handle it.¡± ¡°Handle it? Of course,¡± Richie chuckled, nearly bursting with anticipation. Estre approached, hands on his shoulders, and then her expression turned icy. She swiftly drove her knee up into his groin. In the next instant, Richie¡¯s face turned a shade of green. Before he could even yelp, Estre had thrown him over her shoulder and onto the ground with a resounding thud. Estre had been enrolled in taekwondo sses by Autumn since she was four years old. By the age of twenty-three, Autumn had bailed her out of more brawls than she could count. So, of course, she wasn¡¯t going to shy away from a fight. 11:31 Curling up up on the floor, Richie was in too much pain to even speak, let alone cry out, his face contorted with agony as he looked up at Estre, ¡°You-¡± Downstairs, the household staff and a few bodyguards listened to themotion above. The maid, feeling sorry for Estre, frowned and quietly slipped away to the backyard to keep busy. The bodyguards, on the other hand, were all grins, onementing, ¡°Boss seems to be having a whale of a time.¡± ¡°Sure does, he was grinning like a kid in a candy store just now.¡± As joyful as Richie had been downstairs, he was now in equal measure of pain. Estre approached the wincing man, kneeling beside him with a mock frown, ¡°Feeling at bit less fiery, Richie? If not, I don¡¯t mind going another round.¡± ¡°You¡­ bitch,¡± Richie managed to spit out, his voice shaking with pain. He then tried to call for help, ¡°Tony. Tony.¡± However, his voice was weak from the pain and Estre¡¯s judo throw, and he could barely muster a command. Estre didn¡¯t take his cries for help seriously. She wouldn¡¯t take on a man like Richie head-on, especially not downstairs with bodyguards present. No matter how tough she was, she couldn¡¯t beat that many men. Noticing the fury in Richie¡¯s eyes, Estre chuckled softly, ¡°Next time you try to get fresh, maybe do a little background check first. Not everyone is as easy to provoke as you think.¡± This was supposed to be just a divorce case, but it escted to kidnapping and assault-that changed everything. Seeing howposed Estre was from start to finish, without a hint of fear, Richie began to doubt her identity. Gritting through the pain, he asked with a pale face, ¡°Who the hell are you, and who¡¯s got your back?¡± ¡°If I told you I¡¯m Jason Nelson¡¯s wife, would you believe me?¡± Estre replied coolly Richie was ta taken aback, then looked at her incredulously, ¡°Jason from Nelson International? Impossible. I¡¯ve never heard of him getting married. You can¡¯t possibly be his wife.¡± She had to be bluffing. Jason¡¯s wife wouldn¡¯t be working as a divorcewyer. Before Richie could process the situation further, the bedroom door was kicked open with a bang. Estre turned to greet the neer with a smile, ¡°Honey, you¡¯re here.¡± At the doorway, noticing Estre¡¯sck of a coat, and another man in the room, Jason¡¯s eyes were deadly, even as the middle-aged many on the floor clutching his groin in 11-31 agony. In the, as Richie realized the man before him was indeed Jason and heard Estre call him ¡°honey,¡± he felt a chill run down his spine. No rescue was needed ¨C he was done for. Jason gave Richie a chilling stare before turning his gaze back to Estre. ¡°Estre,¡± he said, his voice icy. Quickly getting up, Estre dusted off her hands, ¡°You¡¯rete. I¡¯ve already taken care of everything.¡± ¡°Estre,¡± Jason repeated, his tone firm, as he reached out and grabbed her by the nape of her neck, leading her out. Once outside, Estre was nearly thrown into the passenger seat of the car. She turned to Jason, ready to exin, ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to y you today. I got cornered.¡± He knew she wasn¡¯t intentionally ignoring his calls and that she had been trapped; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have rushed over. Without so much as a nce in Estre¡¯s direction, hemanded, ¡°You¡¯re done with this job.¡± He had warned her just a few days ago that this line of work made enemies too easily, and before his words had even cooled, she was in trouble. Estre replied with a smile, ¡°See? I¡¯m fine. And you know what I¡¯m capable of. I can handle myself out there. Don¡¯t worry about me ¡°Estre, if you want to keep living, and have kids someday, you better quit.¡± Estre gazed at him for a long while, a yful smile dancing on her lips. ¡°Falling for me, are you?¡± she teased. Jason¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Don¡¯t joke around with me.¡± Perched with her right foot on the chair, Estre rested her cheek on her palm, her gaze locked on him with unwavering intensity. ¡°I swear to you, I¡¯ll be just fine. If anythinges up, I¡¯ll figure out a way to call you first,¡± she promised. Jason started to object, ¡°There¡¯s no way we can-¡± But before he could finish, Estre leaned in swiftly, pressing her warm lips against his in a daring move. Chapter 71 Even though Jason was angry, Estre was still pleased that he managed to find her. She tried to lighten the mood with a cheeky kiss, but Jason¡¯s expression darkened. Despite himself, he felt a wave of relief wash over him. Shoving her back gently, he grumbled, ¡°Keep your hands to yourself. We¡¯re in the car.¡± Estre dialed it back, looking earnestly at him ¡°Look, you¡¯re steamed right now. Let¡¯s cool off for a couple days, then talk it out.¡± Jason remained stoically silent. He knew himself too well, just as he knew Estre. Her charm was his kryptonite, but the thought of her nearly being cornered today-that she could have been seriously hurt- sent chills down his spine. Even though she had managed to knock down that sleazebag Richie before he arrived, he couldn¡¯t shake the fear. If he hadn¡¯t shown up, the oue on someone else¡¯s turf could. have been much different. Half an hourter, the two arrived home, and Jason¡¯s expression remained gloomy. Estre, ever the optimist, tried to break the ice. ¡°Still holding a grudge? Let¡¯s put this behind us. Maybe I should get a few bodyguards for mymute?¡± Jason didn¡¯t snap at her. Instead, he said, ¡°Get some rest. I need to step out for a bit. I¡¯ll be backter.¡± This whole debacle wasn¡¯t Estre¡¯s fault. She had acted with integrity. The mey squarely with Richie. Estre caught his arm. ¡°Where are you headed?¡± He peeled her hand off. ¡°Don¡¯t wait up.¡± Without waiting for her approval, he exited the bedroom. Estre had a sinking feeling. When Jason set his mind to something, he was unstoppable. She knew this all too well after all these years. And today¡¯s incident with Richie had truly shaken her. It wasn¡¯t her home turf, and her word held no weight against. his. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. After a moment¡¯s hesitation by her desk, Estre grabbed her phone and checked in with Drew about Jason¡¯s whereabouts. Drew assured her he was tied up with work, though she had her doubts. epting it for now, she retreated to the bathroom to change. Fresh from her shower half an hourter, a sudden pounding at the door startled her. ¡°Who is it?¡± she called out, toweling her hair. ¡°It¡¯s me, Estre,¡± came Thomas¡¯ voice from the other side. Ditching the towel, Estre opened the door to find Thomas in a state of urgency. ¡°Estre, 11:31 you need to talk some sense into Jason. If he doesn¡¯t back down soon, someone¡¯s going to end up dead.¡± ¡°Richie?¡± ¡°Yeah, that nouveau riche idiot,¡± Thomas fumed. ¡°Drew said it was a personal vendetta.¡± That was all Estre needed to hear. She picked up the pace, following Thomas out the door. If Jason got blood on his hands for someone like Richie, it would be a senseless loss, and she wouldn¡¯t stand for it. ¡°What exactly happened, Estre?¡± Thomas quizzed, gripping the steering wheel with furrowed brows. She quickly filled him in on her confrontation with Richie. Thomas raged about the man¡¯s audacity, not having done his homework before targeting her. ¡°No wonder Jason¡¯s livid,¡± he scoffed. They drove in heated conversation until they reached an abandoned warehouse-Nelson International¡¯s old storage site. ¡°Estre, he¡¯s in there.¡± Thomas and Estre unbuckled and made for the warehouse. Inside, Bryce, Grayson, Taylor, Drew, and some other guys were gathered. It was clear they¡¯d tried to intervene, but to no avail. : At that moment, Jason was still hitting Richie. The robust Richie, who had been fine in the evening at the vi, was already badly beaten and disfigured. ¡°Estre, thank God you¡¯re here. Jason¡¯s lost it. No one can get through to him,¡± Bryce exined as she approached. Drew greeted her guiltily; he had lied to her over the phone, iming Jason was preupied with work. ¡°Estre, both Grayson and Taylor chimed in. She acknowledged the group and then turned her attention back to Jason, who was wielding a lead pipe with a wrathful vengeance. Seeing Estre¡¯s arrival, a battered and bloody Richie pleaded with her from his knees. ¡°Ms. Estre, I¡¯m terribly sorry. I was blind not to look into things, and ignorant not to know thew. I beg for your forgiveness, and I plead with you to ask Mr. Jason for mercy.¡± Estre¡¯s gaze shifted from the pleading Richie to Jason, whose eyes burned with unbridled fury, oblivious to anyone else present. Knowing Jason for 23 years, this was only the second time she¡¯d seen him in such a monstrous state, like a beast possessed. Watching him kick Richie to the ground with a forceful sweep of his legs, Estre stepped forward and grabbed his arm. ¡°Jason, stop it.¡± Her plea seemed to fall on deaf ears as Jason continued his assault, unrelenting. Richie spat out a mouthful of blood and curled up on the ground, motionless. If Jason didn¡¯t stop, Richie was really going to end up dead. With her right hand gripping Jason¡¯s arm tightly, Estre said, ¡°Enough, Jason, let¡¯s go home.¡± Her voice lingered in his ears, and Jason paused for a moment. Estre pressed on. ¡°Let¡¯s head back, Jason. Didn¡¯t we have ns today?¡± Noticing Jason¡¯s hesitation, Estre spoke again, ¡°Let go, Jason. We need to get out of here.¡± She didn¡¯t have pity on Richie. She just didn¡¯t want Jason to have blood on his hands. She didn¡¯t want him to face a lifetime of whispers and judgment or bear the weight of a harsher sentence. Chapter 72 Estre¡¯s repeated pleas finally got through to Jason, the old rusty pipe ttering from his o to the ground. Seizing the moment, Estre took his hand, ¡°Let¡¯s head back, shall We?¡± Jason¡¯s gaze softened as he looked down at Estre, his eyes losing their fiery red tint, ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go home.¡± With Jason¡¯s aggression diffused, Grayson and the others exhaled in relief. Thomas quipped, ¡°E¡¯s got a way with Jason, doesn¡¯t she?¡± Bryce, with a flick of his leg, kicked the incapacitated man on the ground, ¡°Damn it, thinking you can mess with my E? You got what you deserved.¡± Richiey curled up on the ground, too beaten to even open his eyes. From the moment Estre refused his 8 million, he should¡¯ve realized she was no ordinary girl. After all, what average person could resist the temptation of 8 million? As the group made their way out of the dpidated warehouse, Grayson shoved his hands. in his pockets and muttered to Estre, ¡°Maybe you should considering back to the office.¡± Estre justughed, ¡°If everyone thought that way, there¡¯d be no justice in the world.¡± Her resolve silenced Grayson. She wasn¡¯t wrong to stand her ground. Half an hourter, when they returned home, Jason was still brooding, his face creased with concern. Covered in blood, he noticed Estre¡¯s silence on the way back and spoke in a subdued tone, ¡°Did I scare you?¡± Estre, picking up pajamas from the bed, turned to him with a smile, ¡°Me? Scared? Hardly.¡± She eyed him up and down, ¡°Maybe take a shower first?¡± Jason didn¡¯t respond. He just stripped off his clothes and sat on the couch with his eyes closed, lost in thought. Estre, seeing his state, stopped talking and headed to the bathroom. A momentter, with her sleeves rolled up, she emerged and announced, ¡°The bath¡¯s ready. Tonight, you get the VIP treatment.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Jason let out a faint smile and headed for the bathroom. Estre, sleeves still rolled, followed him in. After a quick rinse, Jason submerged himself in the bathtub, his head included. Estre sat quietly beside him, watching him emerge from the water, pushing his damp hair back. She teased with a yful nce downward, ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never seen it before. That 11:31 towel¡¯s a bit overkill.¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened, andter he asked, ¡°When have you seen it?¡± They had their moments, but he had never undressed in front of her, so she couldn¡¯t have. seen anything. Jason fell silent, and Estreughed, ¡°Just kidding. You took it seriously?¡± Then she added, ¡°Scared of me seeing? I¡¯ll just step out then.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± he retorted. ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to leave, just say so.¡± Often, her flippancy was just a way to keep things from getting too tense. As Jasony in the tub, memories of their school days flooded back. Back then, they were close, with Jason fighting countless battles for her. If only that one time had never happened¡­. Estre still vividly recalled the sting of Jason¡¯s p. It had left her dazed and had. shattered years of friendship. Estre¡¯s sudden silence prompted Jason to sigh heavily, ¡°I was afraid I¡¯d be toote.¡± His s voice echoed in her ears, and she snapped back to reality, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I was finest time, and I¡¯m fine this time.¡± ¡°Last time it wasn¡¯t me who saved you,¡± Jason said, and the atmosphere grew still. Yes, it hadn¡¯t been him who saved her. She had hoped for him, but it was Korey who came to her rescue, and the danger she had faced had been because of him. They had known each other for 23 years, there were too many stories between them, and there was still the person he couldn¡¯t let go of or forget in his heart. Estre sat in silence before finally smiling, ¡°You should get out of the tub soon; I¡¯ll step out for a bit.¡± As Estre stood to leave, Jason reached out and grabbed her arm, ¡°Stay with me a little. longer.¡± She looked down at him, and eventually sat back down. They remained quiet, one soaking in the tub, the other sitting by his side. Jason had a lot on his mind that night, and Estre, sensing his mood, refrained from any further teasing and sat in silence. ¡°Estre,¡± Jason called out. She hummed in response, but he fell silent again. Their eyes met, and seeing Jason struggle to speak, Estre reassured him with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even if you hadn¡¯t made it, I would have been fine.¡± 11:31 She wasn¡¯t fragile like Serene or Holly; she wasn¡¯t someone who couldn¡¯t survive without another. She could take care of herself. Estre¡¯sforting words weighed heavy on Jason. There were barriers between them that couldn¡¯t be broken down. They could never return to the way they were before. Her casual demeanor was just a sign of her indifference, and her marriage to him merely a means to have a child. The next morning, Estre woke to find Jason already dressed and standing by the wardrobe. Clutching a pillow to her chest, she watched him, noting that he hadn¡¯t realized she was awake. Breaking the silence, Estre said, ¡°Thanks forst night.¡± ¡°Awake, huh?¡± Jason nced at her. ¡°I¡¯ve got an early meeting this morning. You¡¯ll have to head to the law firm on your own.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Estre murmured softly. However, after Jason left this time, he didn¡¯t return for several days. Every time their rtionship showed signs of improvement, he immediately became distant again, as if deliberately suppressing it. This particr morning, as Estre was getting ready to leave, Bryce burst in, ¡°E.¡± Yawning, Estre asked, ¡°What brings you here so early?¡± ¡°Just checking up on you,¡± Bryce replied. ¡°And to fill you in about what went down the other night.¡± Bryce pulled up in his pickup, and Estre, not in the mood for driving, hitched a ride to thew firm with him. As they cruised down the road, Bryce gripped the steering wheel, his mouth running like a faucet, ¡°Man, Jason went all WWE on that guy. Doc said that Richie shouldn¡¯t even think about leaving the hospital this year. He might as well set up camp there.¡± Estre raised an eyebrow, ¡°You guys just stood there watching? A fatal blow would¡¯ve been a messy end for all.¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t stop him, you know. Who knew Jason was in such a foul mood that night? Bad luck for Richie.¡± The moment Bryce¡¯s words hit the air, Estre¡¯s phone rang-a call from Korey. She answered with a brief, ¡°Hi Korey.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, that¡¯s all in the past now.¡± ¡°Tonight? No can do, I¡¯ve got a business trip this afternoon.¡± After a few more words, the call ended. 11:31 Bryce, with a suspicious glint in his eve, turned to Estre, ¡°Was that Korey asking you out for dinner? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re thinking about divorce because Korey¡¯s back.¡± Estre, annoyed, flung her shoe at him, ¡°If your brother doesn¡¯t care, why should you? Just drive your your car.¡± Bryce caught the shoe, then said with mock seriousness, ¡°Look, Jason might not be Prince Charming, but Korey¡¯s just a stuffed shift. Jumping from one bad situation to another isn¡¯t gonna do you any good. He¡¯s too straightced for you.¡± Estre snorted, ¡°So everyone¡¯s wrong for me, but you¡¯re Mr. Right?¡± Bryce puffed up, ¡°I¡¯m definitely a better catch than those guys.¡± Estre chuckled, ¡°Go ahead, say that in front of Jason.¡± Bryce blustered, ¡°I¡¯ll say it. I¡¯m not scared.¡± All talk, no game-he didn¡¯t even dare to provoke Jason with a call. It wasn¡¯t until he¡¯d dropped Estre off at the firm that he dared to dial someone. As the call connected, a chilling voice came through, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± 11:31 Chapter 73 Listening to Jason¡¯s emotionless voice, Bryce quickly tattled, ¡°Bro, Korey just called E.¡± On the other end of the line, Jason¡¯s voice dropped an octave. ¡°You went looking for my wife first thing in the morning?¡± Bryce hurriedly exined, ¡°I was just reporting to E about what happened the other night, and checking her vibe, you know? I gotta redeem myself with you.¡± This time, Jason cut to the chase with no extra chatter. ¡°Bryce, if you keep pushing Estre to divorce me, you can kiss Ravenwood goodbye.¡± After Jason finished, Bryce gasped, his voice shot up, ¡°You don¡¯t wanna divorce, huh? Why I didn¡¯t you just say so earlier? I could¡¯ve put in a good word for you with E.¡± your sweet talk?¡±. ¡°Do I look like I need shapped back, then, growing impatient, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s Korey¡¯s business with Estre?¡± Back to the matter at hand, Bryce perked up and quickly said, ¡°I didn¡¯t catch it all, just that he asked E out for dinner tonight. E was so swamped that she refused.¡± Bryce¡¯s blood boiled as he continued, ¡°Bro, I¡¯ve said it before, that Korey is no good. He has been eyeing E for years. Don¡¯t let your guard down, and don¡¯t let him anywhere near E. In my opinion¡­¡± Before Bryce could finish, Jason hung up the phone. With a flick of his wrist, the phonended on the desk, and Jason¡¯s expression soured. He had told her he was ufortable with her being close to Korey, and yet they were in contact first thing in the morning. Bryce¡¯s call had ruined Jason¡¯s mood for the day, and by 5:30 in the afternoon, Jason headed straight to thew firm. He waited and waited at the firm, nearly an hour going by. Everyone else had left, yet there was no sign of Estre. With a stony face, he dialed her number, ¡°Still workingte?¡± On the other end, Estre¡¯s voice was nonchnt, ¡°Nope. I¡¯m out of town on a case, looking into Ryan¡¯s file.¡± Ryan was the boy who, after 13 years, had killed his father and two uncles. Hearing this, Jason¡¯s temper red, ¡°You¡¯re on a trip and didn¡¯t think to inform me ahead. of time?¡± Estre replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t this me reporting in?¡± Since when did they have a routine of reporting to each other anyway? She had tried calling him before and he wouldn¡¯t pick up, texts went unanswered, and they hadn¡¯t been in touch for days. Jason growled, ¡°This is me not seeing you, so called.¡± 11:31 Estreughed, ¡°You came to pick me up today? Jason, you¡¯re really keeping tabs on me. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve actually fallen for me.¡± Estre¡¯s jest was met with a click ¨C Jason had hung up. He tossed his phone aside, feeling suddenly irked by Bryce¡¯s call from the morning. Korey had just been in touch with her, and now she was suddenly out of town. Something didn¡¯t sit right with him, so Jason picked up the discarded phone and called Drew, ¡°Drew, check Estre¡¯s itinerary for me.¡± ¡°Right away, Sir,¡± Drew replied, ready to jump into action after receiving Jason¡¯smand. In her hotel room, Estre chuckled softly at the disconnected call, yawned, and then moved over to her desk. a She needed to prepare for tomorrow¡¯s visit to Ryan¡¯s neighbors to dig into the past. She opened her notebook and took up her pen, but her thoughts wandered to Jason¡¯s troubled look the other night, his fear of being toote to save her. And then there was his sleep-talking, mentioning Holly. She couldn¡¯t make out the words, -but it was clear it was about Holly. But that had nothing to do with Estre. Holly¡¯s death was even less her fault. Jason had no right to me her. They couldn¡¯t go back to the way things were; neither could let go of the past. Her indifference was just a better performance than his. Meanwhile, Jason returned to Sandalwood Oasis with a gloom that could darken the sun. Marie called him to dinner, but he went straight upstairs without a word. Raising his gaze towards the desk, he remembered Estre¡¯s busy figure there and her smile. It seemed like she was flirting him every time, but in reality, she wasn¡¯t really taking it seriously. To her, work and the Dorvold Group were what mattered most. Standing by the window, lighting a cigarette, he pondered that Estre didn¡¯t really need him. She had taken down Richie even before he had arrived that night. A bitter taste settled in his mouth. At some point, Estre had grown independent. She could hold up her world, even her parents¡¯. As he exhaled a plume of smoke and stubbed out the cigarette, his phone rang ¨C it was Drew. ¡°Sir, Ms. Estre is on a business trip to Linwood Town,ing back on Friday,¡± Drew reported. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. 11:31 Jason just grunted. Then Drew hesitantly added, ¡°Sir, there¡¯s something else. I¡¯m not sure. if I should say.¡± Jason cut him off, ¡°Out with it.¡± ¡°Korey also went to Linwood. Ms. Estre had barely left when Korey followed.¡± Drew finished with a stutter, and you could guess how Jason¡¯s expression looked. He had felt it something was off. It wasn¡¯t just women¡¯s intuition that was sharp; a man¡¯s could be too. Korey was up to something. The call ended abruptly, and the air around Jason seemed to freeze. Even if he didn¡¯t want her, he¡¯d be damned if Korey got a shot. In the hotel, Estre was bustling about with her work when her phone buzzed with calls from Bryce and Jesse. Bryce¡¯s voice was tinged with annoyance as he ribbed her for taking a business trip and not inviting him for some fun. Estre was on the verge of losing her cool. Did he really think she was off gallivanting? She should¡¯ve dragged him along to be her errand boy if he was that bored. After hanging up, the trio continued their banter in their group chat. Estre, multitasking as always, sorted through her documents while asionally firing off a reply to the guys. By the time Bryce and Jesse called it a night, their messages petered out as they sumbed to sleep, but Estre was still hunched over her desk, immersed in her work. As the witching hour approached and Estre had all her case files neatly organized, she stretched languidly, ready to call it a night. That was when the persistent knocking-thud, thud, thud-echoed on her door. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Estre called out, her gaze fixed on the door. 111 Chapter 74 Bang! Bang! Bang! The knocking from outside the door escted, ignoring her query and bing more relentless. Estre¡¯s brows furrowed in annoyance. What¡¯s the big idea, disturbing people at this ungodly hour? She had done her homework on this motel before checking in. It had a clean record, no sketchy business in or around the area. Gripping the stun gun she¡¯d prepared just in case, she called out, ¡°Hello?¡± On the other side, a man¡¯s voice, rough around the edges, drifted in, ¡°Estre, open up.¡± That voice-it tugged at a memory, familiar, as though she¡¯d heard it somewhere before. With one hand on the stun gun and the other on the doorknob, she hesitated, leaving the safety chain fastened. As the fierce knocking sounded again, Estre¡¯s resolve wavered, and she utched the door. The next moment, the tall silhouette in the doorway gave her pause. Staring at the man for a long beat, Estre finally spoke through the crack in the door, ¡°How on earth did you get here?¡± He had called her earlier that evening, only to abruptly hang up, and now here he was, materializing out of nowhere. The surprise was written all over Estre¡¯s face. Outside, Jason stuffed his right hand into his pocket, his tone icy as hemanded, ¡°Open the door.¡± Without haste, Estre undid the deadbolt. Swinging the door wide open, Jason entered, casually adjusting his shirt cor, his face an unreadable mask. Once inside, his gaze instinctively swept the room. Estre didn¡¯t follow him in. Leaning against the door, still armed with her stun gun, she watched as Jason seemed to search for something. ¡°You here for a surprise infidelity check?¡± she asked, her voice dripping withzy sarcasm. Estre couldn¡¯t help but feel a mix of sympathy and introspection. What had she done to erode Jason¡¯s trust to this extent? After all, their marriage had been scandal-free for over two years, with her dignity intact, while his name was a constant fixture in the tabloids, his social media buzzing like a beehive. Well, his antics had, ironically, saved Nelson International a fortune in advertising fees. Jason turned around silently, not dignifying herment with a response, nor did he mention Korey¡¯s intrusion to her. He knew all too well that Estre could make a mountain out of a molehill just to unsettle him. Watching his cool detachment, Estre offered her assistance with a hint of mischief, ¡°Need my help? I¡¯m quite the expert in these matters.¡± Jason¡¯s brows lifted slightly, as if to say he got the innuendo. He stared at her for a long moment before shrugging off his jacket and tossing it onto the bed. ¡°You sure can rough it out in ces like this.¡± He then eyed the stun gun in her hand, ¡°And that¡¯s for?¡± His voice was husky, a little strained. Estre straightened up and approached, ¡°To keep jerks like you at bay.¡± With that, she set the stun gun aside, bending down to hang his jacket on the coat rack. ¡°What¡¯s up with your voice?¡± ¡°Just inmed,¡± Jason replied, rolling up his sleeves. The drive over, with one cigarette following another, had taken its toll, he realized when he first spoke. ¡°You drove here?¡± Estre asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Jason answered, his tone nonchnt. Estre couldn¡¯t hide her exasperation, ¡°Jason, are you masochistic or what? When I was at Ravenwood, you wouldn¡¯te home. Now I¡¯m out of town, and you chase me down. What¡¯s your deal?¡± She had been touched by the whole Richie thing just days before, but then he¡¯d vanished again. Resigned, she decided to stop overthinking and just live her life, only for him to show up out of the blue. Jason suddenly looked up, and she immediately said, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll drop it.¡± Jason changed the subject, ¡°I didn¡¯t bring any luggage. Hand me your towel.¡± Estre, a stickler for cleanliness, was always well-prepared, which he knew all too well. Rolling her eyes but obliging nheless, she handed over her toiletries. ey were Though they hadn¡¯t officially cemented their rtionship as husband and wife, they well past formalities. Jason had a habit of borrowing her stuff even before they tied the knot. Shortly after Jason emerged from the shower, Estre returned from outside. Spotting him in just a towel, drying his hair with her towel, she set a bag on the table, ¡°I got cold medicine and anti- inmmatory pills-pick your poison.¡± Jason¡¯s gaz gaze darkened at the sight of the medications sprawled on the bed, ¡°Who said you could go out at this hour? Have you forgotten what happened a few days ago?¡± His sudden outburst took the wind out of Estre¡¯s sails, ¡°Just trying to help.¡± Estre had thought their bond deepened after he¡¯d defended her fiercely that night, but his abrupt departure had left her second-guessing. Maybe it had all been for Holly, who had faced simr dangers before. Perhaps that night, in his rage, he had only seen Holly in her. Estre¡¯s casual exnation failed to ignite Jason¡¯s temper, but an inexplicable sense of distance crept in. To the world, Estre seemed open-hearted and easy to get along with, but reaching her inner world was no small feat With a softened gaze, Jason continued to dry his hair as Estre took a deep breath and retreated to the bathroom. Then his phone rang-a work call. He tossed the towel aside and moved to the window to answer. After a lengthy conversation, Jason turned back to find Estre still in the bathroom, the door ajar. He approached and peered inside to find her hand-washing his clothes at the sink. For a moment, Jason stood frozen, struck by the simple, intimate act. After staring at Estre for a long, silent moment, Jason moved behind her and, with a sudden whoosh, wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. Caught off guard, Estre looked up at their reflection in the mirror ahead. As Jason held her close, Estre quickly dropped the clothing she had been holding and turned on the tap, rinsing her hands. ¡°Phone call¡¯s done, so you can handle bath time on your own.¡± But before she could slip away, Jason drew her hands back into his chest and, freeing his right hand, gently tilted her chin upwards. Then he pressed his lips to hers in a kiss that spoke of more than just a fleeting touch.. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Chapter 75 Jason¡¯s lips were as soft as a marshmallow, and the way his kisses peppered down on her face was so ridiculous that Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh. She¡¯d only washed a couple of his shirts out of sheer boredom, but the guy was acting like she¡¯d just saved his life. After a flurry of smooches, Jason rested his chin on her shoulder, enveloping her in a warm embrace. Estre nced at him sideways. ¡°Jason, you¡¯re selling yourself short! Getting all emotional over a couple ofundered shirts?¡± She knew his habit of not wearing a shirt for more than two days, so she¡¯d just helped him ou. After all, he hade all this way to see her. No matter what his purpose was, he had at least put his heart into it. To Estre¡¯s teasing, Jason replied with a cool edge, ¡°Estre, do you really think I came all this way to ask you to wash my shirts?¡± ¡°Or was it that you missed me?¡± Estre probed. She knew Jason¡¯s little schemes better than anyone. He must have heard some unreliable gossip and come to confront her, only to find nothing. She just couldn¡¯t be bothered to call him out on it. Jason didn¡¯t respond to Estre¡¯s jest, instead pressing his face against hers. ¡°If I don¡¯t reach out to you, you just won¡¯t bother, will you?¡±Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Estre bristled at his words. ¡°Now, that¡¯s heartless, Jason. In over two years of marriage, I¡¯ve caught you red-handed many times. And now you have the nerve to bite back?¡± Jason¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Caught me doing what exactly? Do you have any solid evidence?¡± Upon hearing this, Estre retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t rush me! When I get the proof, I¡¯ll make sure the divorce leaves you penniless.¡± Jason scooped her up from the ground. ¡°You gan scheme all you want with my body, but forget about the money.¡± She could trick him with anything, but money was off-limits. ¡°Are you this stingy with everyone else? Not shelling out a dime?¡± Estre challenged. Jason flopped her down on the bed. His voice wasced with arrogance, ¡°There¡¯s a line of women eager to spend money just for the pleasure of mypany. Why would I need to spend a cent?¡± ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, if I haven¡¯t slept with you, it¡¯s because I¡¯m stingy?¡± Estre shot back. Before she knew it, Jason¡¯s lips were on hers again. In the heat of their passionate kiss, Jason stripped away Estre¡¯s clothes, but his expression suddenly changed. ¡°Estre, 11:31 you¡¯re on your period. Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± Estre burst intoughter at Jason¡¯s frustrated look. ¡°You didn¡¯t call me beforeing over, did you?¡± She had seen through Jason¡¯s intentions all along and deliberately kept it from him. After all, he had a habit of turning tail and running halfway through their encounters. As Estrelle gloated, Jason pulled her close and turned off the light. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep.¡± Forced into his embrace, Estre felt a wave of nostalgia. It was as if they had returned to the days long past when they had still been close, and his embrace was always filled with that familiar scent. In the deep, dark night, as Jason¡¯s hand wandered suggestively, Estre scolded, ¡°Seriously? Take care of yourself in the bathroom.¡± Jason didn¡¯t argue with her. He directly used her hand to masturbate. Once e Jason finished, Estre wiped her hands on him disdainfully and proposed, ¡°You should talk to your mom. Tell her to stop hounding me about grandchildren like the Grim Reaper. She called again today.¡± Without hesitation, Jason refused, ¡°No way.¡± If he did that, Estre would never turn to him again. Besides, this was the only connection between them. Seeing his reaction, Estre dug her toenails into his calf with at ¡°Estre!¡± vengeance. ¡°I¡¯ve just done you a favor. You can¡¯t handle a little scratch?¡± ¡°Sleep.¡± After anothermand, Jason drew her into his arms again. The night was quiet, and it had been a long time since they¡¯d been this peaceful together. The next morning, Estre was roused by her rm clock. She was getting ready to head over to Ryan¡¯s ce when Drew came trudging in, dutifully delivering Jason¡¯s clothes. Appreciating Drew¡¯s loyalty, Estre said half-jokingly, ¡°Drew, I¡¯m seriously tempted to steal you away from Jason.¡± Drew, ever the professional, replied, ¡°Ms. Estre, that¡¯s high praise indeed.¡± Then he raised his voice for emphasis, ¡°Mr. Jason cares a great deal about you, Ms. Estre.¡± Estre responded nonchntly, ¡°He came all this way for nothing. It¡¯s not easy for him.¡± She was fishing for information, trying to figure out what rumors had driven Jason to her doorstep. Drew managed a tight-lipped smile, saying nothing. He hadn¡¯t expected his boss to dash over here just because he heard Korey was in town for a conference. Actually, they cared about each other. Why couldn¡¯t they justreconcile? The past was the past, after all. ¡°Ms. Estre, you rest up. I¡¯ve got to get going. After a formal goodbye, Drew made a hasty retreat, eager to avoid any further probing from Estre. The door closed softly behind her, and when Estre returned to the room, Jason was half-awake. ¡°Who were you talking to so early in the morning?¡± he asked. ¡°Just my lover,¡± Estre retorted with a nce. Jason rolled his eyes at herck of seriousness. ¡°Drew brought your clothes. You decide if you¡¯re going back or what. That¡¯s on you.¡± ¡°Why would I go back without you?¡± Estre shrugged, ¡°Suit yourself. But I¡¯ll be busy here for the next couple of days.¡± She was upfront about her activities. He could do as he pleased. She had work to attend to. After saying that, Estre grabbed her things and headed to Ryan¡¯s, while Jason chose to continue resting at the hotel. Jason himself couldn¡¯t quite articte why he¡¯d rushed over without a second thought. Was he trying to catch her cheating? He wanted evidence but dreaded finding any. However, he couldn¡¯t deny that he minded Estre not reaching out to him. Especially after his mother had called her the previous day, she still hadn¡¯t contacted him. That had unsettled him enough to pick her up from the When he didn¡¯t see her, the burning desire to see her intensified, and his behavior increasingly erratic. He didn¡¯t seem to have the upper hand as before. grew In the room, Estre had left just moments ago, and Jason soon got up, tidied himself, and started working from his room. A guy like him could never afford to waste time, so when Drew brought over his clothes, he also delivered Jason¡¯sptop and work files. Estre, for her part, had been out since morning, busy with Ryan¡¯s case and hadn¡¯t. returned to the hotel for lunch. Around 5:30 PM, having nearly finished visiting Ryan¡¯s rtives and neighbors and gathering information on old stories, Estre headed back to the hotel. The story of Ryan¡¯s childhood weighed heavily on her. Even after bing awyer and understanding the hardships some people would face, she could never imagine that at 11:31 boy who was even younger than her had endured such an inhumane existence. While Ryan was locked up in a pigsty, she was already chauffeured to school, decked out in international designer brands. However, the thought that the information she collected tod sentence offered Estre a sliver of constion. might help reduce Ryan¡¯s As the cab neared the hotel, Estre quicklyposed herself. Ever since she was young, no matter what she faced, no matter how upset she was, she always managed her emotions well, making sure not to burden others with her troubles, always a poised and cheerful. Unless she was too infuriated to hold back. appearing The taxi pulled up to the hotel. Estre paid the fare. Just as she stepped out, she heard someone call her name from behind. She turned around, and her eyes widened in surprise. 11-31 Korey! What was he doing here? Chapter 76 Estre¡¯s surprise had barely registered when Korey¡¯s sedan rolled to a stop beside her. ¡°Are you here on business too?¡± Estre nodded, ¡°Yeah, just gathering some info from the locals for a case.¡± Korey offered a casual smile. ¡°Since we¡¯ve bumped into each other, let¡¯s grab dinner together.¡± Before Estre could respond, a sleek ck Maybach pulled up beside the sedan. The front window slid down leisurely, and Jason¡¯s voice floated out, ¡°Sure thing! I¡¯ve already made reservations.¡± Upon hearing Jason¡¯s familiar voice, Estre turned to see him resting both hands on the steering wheel. There was a cigarette between his fingers, and his gaze was icy as itnded on her. He had the look of someone who caught his wife cheating red-handed. Korey spotted Jason and chuckled, ¡°Jason¡¯s here too.¡± Jason took a drag of his cigarette and replied nonchntly, ¡°Yep! Tagging along with the wife on her work trip.¡± After extinguishing what remained of his cigarette in the ashtray, Jason¡¯s indifferent eyes met Estre¡¯s. ¡°Get in.¡± Seeing this, Estre nced back at Korey and said, ¡°I¡¯ll see youter, Korey.¡± ¡°See you in a bit,¡± Korey said before instructing his driver to follow Jason¡¯s car. Inside the Maybach, Jason turned to Estre with a sarcastic edge. ¡°You sure seem cozy calling Korey by his first name.¡± Estre retorted, ¡°I had no idea he was here. We just ran into each other, okay? Don¡¯t overthink.¡± Estre didn¡¯t want any tension during the dinner with Korey. She didn¡¯t want others to notice any discord between them, even though their rocky rtionship was hardly a secret. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Jason lit another cigarette and kept silent. Soon, they arrived at a charming local vi restaurant. Jason immediately ordered the waiter to bring two cases of beer and a bottle of hard liquor. After Estre¡¯s earlier exnation, he had yet to speak another word to her. Estre couldn¡¯t tell if his silence stemmed from seeing Korey and being reminded of Holly or from Korey meeting her. When Jason ordered such an amount of booze, ke¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Korey, your know you can¡¯t drink.¡± Korey just smiled. ¡°I¡¯m here to keep Jasonpany, even if it kills me.¡± Jason chuckled at the remark. Estre knew she couldn¡¯t stop them, so she didn¡¯t bother to try. As the waiter started to serve the food, Jason filled their sses to the brim. There was so much to talk about, from the past to the present, and so much to drink.. Once they finished a case of beer, Korey was looking pale, so Estre suggested, ¡°Maybe that¡¯s enough.¡± Jason ignored her as if she hadn¡¯t spoken and filled Korey¡¯s ss once more. ¡°This one¡¯s for Holly.¡± Hearing Holly, Estre just watched him, saying nothing. She had thought Jason¡¯s silence during the drive was due to a misunderstanding. Perhaps he believed she and Korey had secretly run off together. But it turned out he was just lost in memories of the past. Korey nced at the full ss Jason poured and then at Estre. He f more pressing than the memory of his sister who was no longer there. her feelings were. Estre was not outwardly upset, just staring at Jason. Seeing this, Korey raised his ss. ¡°Jason, the past is the past.¡± He wanted to encourage Jason to focus on his life. with Estre, but it felt like he was highlighting the fragile state of their rtionship. So he swallowed the words he¡¯d been about to say. Estre snapped back to reality at Korey¡¯s words and gave a cynicalugh inside. If Jason couldn¡¯t let go of Holly, he shouldn¡¯t have agreed to this marriage. Why got married and then yed the part of the grieving widower? Wasn¡¯t he just tormenting her? With these thoughts, Estre picked up her fork, too disinterested to engage. further. By nine-thirty, after they had polished off two cases of beer and the bottle of liquor, Korey was a as pale as a sheet. His brows furrowed in difort. ke was sweating bullets at his side, and Estre was on the verge of losing her temper when the dinner finally came to an end. As they parted, Korey made Jason promise to treat Estre right. Jason merely smirked, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about my wife.¡± Half an hourter, the car stopped at a hotel. Estre was about to help Jason out when he coldly said, ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡± Estre¡¯s movements froze. Her expression locked in ce. She stared at Jason for a long moment before slowly straightening up. Her face was impassive. Once inside their room, Jason began to undo His shirt buttons with an edge in his voice. ¡°Quite the nner, aren¡¯t you?¡± Tying her hair back with an stic band, Estre heard Jason¡¯s taunt and responded coolly, ¡°Had you been a dayte, you might have caught us in the act.¡± He was convinced her trip was a cover for an affair with Korey, and she was done exining herself. She just let him think what he wanted. She was tired of catering to him. From now on, he could pine for whomever he wanted, care for whomever he chose. Estre was done ying along. Two years had been enough for her. Jason¡¯s eyes turned icy as he locked his gaze on her. ¡°So I ruined your ns?¡± With her hair tied and arms crossed, Estre leaned slightly against the nearby table, challenging him. ¡°Jason, it seems you¡¯ve been holding onto some resentment. Let¡¯s cut to the chase. What¡¯s the oue you want? Just be clear about it.¡± Clearly, he was the one who couldn¡¯t move on, the one who didn¡¯t want a real marriage. Yet he kept needling her. Estre found it amusing. His indifference tonight, along with his nostalgia for Holly while drinking with Korey, suddenly made everything seem pointless. No matter how much she tried, no matter how much she forgave, Jason would never reallymit to a life with her. So why should she bother? All Estre wanted was an answer from Jason Confronted by Estre¡¯s nonchnce, Jason removed his tie, his voice chilling as heughed, ¡°Have you secured a way out? Looking for an escape?¡± Estre, as rxed as ever, barely moved as she leaned on the table. Her voice was indifferent, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m looking for a way out. So let¡¯s say you¡¯ve got something on me tonight. Do whatever you please.¡± She threw caution to the wind, not even bothering with an excuse. Jason¡¯s temper i He strode over, pinching her face and lifting her off the ground. ¡°Estre, you think I¡¯m some kind of saint? That I¡¯ll just keep indulging you?¡± As his fingers tightened on her face, a sharp pain appeared in Estre¡¯s stomach. She¡¯d skipped breakfast, missed lunch while visiting Ryan¡¯s neighborhood, and had barely touched her dinner due to ack of appetite. Now, the hunger pangs were catching up. with her. Her brow furrowed, and her hands wed at Jason¡¯s wrists, but her usual strength escaped her. Jason, noticing her struggling with his grip, forced her to face him again. ¡°Say it,¡± he demanded. A sarcasticugh escaped Estre. ¡°Jason, what do you want to hear?¡± She continued, ¡°You think you¡¯ve been so good to me? Well, I¡¯d dly pass up. Fine, I¡¯ll admit it. I came here to have a fling with Korey. I¡¯ve always been reckless, even tried to seduce you, Jason. When I conned your dad into making you marry me, you should¡¯ve known what I was all about, right?¡± Chapter 77 When Estre spat out the words, her stomach cramped with pain, but she refused to ny weakness in front of Jason. A woman¡¯s vulnerability only matters to a man who cares, so she had no intention of humiliating herself. show any ¡°You¡¯re brutally honest, Estre, Jason said with a pinch that drained the color from her face. She bit back her pain and mustered a defiant response, ¡°Korey is back, and I sure as hell don¡¯t want to waste any more time on you.¡± Jason couldn¡¯t contain himself. He Brycet down and bit Estre¡¯s lip hard enough to draw blood. It hurt. It really hurt, but to Estre, it was nothingpared to her current disillusionment. He always found a reason to argue and took out his frustrations on her Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. whenever he was in a bad mood. Seeing Estre pale and trembling, Jason let go. His anger subsided. ¡°Estre, anything I¡¯ve used, even if I don¡¯t want it, is still mine. You know what I¡¯m like.¡± spent Estre touched her face, remembering the dog Jason had as a kid. It ran away. He a lot of effort to get it back, fed it well, and then¡­ She never saw that dog again, but the cherry tree in the Nelson family¡¯s backyard bloomed better each year after that. Remembering this sent chills down her spine. Back then, she only saw Jason¡¯s good side and forgot about his ruthless nature. The room fell silent. Estre¡¯s stomach pains came in waves. She sat quietly by the bed until the difort subsided a little. Seeing Jason brooding by the window, she grabbed her clothes and headed to the bathroom. The hot water washed over her face, but Estre¡¯s heart felt colder than before, and her mind was clearer. She wasn¡¯t scared off by Jason¡¯s words earlier; she just realized she had overestimated their rtionship. However, the Dorvold family wasn¡¯t one to be trifled with. Half an hourter, when Estre emerged from the bathroom, Jason was gone. She dried her hair with a towel, feeling a sense of relief. When disappointment reaches its peak, you stop caring about right or wrong, and you just want the person to disappear. Another wave of stomach pain hit, and Estre put down the towel, filled a kettle with water to boil, and made some instant noodles from the desk. As she ate, she thought about the grievances and compromises she had endured over the past two years, and she couldn¡¯t help butugh at the irony. He had brought up Holly that night, reminiscing about her right in front of Estre. Now she saw him for who he truly was. His agreement to marry her was just to appease his family. But if Jason thought he could keep treating her like a punching bag, he had another thing 11:32 After finishing her noodles, Estre pushed the thoughts aside and started sorting through the information she had gathered that day with her recorder. But she couldn¡¯t concentrate, perhaps due to the argument or her stomach acting up. Eventually, she had to lie down on the bed. She tossed and turned all night, and the pain never subsided, so her sleep was restless. The next morning, she was awakened by a loud knocking. Reluctantly, she crawled out of bed, and, wrapped in a nket from home, opened the door to find Bryce standing there like a whirlwind. ¡°Estre, why¡¯s your phone off? You¡¯re not answering calls, not replying to texts?¡± Bryce¡¯s unexpected appearance caught her off guard. Estre, wrapped in her nket, stared nkly for a moment before lifting her hand to her forehead. ¡°Must¡¯ve run out of battery, and I forgot to charge it.¡± After the argument with Jason, she hadn¡¯t even looked at her phone. ¡°Come in,¡± she said weakly, moving aside for Bryce. Bryce, carrying a bag of goodies, checked her forehead with concern. ¡°You look awful. What¡¯s up?¡± Estre brushed his hand away and walked back inside. ¡°Stomach pains. I didn¡¯t sleep well.¡± Bryce was visibly annoyed. ¡°And you didn¡¯t charge your phone, making yourself unreachable? Estre, you¡¯re just asking for trouble.¡± He put down the breakfast he brought from a local deli in Ravenwood where he¡¯d woken up the owner in the middle of the night to make it. Estre felt a wave of gratitude as she looked at the warm milk, bagels, and a fruit box. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s got my back,¡± she said with a mix of sarcasm and affection. Bryce handed her the fork and spoon and poured the milk. ¡°Luckily I thought to bring a thermal container, eh?¡± ¡°Bryce, thank you,¡± Estre said earnestly. At that moment, she wasn¡¯t just thankful for the breakfast; she was grateful that, when she was feeling down and unwell, he was there for her. Bryce brushed it off in a casual way. ¡°We¡¯re in this together, aren¡¯t we?¡° After breakfast, Bryce insisted on taking her to the hospital. The doctor checked her and gave her an IV drip, but she worried about missing work. Bryce reassured her, ¡°Get your treatment. We can head back a couple of dayste. I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± In the infusion room, sitting side by side, watching TV, Estre felt almost back to normal. ncing sideways at Bryce, she quipped with a yful smirk, ¡°So, my phone goes straight 11:32 to voicemail and you just hightail it over here?¡± Bryce lifted a hand tozily scratch at his tousled hair. There was a sheepish grin spreading across his face. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not entirely that. I mean¡­ there¡¯s also¡­¡± His stammering trailed off under Estre¡¯s cool, prating gaze. With a resigned sigh, Bryce blurted out, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll spill the beans, okay? It¡¯s about Jason¡­¡± 11:32 Chapter 78 ¡°I know Jason came looking for you,¡± Bryce said with a hint of concern in his voice, ¡°but Serene¡¯s little brother got hit by the principal¡¯s carst night. I think my brother might head back to Ravenwood, so I came over.¡± Estre paused for a moment upon hearing Bryce¡¯s words, and then let out a sarcasticugh. She recalled when she had juste out of the bathroom, Jason had suddenly vanished. So that was the reason. Bryce quickly tried to console her, ¡°Estre, don¡¯t overthink it. Maybe I got it wrong.¡± In truth, he had indeed heard that Jason had left the hotel at that time. Fearing that Estre might be troubled, he had come over. Estre smirked, ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time. I¡¯m used to it by now.¡±. ¡°Estre, there¡¯s something else I¡¯ve got to confess,¡± Bryce continued, with a hint of apprehension. ¡°But you gotta promise not to get mad or hit me after I tell you.¡± Estre¡¯s gaze turned frosty. ¡°Spill it.¡± Bryce saw the stern look in her eyes and blurted out, ¡°That morning when I went to see you, Korey called you, and I told my brother about that. He probably came after you the day before yesterday because of what I said. Estre, I swear, it wasn¡¯t on purpose. I just¡­ said it casually.¡± Bryce¡¯s scaredy-cat demeanor made Estre dismiss it. ¡°Fine, you came all this way to keep me company and even brought breakfast, I¡¯ll let it slide.¡± But deep down, she knew whether Bryce snitched or not, Jason would have his suspicions and would¡¯vee anyway. It was hard to tell which of the two was being the troublemaker. Around eleven, after her IV at the hospital, Bryce took Estre to a tasty local diner. She rested in the car for a bit. Then they headed to the school Ryan had attended for two years, gathering more information. It wasn¡¯t until after nine in the evening that they returned to the hotel at the town center to rest. Worried that Estre might feel unwell again, Bryce insisted on staying in the same room. Estre, with no other choice, agreed to let him sleep on the rickety sofa. In the middle of the night, Estre woke up a couple of times. Seeing Bryce curled up on the sofa, she couldn¡¯t help but smile warmly. Her good friends were few, but having Bryce and Jesse was enough for a lifetime. The next two days were simr: Bryce made sure Estre got her IVin the morning, and they spent the afternoons together, chasing leads. With Bryce by her side, Estre felt more at ease, not having to worry about catching buses or food. 11:32 By Friday, once Estre wrapped up her work trip, Bryce drove her back to Ravenwood. The journey was long. Estre suggested they take turns driving so he could rest, but Bryce was reluctant, pointing out that she was still sick. So, for the five-hour drive, he was behind the wheel while Estre snacked and napped in the passenger seat. When Estre woke up around nine in the evening, they had arrived in Ravenwood and were on their way to Sandalwood Oasis. She yawned and said, ¡°Don¡¯t go to Sandalwood Oasis. Let¡¯s go to Waterfall Acres.¡± During these days, she hadn¡¯t mentioned her fight with Jason to Bryce, but that didn¡¯t mean it hadn¡¯t happened. Often, the things Estre didn¡¯t talk about were the ones she was most disappointed by. What was more, she hadn¡¯t been in top form during their argument when she wasn¡¯t feeling well, feeling like she hadn¡¯t won the fight. Hearing Estre¡¯s request, Bryce didn¡¯t ask why, simply replying, ¡°Sure thing, E.¡± Twenty minutester, when they arrived at the expansive Waterfall Acres apartment, Jesse had already come over. She prepared a soup for Estre, and ordered an array of fruits and takeout. ¡°Jesse, it smells amazing! I could just kiss you¡± Bryce eximed as he stepped in and was greeted by the aroma of Jesse¡¯s cooking, opening his arms for a hug. Jesse, dressed in a sleek ck outfit with a stylish design, saw Bryce lunging towards her and kicked out. ¡°Back off. Don¡¯t get cozy with me.¡± Jesse¡¯s rejection left Bryce with a hurt look. He turned to Estre to plead his case, ¡°Estre, see how heartless she is? I¡¯ve been running around for days, drove for hours to get back, but she won¡¯t give me anyfort.¡± Estre, hearing Bryce¡¯sint, slowly took off her jacket, rolled up her sleeves, and cracked her knuckles. ¡°How about Ifort you instead?¡± Bryce went pale. ¡°No, that¡¯s okay.¡± After chatting with Jesse and Bryce for a bit, Estre went to freshen up. When she returned, Bryce had already showered and was lounging in his pajamas on the couch. while Jesse massaged his shoulders. The three of them were just the same as when they were at school. Later, at the dinner table, after Bryce told Jesse about Jason¡¯s midnight return to Ravenwood, Jesse¡¯s stylishly short hair seemed to bristle with anger. She said, ¡°Estre, Jason is really out of line. I don¡¯t think you should keep putting up with him.¡± Bryce chimed in, egging her on, ¡°Exactly, there are plenty of fish in the sea. Why do your have to stick with him? He doesn¡¯t see your worth; he doesn¡¯t deserve you.¡± 11-22 Meanwhile, at the hospital. Jason, with his hands in his pockets, watched Vincent return to the room and inexplicably sneezed. Serene turned to Jason with a soft voice, ¡°Jason, you¡¯ve been such a big help these past. days, and I¡¯ve taken up so much of your time. I really don¡¯t know what I would¡¯ve done without you and Drew.¡± Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke. She was overwhelmed by the relentless troubles of the past years. With Jason¡¯s support, she felt she could keep going, despite. the weight of it all. Jason casually tossed the tissue paper into the trash and said indifferently, ¡°Vincent is young, he¡¯ll recover quickly. With proper nutrition, there won¡¯t be any impact on his growth.¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± Serene nodded vigorously, turning her gaze back to Vincent on the hospital bed. ¡°Vincent, you better thank Jason for all he¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Jason, thank you.¡± Vincent, following Serene¡¯s instruction, added obediently, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to my sister and take good care of my leg. I won¡¯t cause her any trouble.¡± ¡°And don¡¯t fall behind on your studies, okay? Drew¡¯s arranging a tutor toe over tomorrow.¡± ¡°Thank you, Jason. And thanks, Drew.¡± Vincent had sustained his injury during a school activity when the principal¡¯s car identally hit him. It fractured both the tibia and fib in his left leg. After several days in traction, he had juste out of surgery that afternoon. After r expressing the gratitude, Serene turned to Jason and said, ¡°Jason, it¡¯s gettingte. You should head back and get some rest.¡± She added with concern, ¡°The weather¡¯s turned a bit chilly. I noticed you sneezing earlier. Make sure you bundle up.¡± Jason acknowledged with a nonchnt ¡°Mhm¡± bid Vincent farewell, and then made his way home. Serene walked him to his car, watching until it disappeared from view before reluctantly heading back upstairs to stay with Vincent. Oh, how wonderful it would be if she could actually be with Jason. But then again, Jason had always been so good to her, and he was always there to lend a hand whenever her family needed it. With this thought, Serene gently touched her face with her left hand, smiling with contentment. Maybe there was still hope for her and Jason after all! Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Half an hourter, Jason arrived back at Sandalwood Oasis to find the house eerily quiet, as if it was missing its usual vibrancy. He turned to Marie and asked, ¡°Estre isn¡¯t back Chapter 79 Marie replied, ¡°Not yet. But seriously, Ms. Estre¡¯s business trip is stretching out longer than a Thanksgiving turkey¡¯s legs. She said she¡¯d be back in two or three days tops, and here we are at day five.¡± Listening to Marie¡¯s words, Jason fished his phone out of his pocket and headed upstairs. He went into the bedroom, and the call to Drew connected just in time. ¡°Drew, can you look into what¡¯s up with Estre?¡± Jason instructed. ¡°Right away, Sir,¡± came Drew¡¯s response on the other end. With his order acknowledged, Jason ended the call and casually tossed his phone onto the nightstand. He had indeed gone to Silverbrook to confront Estre. Seeing Korey had soured his mood even further, but Estre¡¯s barbed words, devoid of exnation, had left him feeling even more out of sorts. So when Serene had called crying, he nced at the bathroom, grabbed his car keys, and left without a second thought. Jason was too used to Estre¡¯s sunny disposition to ept her indifference. Opening wardrobe to grab some clean clothes, he was frozen in ce by the sight of Estre¡¯s colorful pajamas. ¡°Let¡¯s have a kid, Jason!¡± ¡°Which do you prefer, this one or that one?¡± ¡°You like the ck set? Your wish is mymand.¡± ¡°If Koreyes back, why am I still wasting my time with you?¡± the ¡°I¡¯d rather marry anyone but you, Jason. Get this marriage over with and stop holding me back from happiness.¡± Memories of Estre¡¯s kindness, herughter, and her coldness swirled in Jason¡¯s head, darkening his expression as he shut the wardrobe with a definitive click. After he finished his shower, the bedroom was still empty, and he felt something was missing in his heart. The room was very quiet, so quiet that only the sound of his breathing was left. For two years ars and four months, over a thousand days and nights, Estre had spent her time. alone in this room. Except for a few festive ornaments, there were no photos of him, or of Estre, and certainly no couple¡¯s pictures. Nothing about the room screamed ¡°married for two years.¡± Jason lit a cigarette by the floor-to-ceiling window. The yard was still. The asional 11:37 car¡¯s passing by on the street always belonged to someone else. Estre didn¡¯t return to SanOasis. When the cigarette burned down to the end, the sting jolted him back to reality. He stubbed it out and turned to copse on the bed. There had been countless nights when Estre stationed herself by the floor-to-ceiling windows, tallying the cars that passed by. The first one wasn¡¯t his. The second one wasn¡¯t either. Eventually, she stopped waiting, deciding instead to focus on doing her own thing. That night, he had restless dreams of days gone by, of a time before ¡°that incident,¡± back when they were both students. Estre, ever the free spirit, wouldugh and y, outrunning the boys and climbing trees with ease. Then the dream shifted to their fights, to the p he had regretfully delivered, and Jason woke up with a start, gathering himself to return to thepany. Meanwhile, Estre had spent the night with Jesse and Bryce, crashing on the living room couch till dawn, with no dreams or thoughts of Jason. Back at the office, as Jason stepped in, Drew was right on his heels. ¡°Sir,¡± he announced. Jason nced at Drew, who continued, ¡°I¡¯ve got an update on Ms. Estre. She returnedst night, back to Waterfall Acres.¡± Drew¡¯s voice dropped when he mentioned Estre¡¯s return. Jason paused in his paperwork, and Drew added, ¡°Korey¡¯s conference in Silverbrook ended Wednesday, and he didn¡¯t meet with Ms. Estre privately before heading back. However, Bryce went to see Ms. Estre the night you returned to Ravenwood. Turns out she fell ill, and Bryce was the one who apanied her to the hospital.¡± ¡°I checked Ms. Estre¡¯s call logs. Korey did reach out, but it seems she didn¡¯t mention her illness to him; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have left for Ravenwood without seeing her.¡± Jason¡¯s expression shifted through several shades as Drew reported but it was only when he heard that Estre hadn¡¯t told Korey about her sickness that his features softened slightly. Drew, noticing the change, hesitated before speaking, ¡°Sir, there are a couple of things I¡¯m not sure I should say.¡± Jason detested half-truths. He shot Drew a cold look, prompting him to quickly add, ¡°I think Ms. Estre doesn¡¯t have any feelings for Korey, and she¡¯s been quite clear about her boundaries with him. Ms. Estre is straightforward. Once she¡¯s turned someone down, it¡¯s unlikely she¡¯ll reconsider. And let¡¯s not forget. She¡¯s still hoping to have children!¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Jason simply stared at Drew in silence. Drew, sensing the mood, added more softly, ¡°Maybe I¡¯ve overstepped, Sir.¡± 11:32 After more than two years, Drew felt he had a clear view from the sidelines. It was hard to tell if Estre truly liked Jason, but she was not the kind of person who would sneak around. She had been tolerant of Jason, never fussing over his romantic scandals. Each time she met him, she was open and warm ¨C a kind of woman many men would find appealing. Drew just couldn¡¯t fathom what Jason truly wanted. It certainly wasn¡¯t Estre¡¯s warmness. Jason listened to Drew¡¯s apology. His voice was even but marked with a subtle urgency, ¡°There¡¯s a limited edition pink diamond ne by Golden Gaze that just hit the market. Go reserve it.¡± Drew, always cautious around his boss, gently reminded him, Sir, aren¡¯t you gifting that custom-designed engagement ring to Ms. Estre? It¡¯s been over two years in the safe.¡±¡± Before Jason and Estre tied the knot, he had taken it upon himself to design a diamond ring, which was a symbol of hismitment. Yet, despite the years slipping by, the ring never found its way to Estre¡¯s finger, leading Drew to wonder if it had somehow been misced. Jason looked up sharply. ¡°Since when did you start arranging my affairs, Drew?¡± Drew was quick to apologize, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir. I shouldn¡¯t have overstepped. I¡¯ll take care of the ne immediately.¡± Once Drew had left the office, Jason mmed the documents he was holding onto the desk in frustration. Estre was sick, but she hadn¡¯t told him a word about it. But then, again, when had she ever really put him in the loop? She had been in a car ident year and kept it from him too. It was true that that day at Silverbrook, he had been in a foul mood ¨C perhaps he had taken it too far. Rubbing his temples, Jason forced himself to dive back into work. In the spacious apartment at Waterfall Acres, Estre awoke to find both Jesse and Bryce still deep in slumber. She didn¡¯t disturb them; instead, she moved quietly back to her room, got ready, and headed to herw firm. For the following days, she didn¡¯t return to Sandalwood Oasis, choosing instead to go. straight to Waterfall Acres after work. That night, just past nine, as Estre was walking back to her apartment after a long day, she stepped out of the elevator to find Jason leaning against her door, with a cigarette in his hand and a scattering of stubs at his feet. Chapter 80 Estre slowed her pace and, with her usual nonchnt smile, quipped, ¡°Finding me to file awsuit?¡± It was as though she and Jason were mere acquaintances, not husband and wife. Jason flicked the remains of his cigarette to the ground and stamped it out. ¡°Not nning oning home?¡± She quirked a brow and gestured to the door behind her. ¡°Hey! Isn¡¯t that my home?¡± Jason, with his hands buried in his pockets, watched Estre in silence for a moment before speaking up, ¡°Estre, I¡¯m here now. Let¡¯s both step back, and besides, Mom¡¯s starting to get suspicious.¡± Estre nearlyughed. She had retreated as far as she could. Where else was she supposed to go? However, she didn¡¯t feel like arguing with Jason about who was right or wrong. Suppressing a yawn, she said, ¡°Deal with your mom on your own. I need to get some sleep.¡± As Estre turned towards her door, Jason caught her arm, pulling her back. Estre faced him.. ¡°Jason, what¡¯s the deal? It¡¯ste at night. Don¡¯t make me call security.¡±¡± Jason gripped her arm and spun her back towards him. ¡°I¡¯m giving you a way out here, Estre. Take the hint.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother!¡± she snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t need it. Besides, I¡¯m notorious for being shameless, which you should know by now.¡± Did she have to ept it just because he offered? Who did he think he was? Estre was unfazed, and Jason was losing his cool. He hade all the way here, humbled himself before her, yet she still demanded more? Jason swallowed his ¡°What do you want?¡± anger. Estre pulled her hand free, exasperated. ¡°Mr. Jason, stop looking for me. Stay out of my sight, and I¡¯ll be over the moon.¡± She had stopped seeking him out, but time after time, he came to her, never with good intentions, always ending in arguments. They should just stay far apart! Jason furrowed his brows. ¡°You¡¯ve made up your mind, then? You want a divorce?¡± ¡°Yes, I do!¡± Estre began, but Jason cut her off. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it, Estre. Get back to Sandalwood Oasis, or it¡¯s bad for both ourpanies.¡± Estre chuckled, mocking him, ¡°Jason, I never realized how hypocritical you could be. When you didn¡¯te back, why didn¡¯t you consider thepanies then? If you y your 11:321 games, I¡¯ll y mine.¡± She put up with enough for the sake of their marriage, turning a blind eye to all the rumors about him. Now, she didn¡¯t care. What was him in his heart. now anyway? Since he gave her no respect, he should not expect any in return. If he made her life hard, why not make it hard for each other? Jason turned pale. ¡°Fine, Estre. You want to y hardball? Let¡¯s see who dares to have you then.¡± Estre pushed past him. ¡°Excuse me, don¡¯t block my way. I need to sleep.¡± As she tried to move past him, Jason grabbed her arm and mmed her against the nearby wall, leaning in to kiss her lips. It was a fierce, overwhelming kiss from Jason, but Estre pushed him away fiercely and, with a sharp p across his face, she said, ¡°Jason, I held back from exposing you out of respect. Could you show some decency? Don¡¯t mess with me just because you¡¯re unhappy. I¡¯ve facilitated things for you. I¡¯ve moved out of Sandalwood Oasis. If you, Jason, are willing, I¡¯m ready to split up anytime. What more do you want?¡± Jason¡¯s face burned from the p. Through gritted teeth, he asked, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I want to continue our marriage?¡± Estreughed in frustration. ¡°Are you treating me like a fool, or do you think I¡¯m blind? You pine for Holly in front of me. I helped you out of a car, but you didn¡¯t even let me touch you. Some trivial issue came up at Serene¡¯s, and you rushed back overnight.¡± ¡°You despise me so much, and you can¡¯t stand my touch. Isn¡¯t it better if I stay away? And now you¡¯re here at Waterfall Acres, blocking my way. What do you really want? Do you want some kind of evidence against me? Should I just give it to you in and simple?¡± After a tiring day and with her stomach still not fully recovered, Estre was truly annoyed by all this. She had already distanced herself. What more did Jason want? He might not need rest, but others did. She hadn¡¯t wanted to argue with Jason about. these things, but he was being too relentless. When Estre brought up Holly and Serene, Jason¡¯s hands returned to his pockets, and after a long silence, he finally looked at her and said, ¡°Estre, don¡¯t be so unreasonable.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I¡¯m unreasonable. I¡¯m inconsiderate. Go find someone else to reminisce with. I¡¯m done ying this game.¡± Jason¡¯s face was a picture of frustration. He blocked Estre¡¯s path without yielding, so she pushed him aside. ¡°Don¡¯te around anymore. You deal with your family.¡± For over two years, she had managed the messes he made, exining things away to her family. Seeing that Estre was serious, that she wouldn¡¯te back even when he came to fetch her, Jason didn¡¯t bother trying to reason with her or argue anymore. He simply grabbed her by the nape of her neck and steered her toward the elevator. Estre resisted, pushing Jason away to hit the elevator button, but he blocked her. ¡°Enough with the drama. Are you really going to stay here and not go home?¡± As the elevator descended, Estre, furious, pummeled him with her bag. ¡°Can¡¯t you ever stop? It¡¯s late. Do you have to disturb everyone¡¯s rest?¡± She was genuinely tired and her stomach was still aching. Jason didn¡¯t retaliate but just held her by the nape, pulling her to stand beside him. Momentster, the elevator doors opened, and as he ushered Estre out, she stumbled but caught herself. Turning to face him, she said, ¡°Jason, it took me a long time to decide to let you go. Don¡¯t take it for granted. Otherwise, I might change my mind and start demanding a baby. Then don¡¯t me me for being ruthless.¡± Jason, once more gripping the back of her neck, guided her towards the parking lot. ¡°Fine, have as many kids as you want.¡± Estre dered with a bold challenge, ¡°Whoever doesn¡¯t bring kids into this world is a chicken!¡± When the two returned to their Sandalwood Oasis abode, Estre seized the opportunity while Jason was next door in the study fetching something to lock the master bedroom door from the inside. Jason came back to find the door wouldn¡¯t budge. His face twisted in annoyance as he rattled the doorknob and pushed against the door, calling out, ¡°Estre, open up!¡± Inside, Estre was sprawled out on the bed, carelessly kicking theforter over herself, enveloping her body from head to toe, tantly ignoring Jason. Jason had no intention of having a child with her, and even if he was up for it, she wasn¡¯t in the least bit interested. It was a standoff, with Estre confident that she could oust him. Sooner orter, he¡¯d have to broach the subject. And if he didn¡¯t, well, she would, but not now. She was too caught up in dealing with Ryan¡¯s case and didn¡¯t have the energy to bicker with him. Burrowing herself under the nkets, Estre ignored Jason¡¯s persistent knocking, drifting off into her own slumber. But with no lunch or dinner, hunger pangs jolted her awake in the dead of night. Lying. motionless on the bed, she resisted the urge to get up and scavenge for food, but her stomach was having none of it, growling loud enough to disrupt her rest. After tossing and turning, Estre sat up abruptly. Her hair was a tousled mess. She decided to grab a bite after all. Slipping on her slippers, she sleepily opened the door, only to find Jason, with his arms crossed, leaning against the doorway of the opposite room, watching her intently. In a sh, her drowsiness vanished, and she instinctively stepped back. 11-22 | Chapter 81 When Estre realized the figure lurking in the shadows was Jason and not some apparition, she clutched at her chest with a dramatic sigh of relief. ¡°Jesus, Jason, are you insane? Who in their right mind prowls around at this ungodly hour without sleep?¡± Jason still leaned against the opposite door frame, watching Estre. He said, ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve, Estre.¡± This was his turf, but she¡¯d had the audacity to lock him out. Last time, she¡¯d booted him out of Waterfall Acres and had the gall to call security on him. Everybody from their hometown to the far reaches of society knew not to mess with Jason. If someone crossed Jason, then he could hold a grudge that mightst a day, a year, or hell, maybe even a lifetime. While Thomas and Bryce buttered him up, they badmouthed him behind his back. They¡¯d say Jason¡¯s heart was cker than coal, wicked through and through, and there was no need to prove it. They had taken enough k from him over the years. Yet, this guy, somehow, always ended up on the losing end with her. Despite their shes, Jason had even humbled himself before her on asions ¨C subtly, but it was there. Holly had never received such treatment. Suppressing a yawn, Estre taunted him, ¡°What, you think everyone¡¯s like you, all talk and no game?¡± That was a low blow, and Jason felt it. As Estre turned to walk away, Jason reached out and grabbed her arm. ¡°What do you mean? If you don¡¯t mind your words, I will spank some sense into you!¡± Estre spun around. Her face was inches from his. ¡°Go on, try it. But let me warn you. If I end up dead, my soul will haunt you for eternity¡± She¡¯d have starved herself rather than face him if she¡¯d known he¡¯d be lurking about. With her usual feisty defiance, Estre shrugged him off. ¡°Whatever, Jason. I¡¯ve got no time for this.¡± Descending the stairs, she made her way to the kitchen. The household, including Marie, had long since retired for the night. Estre didn¡¯t have the heart to wake anyone, so she fumbled around the kitchen on her own. Her culinary skills were¡­cking, to put it mildly. The can of ham remained unopened, and her attempt at slicing corned beef ended with uneven, ragged strips. Amidst the ng and tter of her battle with the can, Jason¡¯s voice floated over, dripping with sarcasm. ¡°Are you trying to wake up everyone?¡± Already frazzled, Estre spun around with a scowl. ¡°Why are you haunting me? Can¡¯t you find someone else to bother?¡± Jason rolled his eyes. ¡°Anyone would think you¡¯re chopping up a body.¡± With a few deft moves, Jason took over, popping open the mangled can and slicing the ham with ease, then neatly re-slicing the corned beef. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Estre watched, with her arms crossed, making no effort to hide her amusement. ¡°So, what is it this time? You want me to y house at the Nelson estate?¡± For over two years, Jason had only sought her out under family pressure, using Drew as a go-between for their little charades. Jason prepared the noodles without batting an eye. ¡°You really think I¡¯m dying to put on a show for them?¡± Even the big shots couldn¡¯tmand Jason¡¯s attention unless he felt like it. Estre gave him a thumbs-up, feigning admiration before teasing, ¡°If you stop dragging me into your dramas, I¡¯ll be impressed.¡± In response, Jason stuffed a piece of raw ham into her mouth. She was about to spit it out when the vor hit her, and she decided to swallow instead. Soon, Jason served up the pasta in the living room. Estre didn¡¯t stand on ceremony, grabbing fork and digging in. Jason watched her, feigning disgust. ¡°Ever heard of manners?¡± Ignoring him, Estre scrolled through her phone with one hand and ate pasta with the other, not giving him a second nce. Jason snatched the phone from her, and she looked up, feigning nonchnce. ¡°If you¡¯re so interested, take a look.¡± He rifled through her photos, videos, call logs work, work, and more work. Checking her Messenger, he found mostly business chats and frequent conversations with her mom, Jesse, and Bryce. Her contact with Korey was minimal, practically nonexistent. Noticing that she¡¯d pinned her parents, Jesse and Bryce, and their group chat at the top of Messenger, while he wasn¡¯t even a blip on her radar, Jason felt a twinge of annoyance. He promptly pinned his own contact to the top of her list. Estre, still focused on her meal, watched Jason¡¯s investigative frenzy. ¡°If I knew you were nning a raid, I would stage some juicy evidence.¡± Jason¡¯s face darkened, and he tossed the phone back at her. She caught it, saw what he¡¯d done, and laughed openly. ¡°Got no shame, huh?¡± Jason red. ¡°Try removing it.¡± With a smirk, Estre removed it, and then deliberately showed it right in front of him. 11:32 He stared at her. His expression was chilling. Without a word, he stood up and took her bowl of pasta. Estre clung to her bowl, downing thest of the broth. ¡°I¡¯m done anyway.¡± Jason thought he could trade a bowl of noodles for a top spot on her Messenger? He clearly undervalued her. As she hurriedly sipped thest of the broth, Jason stared at her with disdain. Shortly after ascending the staircase, Estre, having once again double-locked the door, found that this time Jason had unlocked it. On the bed, Estre was getting ready to lie down and catch some more z¡¯s. But seeing Jason enter, her expression soured instantly. ¡°What now? Haven¡¯t you had enough?¡± She didn¡¯t wait for Jason to speak, reaching dismissively for her smartphone. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll pin you back on Messenger, okay? Now get out. I have to visit a client at the prison tomorrow.¡± Jason ignored her irritation and ced a ss of warm water and a few pills on her bedside table. ¡°Stomach medicine.¡± He set the pills down, and Estre paused. Her gaze lingered on him. 11:32 Chapter 82 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 ¨C 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 ¨C 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 ¨C 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.¡± Chapter 83 Estre spun around suddenly. ¡°I¡¯m here, Ryan.¡± Her voice was gentle, as tender as if she was speaking to a newborn baby. At the sound of his name, the boy¡¯s eyes rimmed with red. At home, they all referred to him as ¡°Bad Luck¡± or ¡°Goner,¡± or worse, ¡°That Dying Kid.¡± Once he escaped that house, the kinder folks would just call him ¡°Kid,¡± but most hurled insults like ¡°Devil¡¯s Spawn¡± or ¡°Some Stray Mongrel.¡± He stared at Estre, and his eyes brimmed with tears. He managed to say, ¡°Ms. Estre, I looked up thews before I killed them. Don¡¯t get your hopes up, and please don¡¯t work too hard. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll just make you disappointed.¡± Since his mother was taken from him, warmth was a stranger to him. He couldn¡¯t remember what kindness felt like. Ironically, it was after he got locked up for his crime that the cops and the prison wardens treated him with a dignity he¡¯d never known. They didn¡¯t despise him like the outside world did. Especially Estre, she¡¯d been so kind to him when nobody else had hope for him. But that made him scared scared that if he didn¡¯t make it, Estre would grieve. Estre¡¯s reassurance came with a soft smile. How would we know unless we try, right? We can¡¯t leave things to regret, can we?¡± ¡°Thank you, Ms. Estre.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what I¡¯m here for.¡± ¡ª As Estre left, Ryan looked down at the pastries she¡¯d brought him his favorite, egg tarts and shortbread cookies. He¡¯d once told her they were the best things in the world, so she made a point of bringing him some every time they met. His eyes moistened as he picked up a cookie and took a bite, remembering how she told him there would be a chance to taste even better things in the future. Despite all the delicacies in the world, he had no longing for it. If there was anything he dreaded, it was the thought of his Ms. Estre being upset. Outside the visiting room, the staff didn¡¯t rush Ryan back to his cell. Instead, they waited until he finished his pastries before escorting Him back. When Estre got into Bryce¡¯s car after leaving the prison, her mood was still heavy. Bryce squeezed her cheek yfully. ¡°Feeling down? That¡¯s not my E.¡± Estre swatted his hand away. ¡°Just let me be sad for a bit. Don¡¯t ruin the atmosphere.¡± He ruffled her hair. ¡°I just hate to see you unhappy.¡± She flicked his hand away again. ¡°Go y in traffic, will you?¡± 11:32 Bryce fell silent, not wanting to disturb her further. He wasn¡¯t as emotionally involved in Ryan¡¯s case he hadn¡¯t met the kid, nor was he as sentimental.. ¨C His quiet was a sign of concern. He feared the oue of the case wouldn¡¯t be what Estre hoped for, and how much that would hurt her. This wasn¡¯t one of her usual divorce cases or civil disputes. This was about lives. Turning to Estre, who let out a slow breath, Bryce tousled her hair again. ¡°Just do your best, and try not to overthink.¡± Estre looked at him as he started the car. ¡°Ryan told me not to get my hopes up.¡± If Ryan hadn¡¯t said that, she might not have been as affected. But after he had, Estre felt even more determined to try, to create a small miracle if possible. Bryce didn¡¯t offer any morefort, just massaged the back of her neck in a gesture of support. Estre chuckled, ¡°Now you¡¯re the quiet one. Not so loud and boisterous now, huh?¡± Bryce, with his hands on the wheel, casually scratched his head. ¡°Who¡¯s loud and boisterous all the time? That would be exhausting.¡± Estre regained her usual demeanor. ¡°Enough chit-chat. Take me back to the firm, will you?¡± ¡°Remember to eat lunch. Don¡¯t make me remind you for every meal.¡± ¡°I got it, Dad Bryce.¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°That¡¯s just awful to hear.¡± Half an hourter, Estre was back in the office, discussing the ¡®case progress and her thoughts with the director, who said, ¡°Estre, letting you handle Ryan¡¯s case was to give you exposure to different types of cases. But you¡¯ve taken this to heart.¡± ¡°You can put effort into the work, but keep your emotions in check,¡± he said with gravity. Estre smiled. ¡°I understand.¡± The director nodded. ¡°By the way, we¡¯ve got a businessworking event this weekend in the southern suburbs. We¡¯ve got a few spots avable. You and Arden, along with Drew from the second team, should go. After your recent wins, it¡¯s a good opportunity tond some legal representation deals.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± After saying that, Estre returned to her office to continue working. Eight hours had passed. While her colleagues had left for the day, Estre was still at her desk, working overtime. Her dedication was one of the reasons the managing partner 11:32 valued her so much. At Sandalwood Oasis, Jason had just arrived home and noticed Estre wasn¡¯t there yet. His expression darkened. ¡°Estre¡¯s not back?¡± Marie replied, ¡°I just called Ms. Estre, and she¡¯s still at the firm working on a case. She said she¡¯d be home once she¡¯s done.¡± Jason was somewhat relieved to hear that Estre would be home that evening. But remembering how she had thrown away the breakfast he had bought for her, his heart sank again. It was rare for him to extend kindness, but she had discarded it like it meant nothing. Marie handed Jason a small stic bag. ¡°Mr. Jason, I found this in the trash when cleaning your room this morning. Are you or Ms. Estre feeling unwell? Should we visit the hospital?¡± Jason took the stic bag that Marie handed him, peering inside to find the pills he¡¯d given Estre the night before. His expression remained stoic, and his demeanor was as frosty as a winter¡¯s day in Maine. Without returning the medicine, he remarked. indifferently, ¡°Nobody¡¯s feeling under the weather.¡± Marie, noting Jason¡¯sck of reaction, echoed his sentiment with a casual, ¡°Good to hear no one¡¯s sick,¡± before bustling off to tend to her tasks. Mounting the stairs, Jason yanked off his tie, rolling it around his palm as his face set into a palpable scowl. It was past eleven when Estre finally trudged home, weary to the bone. The housey in hushed stillness. Pushing open the bedroom door, she found Jason awake. His eyes were casting a chilly re toward the entrance. Startled, she greeted him with a yful, ¡°Hey! You¡¯re still up?¡± She hadn¡¯t nned on returning to Sandalwood Oasis that evening, but knowing Jason¡¯s temperament all too well, she was certain that if she didn¡¯te back, he¡¯d be picking locks in the dead of night. So Estre decided to juste home. Jason was that kind of ornery. If you gave him the cold shoulder, he¡¯d be all over you seeking attention. But if you showed up and clung to him, he¡¯d dodge you like you were the gue. She could bet herst dor that if she stayed for just three days, Jason would vanish into thin air. With Ryan¡¯s case looming and the trial about to start, Estre didn¡¯t want to waste her energy on endless bickering, so she chose to return and keep the peace. Chapter 84 At the desk, Jason tossed the medicine Marie had given him onto the surface. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Estre nced at the pills Jason had flung carelessly on the table. ¡°You don¡¯t know? Well, if you¡¯re clueless, I¡¯m not exactly Sherlock Holmes here.¡± She had no time for beating around the bush. Straight talk was her game. Estre yed dumb, but Jason just chuckled dryly. He didn¡¯t snap at her. Instead, he you this calmly met her eyes and asked, ¡°Did you chuck the breakfast I bought for morning too?¡± Estre looked up, realizing he had seen her throw it away. Jason didn¡¯t mince words, and neither did Estre. She exhaled softly, walked over to the dresser, and started putting her hair up with a hairpin. ¡°Jason, I¡¯ve been doing just fine all these years without yours bouts of concern, and I sure don¡¯t need your fleeting kindness.¡± If he had wanted to make things right, he should¡¯ve done it long ago. Besides, he was still entangled with his past feelings and Serene, answering her calls and running to her side whenever she beckoned. Estre had told him once. As long as she bore his child, he could y his games, and she wouldn¡¯t care. But he couldn¡¯t even grant her that simple wish, iming she didn¡¯t deserve 1. Now, she was done ying. Feelings change with the tide. She was no longer the Estre from two years ago, nor the one who once had feelings for him. Life was long and unpredictable. Estre¡¯s sudden seriousness caught Jason off guard. His hands pocketed in his jeans, he watched her for a long while before finally saying, ¡°About the misunderstanding on myst business trip, I was wrong to doubt you.¡± Estre gave a wry smile. ¡°Don¡¯t bother exining. It¡¯s too early to make conclusions. Who knows? Maybe Korey and I might just hit it off someday.¡± At dinner that day, she had tried to keep a peaceful facade so Korey wouldn¡¯t sense the tension, but Jason had to go and show his disdain for her, making it all too clear. If that was the case, exnations would be pointless. Estre thought Jason could show his indifference to her in front of anyone, just not in front of Korey. After all, they werepetitors. Jason¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°Estre, would it kill you to speak to me without sarcasm?¡± 11:32 Estre smirked. ¡°Mr. Jason, what would you like to hear? I can tailor my words to your liking.¡± Their conversation was going nowhere. If they continued, Jason knew he¡¯d be left fuming. Suddenly, he grabbed his coat, and stormed out, mming the door behind him. If she didn¡¯t need his concern, he certainly didn¡¯t need to waste his energy on her. The bedroom door closed with a thud. Estre nced over, noting that Jason had left, not even three days into his visit. For the next couple of days, Jason didn¡¯t return, living it up with Thomas and the group, trending online more than a few times.. One morning, as Drew picked up Jason for a meeting at the government office, he casually a asked, ¡°Sir, the Golden Gaze diamond has arrived. When will you be giving it to Ms. Estre?¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Who said it was for her?¡± Drew remained silent. If not for Ms. Estre, then who? Despite the rumors of Jason¡¯s escapades, there wasn¡¯t anyone serious in the picture. Drew had plenty of thoughts but dared not voice a single one. On Friday afternoon, when Estre and her colleagues arrived at the resort, they bumped into Jason in the lobby, apanied by Drew and Serene. Serene was dressed in a white dress with a light grey coat, sporting a pink diamond ne that added a touch of elegance to her usual look. ¡°Mr. Jason, what a coincidence to see you here,¡± Logan greeted him as he approached. Estre followed with her two colleagues but didn¡¯t initiate a greeting, instead standing idly by. ¡°Estre,¡± Serene greeted her with a smile upon seeing her. Estre hummed in acknowledgment. Her gaze brieflynded on Serene¡¯s ne. It was Golden Gaze¡¯s exclusive piece for the year, priced at 48 million dors. Bryce had mentioned buying it for her, but it never materialized. Such an expensive piece was beyond Serene¡¯s means. To put it bluntly, selling her house wouldn¡¯t even fetch 8 million, so there was no way she could afford such a ne. With that thought, Estre¡¯s gaze shifted to Jason. How ironic. She¡¯d always teased him for being tight- fisted, yet he could be surprisingly generous. ording to Thomas and the others, Jason was no miser, except when it came to Estre. 11:33 Noticing Estre¡¯s nce at her ne, Serene touched her neck self-consciously. Her confidence was waning. Before All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. morepany executives arrived and the director Logan chatted with them. Estre found a ce to rest on her own. Jason hadn¡¯t greeted her, and she hadn¡¯t greeted him. With her firm¡¯s colleagues present, she couldn¡¯t reveal her true rtionship with him. After reviewing some legal documents and sipping two cups of coffee, Estre stood up to visit the restroom. Exiting the restroom, she ran into Serene. They faced each other, and Serene greeted her with a grin. ¡°Estre.¡± Each encounter with Estre left Serene beaming, as if they were old friends. ¡°Hmm,¡± Estre responded coolly. Noticing Estre¡¯s reaction, Serene touched her ne again. ¡°Estre, are you upset?¡± Estre was speechless. Wasn¡¯t this how it always was? Serene wasn¡¯t her client or her benefactor. Why should she be overly cheerful? Estre wiped her hands with a tissue paper as Serene nervously exined, ¡°Estre, Jason did give me this ne. He just felt sorry for me because of all the troubles at hometely¡­¡± When Serene spoke of herself, her voice faltered, but then she pressed on, ¡°Estre, please don¡¯t get me wrong. Jason and I are just friends, like you and Bryce are. I hope you won¡¯t freeze me out, okay?¡± I Estre couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. She hadn¡¯t caused any drama; where was all thising from? Tossing a used tissue paper into the trash, Estre lifted her gaze. ¡°Freeze you out? You¡¯d have to be worth my while first.¡± One thing Estre had to admit was that Serene had a patience and poise that most. women couldn¡¯t touch. If Pa had even a tenth of herposure, she might have already charmed her way into Jason¡¯s heart. ¡°Estre,¡± Serene continued, ¡°I know I¡¯m not in a position to say all this, but I just want your to understand me. I¡¯m not after Jason; I just want us to be friends. I don¡¯t want to be enemies with you.¡± Estre looked at her amusedly. ¡°Oh, is this the kind of twisted logic used by Hunter¡¯s mistress Ruby? I¡¯m not here to break up your home. I just want to be part of it.¡± When Ruby had dropped that line, Estre had been stunned, and so had everyone else around them. Serene¡¯s face flushed. ¡°Estre, that¡¯s not what I mean.¡± With her hands in the pockets of her dress, Estre smiled breezily. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Whatever you mean, it¡¯s none of my business. No need to exin.¡± Temptations were everywhere, but whether or not a man strayed from his family was his choice alone. Therefore, Estre didn¡¯t engage in catfights. She dealt directly with the man. Bickering with women was just too time-consuming and exhausting. There were simply too many of them. However, if anyone dared to get too close, they¡¯d find themselves in a world of hurt. Estre started to walk away when Serene turned and reached out to her. ¡°Estre, please, that¡¯s not what I meant, really.¡± Estre looked at her with disdain, shrugging off her hand. ¡°What are you trying to do, grabbing at me like this?¡± Serene stumbled and fell backward, crashing to the ground. scene, c Just as she hit the floor, Jason and Drew arrived on the the tail end of the debacle. From their vantage point, it seemed as if Estre had pushed Serene down. 11:33 Chapter 85 Serene quickly got up from the ground, but she was too anxious and couldn¡¯t stand steady, slipping again. Jason, witnessing her distress, ambled over and extended a hand to help her up. As he passed Estre, his gaze was icy, and the frost in his eyes was unmistakable. Estre couldn¡¯t help but chuckle silently, and her smile wasced with a tinge of irony. ¨C Once upright, Serene, flustered, began to ramble, ¡°Jason, this this had nothing to do with Estre. I just lost my footing, and that¡¯s all.¡± Her exnation, though well-intentioned, somehow made it seem as if Estre had pushed her on purpose. Estre, unfazed, sauntered over and gently cupped Serene¡¯s chin, taking in her pitiful and delicate appearance that would move any man¡¯s heart. Before Jason could intervene, Estre released Serene and locked eyes with him. Her voice was tinged with warning, ¡°Jason, keep your little bird tucked away safely. Twenty-four-hour surveince, or she might just fly the coop.¡± Jason felt a sinking feeling. His heart was heavy as he finally spoke, ¡°Estre, some things never change with you.¡± With a softugh, Estre retorted, ¡°Change isn¡¯t in my nature. You can either deal with it or walk away.¡± Then she turned on her heel and left. Serene, quick to defend her, said, ¡°Jason, she¡¯s just sparring with you verbally. Don¡¯t take it to heart. She didn¡¯t say a word to me. I thought she was upset about the ne, so I tried to exin.¡± Serene¡¯s way with words was nothing short of cunning. As Estre passed by Drew, he offered a quiet ¡°Ms. Estre.¡± His eyes held a glimmer of sympathy, which didn¡¯t escape Estre¡¯s notice. Inwardly, she mused that one could never rouse someone pretending to sleep. Exiting the restroom, Estre spotted Korey. His gaze seemedden with pity as he watched her from a distance. He was surrounded by the brass of Ravenwood. Normally, Estre wouldn¡¯t approach him, and she certainly wouldn¡¯t now. She offered him a small smile in acknowledgment and moved on. As she walked away, Drew suggested to Jason. ¡°Sir, perhaps Ms. Estre didn¡¯t do it intentionally.¡± Serene chimed in supportively, ¡°Jason, I really don¡¯t think Estre meant it.¡± Jason remained silent, His thoughts drifted back to an incident three years prior, to Holly. 11:33 E After dinner, Estre wandered alone along the beach. Her mind alternated between Ryan¡¯s case and her tangled feelings for Jason. She had hoped that after all these years, if they both tried a little harder and set aside the past grievances, they could mend fences. It seemed she was being overly sentimental. ¡°Estre.¡± Lost in her thoughts, she was startled by a voice from behind. She turned to see Korey approaching, and greeted him with a faint smile, ¡°You¡¯re here for the conference too?¡± Korey closed the distance. ¡°New position. Time to mingle with all the departments and businesses.¡± They continued down the beach. The conversation flowed as easily as the gentle sea breeze. Korey remarked, ncing at Estre. ¡°You¡¯ve been avoiding me since I got back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not avoidance, just steering clear of any potential drama,¡± she replied, and thenughed at herself. ¡°It¡¯s quite ridiculous, really. Jason¡¯s out there enjoying himself, but here I am, concerned about avoiding impropriety.¡± They found a couple of beach chairs. Korey invited her to sit. Estre adjusted her shawl and took a seat. Korey then revealed something from the past, I proposed to the Dorvold family because I saw you and Jason fighting. He hit you, so I wanted to support you, to show him you weren¡¯t solely his.¡± Estre looked at him in astonishment, having no idea that Korey had witnessed her fight with Jason. ¡°I genuinely care for you, Estre,¡± he continued, ¡°much like I do for Holly or Jesse. I would¡¯ve done the same for her. I just hope you and Jason can find happiness.¡± Holly was Korey¡¯s sister. Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh at the revtion. It turned out she had overthought their rtionship for years. After a moment, she said with gratitude, ¡°Thank you, Korey.¡± They sat in silence for a while until Korey had to excuse himself for a call. Back at the resort, Estre stepped out of the elevator, with the shawl wrapped warmly around her, to find Jason waiting at her door, with a phone to his ear. He hung up as she approached. His gaze was fixed on her. Estre walked up to him with her hands pressing her shawl. ¡°Looking for me? Aren¡¯t you afraid of being discovered?¡± Her words made their legitimate marriage sound like an illicit affair. Ignoring her quip, Jason, with his hands buried in his pockets, asked, ¡°Where have you 273 77-93 been?¡± secre Estre shrugged with a devil-may-care attitude. ¡°Meeting my lover.¡± to every Jason¡¯s face darkened considerably. He found himself needing a mental rescue e time they exchanged words. Yet, he didn¡¯t let his anger show towards Estre, instead stepping closer to probe, ¡°You¡¯ve been seeing Korey?¡± Pulling her shawl tighter, Estre nonchntly confirmed, ¡°Yep, just a quick catch-up.¡± His patience snapped. Jason grasped her throat and yanked her towards him with a force that brooked no argument. ¡°For for heaven¡¯s sake, I¡¯m not six feet under yet, but here you are, gallivanting with someone else right under my nose.¡± Estre looked up at him. Her eyes were alight with amusement. ¡°Well, I¡¯m very much alive too, and it¡¯s not like you¡¯ve been a saint. Let¡¯s not y the me game, shall we?¡± She pried Jason¡¯s hand away, her voice icy, ¡°Next time, keep the conversation verbal, no need for the roughhousing.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Gritting his teeth in frustration, Jason recalled who was really fond of getting physical ¨C who had sent him to the hospital, and who had pped him across the face? ¡°Mr. Jason,¡± came a voice, breaking the tension, as a neighbor from the adjoining suite emerged. Seizing the moment, Jason fished out a keycard, flung open Estre¡¯s door, and, grabbing her arm, tossed her inside. Estre fumed at Jason¡¯s audacity ¨C his having her keycard was beyond irritating. Regaining her bnce, she hurled her fallen shawl at him. Her voice was a low growl, ¡°Who gave you permission to barge into my room?¡± Jason retorted, ¡°What¡¯s the big deal about entering your room? It¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t crashed in my bed plenty of times.¡± Her anger dissolved into incredulousughter. Estre fired back ¡°So what¡¯s your n? To take over my bed tonight?¡± 11:33 Chapter 86 Jason flung Estre¡¯s shawl back at her. His voice wasced with frustration. ¡°Estre, are you that desperate for sex? It¡¯s only been a short while and you¡¯re already running to Korey?¡± Estre strolled over to the dresser in the suite, casually removing her ring and watch. ¡°If I don¡¯t seek him out, should I seek you? Besides, if I came to you, would you even be weing?¡± With a few nonchnt words, Estre left Jason speechless. Turning around to face him, she noticed Jason¡¯s brooding gaze. ¡°See? You wouldn¡¯t let mee to you, so at least let me find somefort in another man. Otherwise, a girl might age before her time.¡± Jason, with his temper ring again, yanked off his tie and threw it onto the bed. ¡°Fine, if you¡¯re s so in need of a man, I¡¯ll satisfy you.¡± After saying that, he strode over, scooped Estre up, and tossed her onto the bed. Estre, thrown onto the bed with such force, propped herself up on her arms and stared at him. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind the blood, then I might as well lie back and enjoy!¡± Jason chuckled darkly. ¡°You¡¯re on your period every day now?¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. twas She had used the same excusest time they went to Silverbrook, iming it was inconvenient because of her period. It hadn¡¯t been that long, and here she was using it again. Seeing Jason didn¡¯t believe her, Estre propped a pillow under herself andy in a sultry pose. ¡°It¡¯s just the longing for a man.¡± She wouldn¡¯t mention Jason¡¯s indiscretions with others. Estre had her own ways to deal with him. Their banter escted until Jason had her pinned down, and their fingers were interlocked. Estre struggled instinctively but didn¡¯t manage to push Jason away. It was only when he started kissing her, peeling off her clothes, that she blurted out, ¡°Suddenly, you are not attractive for me anymore. If I were a man, I¡¯d definitely have trouble getting it up.¡± This was like dousing Jason¡¯s anger with ice water. He knew Estre didn¡¯t want him to touch her. Since she had proposed divorce, she wasn¡¯t as sincere in her approach. anymore. Estre¡¯s words were deliberately provocative. After a long, hard look into her eyes and finding no desire, Jason got up, dressed, grabbed his suit jacket, and left the suite without looking back. 11:33 M §à§á§Ö Left alone, Estre exhaled deeply, pushed her hair back, and went to the bathroom. She had lost all patience with Jason, especially after he had stood up for Serene. She had her pride. At the bar, Jason¡¯s mood was no better as he drank with Grayson. ¡°You wanna talk about it?¡± Grayson asked after a few rounds. Jason took another sip before speaking, ¡°Grayson, what does it mean when a woman doesn¡¯t even want you to touch her, and shows no desire when she sees you?¡± Grayson didn¡¯t sugarcoat his response. ¡°She¡¯s not into you. When a woman doesn¡¯t feel it for a man, there¡¯s just no spark.¡± Jason felt the sting of truth. Estre had said that she felt nothing when he kissed her, and that if she had been a man, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to get it up. He drowned himself in another gulp of liquor. Grayson tried to lighten the mood. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just a phase. If she used to be close and suddenly goes cold, it could be she¡¯s just upset.¡± Jason preferred this exnation. Grayson continued, ¡°You¡¯ve been married over two years. You¡¯ve taken Estre for granted, and everyone has their limits. You keep pushing her away, so she¡¯ll grow cold. She¡¯s not after your fame or fortune. She doesn¡¯t need to pamper you.¡¯ Jason bristled at this. ¡°You only see the times shees to me, not when she¡¯s defiant. Justst time I tried to kiss her, I got pped so hard that my face was marked for days.¡± Grayson chuckled. ¡°You must¡¯ve really upset her. Usually, she can¡¯t get enough of you. Take today, for instance. You knew she¡¯d be here, yet you brought Serene along with that ne you gave her. If you get upset over her merely chatting with Liangzhou, how do you think she would feel? Seeing you give such an expensive ne to another woman and keep her within arm¡¯s reach all day, she must be heartbroken.¡± Jason fell silent. He had intended the ne for Estre, but after she ignored his pills and threw away his breakfast, he gave it to Serene in a fit of pique. If Estre was bothered by Serene, she could¡¯ve just told him. Over their two-year marriage, he disliked her indifference and tolerance, which only changed when his mother pressured her. Grayson, seeing Jason¡¯s silence, added, ¡°You think Estre married you because of some fortune- tellers¡¯ words, right? Any other woman would¡¯ve tested the waters with other men beforeing to you. But Estre never did. So, her being with you isn¡¯t just about prophecies.¡± Grayson¡¯s pep talk fell on deaf ears as Jason remained unmoved. His thoughts were a jumbled mess. There was so much they didn¡¯t understand. 11:33 ¡°Alright, enough with the sulking and the solitary drinking,¡± Grayson said with a firm yet friendly tone. ¡°If you really want to make things right and keep Estre by your side, you better charm her pronto. A little sweet talking usually does the trick. Drag your feet, and you¡¯re asking for a bigger mess.¡± With those words, Jason took a final swig of his drink, stood up with a newfound resolve, and said, ¡°I¡¯m heading back. You should hit the hay soon too.¡± ¡°Sure thing, I¡¯ll hang back a bit longer,¡± Grayson replied, sensing Jason might be off to make amends with Estre. He chose not to apany him, giving his friend some space. In the elevator, Jason¡¯s hands were buried in his pockets, and Grayson¡¯s advice echoed in his head, unshakable. The elevator dinged. The doors slid open. As Jason reached the corridor¡¯s fork, he paused. Initially, he meant to take a left towards his own room, but after a moment¡¯s hesitation, he veered right instead. Chapter 87 Approaching Estre¡¯s suite, Jason fished out a key card from his pocket without breaking stride and tapped it against the door sensor. The lock clicked open, and he sauntered inside, hands buried deep in his pockets. There she was, Estre, curled up on the bed, hugging a pillow, seemingly oblivious to the world. Jason¡¯s expression darkened, his features growing stormier than the night sky outside. He hadn¡¯t been back to his ce in days, had even brought Serene along for a retreat at the resort, and they¡¯d had a few spats just that evening. Yet there Estre was, snoozing away as if nothing mattered. How could she be so indifferent? Gazing at Estre in the dimness, it dawned on Jason just how little he mattered to her. Grayson had tried to console Jason earlier, insisting Estre had feelings for him, that she hadn¡¯t even considered anyone else and had married him straight away. But Jason suspected Estre just couldn¡¯t be bothered with the hassle and was solely focused ticking off a box to have a child. Jason moved closer to the bed, eyes locked on the oblivious Estre for a long moment. Then, with barely a hint of annoyance, he nudged her exposed foot with his own before shooting her a re and making his way to the bathroom. Emerging from the bathroom, Jason felt an inexplicable sense of calm wash over him as he stared at the still-sleeping Estre. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he tousled his hair dry with a towel before stretching out beside her. Since he entered, he hadn¡¯t flipped on the main lights, just operated by the soft glow of the bedside lamp, as if reluctant to disturb the sleeper. He turned to watch Estre for a while, finding the silence of the moment surprisinglyforting. Just as he was about to sumb to sleep, a sharp kick to his lower back. jolted him awake. His face soured, but before he could reach for themp, the room. zed with light. Estre¡¯s voice, sharp and annoyed, cut through, ¡°Jason, what the hell is wrong with you? Why did you sneak into my room in the middle of the night? Don¡¯t you have your own. bed?¡± The light revealed Jason beside her, and the shock on her face quickly morphed into anger. He did it several times throughout the night. What on earth was he up to? Already grumpy from being woken up, Estre thought the kick she delivered was more than justified. Sitting up and rubbing his back, Jason shot back, ¡°Damn getting a little too used to 11:33 throwing your weight around, aren¡¯t you?¡± Estre grabbed the pillow next to her and threw it at him, then pointed to the door and said, ¡°Get out. Go to your own room.¡± Catching the pillow, Jason scanned her with a cool Nelson International. Every room was his by rights. aze. The entire resort belonged to Estre, realizing that he was indeed the boss of the ce, slid out of bed in her bare feet. ¡°Fine, you won¡¯t leave? I will.¡± As Estre headed for the door, Jason grabbed her arm, pulling her back to the bed. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going in the middle of the night?¡± he growled, and then softened, ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you all night. Can¡¯t you give me a break?¡± Pulled back onto the bed with a light thud, Estre was too winded to be angry. Pushing ly want?¡± her hair back from her face, she confronted him. ¡°Jason, what do you really Jason searched through the hotel¡¯s first aid kit for medicine as he spoke. ¡°Why else would I be looking for you? Who else am I supposed to turn to?¡± There was a hint of vulnerability in his voice. He found a bottle of pain-relief oil, and started rubbing it onto his lower back. ¡°You almost kicked my kidneys into next week.¡± Estre indifferently huffed. ¡°I¡¯m well aware of how much force I used.¡± Jason nced up. ¡°You should be.¡± Tossing the oil beside her, he sprawled out on the bed. ¡°Can¡¯t reach the spot. Help me out, or I¡¯m calling your mother.¡± Estre watched Jason lie nonchntly on the bed, as if they hadn¡¯t argued earlier that evening, and he hadn¡¯t been away for several days. And he had even used her mother to threaten her. As shameless as he was, she still picked up the oil. ¡°Estre, are you trying to kill your own husband?¡± Jasonined the moment her hands touched his back. Estre dropped the oil bottle onto his back with a thud. ¡°If you don¡¯t like my touch, feel free to find someone else.¡± ¡°Fine, fine, do as you please,¡± Jason conceded, then snatched her hand and ced it back on his lower back. Estre shot him a weary look but resumed the massage with less enthusiasm. As Jason breathed in relief, he murmured, ¡°Estre, you need to work on this aggressive streak. Not everyone out there will be as amodating as me.¡± 11:33 She scoffed internally. Not many could best her anyway. With his eyes closed, enjoying Estre¡¯s not-sofortable massage, Jason¡¯s thoughts drifted away. He longed to let go of the past, but memories of irond evidence weighed heavily on his heart. As her touch softened, Jason suddenly pulled her into his embrace. Estre tensed, but Jason pressed her closer, whispering, ¡°I haven¡¯t slept well in days. Let me hold you.¡± He nestled his chin into the crook of her neck, and despite theplexity of their rtionship, in that moment, he just wanted to hold her tight. The faint scent of her shower gel mingled with the lingering aroma of his cologne. It cast a spell over Estre, flooding her with memories from years past.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Back when she used to watch him y sports, he¡¯d always wrap her in his arms after a game, resting his chin on her shoulder, iming exhaustion while seeking her support. At first, she¡¯d thought he was genuinely tired. But after arrivingte a couple of times and catching him still energetically practicing post-game, she realized he was just taking advantage of her. Reflecting on the roller coaster of events that had unfolded in their lives, Estre ced her hands firmly against Jason¡¯s chest, peering up into his eyes with a wry smile. ¡°Quite the adventure we¡¯ve had, huh?¡± Jason pulled her closer into an embrace, chuckling softly. ¡°It¡¯s been exhausting. I swear, I¡¯ve sprouted more gray hairs over this than anything else.¡± Gray hairs? Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh. She was curious to see how far he¡¯d take this act, and what he was truly up to. Their gazes locked, and the world around them seemed to fall silent, punctuated only by the weight of shared histories and unspoken thoughts. After what felt like an eternity, Jason finally broke the quiet. ¡°The ne was meant for you, you know. Seeing you toss out the meds and the breakfast-that was just me trying to get under your skin.¡± Chapter 88 Estre brushed off Jason¡¯s exnation with a wave of her hand, ¡°If you¡¯re trying to tick me off, why bother telling me at all?¡± Jason looked at her with downcast eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you get what I¡¯m trying to say?¡± He did not apologizing outright, but Jason felt his message was crystal clear. Estre smoothly slipped out of his embrace and strode to the door, flinging it open. ¡°Feeling better? Then go back to your own room.¡± The gift was his own business, but the way he had looked at her that day, that was something she¡¯d remember for a lifetime. So right now, she wasn¡¯t about to be treated like a naive child, coaxed with sweet nothings ¨C especially when there wasn¡¯t even anything sweet on offer. Jason was nearly beside himself with rage when Estre opened the door. He stared at her for a long moment before turning away, ¡°Not really.¡± At the doorway, Estre¡¯s patience snapped. She whipped off her slipper and hurled it at him, ¡°ying shameless, are we?¡± The slipper hit Jason squarely on the back of His head, causing him to turn back around. Eyeing the slipper now lying beside him, he picked it up and dropped it on the floor, his patience thinning as he exined, ¡°Estre, I¡¯m trying to make amends here.¡± The implication was clear: he was here to make peace. Estre couldn¡¯t care less and gestured for him to leave. Jason remained motionless, watching her before suddenly rising from the bed with a gruff, ¡°Fine, I¡¯m outta here.¡± She didn¡¯t want hispany, and he wasn¡¯t keen on sticking around. But as he approached Estre, his steps hesitated. Then, in a swift move, he scooped Estre up and kicked the door shut behind them. Estre¡¯s back hit the soft mattress, and as she swung her foot at Jason, he pinned her wrists down and trapped her with a light press of his leg, saying, ¡°If you want to make it public that you¡¯re the Dorvold family¡¯sdy, I¡¯m not opposed.¡± Her expression darkened instantly. If the word got out, her career as awyer would be a lot less enjoyable. Locking eyes with Jason, she struggled, ¡°Jason, what the hell do you want?¡± He had snubbed her earlier for Serene, and now here he was, repeatedly seeking her out, ying both sides with a master¡¯s finesse. Estre stopped insisting he leave, prompting Jason to say, ¡°With your attitude, what else 11- could I want?¡± He had nned to make a move under the influence, but she was as unyielding as if she¡¯d swallowed an atomic bomb, utterly impervious to sweet talk or reason. As Estre aimed another kick at him, his expression darkened, ¡°You really think I can¡¯t take you?¡± He then held her tighter, ¡°Just let me hold you.¡± He added after a moment, ¡°Nothing more.¡± When Jason said nothing more, Estre believed him after all, she¡¯d always been the one calling the shots. ¡°Either go to your room or crash on the couch,¡± she told him. ¡°Your choice.¡± ¡°What haven¡¯t I seen or touched of you before? Estre almost choked on her breath, her foot aiming for his groin, but Jason was quick to block it. He then pulled her into his embrace, turned off the main light, and closed his eyes with her in his arms. At that moment, Jason knew all too well that this fleeting peace was shamelessly earned. Looking up at Jason, Estre remarked, ¡°Jason, how did I never notice how shameless. you are?¡± He rubbed his chin against her neck, ¡°Learned from the best ¨C you.¡± Estre scoffed, ¡°ming others? You¡¯re the champion.¡± After her words, she turned her back to him, and Jason wrapped an arm around her waist while his hand ventured toward her chest. Estre caught his hand and tossed it aside, ¡°Have you no shame?¡± Jason nuzzled her face, ¡°You don¡¯t want a baby now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± she replied shortly. Jason massaged her waist. ¡°Still angry?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not that important.¡± She wasn¡¯t angry with him; she was just tired and wanted to sleep. Estre tightened her nightgown and secured the belt, and Jason held her without any more fuss. Knowing Estre¡¯s character, the fact that she hadn¡¯t kicked him out already meant she was being quite amodating. Everyone said Estre had a good temper, but only Jason knew the truth. Generally speaking, don¡¯t get on her bad side, or it wouldn¡¯t matter if you were the king of the world. After holding Estre for a while, Jason gave her a squeeze, ¡°Estre, let¡¯s talk.¡± But as his words fell, there was no response. He leaned in to check and found her already 11:33 asleep. Grayson said she liked him. Why had he been so unwilling to believe it? ¡°Estre, open up.¡± The next morning, Estre was awoken by a furious banging on her door. With her arm resting on her eyes, she kicked away Jason¡¯s legs draped over her until the banging of the door echoed again. Only then did Estre reluctantly get out of bed with half-closed eyes. Opening the door to find Bryce, all hustle and bustle, Estre yawned. ¡°What¡¯s the rush? You trying to wake the dead?¡± Bryce, holding a breakfast bag, couldn¡¯t wait to break the news. ¡°Estre, do you know who took away the Golden Gaze ne? It was Jason.¡± At Bryce¡¯s words, Estre, still groggy with sleep, replied, ¡°I know.¡± Her admission stopped Bryce in his tracks. He turned to her, incredulous. ¡°You know?¡± ¡°Yeah, the ne is already hanging around Serene¡¯s neck.¡± Bryce exploded. ¡°He gave the ne to Serene?¡± Not waiting for Estre¡¯s response, Bryce mmed the breakfast down on a nearby table. ¡°Estre, how can you stomach this? How can you swallow this injustice?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you a hundred times Jason¡¯s no good There¡¯s nothing to hold onto with him. I said stop putting all your eggs in one basket and get the divorce already, but you just won¡¯t listen. What, you think you¡¯re immune to the ailments thate from a woman¡¯s fury?¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Jason¡­¡± Estre began, only to be cut off by Bryce¡¯s impatient interjection. ¡°Jason, wha about him? He¡¯s a real piece of work, isn¡¯t he? Generous to everyone else, but what about you? Been married over two years now, has he ever even bought you as much as a sewing needle?¡± ¡°That guy, only you could put up with him. Any other woman would¡¯ve walked out on him a hundred times over. Look, I¡¯mying down thew here, Estre. You¡¯re going to ditch him, pronto. Even if it means you¡¯re flying solo for the rest of your days, you can¡¯t stay with him.¡± No sooner had Bryceid down his verdict than Jason, bleary-eyed with sleepiness, ambled out from the room. ¡°Bryce, am I really as terrible as you¡¯re making me out to be?¡± Jason¡¯s sudden appearance caught Brycepletely off guard. Hold on, weren¡¯t they at odds? What was Jason doing in Estre¡¯s room now? 11:33 Bryce¡¯s gaze swung towards Estre, who looked back at him with a face full of sympathy. ¡°I was trying to tell you, he¡¯s here. You just didn¡¯t give me the chance.¡± Chapter 89 Bryce was chatting away like a Gatling gun, and every time Estre tried to get a word in, he shut her down with another rapid-fire sentence. Jason cracked his neck and said with a menacing tone, ¡°Bryce, how you want to end your life, you pick.¡± Bryce looked like he¡¯d just taken a plunge into an ice-coldke, forcing a smile at Jason before turning to Estre and saying, ¡°Estre, I¡¯m sure Jason had his reasons, probably thought you¡¯d turn your nose up at that pink diamond, so he gave it to Serene.¡± ¡°And that ne? Ugh, it¡¯s not even pretty, nor does it scream ¡®ssy.¡¯ How could it ever be worthy of my E.¡± He then nced back at Jason and added, ¡°Right, Jason?¡± Jason stepped closer, eyeing the breakfast Bryce brought with a smirk, ¡°Nice try, champ. You should win an award for flipping sides so fast.¡± Bryce chuckled awkwardly, then clutched the breakfast like it was the crown jewels, ¡°E¡¯s got a sensitive stomach, and this grub¡¯s specially for her. Back off, big guy.¡± Jason felt a twinge of jealousy at Bryce¡¯s doting on Estre. Bryce continued, ¡°Remember when she was on that business trip to Silverbrook? I was by her side in the hospital for days.¡± Bryce was two months younger than Estre; they¡¯d been ssmates since kindergarten. He¡¯d followed her around like a little puppy, and to him, Estre could do no wrong. Jason¡¯s mood soured at Bryce¡¯s repeated ¡°my E,¡± and he remarked, ¡°Your E?¡± Bryce quickly corrected himself, ¡°Yours, I mean. She¡¯s yours, bro.¡± Estre crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, chiming in, ¡°We¡¯re all family here. Does it really matter?¡± ¡°Right, E has a point.¡± Bryce echoed. Jason¡¯s expression darkened just as Jesse suddenly joined them, ¡°Estre, you up yet?¡± Upon reaching the doorway and seeing Jason, Jesse¡¯s face also darkened, and she gave Jason a once-over, ¡°Oh? Jason¡¯s here too.¡± When Bryce caught Jesse¡¯s arrival, he shot Estre a knowing look and quickly shoved the breakfast into her arms, ¡°Estre, Jesse and I got stuff to do. Don¡¯t forget to eat, okay? We¡¯ll wait for you downstairs.¡± With that, Bryce dragged Jesse out the door, hurrying as if one second¡¯s dy would have Jason ying his skin.. ¡®he Jason chuckled coldly. So this was how Bryce had been ¡®helping¡¯ him, encouraging 11:33 Estre to divorce him. It seemed Bryce didn¡¯t want to stick around Ravenwood any longer. Estre, holding the breakfast with one hand and yawning with the other, watched as Jason grabbed his phone to call Drew. Suddenly, she snatched the phone from his grasp. ¡°You nning to ship him off to that school project again? Did he nder you, or spread rumors about you? So you can do whatever you want, but nobody else can speak up?¡± She tossed his phone onto the cab and said, ¡°Jason, if you dare send Bryce to that hellhole, you can forget about ever seeing Serene again.¡± If Bryce could see Estre standing up for him, he¡¯d be moved to tears. Jason pinched Estre¡¯s chin, ¡°So, everyone¡¯s more important to you than me?¡± He recalled how she¡¯d gone to the mat for Jesse with the Lamonts, and now she was squaring off with him for Bryce. But it seemed she never lifted a finger for him, not since they¡¯d been married. At Jason¡¯s words, Estreughed and eyed the breakfast, ¡°Can you bring me breakfast every day? Can you knock on my door in the middle of the night to make me a snack? Can you apany me to the hospital for shots? Or evene from miles away just to check on me? Or be there when I need you? Stop fussing about the sweet things I do to others when you don¡¯t see the life-saving help they give to me.¡± What could Jasonpare to the bond she shared with Bryce and Jesse? Was it their marriage certificate? Maybe he should consider whether he had fulfilled his duties as a husband. Sarcastically smiling, Estre went to freshen up in the washroom. When they returned to the room, Estre sat down at the table, and Jason pulled up a chair beside her. Seeing this, Estre pulled the breakfast toward herself, ¡°I¡¯m not big on sharing. I prefer to have my cake and eat it too.¡± Jason looked up, sensing a double meaning in her words. Rolling up his sleeves, he said, ¡°Still holding a grudge about yesterday?¡± Estre looked up, ¡°Trying to make amends? If that¡¯s the case, let me teach you how-¡± Before she could finish, Jason stood up, grabbed his jacket, and left. He was sure Estre was about to make some outrageous demands, and he wasn¡¯t about to start his day with that sort of aggravation. As Jason left, Estre called out, ¡°Jason, don¡¯t go. I haven¡¯t even taught you sweet-talk me yet. You¡¯re not going to try?¡± how to The door closed behind him, leaving Estre alone in the room. She shoved the rest of her breakfast into her mouth, smiling to herself. Giving Jason a hard time had be. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. second nature. 11:33 After Jason¡¯s departure, Estre cleaned up the table, changed her shoes, and went downstairs to meet up with Bryce and Jesse. As she descended, Bryce hurried over, ¡°Estre, is Jason really gonna send me to that school project again?¡± ¡°If he dares to try that again, I¡¯ll make sure his girl ends up somewhere she won¡¯t like,¡± Estre threatened with a smirk. Jesse expressed her admiration, ¡°Sacrificing your own for Bryce, you¡¯re ruthless, Estre.¡± Moved by hermitment, Bryce was nearly in tears, ¡°Estre, you don¡¯t have to do this, even if Jason¡­¡± Estre was speechless, and with a yful shove, she nudged Bryce¡¯s forehead. ¡°What are you two even thinking about? Since when am I his girl? I couldn¡¯t even write myself into that script, so you two better save it.¡± Bryce conceded with a smirk, ¡°Fair point. You and him as a couple? Please, he¡¯s not worthy.¡± Meanwhile, Jason was in the middle of an early-morning meeting when he suddenly sneezed for no apparent reason. After hanging out with Bryce and Jesse for a bit, Estre was called by Logan to join a meeting, so off she went to tackle her busy schedule. It was only at dinner time that Estre finally managed to catch a break. However, the sight of Jason among the dinner guests made the meal in front of her lose all its appeal. Of all the people she could have had an awkward meal with, it had to be Jason. She would much rather go out with Jesse and Bryce. ¡°Estre,¡± Serene greeted her with a wide smile as she entered the private dining room for thirty. ¡°Hey,¡± Estre replied nonchntly, grateful that Bryce hadn¡¯t been shipped off to some Hope School project thanks to her. you sit Serene was quick to act, pulling out a chair next to Jason, ¡°Estre, why don¡¯t yo here?¡± It seemed as if Serene was offering her seat next to Jason to Estre. Estre scoffed, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m high-profile enough to sit next to him.¡± Without further ado, she pulled out a chair next to Arden and seated herself. In the private room, the other guests were curious. Just who exactly was this Ms. Estre from Justice Guardians LLP? Why was Jason¡¯s assistant pampering her? And it seemed this Ms. Estre had even clinched a deal with Nelson International¡¯s legal affairs. The most puzzling part, she wasn¡¯t even showing the slightest respect to the assistant. Logan, sensing the tension, whispered a word of caution, ¡°Estre, Mr. Jason is a major client. We can¡¯t afford to rub him the wrong way.¡± Chapter 90 Estre turned to face Logan with a yful smirk. ¡°Logan, if I took orders from his secretary, I¡¯d be stepping on toes on your behalf.¡± Logan was utterly bbergasted. Not far off, Jason cast a cool, indifferent nce in her direction. It was clear to him now. In public, Estre could deny their connection more convincingly than he ever could. ¡°Logan, you¡¯ve got quite the dream team building here. These young guns and roses, not only are they sharp as tacks but also easy on the eyes.¡± ¡°Justice Guardians LLP snagging Mr. Jason¡¯s legal affairs? You guys are soaring high.¡± ¡°Gentlemen, we at Justice Guardians LLP are all about serving you fine folks.¡± Estre had been knocking cases out of the parktely, and just recently, Logan had passed Ryan¡¯s high-profile case her way. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. As the drinks circted and the crowd learned that Estre was Ryan¡¯swyer, the conversation grew even livelier. ¡°Ms. Estre, so young and stunning-you must still be on the market, right?¡± Estre¡¯s youth and beauty were the talk of the table, leading to the inevitable inquiry. As the man¡¯s words hung in the air, Jason gave her a sidelong nce, noticing how Estre hadn¡¯t really looked at him all evening, as if she truly didn¡¯t know him. Hearing the question, Estre shed a confident smile. ¡°Keith, if you know any eligible bachelors, I guess I¡¯m still avable.¡± Grayson, also present at the dinner, nearly choked on his drink at her response. Clearing his throat, he nced over at Jason, whose expression visibly darkened. Serene tensed up and then turned to Jason. Noticing his sour mood, Serenedled some soup into a bowl for him. ¡°Jason, you¡¯ve had a bit to drink. Have some soup to settle your stomach.¡± Keith, amused by Serene¡¯s attentiveness, chimed in. ¡°Mr. Jason¡¯s secretary is quite the heart-warmer. I was thinking, with Ms. Estre¡¯s talent and looks, she¡¯d make a striking match with Mr. Jason-seems like that line might not be tied after all.¡± As the middle-aged man finished speaking, Serene quickly looked up at Estre with an embarrassed expression. Estre didn¡¯t even nce their way, instead she told Keith with. augh, ¡°Mr. Jason is a bit out of my league.¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened even further at her words. Estre had been delivering these subtle jabs all evening. Grayson found the situation amusing; it was clear that Jason had not managed to charm 11:33 her the night before. Sensing the tension, Logan tried to smooth things over. ¡°Arden, Estre, Drew, let¡¯s not forget Mr. Jason is the bread and butter of Justice Guardians LLP. Let¡¯s raise a toast to him.¡± Estre seemed a tad cool towards Jason that night, and Logan noticed. Worrying she might offend their VIP, Logan kept trying to make peace. Logan¡¯s words were thew, and since Jason was indeed their major client, Estre had no reason to refuse the toast, joining Logan and others with her ss held high. As the group approached, Estre stood unassumingly at the back, clearly uninterested in mingling with Jason. ¡°Mr. Jason, we thank you for your trust in Justice Guardians LLP. We¡¯ll do our utmost for Nelson International,¡± Logan proimed, with a ss in hand. Jason¡¯s presence at the dinner was both a surprise and a delight to Logan, who had heard that Jason rarely attended such gatherings. With his attendance, Grayson and other executives had followed, making theworking event quite fruitful. Estre was their lucky charm; ever since joining the firm, Justice Guardians LLP had been on a winning streak. At the table, Jason noticed Estregging behind the group and turned to Drew, ¡°Drew, bring Ms. Estre a chair.¡± ¦§ Estre had said he was out of her league, so he decided to give her due honor and see how she would respond. When Jason instructed Drew to move a seat, the room fell silent, all eyes turning to Estre. Could it be that Mr. Jason took the previousments to heart and also saw a perfect pairing with Ms. Estre? ¡°Right away, Sir,¡± Drew promptly got up to fetch the chair. As Drew responded, Serene quickly stood up, offering her seat. ¡°Estre, here, take my spot.¡± Estre, with a ss in hand, looked over at Jason, who quirked an eyebrow and smoothly pulled the chair Serene had vacated a bit further back for her. ¡°Ms. Estre, please, have a seat.¡± Logan snapped back to reality and quickly nudged Estre, ¡°Estre, you¡¯re in charge of the legal affairs for Nelson International. Have a good talk with Mr. Jason:¡± The young man next to Estre promptly cleared the way for her. He had given Estre a ride home last time, and he knew very well about her connection with Jason but since Estre never mentioned it, he couldn¡¯t say anything about this. Jason¡¯s grand gesture was met with Estre¡¯s candid response as she pulled the chair back and sat down gracefully. ¡°Mr. Jason, since you¡¯re being so gracious, I¡¯ll dly ept.¡± Following that, Logan and the others toasted with Jason, who graciously sipped his drink. each time. The dinner was more than halfway through, and Jason¡¯s ss, which started the evening eighty percent full, was still at the same level, each toast met with a token sip. Estre couldn¡¯t help but suspect that Jason hadn¡¯t even taken a real sip of his drink, merely tapping the rim of his ss to his lips as a token gesture. It made sense, after all. Sharing a table with someone of Jason¡¯s clout was akin to being graced by royalty. A mere tasting of his drink was all you could expect from him; no one dared to challenge him to anything more.. After Logan had made his round of toasts, he nced at Jason, whose arm was nonchntly resting on the back of Estre¡¯s chair, making polite conversation while his. gaze asionally lingered on her. With a grin, Logan turned to Estre and said, ¡°Estre, since you¡¯re spearheading the legal affairs for Nelson International, why don¡¯t you take this splendid opportunity to share a drink with Mr. Jason?¡± What was so splendid about today anyway? That was Estre¡¯s internal retort, but with all. the higher- ups present, she couldn¡¯t very well embarrass her supervisor. Rising with her ss in hand, Estre smiled and said, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Jason, for the opportunity to coborate. We at Justice Guardians LLP will certainly redouble our efforts to sessfully manage all of Nelson International¡¯s legal affairs.¡± With that, she downed the contents of her ss. Jason also stood up, and seeing Estre empty her ss, he remarked, ¡°Ms. Estre shows such sincerity. It would be rude of me not to reciprocate.¡± And with that, he drank down the remains of his bourbon, which had been nearly full just moments before. The room fell silent, with Logan looking on in amazement. Estre clearly carried a lot of clout. Jason hadn¡¯t touched a drop all evening, yet with her, he¡¯d polished off his entire ss. Logan felt a pang of sympathy for Jason¡¯s stomach just watching him. Estre was truly a lucky charm for Justice Guardians LLP. As the others regained their senses, they finally understood how Justice Guardians LLP had managed to secure the legal work for Nelson International. Mr. Jason had clearly taken a shine to the firm¡¯s attorney. No wonder Future Vision hadn¡¯t renewed their contract. It seemed they too needed to pay closer attention to Justice Guardians LLP and cozy up to Ms. Estre a bit more. Who knew? She might even be Jason¡¯s wife in the future. Serene watched the scene unfold, her brow furrowed with concern. ho was a 11:33 worried sick over Jason, but this was a matter between Jason and Estre. If Jason was happy to flirt with Estre, what could she say? Serene¡¯s heart ached as she could only watch helplessly. Since Jason rarely showed such favor, Estre just looked at him in this way. As Estre kept her gaze on him, her eyes brimming with an indescribable emotion, Jason, with a smile, asked her, ¡°Ms. Estre, are you worried?¡± Chapter 91 Estre regained herposure and sat down with a smile, ¡°Mr. Jason, you sure can hold your liquor.¡± Jason followed suit, sitting down while wincing and taking a sharp breath. Catching his expression, Estre looked at him with a nce full of disdain, thinking to herself. ¡°If you can¡¯t handle your drinks, why put on a show? Who are you trying to impress?¡± Her contemptuous look didn¡¯t go unnoticed, and Jason gritted his teeth, ¡°Not even offering me a bite to eat?¡± Logan, catching the awkwardness, chimed in with a grin, ¡°Estre, Mr. Jason went hard on the drinks. Why don¡¯t you serve him some veggies?¡± With everyone watching, Estre couldn¡¯t exactly refuse, so she begrudgingly forked a few green beans onto Jason¡¯s te. As the alcohol started to loosen tongues around the table, the conversation picked up again. Jason was half-listening to the chatter, his attention mostly fixed on Estre. Serene, seated next to Drew, hadn¡¯t taken her eyes off Jason and Estre the entire time. She knew Jason was into Estre. He had intentionally downed that drink earlier, deliberately stirring up suspicion about their rtionship to ward off potential suitors. Having known Jason for years, she¡¯d never seen him give anyone this much attention, not even Holly. Serene envied that Estre could marry Jason, and Jason also cared about her. Post-dinner, Estre nonchntly ate the peanuts, eavesdropping on the banter, when suddenly she felt a hand on her thigh under the table. She turned to look at the person on her right, watching him chat away as if nothing were amiss. However, his left hand was causing mischief under the table. Her face soured, and with a flick, she snapped a nut shell onto the table in front of him. Jason looked at the shell that had flown over, his fingers deliberately brushing against her under the table as he leaned in and whispered cheekily, ¡°Aren¡¯t you usually quite bold and fiery?¡± Without waiting for her response, his hand moved further. Estre, expressionless while eating the nuts, thought to herself, no wonder he had pulled his chair closer earlier, so he had this in mind all along. When Jason¡¯s hand ventured beneath her skirt Estre¡¯s high-heeled foot came down hard on his. If she had known about tonight¡¯s dinner and Jason¡¯s sleazy moves, she would never have worn a skirt. Now she realized he¡¯d taken advantage of the situation. 11:33 Jason inhaled sharply from the pain but his hand lingered, sliding towards her inner thigh, ¡°Estre, you dare im you¡¯re single in my presence?¡± Estre¡¯s hand mped down on his wrist, ¡°Then stand up and tell everyone that I¡¯m your wife.¡± His hand remained in ce and Estre, tired of pushing him away, grabbed him where it would hurt most. The next moment, Jason turned pale. Estre, still scrolling through her phone, acted as if nothing was happening. When Jason red at her, she merely raised an eyebrow in challenge. Not far from them, Serene had been watching the whole time. Although she hadn¡¯t seen exactly what they were doing, she had a hunch they were locked in a subtle battle. Jason only showed such expressions and smiles when he was with Estre. Unconcerned with Serene¡¯s forlorn look, Estre casually remarked, ¡°Your little mistress. seems upset.¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Why should I care about her being upset?¡± He then reiterated, ¡°I¡¯ve told you countless times, she and I are nothing.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Estre retorted, ¡°Funny how you¡¯re always so quick to exin yourself.¡± ¡°Would you stop being jealous if I didn¡¯t?¡± Jason¡¯s fair face was flushed with a hint of drunkenness, his aristocratic nose still supporting his stylish gold-rimmed sses ¨C handsome, arrogant, and a bit rogue. Estre wasn¡¯t fond of that line, shoving an unshelled walnut into his mouth, ¡°You are not important enough to make me jealous.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you ¡®t you shell it before feeding me?¡± At Jason¡¯s outburst, the rest of the table turned to them to see him spitting out an unshelled walnut, which sent everyone into fits ofughter. ¡°Mr. Jason, you do know walnuts need to be shelled, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, Mr. Jason.¡± ¡°Mr. Jason, we heard you were dining here, and we¡¯d like to offer a toast.¡± Just then, the private room door burst open. The lead attorney from Future Vision Law Firm arrived with two colleagues, one of whom was a young and attractive femalewyer. When she entered and saw Estre sitting next to Jason, her smile froze on her face. Aa an old hand at social and business gatherings, she could tell at a nce that Jason and Estre were flirting under the radar. No wonder Estre had snagged Nelson International so quickly; she must have some slick moves up her sleeve. ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± Despite her disapproval of Estre, the woman greeted Jason with a smile. 11:34 As thewyers approached with sses in hand, Jason gave Drew a look quickly refilled his ss. and Drew After exchanging pleasantries, the femalewyer from Future Vision turned her attention back to Estre, noticing her seatedfortably by Jason¡¯s side with his arm. suggestively over her chair. The woman felt a twinge of difort. So she addressed Estre, ¡°Nelson International has been working with Future Vision for three you, Ms. Estre, managed to pry it away just a year after joining. You must possess. some remarkable talent.¡± years, and With that insinuation, the nces towards Estre became more probing. They had already been curious when Jason had pulled her chair closer. With the woman turning the conversation towards her, Estre looked up and replied coolly, ¡°It¡¯s simple. I¡¯m just more skilled than you.¡± When this group of people first came in, Estre could tell they were up to no good. Their predatory eyes were set on poaching Nelson International. And when Estre signed the legal representation for Nelson International, Future Vision didn¡¯t hesitate to discredit her behind her back. In the cutthroat world of business, a woman¡¯s reputation often hung by a thread, vulnerable to vicious rumors. Still, when whispers suggested she was cozying up to Jason, Estre couldn¡¯t help but wear a smirk of amusement. ¡°Future Vision has been around for years, while Justice Guardians LLP is barely cutting its first teeth. Ms. Estre, you seem too confident-perhaps you got some hidden talents? Otherwise, how on earth would you score the seat of honor tonight?¡± The barbed words were like a match to tinder in the room buzzing with corporate sharks. The insinuation was clear, and the unspoken belief that Jason would leap to Estre¡¯s defense was laughable. Estre was a woman, indeed, but so was her adversary-anything Estre possessed, she believed she had in spades. With a sharp snap, Estre tossed the nuts onto the table. Rising to her feet with calcted ease, Estre slipped her hands into the pockets of her chic pencil skirt. ¡°So, Rachel, you¡¯re implying I¡¯ve bent the rules, and hooked up with Jason to get ahead?¡± Her tone wasced with defiance and a hint of mockery. ¡°Yeah.¡± Estre retorted unabashedly. ¡°I¡¯ve yed the game, and hooked up with him. But, darling, if you¡¯re green with envy, that¡¯s on you, not me.¡± She gave Rachel a once-over, her gaze sharp and dismissive. ¡°But let¡¯s be real, Mr. Jason wouldn¡¯t give you a second nce.¡± Estre pivoted towards the man in question, her eyes yfully challenging. ¡°Right, Mr. Jason?¡± Chapter 92 Estre¡¯s blunt candor and fiery temper left the entire VIP room agape, including Logan and the other two colleagues from Justice Guardians LLP. Arden had known that Estre and Jason were acquainted, but he had never expected her to be so bold. The only one with a smirk was Grayson, watching the scene unfold. They had no idea who they were messing with, trying to embarrass Estre, and sling mud at her. They clearly underestimated the spitfire they were dealing with. She had never been one to take any ck, not as a child and certainly not now. ¡°Estre, you¡­¡± Rachel¡¯s face turned pale with anger. With a chuckle, Estre taunted, ¡°What? I¡¯m bold enough to sit on Mr. Jason¡¯sp in public. If you want to snatch the agency back, go ahead, throw caution to the wind and take a seat yourself.¡± With that, she plopped down on Jason¡¯sp, wrapping her arms around his neck with augh, ¡°Mr. Jason, what do you think of Rachel here? Do you fancy her?¡± Jason yed along, draping an arm around her waist and giving Rachel a dismissive nce, ¡°Not interested.¡± Estre let out a triumphantugh, ¡°Rachel, Mr. Jason isn¡¯t into you, so let mey it down. for you. From now on, Nelson International¡¯s legal affairs are signed with Justice Guardians LLP. Future Vision can kiss that dream goodbye.¡± Estre¡¯s badassery left Logan and the rest in awe. The folks from Future Vision, on the other hand, were predictably sour-faced. They had hoped to w back Nelson International, but their chances now seemed slim to none. ¡°Estre, this industry is all about skill, don¡¯t think that-¡± Estre cut her off with a derisiveugh, ¡°Last time I checked, you didn¡¯t win against me.¡± Ever since she joined Justice Guardians LLP, Rachel had been throwing obstacles in her presence path, jealous that Estre had eclipsed her as the shining star. Estre¡¯s dimmed her own, so Rachel had resorted to hiring a bunch of trolls to smear Estre¡¯s name online. Nelson International¡¯s legal affairs slipped through Future Vision¡¯s fingers, and Rachel had been all too eager to dump the me on Estre, spreading wild rumors about her-sordid affairs, teenage abortions, professional homewrecking, you name it. And then there was Jo¡¯s divorce case that Rachel lost, failing to hide the assets. That led to another troll brigade attacking Estre on social media. Estre was aware of all this but hadn¡¯t had the time to deal with Rachel¡¯s antics. She 11:34 hadn¡¯t expected Rachel toe gunning for her today. Since Rachel was so keen on spreading rumors, Estre decided to y into them. Yes, she¡¯d been ¡°involved¡± with Jason, and the more scandalous the talk, the better. It would only solidify her untouchable status, and Justice Guardians LLP¡¯s business would skyrocket. Rachel was so resentful because she actually had tried to seduce Jason, but he didn¡¯t even take her seriously. When the head of Future Vision saw the situation going south, they quickly retreated to avoid further conflict. ¡°Ms. Estre, you¡¯re a force to be reckoned with. That¡¯s the spirit of someone destined for great things,¡± ¡°Not many girls have that kind of moxie these days.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Keith and the others led the chorus of approval, and the rest quickly joined in. Logan was a mix of surprise and delight, proud of Estre¡¯s prowess yet worried she This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. might rub too many the wrong way. But they couldn¡¯t be med for today¡¯s debacle. It was Future Vision who had provoked the situation, and they had been ndering Justice. Guardians LLP behind their backs. Estre¡¯s outburst was actually quite satisfying for him. Basking in the praise, Estre stood up with a smile, ¡°Thanks, Mr. Jason.¡± Jason held her tight, not letting her up, ¡°Just a thanks¡¯ for ying along?¡± Estre offered, ¡°How about I crack a couple of walnuts for you?¡± Afterwards, she pushed herself up from Jason¡¯s embrace and tossed a couple of walnuts his way. Jason just chuckled. He had smoothed the way for her tonight, securing her a wealth of business-did she not know? She always teased him for being stingy, but Estre wasn¡¯t exactly the generous type herself. Following the kerfuffle with Future Vision, Logan¡¯s get-together also wound down. No sooner had Estre stepped out of the VIP room than Bryce called her, ¡°Estre, you done over there?¡± Estre yawned, ¡°Just wrapped up.¡± ¡°I¡¯lle get you.¡± ¡°Just send me your location. I¡¯ll head over.¡± 11:34 Soon after, Bryce¡¯s location pinged on her phone. He and Jesse were at a bar on the beach of a resort. The bar was hosting a costume party that night, and Estre nearly kicked a ghostly figure back into the shadows when she walked in. Bryce had gone for a vampire look, while Jesse, deeming it too childish, showed up without costume, her dashing short hair and shy clothes enough for the asion. The trio gathered, and Estre had barely settled when her phone buzzed. It was Jason. With one hand over her ear and a phone to the other, Estre answered with a ¡°Hello?¡± only to be met with Jason¡¯s icy tone, ¡°Where are you?¡± Estre responded nonchntly, ¡°At the bar.¡± Jasonmanded, ¡°Estre, you have 10 minutes to get back here.¡± He had thought tonight might smooth things over between them, but she had dashed off to a bar in the meantime. On the other end, Estre couldn¡¯t be bothered and hung up with a snap. Bryce leaned in, whispering, ¡°What does Jason want with you?¡± Estre shrugged him off, ¡°Who cares.¡± It was funny how Jason behaved. When she needed him, he was elusive, ignoring calls and texts, leaving allmunications to Drew. And now that she stopped seeking him out, he was relentless. In the private dining room of the hotel, Jason watched as Estre hung up on him, and his face darkened with anger. With a swift motion, he hurled his phone across the room. ¡°Damn it,¡± he muttered under his breath. It seemed that the moment Bryce and Jesse showed up, Estre couldn¡¯t keep herself in check. Hadn¡¯t she seen how much he¡¯d drunk that night? Was it too much to ask for her toe back and take care of him? As he rubbed his stomach with his right hand, Jason¡¯s expression turned icy. He grabbed his jacket from the bed, flung open the door, and stormed out. In the hotel bar, Estre was casually chatting with Bryce when a fewwyers from Future Vision suddenly made an appearance. Noticing Estre, their faces turned sour as if they had bitten into a lemon, and they rolled their eyes so hard one could fear they¡¯d get stuck. But none dared to confront her directly, for behind her stood the formidable support of Jason. The three of them chatted for a while, and then Estre and Jesse got up to go to the bathroom. As soon as they came back, they saw Bryce, who had put on a handsome look, looking disheartened, unable to catch his breath. Her gaze shifted, and there he was-Jason had taken her former seat, staring at her with an icy gaze that sent shivers down her spine. ¡°Did Mr. Jasone to settle the tab?¡± Estre approached, sliding into the empty seat beside him. Jason¡¯s displeasure was palpable. His hand shot out, gripping her chin firmly. ¡°Is it so hard to stay put in the hotel room?¡± 11.34 Chapter 93 Estre-casually removed Jason¡¯s hand and poured him a ss of wine, ¡°The bright lights and the buzz of the night, they¡¯re just too much fun, makes you not want to head home.¡± Jason felt like he was being subtly jabbed again, as if Estre was hinting at his own. reluctance to go home. Unable to get the upper hand with Estre, Jason¡¯s icy re drifted towards Bryce. Bryce, catching the look, turned to Estre with a stern face, ¡°Estre, a ce like this really isn¡¯t for a properdy like you. Better you head back to the hotel and rest with Jason. Look at him, he¡¯s a catch and a half, and he¡¯s even got the good looks. Justmit to being Mrs. Nelson and forget all this glitz and m-it¡¯s got nothing to do with you.¡± Bryce¡¯s tune had changed so quickly, it was as if he wasn¡¯t the same guy who¡¯d phoned Estre earlier toe out and have a good time. Jesse kicked him under the table, ¡°Show some spine, will ya? Stop embarrassing us.¡± They were a trio, and in Jesse¡¯s mind, Bryce¡¯s cowardice reflected on her and Estre as well, but she and Estre were not about to back down. After topping up Jason¡¯s drink, Estre looked up at Bryce, ¡°Since when did I be the ¡®proper lady¡¯?¡± Estre wasn¡¯t about to assume such a heftybel. The terms ¡®proper¡¯ and dy¡¯ were as foreign to her as could be. Jesse cleared her throat and added out of the blue, ¡°More like a sexy young housewife.¡± Estre chuckled at Jesse¡¯s description, while Jason¡¯s face turned a shade that begged not to be witnessed. Jason¡¯s expression soured, and Bryce, breaking out in a cold sweat, hurriedly interjected, ¡°Estre, please just go back with Jason.¡± Jason wouldn¡¯ty a finger on E or Jesse, but Bryce? He was sure to get skinned alive, especially with the way Jason had just stared at him. Estre speared a piece of honeydew melon with her fruit fork, ¡°Bryce, your skill at reading the room could use some work. Can¡¯t you tell Jason wants to party too?¡± She then turned to Jason, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Mr. Jason?¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Teased by Estre, Jason grabbed her chin, pulled her close, and then leaned in to bite off the piece of melon she had just put in her mouth. Estre protested, ¡°Jason, have you no shame? There¡¯s a whole te of it, and you go for the one in my mouth because it tastes better?¡± Jason gently wiped her lips, ¡°Yours does taste sweeter.¡± L At Jason¡¯s flirty maneuver, Bryce and Jesse turned away, feeling the couple was too much to handle. Across the room, thewyers from Future Vision watched Jason¡¯s yful banter with Estre, noting that women, especially beautiful ones, tended to have the upper hand. Rachel¡¯splexion turned sour. She had approached Jason in private before, even undressing in front of him. All he had said was one word: ¡°Scram.¡± But now, Rachel was witnessing Jason shamelessly engaging with someone else, and that someone was Estre. Rachel had thought to¡­ well, it seemed her earlier efforts were just adding to their amusement. Jason wasn¡¯t particrly fond of bars, but since Estre was insistent on staying, he sat beside her, engrossed in his phone. They¡¯d had their quarrels, and he had deliberately irritated her with Serene the day before, so now he was content to indulge her. His arm casually draped over the back of her seat, his actions flirtatious, especially since he had just ¡®stolen¡¯ food from her lips, marking his territory in a way. Every so often, he nced up at her, seeing her chat away happily with Jesse and Bryce, a faint smile gracing his lips. Although Estre used to have a smile on her face every time she saw him, that kind of warmth and laughter always made him feel a certain distance. It didn¡¯t feel as innocent and bright as it did now. It had been a while since he had seen her smile like this. When the early morning hours struck, Jason felt it was time to wrap up Checking his watch deliberately, he said, ¡°Estre, time to head back.¡± the night. Estre retorted, ¡°If you want to go back, then go. Why keep an eye on me?¡± Her indifference irked Jason, and his gaze turned cold. Bryce quickly chimed in, ¡°Estre, we¡¯ll hang out another time. Let¡¯s call it a night Jesse also shifted ufortably and suggested, ¡°Bryce and I are beat too. We can all head out together.¡± With Bryce and Jesse both suggesting they leave, Estre rose, unhurried. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to rest back at the hotel. She just didn¡¯t want to get involved with Jason, especially after he had come to the bar. Despite appearing unaffected, she couldn¡¯t shake off the look he had given her yesterday. With her coat draped over her arm, they left the bar and the Future Vision folks scrambled to greet Jason, ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± Chapi 93 ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± Estre hookind them no mind, but Rachel red at her maliciously. Estre responded by her arms into Jason¡¯s and said cheerily, ¡°Mr. Jason, let¡¯s not waste time. Let¡¯s get back and enjoy ourselves.¡± Her er provocation made Rachel¡¯s re seem like it could tear Estre apart. Their eyes met, and Estre dismissed it with augh, walking away arm in arm with Jason. Once outside the bar, she immediately dropped Jason¡¯s arm. His expression darkened in an instant- She was so practical, using him and then tossing him away. Jason pocketed his hands and looked down at Estre, ¡°Enjoyed using me?¡± Jason didn¡¯t spell it out, but Estre got the message, replying with a smile, ¡°It was fine.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so sure I¡¯d take your side and y along?¡± Jason had beenplicit in Estre¡¯s games all evening. With a wider grin, Estre confidently said, ¡°You¡¯re my man. Of course, you¡¯d take my Of course, you¡¯d help me.¡± side. Estre¡¯s casual deration, ¡°You¡¯re my man,¡± had a noticeable effect on Jason. His eyes. softened considerably from just moments before. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his right hand and gently ced it on the nape of Estre¡¯s neck, ¡°Bars are a mixed bag. Try to steer clear of them in the future.¡± Estre nced up at Jason, a smirk ying at the corners of her mouth. Men were such suckers for ttery, she thought. A few offhandpliments and they were over the moon. He hade looking for her several times the night before, even exining the deal with the ne. His intentions were as clear as day. Today, she pulled him into acting, giving him an opportunity and a way out. How could he not seize it? Besides, if he didn¡¯t back her up, she had other tricks up her sleeve. Estre was not one to y a losing hand. At Jason¡¯s warning, Estreughed it off, ¡°I¡¯m no angel, what have I got to be scared of?¡± Bryce chimed in, ¡°When E steps out, it¡¯s the others who should be trembling in their boots.¡± Jason shot Bryce a frosty nce, and immediately Bryce zipped his lips with an exaggerated gesture. Jason turned back to Estre, his tone serious, ¡°Don¡¯t kid yourself into thinking you¡¯re invincible. Did you know that while you were in the restroom, that Rachel spiked your drink?¡± As soon as Jason had entered the bar earlier, he had caught sight of Rachel, slyly 11:34 tampering with Estre¡¯s ss. Chapter 94 Estre paused mid-stride, turning to Jason with a quizzical look. ¡°So, did you know that Jesse swapped her juice with Rachel? The juice you had the waiter toss was actually fine.¡± Estre and Jesse had seen it all. The tricks Rachel was ying were nothingpared to the ruthless games they¡¯d encountered nearly a decade ago. The brief exchange between Jason and Estre left Bryce reeling in shock. Suddenly, he felt like the only fool among them, utterly clueless. And in truth, he was just that-aplete fool. Shivering, Bryce stammered, ¡°Estre, hearing you and Jasono talk like that gives me the chills. Maybe we should steer clear of these ces.¡± He knew E and Jason were tough cookies, but he wasn¡¯t nearly as hardcore. What if someone took advantage of him? He was still a virgin, after all. Jesse snorted with disdain. Bryce defended himself with conviction. ¡°Estre, I¡¯m not being a scaredy-cat here. Take tonight, for instance. You¡¯re a looker, and what if someone really did take advantage of you? Plus, this is Jason¡¯s turf. What¡¯s he gonna do? Lay down thew or let it slide?¡± Estre retorted, ¡°I am a married woman. A little hug or a pat on the back doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll lose a piece of flesh. Besides,e morning, if he doesn¡¯t recognize me and I don¡¯t recognize him, no harm done.¡± No sooner had she finished her sentence than she yelped in pain. ¡°Ow, ow, ow! Jason, put your gori strength to better use. Let go already.¡± She wrestled his hand away, her grip firm and defiant. Jason, still irked by her earlierment, pulled her back forcefully. ¡°Estre, you let someone else try that and see what happens.¡± If any guy ever touched her, he¡¯d lose his hands. Estre teased him, ¡°You had your chances, but you didn¡¯t use them. So I might as well give someone else the-¡± She was cut off mid-sentence as Jason, pinching her chin, leaned in to seal her lips with a kiss. Jesse and Bryce, too embarrassed to witness more, beat a hasty retreat. Those lovebirds had no shame, putting on a public disy of affection at their age. They had seen enough. After a heated moment, Estre managed to free herself, and seeing that Bryce and Jesse had vanished, she shot Jason a kick and stormed off. Jason dusted off the spot where she kicked him, chuckling as he followed her. 11-34 Before long, they arrived at the suite. Estre saw Jason sauntering up, hands in his pockets. She turned to him, puzzled. ¡°Are there no rooms avable?¡± ¡°None,¡± Jason replied, nonchnt. Estre scoffed at Jason¡¯s shamelessness. With a look of utter disdain, she swiped her card and opened the door to the suite. It didn¡¯t matter if she locked him out-Jason had a key to every room in the hotel. Kicking off her heels and shedding her coat and purse, Estre barely had a moment. before Jason wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder like a man both weary and content. Estre nced at him. ¡°Lost all shame, have you?¡± wish,¡± he As Jason looked her way, his lips brushed against her cheek. ¡°You were the one acting like a neglected wife, saying I don¡¯t hug or touch you. Tonight, you¡¯ll get your said, his right hand boldly sliding under her clothes to caress her. Estre objected to his forwardness, elbowing him sharply. ¡°Think you¡¯re some genie granting wishes? Get your hand off.¡± After shended her blow, Jason released her, clutching his stomach and wincing. Turning to face him, Estre saw his pallor. She¡¯d noticed hisplexion was off at the bar, but the dim lights had obscured how bad it was. Now she could see it clearly. Gripping Jason¡¯s sleeve, she asked tentatively, ¡°ying the victim?¡± Jason looked up at her, almostughing. ¡°Only you would think that.¡± Estre poured a cup of water. ¡°With your condition, you¡¯re still trying to make good on promises?¡± She was certain that if anything happened between them tonight, he wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of bed in the morning. Before Jason could respond, Estre handed him the water. ¡°If you can¡¯t handle it, don¡¯t try to be a hero. Who asked you to finish all that liquor?¡± Jason rubbed his stomach, and Estre knew without asking that he must¡¯ve hit the alcohol too hard tonight, damaging his stomach lining. She suspected that he had been ufortable for a while. That was why he hadn¡¯t touched a drop of alcohol at the bar, sticking to her juice instead. And why hadn¡¯t he said something earlier? They could havee back to rest instead of lingering at the bar. Taking the hot water, Jason gazed up at her. ¡°Feeling sorry for me?¡± Estre retorted, ¡°If something happens to you I¡¯ll have to visit the hospital to take care of you. I¡¯m feeling sorry for myself.¡± Jason took the water. ¡°Dammit, heartless.¡± 11:34) ¡°Maybe save your curses and conserve some energy,¡± she suggested. After Jason had rested a bit, Estre urged him to take a shower and get some rest. As Jason headed to the bathroom with his clothes, Estre remembered how he had downed his drink in one go earlier that night. Reluctantly, she picked up her phone and called Drew. ¡°Drew, Jason has a stomachache ¡°Ms. Estre, I¡¯m on it,¡± Drew replied before hanging up and springing into action. Since Jason was resting in Ms. Estre¡¯s room, he couldn¡¯t call a doctor over or suggest a hospital visit. So, not long after, Drew arrived with medicine, knocking on the door. After he set down the bags and closed the door, he made to leave. Estre, hopeful for a night alone, called out from the doorway. ¡°Aren¡¯t you taking him with you to the hospital?¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. From outside, Drew replied with a straight face, ¡°With your care, Mr. Jason is sure to be fine. Ms. Estre, you should get some rest too.¡± And with that, he helped her close the door and was gone. Jason sure had a knack for picking out a top-notch secretary and a ster driver. Drew had barely left when Jason emerged from the shower. Estre nced at the medicine on the table. ¡°Your secretary dropped it off.¡± ??? Jason¡¯s pace slowed as he dried his hair, looking at the assortment of pills. ¡°Estre, don¡¯t-¡± A flicker of doubt crossed Jason¡¯s mind, prompting a chuckle from Estre. ¡°Drew brought them over. Who did you think it was?¡± She continued teasingly, ¡°Bit disappointed, aren¡¯t you?¡± Hearing the medicine was from Drew, Jason rxed instantly. ¡°Disappointed about what? How did he even know I had an upset stomach?¡± Sometimes, Jason really dreaded that pitiful, kind demeanor Serene put on just for him. Estre replied, ¡°Who else would tell him but me?¡± With that, she grabbed her clothes and headed to the bathroom. Inside the room, Jason let out a smallugh as he continued toweling off his hair,forted by the thought that Estre still cared about him-and smart enough not to call Serene over. Despite the time that had passed, the memory of Estre asking Serene to look after him still irked Jason.. Half an hourter, when Estre came out of the bathroom, Jason was already sprawled out on the bed, asleep. Estre tiptoed closer, peering at him and thinking that he must really be feeling under the weather. She turned off the main light andy down beside him, hoping to rest. But suddenly, someone wrapped their arms around her from behind. With a gentle tug, Jason pulled her 11:34 close into an embrace. Chapter 95 Estre was at a loss for words, thinking he had fallen asleep. She stayed silent, ignoring Jason, but he nestled his chin on her shoulder, his hand sneaking under her shirt. Estre¡¯s skin was smooth and supple, irresistibly touchable. As Jason teased her, cupping her breasts, Estre lost her patience and threw his hand aside, ¡°Jason, don¡¯t push your luck.¡± But Jason rolled over, trapping her in his arms, ¡°Which married woman hasn¡¯t had a taste. of man, huh? Aren¡¯t we all experienced here?¡± Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°How do you know I haven¡¯t?¡± ¡°You¡¯re all talk.¡± Estre was stunning, with a smile that captivated souls and etched a permanent memory in anyone who saw it. Jason had been doing some soul-searching. Regardless of theirplicated rtionship, they were still man and wife in the eyes of the world. With so many eyes on her, it seemed foolish to keep his distance. He peeled away her clothes, leaning in to kiss her. Estre pushed him, ¡°Aren¡¯t you with a stomachache? Enough messing around let¡¯s sleep.¡± the one If Jason had made his move sooner, she would have been receptive. But now, her heart just wasn¡¯t in it. Jason pinned Estre¡¯s hands with one arm, skillfully tugging at her clothes with the other, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can satisfy you, difort or not.¡± As his long, strong hand reached her lower abdomen, Estre¡¯s eyes narrowed involuntarily. Seizing the moment, Jason used the nightgown to bind her hands. Estre warned, ¡°Think it through, Jason. If this goes down, you¡¯re stuck with me for life.¡± Jason kissed her lips softly, ¡°Why would I want to get rid of you?¡± Whispering in her ear, he added, ¡°With all your energy, I¡¯d rather not let you loose to cause havoc elsewhere.¡± ¡°Untie my hands.¡± ¡°No can do. You¡¯re too handsy.¡± Thest time they hadn¡¯t finished, she had given him a head wound to remember. After a bit of a struggle, Jason did untie Estre¡¯s hands. Just as things were heating up, Estre snapped back to reality and kicked Jason away, ¡°You give multi-million-dor nes to other woman, dump your difort on me, ande to me when you want some action. Why do you always give the best to others and leave me the short end of the stick?¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. 11-34 ¡°Get off me. Go find someone else.¡± She had thought about turning a blind eye, perhaps having a child would be enough, but she couldn¡¯t convince herself, nor forget Jason¡¯s cold gaze yesterday, or how he had reminisced about Holly right in front of her at Silverbrook. Jason had always shown her his coldest side. His current interest was merely sparked by her recent indifference. It was a conquest game for him. She had lost any desire to bear a child, especially his. Estre¡¯s kicknded squarely on Jason¡¯s stomach. After Estre pulled her legs back, Jason clutched his stomach and gritted his teeth, saying. ¡°Estre, that was a low blow.¡± Estre stood up, donning her nightgown with a coolposure, ¡°Did that cool you off? If not, the door¡¯s to the left.¡± The door to the left led to Serene¡¯s room. Estre wasn¡¯t shaken by the ne or desperate for Jason to cut ties. He was free to do as he pleased, but she had every right to reject a man whose heart wasn¡¯t with her. bor for sce or He could seek his pleasures elsewhere, but he shouldn¡¯te tofort. Whoever received his love and affection should also be there in his times distress. She refused to be a harbor for someone who didn¡¯t hold her in his heart. As for their marriage, Estre¡¯s faith in it dwindled by the day. Watching Estre dress, Jason ceased his howling, ¡°Still angry? Jealous?¡± of Estre poured herself a ss of water, taking a sip, ¡°Not angry or jealous. Just finding it all rather pointless.¡± She no longer desired to be with him or to entertain thoughts of motherhood. Her indifference hit Jason hard. Grayson had said that patience and affection could be worn away, little by little. The night was still dark and quiet. As Estre approached, Jason grabbed her hand, ¡°When will you get over this?¡± She didn¡¯t answer, just nced at the antacid on the table, ¡°Drew¡¯s got a full medicine cab, so help yourself if you¡¯re feeling off.¡± Before she could finish, Jason pulled her back, seating her on hisp. As he kissed her again, Estre protested, ¡°Jason, let¡¯s just stop¡± All his movements froze, and he swallowed hard, a wave of anger washing over him. His halted kiss prompted Estre to gently move away. She used to need no prompting from Jason to be affectionate. But since that business trip, she stopped caring for such intimacy, even when Jason was around daily. Estre¡¯s honesty left Jason wanting to rage, but he knew that any further argument would only push her further away, which was not the oue he desired. So he forcefully suppressed his anger. Standing by therge window, he lit a cigarette ¡°You go to sleep first.¡± Her words had chilled his desire. It seemed he had indeed pushed Estre away. Estre nced at Jason¡¯s silhouette, yawned, ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯ll head to bed.¡± Without another look at Jason, she slipped under the covers to rest. At the window, Jason didn¡¯t turn around, not until the room was still and silent. Then he slowly faced Estre. She was asleep, peaceful and unburdened. Jason stood there, his gaze fixed on Estre for what felt like an eternity before he slowly made his way towards her. He hovered over her, taking a long, thoughtful look before bending down. Gently, he reached out and brushed her forehead with the back of his hand. ¡°Estre, you can¡¯t go back to how it was before as well?¡± he whispered. On the bed, Estre wasn¡¯t asleep. His words reached her, and her heart couldn¡¯t help but flutter in response. Chapter 96 They could never go back to the way things were. Estre hadn¡¯t opened her eyes; she simplyy there, her lids closed in a feigned slumber. Jason didn¡¯t immediately rise from his stooped position, he simply watched her. He didn¡¯t know how long he had been watching her when he finally reached out and flicked off the overhead light. The next morning, when Estre¡¯s eyes fluttered open, Jason was already up, getting dressed. He nced over at her and casually greeted her, ¡°Up already?¡± Shielding her eyes with her arm, Estre peeked at him and replied, ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Then added, ¡°Had a dream about youst night.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? What about me?¡± ¡°I dreamed you took advantage of me when I was asleep¡­¡± Estre¡¯s voice trailed off as Jason shot her a frosty look, prompting her to mime zipping her lips and lazily getting out of bed. Soon after they got ready and left the room, Bryce and Jesse hurried over. Bryce, bubbling with excitement, approached her and said, ¡°Estre, did you hear? Thewyer who drugged you got busted with a clientst night Estre was still processing when Bryce continued, ¡°You missed quite the show, sleeping through all the excitementst night. The police got tipped off about some solicitation going on at a motel nearby and they swooped in. They busted in the door and there was Rachel, caught red-handed with a bunch of guys. What a scandalous scene. Future Vision already terminated her contract this morning; she¡¯s not likely to practicew again.¡± Bryce recounted the night¡¯s events with dramatic ir, as if he had been there to witness it all. Rachel had slipped something into Estre¡¯s drink, hoping to set her up. Jason wouldn¡¯t want her after, and no one would stand up for her then. But Estre saw through her n, and Jesse unwittingly switched the spiked juice without Rachel catching on.. Estre didn¡¯t have to lift a finger. Rachel¡¯s night was doomed to end badly, regardless. But now it seemed someone had taken revenge on her behalf. So, as Bryce spun his tale, she turned to look at Jason. She had wondered the night before if Jason really thought disposing of the drugged drink was enough, Since when was he so forgiving and benevolent? Turned out that he had his own way of handling things. Estre said to Jason, ¡°You y rough, huh? But, thanks.¡± 11:34 Jason, hands still in his pockets, feigned ignorance. ¡°No clue what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Estreughed it off, slipping her arms through his, ¡°Come on. After doing such a big I favor, you could at least take credit. Plus, if you¡¯d told me earlier, I would¡¯ve made it worth your while last night.¡± Jason let her words go in one ear and out the other. He knew her too well ¨C she only acted for her own gain or happiness. Estre teased, ¡°Or we could turn back now, finish what we didn¡¯t get tost night?¡± Jason stopped to reply but she quickly added, ¡°Right, but you have a meeting to rush to. You are running out of time.¡± Jason pulled his hand from his pocket and yfully pinched her chin, ¡°If you¡¯re that sincere, you can pay back the favor tonight, with interest.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Estre beamed, ¡°You got it.¡± Morning banter was one thing; who would remember it by nightfall? Estre¡¯s mood might well have changed by then. Actually, the men Jason had sent Rachel¡¯s way were the same ones she had lined up for Estre. He had simply turned the tables on her. After their exchange, Jason left for his meeting, and Estre didn¡¯t tag along. Watching his receding figure, she thought, if only Jason could treat her like he used to, they might have managed to get along fine. But some things just can¡¯t be undone. ¡°Estre, he¡¯s long gone. What are you still staring at?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± As the trio entered the dining area, Estre nced over Ryan¡¯s case file while absentmindedly nibbling on her breakfast. Bryce, ever the enthusiast, reported, ¡°Estre, the bar association mmed Rachel, and there¡¯s a bunch of dirting out about her. People are saying she used her looks to snatch clients, took hefty cuts, and even kickbacks.¡± Estre chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s interesting how people often project their own qualities onto others and suspect them of being a certain way.¡± The mud Rachel had slung at Estre the night before seemed to be a reflection of her own misdeeds. As Estre responded to Bryce, she briefly checked the group chat messages. Future Vision¡¯s reputation was undoubtedly tarnished Rachel had been a fixture at the firm, and her behavior was likely not unknown to Future Vision. They had allowed it Next to her, Jesse, noticing Estre¡¯s preupation, asked, ¡°Trouble in paradise against night?¡± Estre snapped back to the present, put down her phone, and smiled, ¡°Nope.¡± No, they 11:34 hadn¡¯t fought, but the atmosphere was strained all the same. Jesse persisted, ¡°Jason still hung up on Holly? Bryce bristled at the mention, ¡°After all these years? If he was that besotted, he shouldn¡¯t have gotten with Estre in the first ce. Besides, Holly¡¯s death wasn¡¯t Estre¡¯s fault.¡± Then, turning to Estre, he said, ¡°Estre, it must be that Serene chick now, right? unting her resemnce to Holly and acting like she owns the ce. I¡¯ll take care of her for you.¡± The expensive ne Jason had given to Serene still irked Bryce. Hearing his suggestion, Estre replied with indifference, ¡°You nning on building. schools for a lifetime?¡± The thought ofmitting to such an endeavor made Bryce¡¯s head spin; he¡¯d rather die than go through that again. Estre added, ¡°Don¡¯t bother, and don¡¯t you dare.¡± Jason already had someone in his heart, and it wasn¡¯t necessary to crowd it further. More importantly, she knew Jason all too well any move against Serene would only make him defend her more fiercely. The main issue was with Jason. Even if she dealt with Serene, there would always be a Zoe or an Emily to contend with. She might as well give up on everything else in life if her days were to be consumed by endless rivalries. Besides, she wasn¡¯t one forpeting with women. If things didn¡¯t work out, she was ready to walk away-no need to seek out embarrassment. ¡°Estre, I just can¡¯t swallow the injustice done to you,¡± Bryce said, his voice tinged with protective anger. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time, Bryce. You¡¯ll get used to it eventually,¡± Estre replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. The less Estre cared, the more Bryce and Jesse felt for her, the more they wanted to stand up for her. Seemed like the real relief would onlye after sorting things out with Jason himself. After finishing their breakfast, the trio was about to leave the diner when they suddenly stopped in their tracks at the sight of the approaching figure. Chapter 97 Watching Erin and Pa saunter toward them, Bryce¡¯s eyes rolled so far back he could probably see his brain. Jesse, hands casually tucked into her jeans pockets, positioned herself protectively in front of Estre. ¡°What a coincidence, Erin. You decided to grace us with your presence at the meeting?¡± Bryce drawled with a smirk. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Erin returned a polite smile. ¡°Bryce, you seem to have a lot of free time on your hands.¡± His gaze briefly flitted to Estre and Jesse before he added, ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that if you keep loafing around, you might end up not being able to put food on the table?¡± His words were a clear jab, suggesting Bryce held no real power at Nelson International. ¡°Rx, even if I hit rock bottom, I¡¯ve got my E to take care of me. I don¡¯t have to scheme against my own flesh and blood like you do, Erin.¡± The moment Bryce finished, Erin¡¯s usually mild expression darkened momentarily but swiftly regained itsposure. Approaching Bryce, Erin straightened Bryce¡¯s cor with a smile and said, ¡°Bryce, I hope you can always be this carefree.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Erin. I n on it,¡± Bryce replied confidently. Seeing her brother subtly insulted, Pa red at Bryce and snapped, ¡°You¡¯re not even in the same league as Jason. One day, you¡¯ll get what¡¯sing to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be buried in the Lamont family plot, so it¡¯s none of your concern,¡± Bryce retorted, unfazed. Erin and Bryce exchanged barbs, but Erin¡¯s attention soon turned to Estre. ¡°Estre, you¡¯ve got quite the nerve.¡± He didn¡¯t spell it out, but Estre knew he was referring to the mess with Rachel, assuming it was her doing. Without admitting anything, Estre replied with a smile, ¡°We¡¯re both quite adept at ying the game.¡± She reminded him of his own ruthlessness, especially how he had treated Ruby, despite their past connections. Erin¡¯s eyes darkened, not expecting his dealings with Ruby toe to light. But then again, Estre was awyer. Facing Erin¡¯s stare, Estre quipped, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid Ruby might turn the tables one day with such a vicious approach?¡± Adjusting his sses, Erin coolly responded, ¡°If you¡¯re not worried, Estre, why should I be?¡± Since the Digital Springs debacle, the Lamont family¡¯s stocks had plummeted, but Erin had 11:34 bounced back, snatching two projects right from under Dorvold Group¡¯s nose. When Estre was about to retaliate, Cole held her back, advising against constant confrontation for everyone¡¯s sake. Pa, seething, dismissed Estre¡¯s input, ¡°Why waste words on her? She¡¯s not worth our time.¡± Then, addressing Estre directly, Pa warned, ¡°Don¡¯t get too cocky. Jason will never fall for someone like you. You can¡¯t even give him a child. Just wait until I take him. from you, and you¡¯ll be kicked to the curb.¡± Estre and Jason had been married for over two years, and although the Nelson family elders protected her, they wouldn¡¯t favor a Mrs. Nelson who couldn¡¯t bear children forever. If in a few months, by their third anniversary, Estre remained childless, her position. would indeed be precarious. Estreughed it off, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll be waiting for you to try.¡± Bryce chuckled at the thought of Pa taking Jason off their hands. If she wanted to, with him. E certainly wouldn¡¯t miss that drama. her spar with After Erin¡¯s phone rang and he took the call, he and Pa excused themselves and left. Bryce, with his hands still in his pockets, watched the siblings walk away and muttered, ¡°ssy. She thinks she can just take Jason? I¡¯d gift wrap him for her.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll chip in for the wrapping paper, Jesse quipped. let Over the next two days, Jason was tied up in meetings, while Estre was busy with her director or buried in case files. Bryce and Jesse headed back downtown ahead of her. Estre returned to the city on Monday afternoon with her colleagues. ¡°Estre, you¡¯re back.¡± Kristin greeted her warmly as soon as Estre stepped through the door. A maid took Estre¡¯s luggage, and she hung her coat on the rack. ¡°Hey, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Just checking in on you,¡± Kristin replied. ¡°Estre,e see if you like this gift.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big mystery this time?¡± Estre teased as Kristin led her to the living room. Upon seeing the stunning sapphire jewelry set on the table, Estre¡¯s smile faded slightly. ¡°Do you like this sapphire set, Estre? I went through quite a bit of trouble to get it,¡± Kristin said, likely aware of the pink diamond ne Jason had gifted to Serene and thus offering this set as an apology on his behalf. Estre, understanding the gesture, turned to Kristin. ¡°I love it, truly.¡± Bryce had spilled the beans about the ne. They might not be able to control Jason, so they¡¯d let his mother handle it. When Kristin insisted, Estre gratefully epted, ¡°Well, if you insist, I won¡¯t refuse.¡± 11:34 No sooner had Estre received the gift than Jason arrived home. Kristin¡¯s face soured instantly when she saw him walk through remember your way home? Remember you have a family?¡± e door. ¡°Oh, so you Jason was busy slipping off his shoes. ¡°What¡¯s got into you? Did someone spike your cereal with gunpowder?¡± ¡°I wish it was just gunpowder. Feels more like I¡¯ve swallowed a whole nuke,¡± Kristin shot back. Estre, sensing the brewing storm and preferring to steer clear, clutched her jewelry and headed upstairs. Once Estre was out of sight, Kristin closed in on Jason and pinched his ear. ¡°You little brat, what¡¯s wrong with you? You gave Serene such extravagant gifts, and paraded her in front of Estre-how do you think that makes her feel?¡± Since that call from Bryce, Kristin had barely caught a wink of sleep in two days. Jason wriggled free from her grasp. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t give a second nce to my stuff.¡± Kristin¡¯s hand swung out,nding several ps across his face. ¡°Is it really her who¡¯s not interested, or is it just that you¡¯re heartless? Do you have any idea how much Estre has put up with these past two years?¡± No wedding, no ring-heck, they hadn¡¯t even taken their wedding photos. If it were Kristin, she¡¯d have turned the Nelson family household upside down by now. Before Jason could get a word in, Kristin went on, ¡°Get rid of Serene immediately, or ! swear I¡¯ll take matters into my own hands.¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Mom, it is none of your business. Go get some rest.¡± With that, he ushered Kristin out the door. As the car started up, Kristin took onest look at the vi, her mind still troubled by Jason¡¯s antics. She couldn¡¯t just sit by and watch. At the vi entrance, Jason watched as Kristin finally disappeared from view. Hands in his pockets, he breathed a sigh of relief. A momentter, he pushed open the bedroom door to find Estre, freshly changed. Chapter 98 Listening to the movement at the door, Estre tied her hair while looking in that direction. and asked, ¡°Did you send your mom away?¡± After a moment, she stretched her neck, saying. ¡°I¡¯m stiff all over from the car ride. I¡¯m going to take a quick shower.¡± As Estre gathered her clothes and headed to the bathroom, Jason¡¯s gazended on the jewelry box atop her vanity. The memory of the ne he had angrily gifted to Serene made him rub his temples in frustration. Estre hadn¡¯t brought up the ne, or fought with him over it, which somehow made. Jason feel even more unsettled. When Estre emerged from the bathroom, fresh from her shower, Jason returned from his own, toweling off his hair. His gaze lingered on her as she slipped into a ck silk nightgown that made her skin look even more luminous, its sash tied casually to entuate her figure. For a moment, Jason¡¯s hand froze midway through drying his hair. Unbothered, Estre walked over to her desk and began jotting down her thoughts on a case that had been on her mind, oblivious to Jason¡¯s staring. Jason dropped the towel on the nightstand and approached her, trapping her between his arms and the desk. ¡°Estre, about that rain check from the resort-you promised to make. it up to me. Is tonight the night?¡± He had handled Rachel, and Estre had said she¡¯d repay him with interest. But with their busy schedules, they hadn¡¯t found the time, and the promise was left unfulfilled. Estre pushed him gently away, her focus still on her work. ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy here?¡± She was serious now. ¡°Ryan¡¯s case goes to trial tomorrow, and who knows which way the judge will lean. Why don¡¯t you go out with Zach and Grayson for a drink?¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened, a sh of irritation crossing his face. ¡°How generous of you,¡± he muttered bitterly. When he wasn¡¯t around, she was upset. Now that he was here, she seemed indifferent. Estre nced back at him, flipping through case files. ¡°Ryan¡¯s case is the first criminal one I¡¯ve taken and the first where a life hangs in the bnce. I¡¯ve prepared a lot for this.¡± She paused, the heaviness in her voice betraying her concern for Ryan, who was so young when his mother was killed. Estre¡¯s dedication was evident, and Jason tried to reassure her. ¡°Just do your best. Don¡¯t ut so much pressure on yourself.¡± She smiled faintly and suggested he get some rest. Jason ruffled her hair affectionately before picking up a book and settling into bed. As he alternated between reading and watching Estre, now dressed in her nightgown and silver-framed sses, he found the sight quite pleasing. It made him wonder if it was time to let go of past grievances. Time passed, and when Estre finally finished her work, she yawned, stretched, and stood up. Noticing Jason still awake, she teased, ¡°Waiting for me?¡± He nodded, his attention now fully on her as she sat on the bed¡¯s edge, rubbing her cold feet against his warmth. ¡°I¡¯ve done what I can for now,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m trying to approach Ryan¡¯s case from the angle of his mental state, but I still can¡¯t get a definitive diagnosis.¡± Estre sighed, hoping the judge would be lenient and give Ryan a chance at a better future. Estre was usually a light-hearted soul on weekdays, seldom showing her serious side, but at this moment, as she earnestly discussed her work-rted matters with Jason, he felt a stirring in his heart. Ever since their wedding, such tranquil andposed conversations had be a rarity between them. Jason put away his book and asked, ¡°Are you aiming for a manughter verdict?¡± She turned to him, her eyes searching. ¡°I¡¯ve argued it, but the prosecution insists on retaliation. I¡¯m focusing on his depressive upbringing, but weck concrete evidence.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never felt sopelled to save someone, she confessed, her voice tinged with emotion, unlike when she dealt with her own loneliness in their marriage. Logan and Drew had warned her that Ryan might face immediate execution, but Estre hoped for understanding from others about his life circumstances. Jason embraced her, kissing her forehead. ¡°Your efforts won¡¯t go unnoticed.¡± Estre leaned against him, grateful for his support. ¡°I hope so.¡± He turned off the lights, urging her to rest before the trial. ¡°Alright,¡± she agreed, crawling under the covers. But her thoughts weighed heavily on her, and she tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Jason, disturbed by her restlessness, pulled her close. ¡°Don¡¯t stress too much, Estre.¡± She faced him, her voice filled with frustration. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even this worried about my exams.¡± As she reflected on the past, Jason tried to lighten the mood. ¡°With all the lessons Grayson and I gave you, you had no reason to worry.¡± Estre was the kind of student who could usually be found catching up on her beauty sleep rather than hitting the books. But when exams loomed on the horizon, she¡¯d hit up Jason and Grayson for a crash course, cramming in somest-minute salvation. When the big tests rolled around, she¡¯d st through them like a rockstar. Come graduation, she snagged the title of salutatorian for the entire city. Her intellect was the stuff of legend within their clique. Jason couldn¡¯t help but bring up her school-day shenanigans, prompting an outburst ofughter from Estre. ¡°Yeah, I was pretty wild back then,¡± she admitted with a chuckle. As they reminisced, Jason noticed Estre¡¯s distraction and decided to change tack. ¡°So, you don¡¯t have anything to say about the gift I picked out for Serene?¡± he asked suddenly. Over the past couple of years, the more magnanimous Estre was in their marriage, the more it gnawed at Jason¡¯s conscience. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Chapter 99 Jason suddenly brought up the topic, and Estre nced at him before responding with a smile, ¡°What, you¡¯re expecting me to make a scene? To hunt her down and get that ne back?¡± Jason hadn¡¯t even opened his mouth to reply when Estre continued, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were using Serene to get under my skin. If you fancy¡­¡± She didn¡¯t get to finish her sentence before Jason pulled her into his embrace and said, ¡°Time to sleep.¡± Wrapped in Jason¡¯s arms, Estre fell silent. After nestling against him for a while, shel lifted her head and looked at him. ¡°Jason, you¡¯ve got more on your mind than I do.¡± After saying that, Estre closed her eyes. Jason looked down at her, noticing her long eyshes as shey with her eyes closed, not trying to pull away. He turned and trapped her in his arms, one hand cradling the back of her neck, the other sliding down toward her waist. Estre caught his hand. ¡°I¡¯m really on my period this time. I¡¯ll make it up to youter.¡± Pushing Jason away, Estre thought about how people have an innate desire for what they can¡¯t have. She hadn¡¯t even tried to seduce him tonight, just some idle chat, and he was already getting getting restless. Seeing her serious face and knowing she wasn¡¯t lying about her cycle, Jason let her hand drift away. Estre felt a rush of frustration, but after Jason¡¯s yful antics, she actually started to feel sleepy. Later, as he was wiping her hands, she drifted off to sleep. The next day, when Jason woke up, Estre was already gone from his side. As he got ready and came downstairs, Marie reported, ¡°Sir, Ms. Estre had a case this morning and left for court an hour ago.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Jason acknowledged Marie and skipped breakfast at home, heading straight out. In the courtroom, before the session began, Estre had already arrived early. Today was the second hearing for Ryan¡¯s case, and a verdict seemed likely. ¡°Estre, you¡¯re here early today.¡± ¡°Yeah, got a case this morning,¡± Estre greeted with a smile, and after chatting briefly with a colleague, she got back to her own preparations. A few minutes before nine, with the judge, jury, and prosecution all present, Estre took her seat. As Ryan was brought in, Estre¡¯s breathing slowed, her gaze fixed on him. When their 11:35 eyes m Ryan¡¯s look brightened at the sight of Estre. It was as if he was thanking her with his eyes for her respect, dedication, and all the efforts she had made on his behalf, regardless of the oue. ¡°October 2023,¡± the judge began, signaling the official start of the hearing. After the prosecution addressed some questions from thest session, Estre stood up. She nced at Ryan, then turned to the judge and jurors. ¡°Your Honor, members of the jury, Ryan is used of causing fatal injuries to his biological father and uncles ten years ago, following his mother¡¯s death due to domestic. violence. This is an irreversible tragedy that none of us wanted to witness. ¡°But I believe that Ryan, more than anyone else, wished he never had to go through such an ordeal. He certainly didn¡¯t want the blood of his rtives on his hands. If he could turn back time, he would wish for his mother to have never suffered that abuse, and to be there to watch him grow. ¡°In this case, we can all see another fact: Ryan grew up in a fractured and even cruel environment, without proper guidance, or anyone teaching him to be like the rest of us. ¡°Imagine a nine-year-old boy witnessing his mother¡¯s murder. How has he spent these past ten years? What has kept him going? After leaving home, his father never once looked for him. Ryan survived by scavenging and working odd jobs on construction sites. ¡°He had no friends; teachers or ssmates, not even someone to talk to. ¡°Your Honor, while I can¡¯t produce a psychiatric evaluation for Ryan, everyone here can see that this young man¡¯s psychological development is not intact. ¡°Moreover, I visited Ryan¡¯s hometown recently and gathered some recollections from neighbors about the incident back then and their impressions of Ryan as a child. If the prosecution would like, we can listen to these witness statements first. And if necessary, I can bring these witnesses to testifyter on.¡± Moved by Estre¡¯s passionate plea, the judge said, ¡°The court agrees to hear the testimonies of the community witnesses.¡± With the judge¡¯s approval, Estre nced at Arden, who started the video yback. ¡°I was there that day. Nothing could stop the Manning brothers. They beat that poor woman to death-so brutally. The child was crying beside them, begging his father to stop, only to be kicked away.¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. ¡°We tried to intervene, but those Manning brothers were vicious. They threatened us too, saying a wife is there to be beaten.¡± ¡°That kid, Ryan, such a tragic soul. He was so well-behaved, a good student, and his mother was a quiet soul, always busy with chores. After she died, the father locked him in 11:55 with the pigs, wouldn¡¯t even let the grandparents take him, and stopped his schooling. That boy s suffered too much, and when he finally did what he did none of us could me hi The Manning family had iting; they beat a good woman to death.¡± ¡°Ryan was such a good kid back then, always helping his mom, and he was always by her side. His dad was a drunk, and whenever he drank, he¡¯d beat them both. It¡¯s a good thing. Ryan got away; otherwise, he might¡¯ve been killed too.¡± ¡°Ryan, though he¡¯d only graced our school for a mere two years, was a docile kid with a sharp mind. His report cards boasted nothing but straight A¡¯s, a testament to his brilliance. But word around town was that trouble hit home, and his dad pulled him out of school. The rest¡­ well.¡± the teacher who once guided Ryan through his lessons trailed off, leaving the story hanging in a heavy silence. ¡°What did the kid do to deserve any of this? An eye for an eye, they say. His mom was taken from him, and he just evened the score. Isn¡¯t that justifiable? What kind of man would he be if he didn¡¯t stand up for himself?¡± ¡°Ryan was such a sweet child, always aiming to please. If it weren¡¯t for the misfortune of being born to that man, he¡¯d have made something of himself, no doubt about it.¡± ¡°Ryan¡¯s life was tough, and so was his mother¡¯s, a real tragedy. We all cling to the hope that he¡¯lle out of this unscathed because we know deep down, he wouldn¡¯t hurt a soul.¡± ¡°Ryan¡­¡± Estre had interviewed many-neighbors of Ryan¡¯s, salt-of-the-earth types, farmers through and through. Their testimonies were firsthand ounts of what they¡¯d witnessed back in the day. Mention Ryan¡¯s biological father and his uncles, and you could see the collective shake of their heads. They ey were the vige tyrants, having snuffed out a life without a shred of remorse and continued to reign with iron fists. As Ryan gazed upon the familiar faces of his childhood, his eyes brimmed with tears, mirroring the emotion welling up in everyone present. A nket of silence fell upon them, each lost in their own thoughts of a past that refused to be forgotten. Chapter 100 As Estre¡¯s interview/video concluded, even she found her eyes welling up with tears. It was a stark reminder of the grim reality that even in today¡¯s enlightened society, there were still ces shrouded in darkness and mired in backward thinking. The judge nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s hear the closing argument from the defense.¡± Estre stood up, her presence in the courtroommanding as she addressed the judge and jury, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, through the testimony you¡¯ve just heard, I believe you now understand the environment my client grew up in. You can see why he felt the need to flee the Manning household. It¡¯s evident that his actions, however regrettable, were shaped by an upbringing in a wholly unhealthy environment beyond his control.¡± ¡°Considering the evidence presented during the previous session and today¡¯s testimony, I urge Your Honor to consider a sentence that offers my client a chance for redemption, and a chance to start anew.¡± After she finished, the judge looked to the intiff¡¯s side, ¡°Does the prosecution have any further questions?¡± ¡°No, Your Honor.¡± ¡°Ryan, do you have anything to say for yourself?¡± Ryan lifted his gaze first to Estre, then to the judge and spoke, ¡°For years, I¡¯ve been haunted by the memory of my mother¡¯s brutal death. My desire for vengeance kept me going. I admit my guilt. I confess to taking lives, so no matter the court¡¯s judgment, I ept responsibility and will face the consequences.¡± Turning towards Estre, his voice softened, ¡°Ms. Estre, thank you. Thank you for treating me with respect. And thank you for your encouragement and your dedication. You¡¯ve been the first person, apart from my mother, to show me kindness in this world. I will remember you, forever.¡± As he uttered the word ¡°forever,¡± tears welled up in his eyes. A forced smile broke through his sorrow, and tears streamed down his face. Perhaps his ¡®forever¡¯ would be short-lived. He may never experience the life Estre spoke of, and never savor the delicacies she described. Ryan¡¯s heartfelt gratitude brought tears to Estre¡¯s eyes too. The judge and jury concluded their discussion and delivered the verdict, ¡°Under Article 232 of the Criminal Law, the defendant, Ryan, is found guilty of intentional homicide. He is hereby sentenced to death, with a two-year reprieve.¡± After the sentence was pronounced, the judge looked at Ryan, ¡°Don¡¯t give up on yourself, Ryan.¡± Estre listened to the verdict, her tears falling freely. Although a death sentence had been issued, it was not to be carried out immediately. Normally, homicide did not allow for a reprieve, but Ryan had turned himself in and had shown genuine remorse from the start. His troubled upbringing and his psychological state, which had begun to normalize only after several conversations with her, were taken into consideration. During the first trial, he had expressed that he hadn¡¯t gone back with the intention of killing. He was also scared. It was the taunts of his father and uncle that had incited him, and he lost control only then, grabbing the knife from the kitchen-not premeditated, but an act of desperation. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Gathering herposure, Estre watched as the officers approached Ryan to escort him out. Ryan turned to her, ¡°Ms. Estre, don¡¯t be sad, thank you.¡± He was still processing it all, unsure of what the future held for him. Estre nodded firmly, ¡°I¡¯m not sad.¡± As the courtroom began to empty, Logan and the others approached her. ¡°Estre, you¡¯ve put in a tremendous effort,¡± Logan said, patting her shoulder, proud to have such a dedicated and trustworthywyer on his team. The kind ofmitment and fearlessness Estre disyed wasn¡¯tmon amongwyers. Looking up at Logan, Estre replied, ¡°Logan, thank you all for your support and for helping me shape my approach during this time.¡± As she finished, a figure approached from the back of the crowd. Estre looked up, surprised to see him; she hadn¡¯t expected him to attend the hearing today. 212 Chapter 101 and th Estre was somewhat surprised. Jason walked over, raised his hand to tousle her hair, then gently embraced her in his arms. ¡°You¡¯ve done a wonderful job,¡± he said gently. Estre, who had tirelessly defended her client with passion and dedication, had left Jason in awe. In the courtroom, she was a different person-focused, solemn, and dead serious-a stark contrast to the usually yful and cheery Estre. Estre seemed to respect thew so much, Jason couldn¡¯t help but wonder, did she really start that fire years ago? With a faint smile, Estre responded to Jason¡¯s concern, ¡°Thank you.¡± This was the first case Jason had ever witnessed her handle since she started her career. When Logan and the others saw Jason arrive, curiosity piqued in their minds, but they remained silent. Logan had already sensed something was off during the meeting at the resort but chose to keep his suspicions to himself. After greeting Jason, Logan and the others decided to head back to thew firm, leaving Estre and Jason behind. Estre mentioned she wanted to visit Ryan in prison, and Jason offered to apany her. In the past, it was always Bryce apanying Estre. Half an hourter, when Estre arrived at the prison, Ryan had just been brought back.. The staff allowed them to meet despite the timing. The connection between Estre and Ryan seemed to go beyond the typicalwyer-client rtionship. It wasced with a deeper sense of empathy. On the visitor¡¯s side of the table, Ryan, thinking Estre was worried about his mental resilience, comforted her. ¡°Ms. Estre, thank you. I¡¯m content with the two I have years left.¡± For him, the timing of his fate held little significance. Today or tomorrow made no real difference. But Estre¡¯s next words lit up Ryan¡¯s eyes with hope. ¡°Ryan, we might have more than two years. You must keep hope alive.¡± As she spoke of good behavior and the possibility of sentence reduction, and even eventual release for commendable actions, she painted a picture of a world still full of beauty, urging him to look forward to the good in life. Throughout their conversation, Estre spoke inclusively, using ¡°we¡± as if to share the burden of his journey. Ryan¡¯s eyes shone with the vision of the future that Estre had described, a future filled 11:35 with good people and kind deeds. A faint smile graced his lips as he nodded vigorously. ¡°Ms. Estre, I¡¯ll try. I¡¯ll hold on to hope.¡± He believed in all the goodness Estre spoke of, for she was the best part of his world. At this point, Ryan looked at Estre with sincerity and said ¡°I hope that in the future, I¡¯ll have the opportunity to treat you to a meal with the money I earn myself.¡± Estreughed warmly, gripping his hand firmly. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± As their time together neared its end, Estre promised to bring him books and a dictionary to upy his mind. Knowing they would meet again, both parted without fear, hopeful for the future. Estre believed that Ryan, with his intelligence, woulde to terms with his past and embrace a new life. She held firm to the belief that life¡¯s journey should be dotted with beauty, not just sorrow. Jason had been waiting outside for Estre. When she came out, he raised his right hand and gently rubbed the back of her neck. Jason nced back at Ryan, sensing the boy had stirred a maternal instinct within Estre. Back in the visiting room, Ryan watched them leave, wishing nothing but happiness for Ms. Estre, for her to be surrounded by love and cherish. As they left prison, Jason¡¯s hands tightly gripped the steering wheel. He nced at Estre, ¡°You¡¯re really concerned about this Ryan.¡± Estre turned to face him. Observing his hint of jealousy, she retorted, ¡°If you were behind bars, I would be concerned about you too.¡± Jason¡¯s expression turned stoic. He freed his right hand and gently held her chin, pulling her closer to him. After a heartbeat, he leaned in and softly kissed her lips. Estre exhaled a sigh of relief once the kiss ended, ¡°Not the best oue, but not the worst either.¡± Jason took hold of Estre¡¯s right hand, lightly kneading it. His fascination for her grew as he watched her dedicated demeanor when she was working. She nced at him again, surprised that he had shown up for the trial. As she turned her gaze back to the road, her phone rang. After she ended her call with another client, Jason suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch together.¡± Estre checked her watch, ¡°Next time. I have more work to attend to today.¡± Her case had ended, marking the beginning of another one. Jason merely looked at Estre, taking her words as an agreement. He suddenly realized how Estre had matured. She wasn¡¯t the same Estre who would skip sses and neglect homework. Now, she held her own fort. 11:35 This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. She had her own career and loved her job passionately. Her world wasn¡¯t only about him, Jason, and scheming for a family. Estre was even more devoted to work than nning for a family. Suddenly, Jason couldn¡¯t help but feel that he missed an important phase of Estre¡¯s growth her transition from a student to working society. As he parked the car in front of thew firm, Estre unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out saying, ¡°I owe you a meal. Thanks for understanding and supporting my worktely.¡± She patted the door reassuringly before adding, ¡°I have to go. You should get going too.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Jason replied nonchntly. He did not drive off immediately but stayed to watch as Estre disappeared into the hustle of the city. It wasn¡¯t until she waspletely out of sight that Jason started his car and pulled out of the parking space. ¡°Well done, Estre, on creating a small miracle today.¡± Chapter 102 Ryan¡¯s case was a nail-biter, a real David versus Goliath story if there ever was one. Before, simr cases had seen immediate death sentences handed down without batting an eye. So when Estre managed to snag a stay of execution, it was nothing short of a minor miracle-a glimmer of hope wrestled from the jaws of defeat. What mattered more was her grit. Against all odds, Estre clung to her conviction like a mast in a storm. She never stopped pushing the envelope. ¡°Ms. Estre, you¡¯re a real inspiration to us all.¡± No sooner had Estre set foot in thew firm than her colleagues started lighting sparklers, a makeshift celebration in her honor Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Basking in the glow of their praise, Estre chuckled, ¡°ttered beyond words, truly. But the grind never stops, does it?¡± ¡°Estre, you¡¯ve really got some chops.¡± one of the paralegals chimed in. Estre yed it cool with a modestugh, far from feeling like a winner. In the legal game, it wasn¡¯t about winning or losing-it was about presenting the facts and hoping for a fair shake from Lady Justice. Meanwhile, Kristin was pacing her living room floor, haunted by a conundrum that kept her up all night. Jason keeping Serene close wasn¡¯t doing anybody any favors, and it was putting a damper on his rtionship with Estre. Determined to set things right, Kristin decided to confront Serene. They sat across from each other in a cozy diner, the air thick with the scent of freshly brewed coffee and pancakes. Serene¡¯s hands were sped tightly, a bundle of nerves as she tentatively called out, ¡°Ms. Kristin.¡± Taking a sip of her peppermint tea, Kristin didn¡¯t beat around the bush. ¡°Serene, I¡¯ll cut to the chase. I want you to quit your job at Nelson International and steer clear of Jason. You¡¯re throwing a wrench in his and Estre¡¯s life.¡± Serene, gripping the edge of the table, met Kristin¡¯s gaze with a mix of fear and resolve. ¡°Ms. Kristin, there¡¯s nothing going on between Jason and me. I¡¯ve never had any intention of undermining his life with Estre.¡± But Kristin was having none of it, her patience wearing thin. ¡°I don¡¯t care about your intentions. I just want you out of Jason¡¯s orbit and off the Nelson International payroll. Is that too much to ask?¡± Kristin¡¯s authority was unyielding. Serene, her face flushed red, was at a loss for words. Staring at Kristin for what felt like an eternity, Serene finally said, ¡°Ms. Kristin, Jason¡¯s 08:51 m keeping me around because I remind him of Holly, that¡¯s all. He¡¯s just struggling to let go. If I just up and leave, severing hisst ties to her, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a bit cruel?¡± Kristin¡¯s patience was wearing thin. ¡°You¡¯re not Holly, and Jason should¡¯ve moved on by now. Besides, I didn¡¯t even consider that until you brought it up. So, figure out your resignation. I don¡¯t want to see you at thepany anymore. If you make me unhappy, our next conversation won¡¯t be so amicable.¡± Kristin¡¯s direct approach left no room for negotiation. Serene, barely able to muster a response, pleaded for time. ¡°Ms. Kristin, jobs aren¡¯t easy toe by these days. Please, give me some time to think.¡± Seeing that Serene had made her point, Kristin paid the bill and left Serene to ponder her next move. Alone at the table, Serene absentmindedly fingered the pink ne hidden under her shirt, sighing in frustration. After leaving the diner, Kristin was still troubled with concern for Jason¡¯s entanglement with Serene. Determined to nip any potential issues in the bud, Kristin had her driver take her straight to Sandalwood Oasis, Kristin was on a mission, old-school as her methods might be, to ensure the young couple¡¯s bond was solidified, perhaps with the pitter-patter of tiny feet. When Estre got home at seven that evening, she found her mother-inw already there, a surprise visit. Estre greeted her warmly, ¡°Kristin, you¡¯re here.¡± Kristin beamed, ¡°Just thought I¡¯d drop by and check on you.¡± Handing off Estre¡¯s purse to the maid, Kristin added, ¡°I made your favorite ribs and simmered a sweet dessert soup for you.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Estre replied, a knot of pressure forming in her stomach. The subtext was clear: Kristin was hankering for grandkids. As they sat down to dinner, Kristin had justdled soup into Estre¡¯s bowl when her phone buzzed. It was Jason. Kristin nced at the caller ID, then at Estre, who had also noticed. With a resigned. sigh, Kristin answered, ¡°Hey, Jason. When will you be back? I¡¯m just here with¡­¡± Before she could finish, Jason cut in, his voice cool and detached, ¡°Mom, did you go see Serene today?¡± The dining room fell silent. Kristin looked from her phone to Estre, who returned her gaze. Kristin hesitated before answering the phone, dreading that Jason would bring up the issue she was hoping to avoid. But sure enough, he did. After a moment of silence, she figured there was no point in skirting around the topic now that Jason had called. She was firmly on team Estre, after all. With newfound resolve, Kristin stated boldly, ¡°Yeah, I went to see her. I told her to quit her job at Nelson International and get out of your life.¡± 08:51 On the other end of the line, Jason¡¯s voice rose in volume. ¡°Mom, can you please not stir the pot?¡± His raised voice caused a noticeable change in Kristin¡¯s expression, which in turn, affected Estre. It seemed he was once again taking Serene¡¯s side. Thest time Estre had offered Serene a check to leave, Jason had thrown it back in her face. As Estre sat grim-faced, Kristin was gearing up for a confrontation when Jason, with a hint of exasperation, added, ¡°There was nothing between us in the first ce. By confronting her like this, what if you actually spark some rumors? What then?¡± Kristin bristled at his words. ¡°If you¡¯re not interested in her, then why keep her in the secretarial pool?¡± Jason shot back, ¡°I have over twenty secretaries, most of them women. Why would I have a thing for her specifically? And you-do you even realize your own status? Why did you do this?¡± Kristin had always lived a sheltered life, thanks to her privileged upbringing. Jason¡¯s words actually struck a chord with her, and she began to suspect that her son might not harbor any feelings for Serene. When she looked up at Estre, Kristin saw her head down, focused on her meal, looking somewhat less upset than before. Noticing the shift, Kristin cautiously asked, ¡°So, Jason, you¡¯re saying you¡¯re not into Serene?¡± 08:51 Chapter 103 The question touched a nerve, and Jason¡¯s temper red. ¡°Like her? For crying out loud, Mom, cool it, will ya? No need to stir the pot.¡± ¡°Got it. Loud and clear,¡± Kristin conceded with a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯ll steer clear of her from now on.¡± But Kristin¡¯s curiosity wasn¡¯t sated. She prodded further, ¡°And what about Estre? Do you really love her, or did you marry her because of the pressure from your dad and me?¡± On the other end of the line, Jason chuckled at his mother¡¯s theatrics. ¡°Mom, when have I ever been pushed into anything I didn¡¯t want to?¡± Kristin persisted, her voice a mix of hope and suspicion, ¡°So you do love Estre, right?¡± With Estre nearby, Kristin was fishing for reassurance-hoping to ease both her own mind and Estre¡¯s. Jason rubbed his temples in exasperation. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve got stuff to do. Gotta go.¡±Without directly answering Kristin, Jason simply hung up the phone. Kristin, undeterred and beaming, turned to Estre, ¡°See? Just like I told you. Jason would never fancy someone like that Serene. He¡¯s got eyes only for you.¡± Kristin¡¯s joy was palpable, and Estre served her more food, ¡°Mom, let¡¯s eat.¡± Kristin, mulling over the carefully chosen veggies, imparted her wisdom, ¡°You and Jason are both too stubborn and proud to give in. If you had a kid, you¡¯d have moremon ground between you to soften the edges:¡± For over two years, Kristin¡¯s conversations always circled back to children, a topic that gave Estre a headache every time. Noticing Estre¡¯s silence as she continued eating, Kristin grew alert. ¡°You¡¯re not having second thoughts about having kids, are you?¡± Kristin knew her son had his issues. His quirks that were all too familiar to her. Kristin¡¯s serious gaze prompted Estre to respond with reassurance, ¡°I will, Kristin. I will.¡± Kristin breathed a sigh of relief at Estre¡¯s promise. ¡°Good, that¡¯s settled then. Anyway, as far as I¡¯m concerned, you¡¯re the only daughter-inw of the Nelson family.¡± Kristin had watched Estre grow up and had spent a lot of time with her in the past. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that Estre was like a half-daughter to Kristin. The thought of Estre joining another family was unbearable to her. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a grandchild soon,¡± Estre said, half-serious, half-hoping not to tempt fate with her words. ¡°This soup here. It¡¯s for Jason. Make sure he drinks it when he gets back,¡± Kristin 08:51 instructed, still in mom-mode. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Sure,¡± Estre agreed! After the meal, Kristin stayed to chat a bit more before heading home to take care of Jason¡¯s dad, leaving Estre to finally exhale in relief. That was one hurdle cleared for the day. Deep in the night, as Estre was lost in the depths of sleep, the bedroom door creaked open. Jason hung his suit jacket and loosened his tie, his eyes never straying from Estre. He approached the bed, his hand gently brushing her forehead. Her eyes fluttered open, greeting him with a sleepy murmur, ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Even drowsy, her temper was ever so sweet. Jason withdrew his hand, asking softly, ¡°Did I wake you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Estre murmured back, urging him, ¡°Go wash up and rest.¡± With a nod, Jason headed to the bathroom. Momentster, he emerged, his face pale and drawn. As he gasped for air, his eyes caught Estre¡¯s form on the bed, and he began rummaging through the dresser for something The room suddenly filled with light, and Estre, now sitting up in bed, inquired, ¡°What are you looking for?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Jason replied, trying to mask his difort. Estre noticed his pallor and approached, her touch light on his stomach. ¡°Stomachache?¡± Before Jason could answer, Estre found the medicine in the drawer. ¡°Looking for this?¡± Estre noticed he wasn¡¯t feeling well, so she even found some medicine for him. Jason suddenly felt a bit touched. After more than two years of marriage, it was the first time Jason felt like she was a caring wife. He took the medicine from her, reminding her gently, ¡°Put on your shoes.¡± The night was quiet, their whispers barely audible, yet each word resonated with an intimacy that seemed to reach deep within. Estre slipped on her shoes as Jason shared his night, ¡°Had a meeting with Simon. We discussed the projects for the eleventh division.¡± When it came to work, he was just as serious and dedicated as Estre. As Jason opened up, Estre turned to him, concernced in her voice, ¡°Haven¡¯t eaten yet, have you?¡± Upon hearing Estre¡¯s warm concern, Jason stared at her without saying a word. He indeed hadn¡¯t eaten, and he hadn¡¯t eaten all day today. However, in the past, there wouldn¡¯t 212 08:51 have been such conversation between him and Estre. Without waiting for a reply, Estre yawned and dered, ¡°I¡¯ll find you something to eat.¡± She descended the stairs and rummaged through the kitchen. Since she didn¡¯t have much culinary skills, even boiling noodles seemed a challenge. Settling for simplicity, she warmed the soup Kristin had made and made some toasts for Jason. ¡°What¡¯s bubbling away in the pot?¡± Estre had just ced the lid on the steamer when Jason¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind her. Swiveling around, she found Jason¡¯s handsome face inches from her own. She nced at him coolly as Jason casually rested his chin on her shoulder. Estre didn¡¯t push him away, her tone nonchnt, ¡°A nourishing soup. Your mom stopped by to make it herself.¡± After she spoke, Jason wrapped his arms around her waist. ¡°nning to keep me up all night?¡± Estre replied with a hint of mischief, ¡°I might be, but I¡¯m not sure you can handle it.¡± Before she could finish, Jason¡¯s fingers were on her chin, his lips sealing hers. Estre¡¯s hands pressed against his chest, but Jason deepened the kiss with even more fervor. Tonight was one of those rare asions she was thinking of him, even going so far as to rustle up something for him to eat. Jason kissed Estre passionately, lifting her up and cing her on the kitchen counter. He wrapped one arm around her waist while using his other hand to undress her robe, tracing her thigh. Chapter 104 As Jason was getting a little too frisky, Estre¡¯s hand flew up and delivered a stinging p to the back of his hand. ¡°Hormones raging, huh? Don¡¯t even care where you are,¡± Estre was about to shove Jason away when his arms, snaked around her waist, tightened, pulling her back against him. A chuckle escaped her lips, finding the situation somewhat amusing. Right on cue, her pot of soup was ready. Estre nced at the simmering pot, then back at Jason, pinching his chin yfully. ¡°Not interested in your mom¡¯s nourishing soup, huh? Think you can handle me when you can¡¯t even handle a meal? Eat up, thene take care of me,¡± she teased. With that, she hopped down from the kitchen counter. Jason watched her with a longing gaze before making his way to the dining room, where Estre had served him a heaping bowl of soup, brimming with rich ingredients. He stared at the soup and then back at Estre. Their eyes met, and Estre pushed two bread rolls towards him, adding with a mix of admiration and sarcasm, ¡°Your mom really cares about you.¡± Kristin must really doubt her son¡¯s strength to load him up with so many supplements. i After Estre handed him a soup spoon, Jason took a tentative sip of the Noticing Jason¡¯s grimace, Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Looks like your mom can¡¯t win over your stomach.¡± No sooner had she gloated than Jason grabbed her chin, pulled her close, and nted a kiss on her lips, pushing a piece of veggies into her mouth from his own. Estre¡¯s expression darkened, and despite her reluctance, she swallowed. Feeling queasy, she grabbed a bread roll and took a big bite, grumbling, ¡°Don¡¯t get any ideas about doing this again.¡± Kristin had served her soup in the evening. Estre mentioned she was afraid that if she drank it, Jason wouldn¡¯t be able to handle her. Kristin, concerned about her son being embarrassed, didn¡¯t let her drink it. In the end, Jason fed her a spoonful anyway. Estre felt disgusted, but Jason seemed strangely satisfied, even finishing the entire bowl of soup. When they returned to the bedroom, Jason nonchntly asked, ¡°Were you listening when my mom called earlier?¡± ¡°Feeling guilty?¡± Estre teased. Jason spun around, pulling Estre into his embrace. ¡°If Serene¡¯s bothering you, I¡¯ll have 08:51 her reassigned.¡± Tonight, Estre found medicine for him, served him hot soup, and made him toasts. Jason was deeply moved, feeling that there was a bit of warmth in their home. As Jason held her close, Estre rested her hands against his chest andughed dismissively. ¡°She¡¯s not important enough to upset me.¡± She still believed that other people were never the issue between her and Jason. Most marital problemsy within the couple themselves. As Estre was about to step away, Jason caught her wrists and with a swift move, pinned her to the bed, trapping her in his arms. Estre raised an eyebrow. ¡°Jason, what are you-¡± But before she could finish her sentence, Jason silenced her with a kiss. He didn¡¯t give her a chance to speak or to resist, his one hand pinning hers, the other deftly removing her clothes. Estre panicked. As she tried to struggle, Jason held her even more tightly. Absent the tender forey of their previous encounters, Jason undid her clothes, kissed her lips, and pushed inside her before she was ready, even before she could protest. Suddenly, Estre clenched her fists, veins bulging on her neck from the pain. Then, with a scowl, she said, ¡°Jason, you damn fool, get off me. Stop moving.¡± Jason loosened his grip slightly and kissed her cheek. ¡°It¡¯ll stop hurting in a bit.¡± He had no idea how long ¡®a bit¡¯ would be, never having experienced it himself. Jason didn¡¯t want to give Estre a chance to slip away as before, especially after their big fight and her talk of divorce, which seemed to have shaken her resolve. Now that she was considering an exit strategy, Jason was determined not to offer her one. He had never once thought of divorce after they married. Watching the fine sheen of sweat on Estre¡¯s forehead and seeing her expression soften slightly, Jason whispered, ¡°I¡¯m going in.¡± Estre looked up, ¡°Jason, you¡¯re ruthless.¡± Caught off guard, she had fallen right into hisExclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. trap. After she cursed him out, Jason intertwined his fingers with hers and began to move slowly. ¡°Be gentle,¡± Estre warned impatiently. ¡°I haven¡¯t even been rough,¡± Jason retorted. Estre¡¯s brow furrowed. His breathing was stifled to near silence as beads of sweat formed on her forehead. Jason just stayed there, motionless. He admitted he was hesitant to exert too much force, causing Estre to let out a soft chuckle. Through herughter, she mustered an almost reckless courage and she said, 08:51 ¡°Alright then, your turn! Every journey has its obstacles.¡± Regardless of the pain, she steeled herself. She had intended to confront Jason, maybe even have a fight, but he was already inside her. What more was there to say? And it was not like she could overpower him. So she hoped to get this over with and maybe think about having a child sooner rather thanter. Only after Estre said this did Jason dare to exert force. After a few moments, seeing that Estre was silent, Jason no longer held back. Time seemed to stretch on forever, and Estre felt as if she¡¯d been through centuries of pain, numb to the point of exhaustion. Finally, she weakly pushed at Jason, ¡°Aren¡¯t you done yet?¡± As he kissed her with renewed fervor, Jason dered, ¡°We¡¯re just getting started. Can¡¯t disappoint you on your first time.¡± Estre wished she could p herself for ever teasing him. Now he was really taking her to task. ¡°Jason, I¡¯m beat. Let¡¯s call it a night,¡± Estre panted, pushing against Jason, her strength waning. ¡°Just hang in there a bit longer,¡± Jason urged. With that, he thrust into Estre with a renewed vigor, not stopping until he had fully surrendered to the moment. Finally, he copsed onto her, his weight bearing down as he nuzzled into her shoulder. It hurt, tingled, and yet¡­ despite Jason¡¯s heavy form on top of her, she felt oddly weightless, as if her body had turned light as a feather. In the afterglow, an indescribable sensation washed over her. For more than two years, she had thought their rtionship would fizzle out without ever reaching this point. Their breathing gradually steadied, and Jason lifted himself off her. When he moved again, Estre instinctively turned to look at him. Jason chuckled, amused, ¡°I¡¯ll go easy on you since it¡¯s your first time.¡± His words implied a seasoned confidence, even when he was an virgin himself. Estre, arm drapedzily over her eyes, retorted, ¡°Jason, you¡¯re so underhanded.¡± Ignoring her yful jab, Jason got up and went to the bathroom to run some warm water. He returned and gently wiped her down, bestowing the tenderness he had withheld earlier. Momentster, as Jason settled back beside Estre, she opened her eyes and found herself gazing at him. Chapter 105 Eyes locked, Jason teased, ¡°Still not satisfied?¡± Estre stretched out her leg and yfully scraped his shin with her painted toenail, signaling her annoyance at hisment. Jason chuckled and pulled her into his embrace. Wearily, Estre warned, ¡°Just so you know, Jason, if it doesn¡¯t work out, any kids are mine.¡± With the main task aplished, Estre naturally started thinking about the future. Jasonughed off the remark, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± Part ways? Over his dead body-she wouldn¡¯t get rid of him that easily. With that, he hugged Estre even tighter. Too tired to argue, Estre simply closed her eyes. Jason looked down at her, smiling to himself, and nced at the clock it was 4 a.m. The next morning, as sunlight spilled into the room, Estre felt drained and refused to leave the bed. Jason, equally motionless,y beside her until the sounds of the house staff bustling in the yard roused Estre from her slumber. Catching sight of the disarray in the bed, she remembered everything from the previous night. That bastard Jason had gone ahead and slept with her without any warning. She already forgot about the whole thing about having kids. Turning her head away, every part of her body ached, and even opening her eyes felt exhausting. As she was about to drift off again, reminiscing how Jason had started awkwardly the night before before finding his rhythm, she was abruptly interrupted by a hand snaking around her waist, pulling her close. On alert, Estre snapped, ¡°Enough is enough.¡± Jason justughed at her warning, gently massaging her waist. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the expert? Weren¡¯t you going to be my mentor? Now you¡¯re telling me you can¡¯t handle my moves?¡± Estre felt like she was being mocked. With a disdainful nce, she retorted, ¡°Why don¡¯t you work on your technique instead of just brute force?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Jason agreed. ¡°Be home early tonight.¡± A chill ran down Estre¡¯s back, and she quickly turned away from him, deciding to pull an all-nighter at work. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Jason noticed Estre ignoring him. As he reached out his right hand towards Estre¡¯s chest, Estre immediately grabbed his hand. Jason whispered with a chuckle, ¡°I¡¯ll just take a little feel.¡± 08:52 Knowing she was ufortable, Jason didn¡¯t press further. He¡¯d already managed to silence her protests the night before. Estre, exhausted, ignored Jason and continued to nap. Jason tucked the nkets around them and noticed a crimson stain, a smirk ying on his lips-a man¡¯s universal sign of satisfaction. By noon, when they both woke up again, Estre felt more refreshed. After a quick shower and change, she headed downstairs. ¡°Mr. Jason, Ms. Estre,¡± greeted the house staff. ¡°Mmm,¡± Jason acknowledged, hands in his pockets, his demeanor far more rxed and cheerful than usual. ¡°Mr. Jason¡¯s in a really good mood today.¡± ¡°Yeah. He even smiled. That¡¯s a first for me.¡± Estre overheard the staff¡¯s whispers and thought to herself, of course he was in a good mood after last night. When Marie brought out the soup, Estre¡¯s eyes widened, and she immediately dropped her utensils, telling Marie, ¡°No need for soup, Marie. We have plenty here.¡± Estre had caught the scent of the rich, nutritious broth from across the room and promptly dismissed it. Marie looked embarrassed, ¡°Ms. Estre, Ms. Kristin personally delivered these fresh ingredients yesterday, insisting that I prepare them especially for Mr. Jason.¡± Estre retorted, ¡°Mr. Jason doesn¡¯t need any more ¡®nourishment.¡± He¡¯d be the death of her at this rate. Marie caught on after a moment, her face lighting up with realization. ¡°Understood, Ms. Estre. I¡¯ll take the soup away.¡± As Marie turned to leave, her smile was radiant, as if she were about to wee a grandchild. Across the table, Jason watched Estre¡¯s horrified expression and couldn¡¯t help but tease her under the table with a yful nudge to her leg. Estre scoffed and served him a bowl of in oatmeal, ¡°Eat up and behave.¡± Before they finished their meal, Kristin called. First, she rang Jason. ¡°Jason, did you drink the soup I made for you?¡± she asked without waiting for a reply. ¡°You promised us you¡¯d get Estre pregnant before the year¡¯s end, and next year-¡± Before she could finish, Jason hung up. The next moment, Kristin¡¯s call came through to Estre. Since Kristin wasn¡¯t her biological mother, Estre felt the need to maintain some courtesy. So, even before 08:52 Kristin could speak, Estre took the initiative to report. ¡°Yes, drank it. A whole big bowl.¡± On the other end, Kristin inquired, ¡°Did it work? Should you take him to see a doctor?¡± Hearing Kristin¡¯s question, Estre cheekily replied, ¡°If the doctor prescribes anything else, I might not be able to stand it.¡± Kristin chuckled, ¡°So, Estre, there¡¯s hope for me to have a grandchild?¡± With a sip of her drink, Estre said, ¡°Yes, yes, there¡¯s hope.¡± Every time Kristin mentioned her grandson, Estre almost wished she could conjure one up out of thin air like some kind of modern-day genie. Estre assured Kristin she was on it, and only then did Kristin feel at ease. ¡°Estre, dear, I know it¡¯s a lot to ask, but please don¡¯t worry. You just need to give birth to this child. Once they¡¯re here, you won¡¯t have to lift a finger, and your career won¡¯t skip a beat,¡± she said, as if a baby was already on the way. Estre humored her with a few responses and a string of promises,mitting to a shopping spree later. Kristin finally hung up, content and satisfied. After lunch, when Estre was about to hop into her car, Jason chimed in with a casual, ¡°Let me drive you.¡± Since Jason was offering, Estre wasn¡¯t going to refuse. Throughout the drive, Jason was in an exceptionally cheerful mood. Whether it was Drew or someone else on the line, his voice was noticeably brighter, his spirits evidently high. ¡°Jason, did you hit the jackpot or something?¡± ¡°Mr. Jason, is there some good news back home?¡± Jason didn¡¯t answer, but his sunny disposition said it all. From the passenger seat, Estre eyed him and said with a touch of indifference, ¡°For heaven¡¯s sake, Jason, you¡¯re the boss of Nelson International, and the son of the Nelsons. Act like you¡¯ve been around the block, will ya?¡± Jason turned to her, a smile ying on his lips ¡°I¡¯ve seen it all, except someone quite like you.¡± As he spoke, they pulled up in front of the department store. Estre could already spot Kristin from a distance. She reached for her seatbelt, ready to disembark, but Jason didn¡¯t move to open the door. Instead, he asked, ¡°You¡¯re just going to leave like that?¡± Chapter 106 Estre¡¯spun around, a yful smirk dancing on her lips. ¡°I¡¯m here to shop with your mom, Jason. What¡¯s it to you?¡± Jason leaned in, his face inches from hers, but Estre was quick to pinch his jaw. ¡°Jason,¡± she chided, her tone teasing yet firm, ¡°you¡¯re getting shameless by the minute.¡± Without another word, she bit down hard on his jawline, then pressed a button in the car, pushed his face away, and strutted out with an air of triumph. As she stepped onto the sidewalk, Kristin approached, her face lit up with a weing smile. Jason, meanwhile, rolled down the window and rubbed his face, watching Estre¡¯s retreating figure. ¡°We¡¯ll settle the score for that biteter tonight,¡± he mumbled to himself. Seeing this, Kristin looked at him with a serious expression and said, ¡°Son, you better start raking in the dough to support Estre and my future grandchild.¡± Estre nced back to see Jason still nursing his cheek and let out a chuckle. ¡°Goodbye, Jason. Don¡¯t bother seeing me off.¡± After exchanging goodbyes, Kristin linked arms with Estre, her face blooming like spring flowers. ¡°Estre, I saw some adorable cribs and baby clothesst time I was out. I¡¯ll take you to check them out.¡± Estre couldn¡¯t help but lose her smile. So that was why Kristin insisted on shopping today. ¡°Kristin, it¡¯s too early for that,¡± Estre protested gently. ¡°Not at all,¡± Kristin insisted with a knowing smile. ¡°Time flies, and babiese quickly. Once you start, there¡¯s no stopping. I¡¯ll be holding my grandchild in no time.¡± As they entered the department store, Jason drove back to the office, his heart lighter than usual after the yful exchange. At the office, Drew caught sight of Jason¡¯s unusually bright demeanor, and the tell-tale bite mark on his face. He had worked with Jason for years and had never seen him this chipper. Inside the department store, Estre could do nothing as Kristin, acting as if she was already a grandmother, filled their cart with baby essentials and clothes. Estre felt overwhelmed and under a lot of pressure. After Kristin finished her shopping spree, she left the address for Sandalwood Oasis, instructing the store to deliver everything there Then, she announced to Estre that they were going to have a delicious meal. However, just as they stepped out, they ran into Korey, surrounded by a group of people. As the newly appointed leader, he was 08:52 conducting fieldwork in the area. He had just finished his rounds for the day when he spotted Estre and Kristin walking out of the maternity store. The sight of them leaving the store tugged at Korey¡¯s heartstrings unexpectedly. Approaching them with a warm smile, he greeted, ¡°Ms. Kristin, Estre.¡± Korey had finished his inspections, so ke dismissed the reporters and staff, allowing everyone to head home early for the weekend. Once they had said goodbye to Korey, they left him to catch up with his acquaintances. After Korey finished his own engagements, he nced at his watch and said to Kristin and Estre, ¡°It¡¯s dinner time. Allow me to treat you both. Besides, I¡¯ve been meaning to pay a visit, Ms. Kristin.¡± Estre was about to decline the polite invitation when Kristin, with a cheerful grin, epted. ¡°It must be fate that we ran into each other today, so let¡¯s catch up, Korey.¡± Kristin knew about Korey¡¯s previous overtures to the Dorvold family-it wasmon knowledge among their circle. By epting his invitation, Kristin hoped to show him how close Jason and Estre were and that they were soon to be parents, dispelling any lingering intentions Korey might have. Kristin was keenly aware of the fragility of Estre and Jason¡¯s rtionship. ¡°The more peopleck something, the more they boast about it,¡± goes the saying, and Kristin was a prime example of this. And Kristin knew about thest time Korey asked Estre to handle the issue of paying the wages and project funds to the migrant workers. She just didn¡¯t bring it up. With the invitation epted, Estre could only sigh and follow along. Given Korey¡¯s status, ke chose a private restaurant with an elegant ambiance, frequented by those of Korey¡¯s standing. In the private dining room, as the waiter served alcohol, Korey considerately requeste ¡°Please bring thisdy some milk, thank you.¡± Estre had just exited the maternity store, so Korey¡¯s gesture seemed particrly thoughtful. Hearing this, Estre knew there must be a misunderstanding-he probably thought she was already expecting. Whether Korey was mistaken didn¡¯t matter so much as the awkwardness Estre felt; Kristin was acting as if she were pregnant, and how would she exin if it turned out she wasn¡¯t? Kristin noticed Korey¡¯s misunderstanding but said nothing to correct it, simplymenting, ¡°You¡¯re as thoughtful and attentive as ever, Korey.¡± When praising Korey, Kristin couldn¡¯t help but think, if her son could have half of Korey¡¯s 08:52 attentiveness and patience, she might have already had a grandchild by now. Korey smiled, then turned to Estre. ¡°I saw youing out of the maternity store. Are you-¡± He stopped himself, remembering her recent sess in a high-profile legal case. Before Estre could rify, Kristin jumped in, ¡®Yes. Estre and I have been at the maternity store all afternoon, picking out some things for the new baby.¡± Kristin yed along with Korey¡¯s assumption, yet pointedly avoided correcting him. Caught in the moment, Estre met Korey¡¯s gaze and said honestly, ¡°We¡¯re preparing for pregnancy.¡± Kristin added, ¡°She might well be expecting already, just without the telltale signs.¡± Korey chuckled helplessly. It seemed that Kristin still regarded him as her son¡¯s love rival. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. As Kristin¡¯s words trailed off, the waiter began to bring out the dishes. Korey, ever the gentleman, made it a point to serve Kristin first before offering any to Estre. Yet Kristin¡¯s gaze was fixed on the attentiveness hevished upon Estre. ¡°Estre, it¡¯s getting chilly out. Make sure to have some soup to warm up,¡± Korey suggested with a considerate tone. ¡°Try this dish, it¡¯s really vorful. I think you¡¯ll like it,¡± he said, passing a portion onto her te. ¡°And this one should suit your taste as well,¡± he added, selecting another choice morsel for her. Kristin felt deeply pained and resentful as she observed Korey¡¯s thoughtfulness. Her own son was not as attentive and caring, and she resolved to give him a good scolding when she got back home, urging him to learn a thing or two from Korey. Her eyes were glued to Korey, and when he served Estre a piece of sulent Kristin couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. In a voice tinged with sarcasm, she said, you¡¯re so caring. It¡¯s about time you found a wife to really put those skills to us Korey responded with a smile, ¡°Ms. Kristin, if you know someone suitable, feel f me up.¡± Kristin, intrigued, asked, ¡°What kind of person are you interested in, Korey?¡± Setting down his utensils, Korey turned his gaze from Estre back to Kristin, his sn unwavering. ¡°Someone like Estre would be perfect,¡± he said, his eyes lingering on Estre for a moment longer before they met Kristin¡¯s again. rib, 212 08:52 Chapter 107 Korey¡¯s words nearly sent Kristin into a fit of rage that could¡¯ve flipped the dinner table over. ¡°That no-good son of a gun,¡± she fumed to herself. Such brazen audacity right under her nose! No doubt he had been scheming to woo Estre behind the Nelsons¡¯ backs. He must¡¯ve been hell-bent on poaching her. Despite the storm brewing inside of her, Kristin managed to quell her fury and said with a feigned smile, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll keep an eye out for you!¡± She¡¯s definitely gonna find a girl to give him a run for his money. Estre, at the side, rubbed her temples as she watched the silent battle between Kristin and Korey. By the time the rather unpleasant dinner ended around 8:30 PM, Estre finally breathed a sigh of relief. The charade was over for the day. In the backseat of the car, Kristin red at the taillights of the vehicle ahead and said irritably, ¡°Estre, Korey¡¯s up to no good. You need to keep your distance from him.¡± Estre replied with a touch of exasperation, ¡°Korey¡¯s just messing with you. He doesn¡¯t have those kinds of intentions. He only did that to rile up Jason after seeing us argue.¡± Kristin wasn¡¯t buying it. ¡°That¡¯s what he told you, right? You¡¯re still too naive, Estre. You don¡¯t understand men. He¡¯s ying reverse psychology to lower your guard so he can get close to you. That¡¯s a ssic move. Don¡¯t fall for it.¡± ¡°Okay, I got it,¡± Estre conceded. Kristin had spoken, and what more could she say? Besides, any objection would only lead to a night of endless nagging. In the leading vehicle, ke turned to Korey with a puzzled look. ¡°Korey, you¡¯re not known for stirring the pot like this. Why¡¯d you go head-to-head with Ms, Kristin today?¡± With a faint smile, Korey replied, ¡°People only treasure what they have when someone else shows interest.¡± He just wanted Estre to feel valued, to have a better life. His thoughts drifted to Holly, and his expression turned solemn, reflecting the weight on his mind. Half an hourter, when Kristin and Estre arrived at Sandalwood Oasis, Kristin immediately called Jason upon noticing his absence, ¡°Jason, why aren¡¯t you home yet? Do you even have a sense of time?¡± Jason, listening to his mother¡¯s explosive tone, said, ¡°I had a business engagement. I¡¯ll be homete.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Kristin let out a sardonicugh, ¡°Your wife¡¯s almost getting snatched away, and you still have the mood for socializing?¡± 113 08:14 In the past, it was always Kristin who rallied Estre to catch cheaters red-handed. Today, she finally made that call to her son, urging him to stay alert. On the other end, Jason¡¯s voice grew stern, ¡°What happened?¡± Kristin recounted her encounter with Korey, ¡°We ran into Korey at the department store, and he invited Estre and me for dinner, tantly flirting with Estre in my presence.¡± Before she could finish, Jason cut in, ¡°Mom, I get it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get too caught up in the glitz and mour. Come home early.¡± Kristin advised. Jason hung up, irked by the implication that he was neglecting Estre. Ending the call, Jason looked at Drew, ¡°Forget the other appointment. Head back to Sandalwood Oasis.¡± ¡°Right away, Mr. Jason,¡± Drew replied without hesitation, though internally he was puzzled by the sudden change in Jason¡¯s mood. It had to be rted to Ms. Estre. Drew had been with Jason for years and knew that despite Jason¡¯s aloof demeanor, he was always quick to respond to anything concerning Estre. Twenty minutester, as Jason entered the house with a cold expression, he found Estre chatting with Kristin. Kristin had insisted on calling Jason, arguing that a woman shouldn¡¯t be too sensible and must keep her man on his toes. Upon entering, Jason, with a hint of sarcasm, queried Kristin, ¡°Estre¡¯s been up to no good?¡± As Estre yfully hurled a cushion at him, she retorted, ¡°What, you rushed back to catch me in the act?¡± Jason caught the cushion, stepped closer, and gently grasped her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze, ¡°I¡¯ll deal with you after I hear Mom out.¡± Kristin, disapproving of Jason¡¯s domineering approach, pped his arm twice, ¡°Is this how you treat your wife? She¡¯ll be snatched away if you¡¯re not careful.¡± Unfazed, Jason settled beside Kristin and quipped, ¡°From what you¡¯re saying, you must¡¯ve met someone who knows how to pamper his wife. Do tell, so I can learn a thing or two.¡± As Kristin began to vividly recount their encounter with Korey, embellishing the details for effect, Jason listened intently. Sometimes, the truth was stranger than fiction, even seasoned with a pinch of exaggeration. Estre casually cracked open a pack of snack as she listened to Kristin spin a yarn about her and Korey. Estre¡¯s demeanor was as if she was hearing a third person¡¯s tale, unaffected and calm, without a ripple of concern. Jason¡¯s expression shifted like an ever-changing tapestry. After Kristin had been talking for a while, Estre handed her a ss of water. Kristin took a sip and said, ¡°Jason, I don¡¯t mean to nag as your mother, but when ites to being tender and attentive to your wife, you truly fall short. There¡¯s definitely room for improvement. Otherwise, if some other man out there is doing right by her, what guarantee do you have that your woman¡¯s heart won¡¯t wander?¡± Jason adjusted his tie and chuckled, ¡°Is that so?¡± They just had sex the night before, and already today, Estre found herself being courted. She really did have an irresistible charm. After a briefugh, Jason¡¯s gaze shifted lightly to Marie and he inquired, ¡°Marie, is ourte-night snack ready?¡± ¡°Mr. Jason, everything¡¯s all set,¡± Marie confirmed. With thete-night snack announced, Jason turned to look at Estre. Chapter 108 With a faint smile on his lips, Jason watched as Estre ate the snack. ¡°What are you looking at me for? Next time, I¡¯ll take you out for a bite, easy as that.¡± Jason chuckled. After theughter subsided, he rosenguidly from the couch. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go see if Mom can school me on how to properly dote on my wife.¡± Instead of tending to pressing matters, he hade home only to be lectured all evening by Kristin, while Estre seemed to be enjoying the show. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Estre dered. But no sooner had she finished speaking than Jason scooped her up and headed for the dining room, seating her at the table. Kristin, sensing a moment brewing, quickly followed them. Jason then served up a heaping bowl of sweet dessert soup for Estre and piled her te with a hefty serving of ate-night snack. ¡°Eat up,¡± hemanded, before turning to Kristin with a questioning look. ¡°Is this how Korey takes care of her?¡± Kristin shook her head vehemently, convinced that her son was being too forceful, almost beyond redemption. This wasn¡¯t tender care. It felt more like a threat. Estre, sensing Jason¡¯s irritation and his intent to tease her, gave his leg a not-too-gentle kick. ¡°Cut it out,¡± she protested. Jason shot her a cold re. ¡°Estre, if you don¡¯t finish that, don¡¯t bothering back to bed.¡± If she had such a good time out with others, she could surely eat a bit more back home. Estre just threw a nut shell at him. Kristin, noting Jason¡¯s mood, spoke up displeased. ¡°Have my words all evening been in vain? I told you to treat Estre nicely, not to threaten her. Son, if you keep this up, you might just lose your wife for good one day.¡± As Kristin¡¯s words hung in the air and Estre, barefoot, made to leave, Jason¡¯s hand shot out to grab her arm. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going without shoes?¡± He softened his tone then. ¡°I haven¡¯t had my dinner yet. You can at least keep mepany while I eat, can¡¯t you?¡± With that, Jason scooped a spoonful of the dessert soup and brought it to Estre¡¯s lips. Estre nced at the bowl filled to the brim. Jason kept persuading her, ¡°I¡¯ll eat. You don¡¯t have to finish it.¡± Only then did Estre grace him with an open mouth. Kristin finally cracked a smile and advised, ¡°Jason, once you and Estre are done, make Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. sure to get some rest early. I¡¯m off to keep your fatherpany.¡± 08.14 Humming a tune, Kristin left the room. Once Kristin was gone, Jason still hadn¡¯t fully processed her words. So, when they returned to the bedroom, he began to undress, saying, ¡°Estre, we can have a good life. Anything you want, I can provide. Don¡¯t make things difficult.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that in front of your mom? Estre countered. Jason wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. ¡°Stay away from Korey.¡± ¡°Sure¡­¡± Estre drawled, not finishing her sentence before Jason¡¯s lips descended on hers, cutting off her words. Estre¡¯s brows furrowed-again? Pushing against his chest, she wasn¡¯t in the mood, and besides, maybe Kristin was right. She might already be pregnant, just without the symptoms. After a heated kiss, Estre pped Jason¡¯s chest twice. ¡°I¡¯ve already agreed to keep my distance. What are you fussing about? Did you settlest night¡¯s bill?¡± Reflecting on the past, Estre¡¯s dissatisfaction grew, considering they hadn¡¯t even had a proper wedding in their two years of marriage. That was why she was so lukewarm with him just now. ¡°We are family,¡± Jason began, but Estre quickly rolled off the bed, feigning sleep. ¡°I¡¯m tired. Let¡¯s talk next time.¡± Seeing Estre y possum, Jason rolled up his sleeves, gave her a nudge, and said, ¡°Estre, are you so sure you got pregnant on the first shot? Don¡¯t you want a couple more tries to make sure?¡± Estre turned on the bed, ring at Jason, who was unbuckling his belt. She scrambled up and dragged him toward the bathroom. Stumbling after her, Jason steadied himself and asked, ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± ¡°I need to take a shoper first,¡± Estre retorted, They had already had sex. If she wasn¡¯t pregnant, it would feel like a waste. Better to be sure first. With the bathroom door closed, Jason looked down at Estre and chuckled without malice. ¡°Can you be any more practical?¡± he asked, half in admiration, half in jest. Her no-nonsense, quid-pro-quo nature left him in awe-if he didn¡¯t provoke her, she might have already fallen asleep. Ignoring his bemusement, Estre wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°Tonight, the pleasure¡¯s on me. Don¡¯t be shy.¡± Jason simply gazed at her for a long moment, then scooped her up and headed for the shower. 09.14 From the bathroom to the bedroom, they made love until well past midnight. When Estre could no longer keep up, she pushed Jason away, murmuring enough. After a final push and release, he let her go. As he sat up in bed, the moonlight poured in through the window. Jason nced at the tangled sheets, swept Estre¡¯s hair aside gently, and asked, ¡°Mind if I smoke?¡± Estre, lying motionless, half-opened her eyes and murmured, ¡°Go ahead.¡± The smoke soon filled the room as he watched her. ¡°Satisfied with tonight?¡± he asked. Estre had invited Jason to spend the night, and he was anything but in a hurry. Hevished her with an extensive and satisfying forey, bringing her to bliss twice before they even got to the main act. Initially, Estre, having enjoyed herself thoroughly, was almost reluctant to go further, but Jason¡¯s persuasive charm and promise of even greater pleasure eventually swayed her. As the night unfolded, Estre¡¯s reaction was as genuine as it gets-she was almost in tears by the intensity of their lovemaking. Jason was quite proud of his performance that evening. His philosophy was simple: go big or go home. He aimed to make such an impression on Estre that she wouldn¡¯t even consider anyone else. Estre, half-asleep, reached for two coins from the bedside table and handed them to him, saying, ¡°Not bad, here¡¯s your tip.¡¯ Staring at the two bucks that Estre had stuffed in his direction, Jason¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I pour my heart out for over two hours, and you think two measly bucks is enough?¡± Estre looked up, her gaze sharp. ¡°What else did you expect? You think you¡¯re worth more?¡± That struck a nerve. Jason extinguished the cigarette in his hand, flipped Estre¡¯s covers off, and slipped under them with her. Estre, who was almost asleep, lost any hope of rest as she tried to fend him off. ¡°Can¡¯t you just quit while you¡¯re ahead? Besides, I¡¯m probably all swollen by now.¡± Jason was undeterred. ¡°Let¡¯s have a look,¡± he insisted. 08.14 Chapter 109 No sooner had Jason peered inside than he found himself, well¡­ thoroughly entangled with Estre once again. The man had a way with words and touch that Estre found irresistible. So, it didn¡¯t take long before they were wrapped up in each other, shamelessly tumbling in the sheets. In Jason¡¯s own terms, ever since he figured out the delights of sex, he had been ¡®stockpiling ammo¡¯ for Estre. Now that he finally had the chance to deploy it, there was no way he was letting her off easy with just some shut-eye. ¡°You act like you¡¯ve never seen a woman before,¡± Estre protested after two more rounds of unspeakable pleasures. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She decided to retract her earlier invitation for him to spend the night. It was off the table now. But Jason, relentless as ever, gave her a few more powerful thrusts, filling her ¡°Come on, it¡¯s over. Get off me,¡± Estre huffed. With a slight movement that sent a shiver through her, Jason cheekily whispered in her ear, ¡°Did you enjoy it?¡± Estre, her face flushed, could barely handle the embarrassment. She nced at him, trying to stay indifferent, ¡°It was okay.¡± Jason chuckled, ¡°That response tells me I haven¡¯t quite hit the mark.¡± ¡°Fine, fine, fine, Mr. Jason, you¡¯re the greatest, just let me be.¡± Her ttery made Jasonugh, and he yed with her a bit more before finally retreating This time, he didn¡¯t reach for a cigarette. Instead, he propped his head with his hand andy on his side, watching Estre with an entranced gaze. Her rosyplexion was exceptionally alluring in his eyes. Feeling his stare, Estre opened her eyes and met his gaze with a look of disdain. ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen a pretty girl before?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen one as beautiful as you,¡± Jason replied, his hand gently tracing the contour of her back and neck. ¡°That kid of ours better take after me,¡± Estre mentioned. ¡°As long as they¡¯re mine, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Jason said, which earned him a re from Estre. She couldn¡¯t believe how little trust he had in her, as if she would ever be unfaithful. Besides, between the two of them, it was still up for debate who needed to keep an eye on whom. 00.14 Half-awake, Estre remembered something, ¡°We need to talk to your mother. Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves about the baby talk.¡± Just yesterday, after their first night together, Kristin had already bought a mountain of baby gear. The pressure Estre felt was immense. Jason pulled her into his arms, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll talk to Mom.¡± He too was taken aback by the nursery takeover when he got home. If he hadn¡¯t been so certain of Estre¡¯s feelings, he might have started to question her fidelity. With Jason¡¯s assurance, Estre closed her eyes and drifted off to a peaceful sleep. He held her close, his thumb lightly caressing her eyebrows andshes, feeling unusually content and satisfied. The next morning, when Jason woke up, Estre was already gone, but she had left two dors on the nightstand-a tip fromst night Pocketing the money, Jason got up and dressed. ¡°Mr. Jason, Ms. Estre said she had to handle something at the office. She left early,¡± the maid informed him. ¡°Hmm,¡± Jason hummed contentedly, though his mood dampered slightly at the sight of the premature baby gear in the living room. He and Estre were still young. There was no rush to start a family. Recalling how Korey had brazenly shown interest in Estre right in front of his mother, suggesting he wanted a wife like her, Jason felt a twinge of annoyance. So when Jason saw the car representing Korey¡¯s status outside, he didn¡¯t hesitate. Jason quickly got in his car with one step on the brake. In Korey¡¯s car, after a sudden jolt from the collision, ke turned to Korey and asked, ¡°M Korey, you alright?¡± Straightening his clothes, Korey replied calmly, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s see what happened.¡± ke got out of the car and saw the ck Maybach behind them. Then ke headed straight towards it. ¡°Sir, did you rear-end us?¡± Inside the Maybach, Jason lowered his window leisurely, looking at ke with a detached air, ¡°You¡¯re not qualified to talk to me. Get Korey.¡± Upon recognizing Jason, ke¡¯s expression darkened. What a way to start the day, running into this devil-and rear-ended by him, no less. It was clearly intentional. Korey, noticing ke¡¯s change in demeanor, checked the Maybach¡¯s license te in the rearview mirror. Recognizing Jason¡¯s car, he stepped out without hesitation. As both men exited their vehicles, tension crackled in the air Meeting between their cars, Jason, hands in his pockets, coolly nced at Korey¡¯s damaged car, ¡°Your car¡¯s got no eyes. It was in my way.¡± 08-1 Korey, attempting to smooth things over with a chuckle, said, ¡°Jason, we¡¯re all adults here. No need for childish games.¡± By now, he knew that his dinner with Estre had been blown out of proportion by Kristin. Still, he hadn¡¯t expected Jason to react so fiercely as to resort to a car crash. Taking a few nonchnt steps forward, Jason said, ¡°Adults only crash cars.¡± Korey¡¯s expression darkened, deciphering Jason¡¯s implication: if he weren¡¯t acting like an adult, he might have taken it out on Korey directly. As it stood, with Korey having been in the car, Jason had effectively hit both man and machine. Jason hadn¡¯t changed-still domineering and unreasonable. Anything he set his sights on was off-limits to others, but if he imed ownership, he should cherish it. After a moment¡¯s observation, Korey offered a conciliatory smile, ¡°Jason, we grew up together, and we¡¯re all friends here. No one is anyone¡¯s property. And if you have something, you should appreciate it. Otherwise, who knows who it¡¯ll belong to in the end.¡± Korey¡¯s reminder was met with a chuckle from Jason, ¡°No need to fuss about my life, Korey.¡± Leaning in slightly, Jason¡¯s voice dropped to a whisper, ¡°Korey, just as you¡¯ve climbed this high, I can just as easily bring you down. Let¡¯s just mind our own boundaries.¡± Korey¡¯s smile grew at Jason¡¯s veiled threat, ¡°I¡¯m d and relieved that you take Estre so seriously.¡± Jason pulled his right hand out of his pocket and straightened Korey¡¯s jacket before stepping back to where he had been standing. ke, observing the scene, nced at the car and began, ¡°Mr. Korey, so now what do we¡­¡± Before ke could finish, Korey interjected, ¡°Get Jeffery to drive the car away. Let¡¯s not make a scene.¡± Korey had a special status, and if news of him being involved in a rear-end collision spread, it would surely stir up trouble and lead to rumors. So, keeping everything low-key was the best approach. Seeing this, Jason quipped with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll have a new ride sent over for you afternoon.¡± ke sighed. Jason was too bold for his own good. this Chapter 110 In no time at all, the driver came around with another car to swap out for them, and ke couldn¡¯t help but grumble, ¡°That Jason is too brazen, even daring to ram into your ride.¡± Korey offered a nonchnt smile. ¡°That¡¯s just Jason¡¯s way. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too easygoing,¡± ke protested. Then, lowering his voice, he added, ¡°But Mr. Korey, I heard that Ms. Holly¡¯s ident might have something to do with Ms. Estre. Doesn¡¯t that bother you one bit?¡± At the mention of Holly and Estre, Korey¡¯s expression darkened subtly. ¡°That has nothing to do with Estre. Where did you hear such a thing?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t recall where I heard it from. It could be got it wrong,¡± ke muttered. He didn¡¯t tell Korey that it was within the walls of the Ledford estate that he had overheard the gossip. Korey¡¯s mood was visibly soured, and he fell silent. Whether it was the mention of Estre or Holly that disturbed him more, he couldn¡¯t say. Later, Estre got wind of Jason rear-ending Korey¡¯s car through the grapevine that was Bryce, but she didn¡¯t confront Jason about it. She knew all too well that would only stir up more trouble. That night, Jason had cornered Estre, offering to move Serene away if her presence was causing Estre any difort. Estre had brushed it off, iming Serene wasn¡¯t significant enough to bother her, but the distance between Jason and Serene had grown. nheless. Since the time Estre said she had no feelings for him at the resort, Jason hadn¡¯t used Serene as a prop. Come noon, after finishing a meeting, Jason had barely settled back in his office when Serene knocked on the door. He nced up, spotting the lunchbox in her hand. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell Drew there¡¯s no need to bring food over?¡± Serene strode in with a smile, saying, ¡°I noticed you¡¯ve skipped lunch at the office for a while, so I got up early to make you some soup.¡± Without looking up from his contract, Jason replied, ¡°Estre makes soup every day.¡± That was a bluff. Estre had only warmed up a tonic soup for him once, and he was deliberately bringing her up to make a point. At the mention of Estre, Serene¡¯s smile wavered with awkwardness, fully aware of Jason¡¯s intentions. He had been intentionally keeping her at arm¡¯s lengthtely. Pretending all was well, Serene pulled up a chair across from Jason, her voice light, ¡°The soup Estre made is a gesture of her affection. And this is mine. After all, you¡¯ve always looked after Vincent and me.¡± Jason paused his skimming and met her gaze. As their eyes met, Jason¡¯s expression remained emotionless. Serene smiled and said, ¡°Jason, have you been avoiding me on purposetely? Have I caused trouble in your life? Have I given Estre the wrong impression? If so, I can go and exin things to Estre.¡± Serene mentioned that she wanted to clear things up with Estre, a notion that sent waves of refusal through Jason¡¯s heart. He was acutely aware of Serene¡¯s actions, including the incident at the resort where she intentionally exined the ne situation to Estre. He saw it all too clearly. The best strategy for handling such issues is to downy their significance. If no one else brings it up, there¡¯s no need to rush in and broach the subject yourself; otherwise, it can backfire and make things worse. With years of experience in the business world, he knew these tactics all too well. The only reason he¡¯d manipted Serene in the past was due to the strained rtionship with Estre. If Serene does go on to exin things to Estre, the bnce that they have painstakingly established will crumble in an instant. With a detached look, Jason spoke, ¡°Estre understands. No need to exin.¡± His rtionship with Estre was simple: a bit more time at home, a bit more sweet-talking, and they would mostly avoid big issues. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Jason, did Estre get the wrong idea about me?¡± Serene pressed, sensing his reluctance. ¡°Look, I really don¡¯t have any ulterior motives. I see you as a friend, a supervisor, and someone who¡¯s been there for Vincent and me. I have no other way to repay you, so sometimes¡­¡± Before she could finish, Jason cut her off, ¡°Estre hasn¡¯t said anything.¡± Estre was sharp. If she didn¡¯t want to fall out with you, she would turn a blind eye even you were at fault and leave it unmentioned. So whenever she and Jason fought, as long as he didn¡¯t bring a third party into it, neither did she. They would only argue about the rights and wrongs in their rtionship. ¡°Jason, I admit that I admire you a lot and find you very capable. But it¡¯s not what you and Estre might think. It¡¯s just you¡¯ve helped me so much, and I am truly grateful to both you and Estre. if my gratitude has caused any misunderstanding between you and Estre, I apologize¡± Listening to Serene¡¯s exnations, Jason remained unmoved. ¡°Your job and benefits won¡¯t change, and Estre isn¡¯t the type to make things difficult for you. Don¡¯t overthink it.¡± He had promised Holly he¡¯d look after Serene, and he intended to keep that promise. Meeting his gaze squarely, Serene knew all too well that she had been a pawn in his game 08:14 with Estre, and a substitute for Holly. After a long silence, she asked, ¡°Jason, have you moved on from Holly? Have you really let go?¡± His reply was indifferent. ¡°Whether I have or haven¡¯t, you¡¯re not her.¡± With that, Serene was left speechless, the weight of his words settling between them like an unbridgeable chasm. Serene had been sitting across from Jason for quite some time, watching him work as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Finally, she stood up and decided to leave first. As she gently closed Jason¡¯s office door, Serene lifted her gaze and caught sight of Estre striding toward her, with a sheaf of papers clutched in her hand. Upon seeing Estre, a smile quickly spread across Serene¡¯s face. ¡°Hey, Estre.¡± Even though her mood had been soured just moments before, she couldn¡¯t let Estre catch a glimpse of her disarray. ¡°Hey,¡± Estre greeted back in her usual nonchnt manner. As Estre passed by with her documents, unhurried, Serene turned and asked, ¡°Estre, do you think there¡¯s been some kind of misunderstanding between me and-¡± Before Serene could finish, Estre stopped, smiled, and said, ¡°Whatever you¡¯re thinking is none of my business. If Jason has any issue, he¡¯ll talk to me directly.¡± Estre had long seen through Serene¡¯s fa?ade. Besides, who Jason liked, who he was good to, and who he couldn¡¯t get out of his head was of no concern to her. She was only interested in whether Dorvold Group was making money, if her cases were going to win, and when she could conceive a child with Jason to fulfill her major life task. With just a few simple words, Estre had left Serene speechless multiple times. In reality, no matter what Serene said or did, she had never influenced Estre. After staring at Estre for a long while, Serene sighed and said, ¡°As long as you haven¡¯t misunderstood, that¡¯s good.¡± Estre patted her shoulder. ¡°Focus on your work. After all, I own half of Nelson International.¡± All this idle chatter was less productive than earning some extra cash for thepany, which would help Estre in return. Serene swallowed hard. ¡°Will do.¡± After parting with Serene, Estre pushed open Jason¡¯s office door and walked in. Inside, Jason looked up as the door opened again. Seeing Estre, his face immediately lit up with a soft smile, a stark contrast to earlier, Estre approached with an impassive face, and Jason asked, ¡°Did you run into her?¡± Chapter 111 Judging by the timeline, they should have encountered each other. Estre spotted the soup on his desk with a quick nce. ¡°Looks like I arrived at the perfect moment,¡± she remarked breezily. As she said that, she plopped the stack of documents she was carrying onto the desk and reached for the insted soup container. Jason couldn¡¯t let Estre open that thermos. He grabbed his phone and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have Drew take it out.¡± Estre said, ¡°No, don¡¯t waste the effort she put in.¡± As she spoke, she took the insted thermos and said, ¡°Let me see if I could learn a thing or two.¡± Jason watched her, curious to see what trick she might pull as she opened the container. Estre took her time, savoring the soup Serene had simmered, then looked up at Jason, ¡°You want some?¡± Jason smirked. ¡°I¡¯m only interested in your notorious juice.¡± ¡± Estre burst intoughter, almost spitting out the mouthful she had just taken. Once theughter subsided, she pushed the container aside and set her gaze on Jason. ¡°Go through these papers, will you? If there are no snags, I¡¯ll take them back to the firm.¡± She wasn¡¯t upset about bumping into Serene. Jason looked up at her, intrigued. ¡°Hand them over. Let¡¯s have a look.¡± Estre saw right through his gaze, grabbed the documents, and sauntered over, nting herself squarely on hisp. ¡°What are you up to? Some office shenanigans?¡± Jasonughed out loud, wrapping his arms around her waist and giving it a yful squeeze. ¡°Like they say, ¡®birds of a feather.¡¯ You know me too well.¡± Estre snatched his hand and shoved a pen into it. ¡°Sign these papers quick. I¡¯ve got a pile of cases back at the office.¡± Jason circled her waist with his arms, spinning her to face him as she straddled hisp. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait up for mest night?¡± He had been outte, and when he returned. past eleven, Estre was already asleep. Now, he was teasing her for it. Estre chuckled. ¡°What, should I stay up all night when you don¡¯te home?¡± It wasn¡¯t the first time this had happened. Jason¡¯s hands crept up her back, kneading her neck, easing the tension as he spoke. ¡°Are you keeping tabs on me for the past?¡± He¡¯d promised toe home once a week, buttely, he¡¯d been there almost every night. Estre nudged him. ¡°Just sign the papers already.¡± He pulled her closer, and Estre felt the familiar stir of his body against hers, making her want to curse. She pinched his cheek and said, ¡°Jason, have you no shame? Any time, any ce, you¡¯re ready to go.¡± She remembered the days when she doubted his vigor. Jason nibbled her ear, whispering, ¡°Let¡¯s make up forst night first, then I¡¯ll sign.¡± Estre asked, ¡°What kind of ce is this? What do you take me for?¡± ¡°We are married. What do you think I take you for?¡± Without waiting for Estre to respond, Jason added, ¡°If you mind, we can go home now.¡± Before Estrelle could respond, Jason lifted her skirt. As Jason went in like that, Estre took a deep breath. Jason kissed her and said, ¡°Bear with it. We¡¯ll make it upter tonight when we get home.¡± Estre retorted, ¡°I¡¯m workingte tonight, an all-nighter.¡± Jason chuckled, then captured her lips with his. His shamelessness was something else, Estre thought. She would never go to Nelson International with a skirt again. Actually, even in pants, Jason would find a way. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. After Jason¡¯s antics finally subsided, Estre straightened her clothes, but couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of a ndestine rendezvous. After she got dressed and Jason finished signing the documents, she was ready to leave. But Jason also stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll drive you.¡± ¡°No need, I drove here,¡± Estre said, not keen on public disys of their rtionship. Ignoring her protests, Jason took the papers and led her out. Estre pulled her hand back. ¡°I¡¯m still on the market, so don¡¯t ruin my single image.¡± At her joke, Jason gave her a quick kiss. ¡°We¡¯ll see who dares to be your next.¡± After the kiss, someone came out of the office-it was Drew. Estre rxed a bit and stepped on Jason¡¯s foot, warning him to behave. As they exchanged pleasantries with Drew, Drew couldn¡¯t help but feel happy for them, realizing why Jason had been in such a good moodtely. Once Jason and Estre turned the corner toward the elevator, the office buzzed with gossip. ¡°Estre looks different today, but man, she¡¯s gorgeous. She and Jason are such a match.¡± ¡°Estre¡¯s got vibes, something Serene just can¡¯tpete with.¡± ¡°What was the deal with Serene and Jason anyway? He doesn¡¯t seem that into her.¡± ¡°Who knows? But it feels like there¡¯s something between Jason and Estre.¡± The chatter continued as Serene, about to step out of her office, retreated instead, not ready to face the rumors. Serene longed to exude the same confidence as Estre, to walk with her head held high, but her humble family background couldn¡¯t provide her with that kind of assurance. Before long, they were downstairs, and when the driver brought the car around, Jason didn¡¯t ask him to drive. He opened the door himself and ushered Estre in. No sooner had the car started than Estre received a call from a client. By the time she hung up, they were already miles away from Nelson International. Jason gripped the steering wheel with both hands and nced at Estre, saying, ¡°You¡¯re even busier than I am at work.¡± Ever since he had witnessed her in court, Jason refrained from calling her a ¡®rookiewyer.¡¯ Before Estre could respond, he asked, ¡°What about when you¡¯re pregnant?¡± With a smile, Estre replied, ¡°Your mom said the baby will just pass through my belly, and once it¡¯s born, I won¡¯t have to worry about a thing.¡± After herment, Estre noticed that Jason wasn¡¯t driving towards herw firm. She turned to him and asked, ¡°This isn¡¯t the way back to my office. Where are you taking me?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t seriously think that sipping on soup counts as lunch. We¡¯re going to grab something to eat first.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll keep mepany while I eat.¡± He had a sensitive stomach, andtely, Estre¡¯s hadn¡¯t been feeling great either. They really should take care of themselves. They wouldn¡¯t want the baby to inherit their issues Momentster, the car pulled up in front of a cozy bistro, and Jason, holding Estre¡¯s hand, led her out. It was as if the old Jason, who used to keep his distance from Estre in public, was someone else entirely. ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± Jason was a regr, and as soon as he walked in, the staff greeted him warmly. The owner, hearing that Jason had arrived, hurried out to meet him, ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± Noticing that he had brought ady with him today, the owner asked with a beaming smile, ¡°Mr. Jason, who might this be?¡± 09.15 Anisa! Chapter 112 Jason inteced his fingers with Estre¡¯s, grinning as he introduced her, ¡°My wife.¡± There was a palpable pride in his voice when he said it. The owner¡¯s eyes went wide with surprise. ¡°Mr. Jason, you¡¯re married?¡± After a moment¡¯s recovery, the owner looked at them both with a warm smile. ¡°Mrs. Nelson is quite the beauty, so elegant. You two are a perfect match.¡± He quickly followed up with, ¡°Mr. Jason, this is the first time you have brought your wife here for a meal. Don¡¯t rush off to settle the billter. This one¡¯s on me for Mrs. Nelson.¡± The owner sure knew how to do business. Jason patronizing his restaurant was cause for celebration. He never asked Jason to pay, as Jason was not one to take advantage. He¡¯d long since had Drew take care of it. At today¡¯s enthusiastic offer, Jason chuckled, ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll thank you on behalf of Estre.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± the owner dismissed with a wave of his hand. ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure to have you and yourdy here.¡± Walking beside Jason, Estre nced up at him. She couldn¡¯t help but smile inwardly. He really did a complete turnaround. Now he openly acknowledged her status outside. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Once in the private dining room, the owner personally served their dishes. Jason, serving Estre some food, teased, ¡°Thanks to Ms. Estre¡¯s charm, we¡¯re dining on the house.¡± Estre chuckled, ¡°See, I told you I have influence. You better sweet-talk me more often. Her yful banter made Jason gaze at her intently, taking him back to their college day Estre tasted her dish and noticed Jason staring at her. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± Instead of answering directly, Jason quipped, ¡°I¡¯m more interested in devouring you than the meal.¡± Estreughed it off. ¡°Alright, then. No sleep tonight. Let¡¯s see if I can wear you out.¡± They had sex in the office not long ago. Estre mused that she had never realized before that he was so incapable of controlling himself. How did he get through the past two years? epting her yful challenge, Jason simply continued to serve her more food. After finishing their meal, Jason didn¡¯t hesitate to sign the bill. A nod from him could bring more business to the restaurant than a single meal¡¯s worth. Soon after, as they started driving away, Estre¡¯s phone rang ¨C a client on the other end. Being a lawyer meant being busy when others rested, as that was when clients had time 08:15 to think about their issues. ¡°Have you proceeded with the arbitration? What did HR say at thepany?¡± ¡°Thepany says to sue however you want. Keep your contract and attendance records, and we¡¯ll discuss the rest when we meet.¡± After giving her client some instructions, Estre hung up. Jason nced at her, one hand on the steering wheel. ¡°How about joining Nelson International?¡± He found her work persona quite alluring, imagining her alongside him in meetings, sharing her thoughts with that same earnestness. ¡°You couldn¡¯t handle me,¡± Estre said nonchntly. Jason¡¯s face darkened, and he pinched her chin before letting her go. His own Nelson International was grand. Could it really notpare to her firm, Justice Guardians LLP? Shaking off the thought, Estre gave him a sly smile, inspecting him from head to toe, with an extra nce at his lower half. ¡°Moved from lust to love, have you?¡± Jason rolled his eyes. ¡°tter yourself, why don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Come on. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to eat you alive for liking me. Feel free to fall for me.¡± If Jason truly had feelings for her, it was time for her to settle some old scores. Estre¡¯s teasing prompted Jason to silence her the way he used to, by pinching her mouth shut like before. Estre pushed his hand away and, noticing traffic was getting heavy, reclined her seat to take a nap. ¡°Wake me when we get to the firm,¡± she murmured seizing the rare opportunity to rest while not driving. Jason, seeing her asleep, turned on the car¡¯s heater without disturbing her. Hearing the hum of the heater, Estre cracked open an eye, verified he had indeed turn it on, smiled faintly, and closed her eyes again. Jason picked up his own coat from the back seat and gently ced it over her. Around one in the afternoon, the car parked outside the firm. Estre was still sleeping soundly, so Jason didn¡¯t wake her. He upied himself with his phone, asionally ncing at her resting form. It wasn¡¯t long before the car window was rapped. Jason looked up, expressionless, and rolled down the window to see Logan¡¯s face pop up, beaming. ¡°Mr. Jason, you¡¯re here. How abouting up to the office?¡± Logan had just parked when he spotted Jason¡¯s Maybach. Jason was a major client at Justice Guardians LLP, and seeing his car idling, Logan came over to check in. As Logan spoke, he noticed Estre, curled up asleep in the passenger seat. Logan¡¯s expression shifted from shock to swift contrition as he quickly stepped in to smooth 213 08:15 things over for Estre with Jason. ¡°Mr. Jason, I¡¯m terribly sorry about Estre¡¯spse in judgment. How could she think of resting in your car? And to waste your valuable time. Please, let me apologize on behalf of Ms. Estre. I assure you, she meant no disrespect. It¡¯s just her carefree nature getting the better of her.¡± Even though it wasmon knowledge that there was some kind of unspoken things going on between Estre and Jason, Logan recognized that as their personal business. But here at work, and as Estre¡¯s supervisor, Logan felt obligated to address the situation when faced with such an awkward scene. After apologizing to Jason, Logan nudged Estre, ¡°Estre, wake up. Time to get back to the grind.¡± Estre was out cold, and instead of waking up, she just rolled over and continued to sleep, a particrly long drool stretching from the corner of her mouth. Logan was speechless at the sight. He stole a nce at Jason, who was fixated on the spectacle of Estre¡¯s drool. Feeling secondhand embarrassment for her, Logan offered a strained smile and exined, ¡°She¡¯s just so young, you know? Still hasn¡¯t quite grasped the importance of keeping up appearances.¡± If it were anyone else in Jason¡¯s car, they¡¯d be on their A-game, making sure they were dressed to the nines. The idea of dozing off, let alone drooling, in his presence? Unthinkable. Chapter 113 Jason¡¯s casual coolness broke through the awkward tension as he said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen Estre at her best and her worst, so no need to sweat it on her behalf, Logan.¡± Logan lifted his gaze, perplexed by what Jason had just said. What was he getting at? Could it be that Jason and Estre had crossed a professional line? That sort of scandal had never touched their firm before. Sure, Logan could handle a proper romance, but if Estre was cozying up to Jason just to secure the Nelson International legal ount, that was a whole other can of worms. he¡¯d rather not open. While such hical conduct might fly in other firms, it was a no-go at Justice Guardians LLP. That kind of behavior would not only tarnish their reputation, it could also cast a shadow over their work¡¯s integrity. As Logan stood there, a portrait of confusion and difort, Jason casually wiped the drool from Estre¡¯s mouth and nonchntly stated, ¡°Ms. Estre is my wife.¡± __¡±What?¡± Logan¡¯s sses nearly slid off his nose in shock. ¡°Mr. Jason, you¡¯re saying¡­?¡± He trailed off, too embarrassed to finish his sentence, half convinced he was hearing things. Jason reiterated firmly, ¡°Ms. Estre is my wife. We¡¯ve been married for over two years. So Logan, no need for embarrassment on her part, and you can put any unsavory rumors to rest.¡± Jason knew Logan¡¯s integrity wouldn¡¯t allow for any exploitation of employees. That was why he had beenfortable with Estre working at Justice Guardians LLP. Otherwise, he would have pulled her from the firm ages ago. Logan¡¯s jaw might as well have hit the floor when Jason reaffirmed his marital status. Staring at the couple in disbelief, Logan finally managed to say, ¡°So Mr. Jason, you and Estre are married. No wonder she¡¯s got such¡­ uh¡­¡± Catching himself before saying anything inappropriate, Logan quickly changed tack, ¡°I apologize for any assumptions, Mr. Jason. I didn¡¯t mean any offense. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± Jason cut him off with a wave, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Logan. Estre¡¯s work should proceed as usual. If she slips up, don¡¯t hold back. Thepany¡¯s policies must be upheld.¡± Estre had kept their rtionship under wraps, and Jason understood why. unting her status as Mrs. Nelson could cloud her judgment and shield her from the raw realities of the workce. It was why he took the time to rify things with Logan now. ¡°Mr. Jason, rest assured, we run a tight ship here at the firm,¡± Logan said with a sheepish grin. ¡°We didn¡¯t press Estre on personal matters when she joined us. That was an oversight.¡± 08:23 Reflecting on the fact that Estre had just graduated when she came on board, Logan realized they had verified her resume but hadn¡¯t thought to check her marital status. Now, it all made sense. As Jason was about to wake Estre up, she stirred and opened her eyes on her own. Spotting Logan by the window, she instantly became alert. ¡°Logan,¡± she acknowledged. Realizing they had arrived at the firm¡¯s building, Estre guessed the gist of the conversation. She yawned and said, ¡°Guess I¡¯ll head back up to the office then.¡± Jason acknowledged her departure with a simple ¡°Hmm.¡± After a friendly exchange with Jason, Logan and Estre headed back to the office together. Inside the elevator, Logan was tempted to ask Estre why she hadn¡¯t mentioned her rtionship with Jason but decided against it, assuming she wanted to keep a low profile. Pretending to be in the dark about her and Jason¡¯s rtionship, Logan couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of pride. Having Mrs. Nelson choose to work at Justice Guardians LLP was quite a feather in their cap. It wasn¡¯t some murky affair ¨C Estre was the legitimate Mrs. Nelson. ¨C ¡°Estre, focus on doing a great job,¡± Logan advised her as they reached the office. ¡°You¡¯re bound to learn a lot at Justice Guardians LLP and really grow.¡± ¡°Sure, Logan,¡± Estre replied, slightly puzzled but without pressing further. She got lost in her work, only leaving when Jesse called to say she was waiting downstairs. Upon reaching their dinner spot, Bryce was already there, teasing Estre for neglecting them due to her workload. As Estre hung up her coat, revealing a telltale mark on her neck, Jesse¡¯s gaze froze on her. Jesse¡¯s expression turned serious as she asked, ¡°Estre, has something sparked between you and Jason?¡± Jesse¡¯s direct question drew Estre¡¯s attention, and Bryce also looked at her intently, waiting for her response. Estre locked eyes with Jesse and Bryce for a moment, then cracked a smile and said, ¡°Yeah. Hard work pays off. After two years of hard work, I¡¯m about to reach my grand goal.¡± Estre¡¯s casual demeanor made Jesse burst intoughter. ¡°Well, hats off to you, Estre. We had a deal, remember? I¡¯m to be the godmother when you have a bundle of joy.¡± Jesse was genuinely happy for Estre¡¯s achievement, regardless of whether her future included Jason or not. As long as Estre was content, Jesse was her cheerleader, offering her unwavering support, no questions asked. Across the table, Bryce¡¯s mood soured as he listened to Estre¡¯s words. With a loud 08:23 snap, he mmed his cutlery down on the table. Estre and Jesse looked up, only to see Bryce¡¯s face, which had been light-hearted moments before, now twisted into a scowl. They had known Bryce for years, but this was the first time they had seen him this upset. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Estre, sensing Bryce¡¯s irritation, quipped, ¡°Something eating at you?¡± She was used to his tantrums, but the throwing of silverware was a step too far. Bryce looked up, his face still cold, and said, ¡°You know exactly what kind of man Jason is. I never approved of you getting that marriage license with him in the first ce, and now look at you, sinking even deeper. You think you can change him? And what about all his scandals and issues with Serene? Are they resolved? Do you really want to be a single mom, and to have a child who¡¯s fatherless from the start?¡± Before Estre or Jesse could respond, Bryce continued with a stern face, ¡°I don¡¯t approve of this. Not at all, not in the least.¡± No matter what, he couldn¡¯t stand by and watch Estre get involved with Jason or entertain the thought of raising a child on her own. The predictions of some dime-store fortune tellers had be their gospel truth, and it was driving him up the wall. Chapter 114 Bryce¡¯s rare disy of temper caught Estre and Jesse off guard. Jesse, in a sudden flurry, grabbed a handful of peanuts from the bowl on the table and threw them at Bryce ¡°What¡¯s your deal, Bryce? Why do you have to stir up trouble for no good reason?¡± Bryce didn¡¯t respond with his usual yful banter. Instead, he brushed off his shirt indifferently and looked at them, saying, ¡°Estre, you and Jason have been married for over two years now. You know exactly what Jason is like and how he treats you, better than any of us. Is a guy like that really worth sticking with? Worth bringing a child into the world with? And don¡¯t even start with that fortune-teller nonsense. You¡¯ve never tried being with anyone else, and how can you know for sure if what they¡¯re telling you isn¡¯t a bunch of baloney? Besides, those psychics were all found by Jason¡¯s dad. Do you really know what his agenda is?¡± Bryce was known for his simplicity, never one to overthink anything. But for Estre, he was genuinely worried. Estre gazed at him for a long moment before breaking into a smile, ¡°I¡¯m not even pregnant yet, and anyway, I can handle whateveres my way.¡± After all, what was there to worry about? A child? She had a job, and her family owned apany ¨C what was there to fear?. Once Estre had spoken her piece, Jesse chimed in, ¡°Bryce, you¡¯re overreacting a bit. Besides, Estre and Jason have been hitched for over two years. It¡¯s only natural they¡¯d want to start a family.¡± At this, Bryce, impatiently waved his hand, ¡°Fine, fine, fine. You two have it your way, just don¡¯te crying to meter.¡± With that, Bryce was back to his old self. Jesse lobbed another handful of peanuts at him, ¡°Still giving us lip, huh? Your treat for a foot spater.¡± Bryce retorted, ¡°Fine. As long as Estre isn¡¯t afraid of Jason, I¡¯ll even arrange a couple of strapping lads to pamper you both.¡± Estreughed along, ¡°Bring it on.¡± The banter continued as they finished their meal, and true to his word, Bryce took Estre and Jesse out for a foot spa, arranging for each to be attended by a young male masseur. Bryce also opted for a male masseur himself. Lined up side by side, Jesse exhaled deeply, ¡°No wonder guys love hitting the massage parlor this is heaven.¡± ¨C Estre, meanwhile, instructed her masseur to focus on her shoulders just as her phone began to buzz beside her. It was Jason calling. Annoyed by Jason¡¯s recent clinginess and 08:23 seemingly constant check-ins, she deliberately ignored the call, letting the phone vibrate incessantly. ¡°Miss, your phone is ringing again,¡± mentioned the young masseur, prompting her to finally pick up with reluctance, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Jason¡¯s icy voice came through, ¡°What time do you call this? Why aren¡¯t you home yet?¡± Just then, as the masseur pressed on a tender spot on Estre¡¯s neck, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a small yelp. On the other end, Jason¡¯s face darkened instantly, ¡°Estre, where are you? What are you doing?¡± The sound of her voice had set off rm bells in his mind, suspicions of wrongdoing creeping in. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Estre, phone in one hand, motioned the masseur to ease up with the other, ¡°What do you think I¡¯m doing? I¡¯m just getting a back rub after a long day at work.¡± ¡°Send me the address,¡± Jason demanded. Estre¡¯s patience wore thin, ¡°Jason, stop being ridiculous. I¡¯ll be home after my massage.¡± With that, she hung up the call. He wanted the address? She wasn¡¯t about to indulge him she wasn¡¯t doing anything wrong. Estre disconnected, and Jesse gave her a thumbs up, ¡°That¡¯s how you handle them. You can¡¯t let men walk all over you. You¡¯ve got to stand your ground.¡± Bryce also nodded in approval, ¡°Pretty gutsy, Estre. You¡¯ve turned the tables on Jason.¡± In the past, it had always been Kristin calling Estre, sending her addresses to catch him. in action ¨C something he and Jesse had been dragged into more times than they could count. Now, it was Jason chasing after Estre, demanding her location. Jesse and Bryce were secretly thrilled by this role reversal. Hearing theirments, Estre smiled coyly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you know how capable I am?¡± She talked a tough game, but she couldn¡¯t voice the weariness within. She had thought that maybe Jason had some issues, which was why they hadn¡¯t consummated their marriage. But ever since they crossed that line, he seemed insatiable. ¨C His energy was boundless, but it was wearing her out. She had her job to think about, after all ¨C being awyer was draining enough without having to meet his constant demands. If only she¡¯d known it would be like this, she never would have brought up having kids. Sandalwood Oasis. 09.23 After Estre hung up, Jason mmed his phone down in a huff. She wouldn¡¯t give him the address, and she hung up on him. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she was up to no good, betraying him in some way. M¨¢rie, seeing his reaction, quickly picked up his phone, ¡°What happened? Ms. Estre is probably just busy with work. She¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Jason just chuckled bitterly in response. If Estre hadn¡¯t let out that yelp, he might not have thought much of it. But that sound had made it impossible for him not to worry, especially considering how suggestive it had seemed. Taking his phone from Marie, Jason stormed out with a grim expression. If Estre wasn¡¯ting back, he wasn¡¯t going to wait around for her. As he drove off, Marie could still sense Jason¡¯s anger. It seemed another argument was brewing. They had only just enjoyed a brief period of peace. With one hand on the steering wheel and a cigarette in the other, Jason ended a call with Drew and tossed the phone aside without a second thought. the? Meanwhile, back at the massage parlor, Estre, Jesse, and Bryce were still blissfully indulging in the luxury of their session. Jesse murmured contentedly, ¡°I¡¯m not going home tonight. This is too good.¡± Estre, eyes closed and voice dripping withnguor, hummed in agreement, ¡°Mmm-hmm,¡± savoring the rxation. But her affirmation was abruptly cut off when the door to their private room was kicked open with force. They all jumped at the intrusion, only to see Jason standing there with a thunderous look on his face. The room fell into an almost sacred hush, so still you could have heard a pin drop on the carpeted floor. Estre was momentarily frozen, blindsided by Jason¡¯s unexpected appearance. As she lifted her gaze to meet Jason¡¯s, Estre was on the verge of speaking when the young man who had been giving her a back rub beat her to it, politely inquiring, ¡°Sir, might you be in the wrong room?¡± The words had barely left the masseur¡¯s lips when Jason took in the scene before him. Estre getting a massage was one thing, but having a man do it? Jason¡¯s face darkened with a storm of emotions. ¡°Estre,¡± he spat out, a sneer twisting his lips, ¡°you¡¯re really living it up, aren¡¯t you?¡± He himself never indulged in massages, let alone sought out the opposite sex for such a service. But there was Estre, embracing the hedonism he wouldn¡¯t dare touch. ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± ¡°Jason.¡± Jesse and Bryce, having noticed Jason¡¯s arrival, quickly chimed in with their greetings. Jason¡¯s scowl deepened at the sight of Bryce and Jesse. Whenever this trio got together, it was a safe bet nothing good woulde of it. Chapter 115 The threeds tending to their needs could tell something was off the moment they recognized the neer. They were street-smart enough to make themselves scarce before getting tangled up in someone else¡¯s drama. Sure, they were just doing their job, but there was no need to get dragged into a domestic squabble. Jason¡¯s expression was stormy as all get-out. Bryce, in a sh, hopped out of the bed and grinned, ¡°Hey bro, what brings you here? You must be beat from work, just here to chill a bit, right? You a regr at this joint? Let me hook you up with a masseuse, I¡¯ll foot the bill. Want a guy or a gal? The dudes have got some serious muscle, but I know you¡¯re not keen on a guy¡¯s touch. I¡¯ll get you ady- number 11¡¯s a real looker, with long legs, super nice skin, and, man, she¡¯s stacked.¡± Bryce was yapping away as if Estre and Jesse weren¡¯t even in the room, and as if he hadn¡¯t been the one bad-mouthing Jason just moments before, trying to keep him and Estre apart. As Bryce went on about getting a hot masseuse, Jason just stood there with his hands in his pockets, giving Bryce the coldest look. Bryce¡¯s smile was hanging by a thread, looking uglier than a frown. He was sucking up to him already, what more did Jason want? Estre, cool as a cucumber, got out of bed, worked a kink out of her neck, and said, ¡°C¡¯mon, Bryce is just looking out for you. He means well, just go with it.¡± Jason¡¯s face was like thunder as he shot back, ¡°Estre, zip it.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m shutting up,¡± Estre replied, miming zipping her lips. Jason swallowed hard, and when he looked back at Bryce, the guy went as limp as a wet noodle, whining, ¡°Bro, I was just trying to help my E unwind after a hard day¡¯s work, so she can take care of you when she gets home, you know?¡± Jason¡¯s eyes narrowed, and Bryce quickly pped himself across the mouth, ¡°She¡¯s yours, man. E¡¯s yours.¡± Jason didn¡¯t take kindly to anyone calling Estre ¡°his,¡± even if it was Bryce, and even if they were family. But Bryce never seemed to learn. No matter how many times Jason warned him, and set him straight, Bryce acted like Estre was his to begin with, and Jason had somehow stolen her away. Jesse, with a buzz cut and lying motionless on the bed, piped up, ¡°Jason, Estre didn¡¯t do anything. You blowing up like this-is it necessary? Besides, you y harder than this when you¡¯re out, don¡¯t ya?¡± Seeing his chance, Bryce chimed in, ¡°Exactly. E didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Why you so fired up? Look, you even busted the door. I¡¯m gonna have to pay for that.¡± Jason couldn¡¯t well pick a fight with Jesse as she¡¯s a woman and not family, but Bryce, he was another story. He was the instigator. Jason nced at Bryce, smirking, ¡°Did nothing wrong? Yeah, everyone needs to rx, sure.¡± That guy had been pawing all over her, and he had the gall to say nothing was wrong? And when had Jason ever partied it up outside? Held never even gone for a massage. After that, Jason turned to the door and called out, ¡°Sean?¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. At Jason¡¯s cue, a man in his thirties, suited up, came in with a big smile, ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± ¡°Bring ¡¯em in,¡± Jason ordered. The suited man nced at the door and nodded, and in walked six beefy guys, all towering over six feet. Estre and Jesse¡¯s eyes practically sparkled. Then, Estre, all smiles, said to Jason, ¡°Thank you so much for the gift.¡± Jason ignored her and instructed the manager, ¡°Take good care of Mr. Bryce.¡± Bryce, puzzled by Jason¡¯s words, blurted out, ¡°Bro, what¡¯s this about?¡± The lead man approached Bryce, ¡°Mr. Bryce, if you please.¡± ¡°Jason..¡± ¡°What the heck is this?¡± Bryce¡¯s confusion turned to panic as he was suddenly manhandled onto the massage table, and the guys got to work. Someone worked his legs, another his back, another his waist¡­ Bryce¡¯s cries soon filled the room, ¡°I swear, I was thinking of you, just trying to take my E to-¡± Jason cut in, ¡°Too gentle for you?¡± At that, Bryce¡¯s cries drowned out any chance of exnation. Jesse, who had been lying on the adjacent bed, found the scene nerve-wracking and leaped to her feet, locking eyes with Jason, ¡°This has nothing to do with me. Bryce dragged me and Estre here, bragging about how the masseurs here are like models.¡± ¡°Jesse, you rat, how could you sell me out?¡± Bryce sobbed as his spine crackled under the strong hands. Jesse, adjusting her clothes, quipped, ¡°Isn¡¯t that what friends are for? Just endure it, it¡¯ll be over soon. Tomorrow, Estre and I will take you out for some good food to make it up to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. i won¡¯t bring E for massages anymore. And I won¡¯t find her any male models,¡± Bryce quickly corrected, ¡°won¡¯t find her any masseurs at all, not even women.¡± ¡°Jason!!¡± ¡°My bones are falling apart!¡± ¡°My back¡¯s gone numb.¡± Listening to Bryce¡¯s howls, Jesse¡¯s smile froze. If Jason actually hurt his own cousin, how would he exin it to his uncle? ¡°Estre, save me, or I¡¯m done for. If you don¡¯t save me now, I¡¯m a goner.¡± The massage that was meant to be rxing had turned into a nightmare under Jason¡¯s special instructions. Bryce vowed never to step foot in a massage parlor again-the mere mention of the word ¡®massage¡¯ would send shivers down his spine. Estre watched Bryce¡¯s ordeal with sympathy. She nced over at Jason, who was lounging casually by the table, and nudged him with her foot. ¡°Alright, just let him go.¡± Jason fished a pack of cigarettes and a lighter out of his pocket and lit up, taking a drag. ¡°Exert more pressure,¡± he said, smoke curling from his lips. Estre sighed. Meanwhile, Bryce let out a few pitiful howls before looking up at Jason and asking, ¡°What did I do wrong? If I¡¯m gonna die, at least let me die knowing why!¡± Jason replied with cool detachment, ¡°Your brain¡¯s not working right. Just trying to clear the cobwebs.¡± In other families, if a couple had a spat, siblings would typically try to smooth things over. But not Bryce. Not only did he encourage Estre to divorce, but he also brought her to massage parlors and even tried to set her up with other men. For that, Jason felt Bryce deserved to be taught a lesson. Bryce, tears and snot mingling, said, ¡°I swear I¡¯ll be smarter from now on.¡± Estre noticed Bryce¡¯s lips turning purple and her expression darkened. ¡°Jason, aren¡¯t you afraid you¡¯ll knock whatever sense he has left out of his head? You nning on taking care of him for life?¡± ¡°If he¡¯s broken, I¡¯ll take care of him,¡± Jason said tly. That set Estre off. She kicked Jason hard in the leg andmanded, ¡°Get everyone out of here.¡± Jason snuffed out his cigarette and dusted off his pants where she¡¯d kicked him. ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re in the right now?¡± he snapped back, his anger ring. ¡°I¡¯ve never let anyone touch Chapter 116 Jason seethed with barely contained rage. There was a mixture of amusement and annoyance dancing in Estre¡¯s eyes as sheforted him, ¡°They didn¡¯t touch me. It was over my clothes.¡± ¡°Over your clothes, huh? Were you wearing jeans? Did you have socks on?¡± Jason¡¯s voice was edged with sarcasm. He hadn¡¯t touched her that much, and they hadn¡¯t shared enough intimate moments, but now these nobodies had their hands on her. Thinking about this, he felt so ufortable in his heart.. The bottom line was, even if he had her countless times, it didn¡¯t give anyone else the right toy a finger on her. Not even for a massage. Jason was jealous. Estre sighed heavily. She patted her forehead, at a loss with him. ¡°I¡¯m a married woman. For heaven¡¯s sake, those guys aren¡¯t even hitched. Who¡¯s taking advantage of whom is still up for debate! It¡¯s not like I¡¯m at a loss here.¡± Estre¡¯s twisted logic didn¡¯t phase Jason, who turned to the guys giving Bryce a rubdown. ¡°Why¡¯s Bryce so quiet all of a sudden?¡± No sooner had Jason finished his sentence than Bryce resumed his wailing. ¡ª Estre was at her wit¡¯s end ¨C exasperated by Jason and driven mad by Bryce¡¯s noise. ¡°Estre, Estre, save me. I¡¯m dying here.¡± Bryce¡¯s voice was pitiful, and Jesse looked upon him with such sympathy you¡¯d think she was about to send flower to him for a peaceful afterlife. Seeing this, Estre turned to Jason. ¡°What do you suggest we do, Jason?¡± It wasn¡¯t Bryce¡¯s pain that concerned Estre. It was the fact that he was too loud. If she just walked away and left Bryce like this, it would seem awfully cold. So, she turned to negotiate with Jason. Jason snorted coldly, ¡°Your mess, but you¡¯re asking me?¡± Estre was ready to throw hands. It was just a massage. What had she done wrong? Did massage parlors exist only for men¡¯s pleasure? Still, he had just admitted he¡¯d never been so carefree outside, never letting others touch him. She didn¡¯t know what to say to that. And who would have thought Jason was such a prude? After a moment, Estre said, ¡°Fine, if you go to the massage parlor, I won¡¯t say a word.¡± She didn¡¯t really want to agree to this because she never bothered him about where he went. She just got a foot soak and a massage, and he was acting like it was a crime. 08:32 If she ever really stepped out on him, all hell would break loose. Jason¡¯s cold reply was, ¡°I¡¯m not as open-minded as you are, and certainly not as disloyal.¡± Estre burst outughing. ¡°Okay, okay, so I¡¯m disloyal. You, on the other hand, are the paragon of loyalty. Shall I give you a trophy for that?¡± After a bit of back and forth, Estre thought she saw Jason¡¯s game. Crossing her arms over her chest, she said, ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll keep to myself. I won¡¯t sneak looks at other men, won¡¯t flirt with pretty boys or male models, won¡¯t let male masseurs touch me. Happy now?¡± It all boiled down to him wanting her to draw a line in the sand. If it made him happy, she¡¯d draw as many lines as he wanted. After Estre finished, Jason gestured to the suited manager. ¡°Sean, bring paper and a pen.¡± Sean, quick to obey, brought the items posthaste. Jason gestured to Estre with a nod of his chin toward the paper and pen. ¡°Write down your promises.¡± Estre felt like she was back in school being told to write lines. She stared at Jason, who looked like he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to make Bryce¡¯s life hell if she didn¡¯tply. So, she unfolded her arms and walked over. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll write it.¡± It was all childish to her. They were adults. Who took this stuff seriously? After scribbling her promise not to visit the massage parlor, Estre handed the paper to Jason, who said, ¡°Add ¡®no pretty boys, no male model masseurs.¡± Gritting her teeth, Estre borated her pledge, even adding a few extra lines of fidelity. Jason seemed satisfied with her sincerity and had someone bring over an ink pad for her to sign and stamp it. Jesse watched her with pity. Jason became more and more of an enigma. It seemed like he was starting to care about Estre. The disy was unmistakably one of jealousy. Jason pocketed Estre¡¯s written promises and gave the manager a cue. The masseurs stopped their work on Bryce. When they stopped, Bryce cried out even more pitifully, reaching out for Estre. It was as if Bryce was cursed, always at the mercy of his brother. He was convinced that if you split Jason¡¯s heart open, it would be pitch ck. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Bryce¡¯s agony was soothed only slightly when Estre gave his hand aforting squeeze. But then Jason shot him a look that made Bryce withdraw his hand as if it was on fire. After the manager and masseurs left, Bryce stilly sobbing on the massage bed, looking like he¡¯d just been through the wringer. Jesse, ever the sympathetic soul, said, ¡°Bryce, can you get up? I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Bryce sniffled, ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± But as he attempted to stand, his strength failed him, and he copsed to the floor with a thud. Estre and Jesse frowned, moving to help Bryce up, but Jason warned coldly, ¡°Estre, touch him and see what happens.¡± Hearing Jason¡¯s threat, Bryce quickly grabbed onto Jesse. ¡°Estre, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± But inside, he was seething. ¡°Damn you, Jason. The moment you¡¯re not around, I¡¯m going to lean on E, hug E, and hell, share a bed with E.¡± As Estre faced Jason¡¯s intimidation, she turned and kicked him. Jason was unfazed, grabbing her by the nape of the neck. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for thister.¡± With a firm grip on Estre¡¯s neck, he steered her towards the exit. ¡°But I haven¡¯t changed out of my uniform,¡± Estre protested. ¡°You¡¯re brave enough to walk into a massage parlor, but afraid someone might see you in the uniform?¡± Jason countered. His tone wasced with sarcasm. Estre fell silent. Bryce watched with trembling legs as Jason escorted Estre away, wondering if she would ever have the courage to return to the massage parlor, or if she¡¯d ever want another massage. As for himself, he was certain ¨C he wouldn¡¯t daree back, and wouldn¡¯t want massage again. Momentster, after Jason had ushered Estre into the passenger seat of the car, Jesse helped Bryce down and exchanged a brief greeting with Estre. Then, Jesse drove off with Bryce first. As soon as Jesse¡¯s car roared to life, Bryce unleashed a string of curses. ¡°Jason, screw him, his granddad and everyone in his family. When he¡¯s not around, I¡¯m going to set my E with another guy, just to spite him.¡± up Jesse, with her hands firmly on the steering wheel, and her short hair fluttering in the breeze that whistled through the window, chuckled. ¡°But isn¡¯t his granddad also your granddad? His family, your family?¡± Then she added, ¡°As long as you have the guts to stir th¨¨ pot, I¡¯ve got your back.¡± Bryce was fuming and wanted to continue his rant, but then it dawned on him that he¡¯d only be insulting his own family, so he gave up resigning himself to his misery and started toin about his pain again. In the back of the jous Mavbach Estre hoted Jason¡¯s stern demeanor, even after having put Bryce in his ce and securing her written promise. ¡°You¡¯ve won, so why the sad face?¡± she asked. Chapter 117 Jason chuckled, ¡°My wife¡¯s been touched by someone else. What victory is there for me?¡± Estre rolled her eyes. ¡°It was just a pat on the shoulder over my shirt, and I didn¡¯t even get to my legs and feet yet.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Jason let out a coldugh and fell silent. She had already been touched; she might as well spin it however she wanted. Jason had no desire to engage, remaining mute. Estre followed suit, simply scrolling through her phone. Seeing this, Jason sneered sarcastically, ¡°You¡¯re still in the mood to y on your phone?¡± Estre was speechless. ¡°All right, all right, no phone for me. Happy now?¡± she retorted. She hadn¡¯t realized how tricky he could be, how difficult to talk to. But seeing him all puffed up and avoiding her gaze, Estre found it rather endearing. She reached out and touched his face yfully. ¡°Jason, I¡¯ve got to say, you¡¯re quite adorable when you¡¯re jealous, all puffed up like a blowfish.¡± Jason¡¯s voice was frosty, ¡°Mo your hand.¡± Estre withdrew her hand, smacking th Estre withdrew her hand, smacking the back of it. ¡°That¡¯s for not being proper, for touching others recklessly. You think as loose as you, letting themselves be touched indiscriminately?¡± Jason nced at her coldly but said thing. Estre scooted closer to him in the driver¡¯s seat and probed, ¡°Are you disgusted with me now? Won¡¯t touch me anymore? If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m doomed without a man, right? What about what just happened¡­¡± Interrupted by Jason¡¯s icy re, Estre mimed zipping her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll shut up, shutting up now.¡± True to her word, Estre fell quiet, resting her chin on her hands as she watched Jason, admiring him as one would a work of art. It seemed she was watching the very person she adored. At first, Jason didn¡¯t mind her gaze, but the more she stared, the more self-conscious he became. Finally, he diverted her face away with his hand. Estre protested, ¡°If I can¡¯t touch you or stare at you, why do I need a husband like you?¡± Jason stayed silent, refusing to give in to the urge to speak. He knew that once he did, he¡¯d lose the battle. Soon, they pulled into the driveway of Sandalwood Oasis. Seeing that Jason had exited the car without paying her any mind, Estre called out, with her hands buried in her 08:32 jacket pockets, ¡°Still Hot ¦°¦Ï¦Ó ¦Ó¦Ï¦Ð¦Ï As she turned toward the gate, a chilly breeze swept through. She was dressed only in a pair of massage parlor shorts, so she shivered uncontrobly.. Jason nced back, saw Estre actually walking away, and with a swift stretch of his arm, he hooked her neck and hauled her back! Estre burst intoughter, bumping against him yfully. ¡°Not angry anymore?¡± Unresponsive, Jason simply elerated his pace, dragging her back inside. Though Estre was wearing a jacket, her legs were bare in those shorts. At the doorstep, he couldn¡¯t very well strip off his own pants to warm her. And besides, he was still upset about the massage incident ¨C carrying her was out of the question. Estre looked up at Jason, who still wore a stern expression, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel amused. NO Inside, Marie was taken aback by their arrival Jason¡¯s grim face and Estre in her summery shorts. ¡°Ms. Estre, what¡¯s going on? Coming back in shorts? It¡¯s freezing out!¡± Estre, in a teasing tone, eximed, ¡°Caught red-handed by Mr. Jason there, and he ripped my pants off.¡± Marie was bbergasted. Jason, tired of Estre¡¯s cavalier attitude, gave her a light smack on the back of the head and turned to Marie, instructing, ¡°Brew some ginger tea.¡± Estreughed again, leaning towards Jason. ¡°You worried about me?¡± He pushed her face away and headed upstairs. Marie watched in confusion as Estre smiled and said reassuringly, ¡°No worries. He just needs some comforting.¡± After saying that, Estre pranced after Jason, with her hands in her pockets. For some reason, his displeasure thrilled her. Once in the bedroom, with Jason still ignoring her, Estre taunted, ¡°Seems you really do despise me. I should¡¯ve never let anyone touch me.¡± Before she could finish her thought, Jason spun around. His gazended on her intensely. Estre, about to throw out another snidement, was silenced by Jason¡¯s sudden kiss ¨C more of a seal over her lips, really, to stop the endless stream of provocations. Jason¡¯s unexpected move made Estre smile, and she wrapped her arms around his neck in response. Her reaction stirred something in Jason. Estre suddenly looked up. ¡°Whoa, that was 08:32 quick. You¡¯re poking me.¡± Her remark, so typically brash, prompted Jason to strip off her jacket and massage parlor uniform, and with a swift motion, he pushed her into the shower. His actions, slightly rough, betrayed a lingering irritation about the massage incident. Facing away from Jason, Estre barely had time to react before his hands were on her shoulders, pinning her against the cold wall. Just as she was about to curse, Jason, shedding his own clothes, enclosed her in his embrace and captured her lips once more. 1 Hot water cascaded over them. The sensation was indescribable, a heady mix of Jason¡¯smanding kisses and the steam filling the air. In that moment, Estre knew it was going to be a sleepless night, with the man behind her not so easily appeased. ¡°Jason, my chest is getting sore.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°Jason, I can¡¯t stand steady on one leg.¡± Despite Estre¡¯sints, Jason lifted her from the floor. Her protests vanished in the heat of their shower. The moment Jason entered her, Estre¡¯s arms instinctively wrapped around his neck as she gasped. Her head tilted back. The two of them looked as if they were a living, breathing masterpiece. Estre had guessed right; Jason had no intention of going easy on her that evening. After a yful tussle in the bathroom, Jason carried Estre, wrapped in the warmth of a post-bath glow, back to the bedroom. As heid her down on the bed, he swiftly pulled her into his embrace, and his hands were exploring¡­ Estre braced her hands against his chest. ¡°Next time.¡± Jason interlocked his fingers with hers, with a challenging glint in his eyes. ¡°Next time? Weren¡¯t you the one talking about seeing a masseur or maybe some male model? Why wait for a next time?¡± Estre nned to y around while she couldn¡¯t even satisfy him?. ¡°No way!¡± Estre retorted, feigning innocence. She was determined to deny it now. Anyway, that deed was done. Jason wasn¡¯t in a rush. He chuckled softly, ¡°Denying it, huh? Maybe a little activity will jog your memory.¡± ¡°Jason, are you daft? Can¡¯t you be a little gentler?¡± Estre eximed, half in mock protest, half in genuine plea. Jason¡¯s gaze was tender yet intense as he looked down at her. His fingers were still 08:32 #4 entwined with hers. ¡°Estre, say you want me. Chapter 118 ¡°Absolutely, absolutely, I swear it a hundred, no, a thousand times over,¡± Estre conceded with feigned enthusiasm, as Jason bent down to kiss her lips once more. ¨C Only after Estre¡¯s repeated promises that she would never set foot in another massage parlor and would not so much as nce at another man did Jason reluctantly release her. ¨C Once freed, Estre stretched out her leg and kicked Jason, cursing, ¡°You dog.¡± As Jason made to move towards her, Estre, how frightened, braced her right hand against his chest. ¡°I was talking about myself. I¡¯m the dog,¡± she dered. Jason couldn¡¯t help butugh at the absurdity, and instead of reprimanding her further, he pulled her into his embrace. On guard, Estre heard him say, ¡°Not gonna tease you,¡± but then he pinched her chin as a warning, ¡°Remember the promises you¡¯ve just made, Estre. Don¡¯t forget them, or crying your eyes out won¡¯t help you next time.¡± Instead of responding directly, Estre yfully scraped him with her toenail. ¡°Hmm?¡± Jason raised an eyebrow. ¡°In my eyes, from now on, there¡¯s no one but you,¡± Estre assured him. Satisfied, Jason hugged her tightly, and then asked, ¡°Have you eaten tonight?¡± Drowsily, Estre replied, ¡°Yeah, I have.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go downstairs and bring up some ginger tea,¡± he offered. ¡°No need. I¡¯m not so frail,¡± she protested. Regardless, Jason went downstairs and insisted that Estre drink arge bowl of the fortifying ginger tea before allowing her to sleep. The next morning, when Estre woke up, Jason was already dressed and on the phone by the floor- to-ceiling window. After he hung up and saw Estre awake, he approached and tenderly stroked her forehead. ¡°Feeling alright?¡± He was worried she might have caught a cold after leaving the massage parlor in shorts, despite the ginger tea. ¡°I thought I was looking at my dad for a second there,¡± Estre joked groggily. Jason pinched her cheek without a smile. ¡°If you¡¯re awake, then get up.¡±/ Estre didn¡¯t feel like getting up, but there was a case waiting for her attention. Therefore, she stretched and got out of bed. After a quick breakfast at home, Jason drove her to thew firm. At lunchtime, Jesse and Bryce showed up to dine with her. From a distance, Bryce shouted, ¡°Estre, Estre!¡± As Estre approached, Bryce opened his arms wide and embraced her tightly. Damn Jason and his possessiveness. The less he wanted others to touch Estre, the more Bryce wanted to. Remembering Jason¡¯s bullying, Bryce deliberately rubbed his face against Estre¡¯s shoulder. Estre pushed him away with a look of disdain. ¡°Enough with the snot on my clothes.¡± Bryce clung to Estre, cursing Jason, ¡°Jason is no good. I shivered all night, couldn¡¯t sleep, haunted by nightmares¡­¡± He trailed off, choosing not to share the details of his dream with Estre and Jesse. Jesse, with her hands in her pockets and aloof, chimed in, ¡°Your cousin¡¯s here.¡± At her words, Bryce immediately let go of Estre and stepped back. ¡°Estre, I didn¡¯t do anything, didn¡¯t hug you, alright!¡± Estre kicked Bryce lightly in response. ¡°No backbone.¡± The trio was notorious for throwing each other under the bus. Watching Bryce cower, Jesse couldn¡¯t help butugh. Bryce looked around, realized Jesse was teasing him, and yfully chased after her to settle the score. Soon, the three of them headed to the restaurant,ughing and joking. As the waiter finished serving, Bryce begandling soup for them when Estre¡¯s phone rang. It was Jason. When Bryce saw Jason¡¯s name sh on the screen, his hair practically stood on end. He held his breath, silently serving soup, and signaled Estre to take the call. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Estre answered with mild irritation. Bryce shot her a look, urging her to be more enthusiastic, not to be too cold toward his brother. Otherwise, he¡¯d be the one to suffer. It seemed clear to him now. Whenever Jason was annoyed, Bryce bore the brunt of it. Jason asked, ¡°Where are you having lunch? Who are there?¡± Estre chuckled, ¡°Checking on me?¡± ed, ¡°Checking on me?¡± Without waiting for her response, Jason switched to a video call. When Bryce saw the iing video, he darted under the table. Estre and Jesse could only shake their heads at his antics. 211 Bryce finally settled, and Estre answered the vide now?¡± ¡°You¡¯re too much of a worry,¡± Jason retorted. call. ¡°Have some shame! Who¡¯s making you worried?¡± Estre shot back. She then briefly turned the camera towards Jesse before briskly ending the call. Estre had just hung up when Jason texted her to tell Bryce that he had been spotted. She nced up and saw the tableware set for two. With a swift kick under the table, she informed Bryce, ¡°No use hiding. You¡¯ve been found out.¡± ¡°But how? I didn¡¯t even show my face,¡± Bryce protested. Jesse nced at him. ¡°The tableware betrayed you.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Bryce turned to Estre, pleading, ¡°You¡¯ve got to help me exin to Jason that I was just here for lunch, not taking you out to meet men¡± Bryce felt his luck had been rotten this year. Jesse handed him a drumstick. ¡°Eat up!¡± Then, looking at Estre, she hinted, ¡°You and Jason seem to be getting serious¡­ he seems. ¨C Before Jesse could finish, Bryce chuckled. ¡°No wedding, no photos, no ring ¨C what¡¯s ¡®serious¡¯ about that?¡± Jesse¡¯s face fell. Her tone was tinged with irritation. ¡°Can¡¯t we just have a normal meal and talk like civilized people?¡± Bryce swiftly scooped up his fork and knife. ¡°Eating, I¡¯m eating,¡± he stated, diving into his te. ¡°Estre, don¡¯t listen to his nonsense,¡± Jesse advised Estre. ¡°If Jason keeps up this attitude, the matters at hand¡­¡± Bryce interjected, with a smirk on his face, ¡°Men just chase the thrill, the novelty. Once that¡¯s gone, who even know you?¡± As Bryce¡¯s words hung in the air, Estre and Jesse simultaneously shot him a re. Bryce¡¯s knack for being a troublemaker was something they¡¯d recognized since they were kids, and it was no surprise Jason took every chance to put him in his ce. Not that they were on Jason¡¯s side, but Bryce never let anyone get a word in edgewise. Meanwhile, in Jason¡¯s office. Jason had just d a video call with Estre when there was a knock on his office door. He looked up, and his expression darkened at the sight of the visitor. Drew was supposed to handle this. How did she get through? 08:32 ¡°Jason,¡± Pa greeted with a brighter smile than before, after finding Jason in his office. Jason was cool and detached. ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked, as Pa approached with a lunchbox in hand. ¡°Jason, I came with my brother on business. I thought you might not have had lunch yet, so I brought you something to eat,¡± she said, holding out the lunchbox. Jason¡¯s demeanor was frosty. He wasn¡¯t known for being particrly warm to strangers, and even less so to women. Of course, Estre was the exception. She was the one who could drive him to the brink of madness, to the point of internal bleeding. Chapter 119 After Pa ced the lunch on his desk, she pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down, leaning in conspiratorially. ¡°Jason, I¡¯m working at thepany now. Even though my brother is managing my shares, I¡¯m thergest shareholder, holding the same amount as he does.¡± She¡¯d been itching to boast about this to Jason for some time, but the right moment had never presented itself. What she hadn¡¯t considered was that Estre was an only child. The entirety of Nelson International would be hers someday. If she wished, Cole could transfer his shares to her right now. ¡°Congrats,¡± Jason uttered without much fanfare. ¡°Jason, the Lamonts and the Nelsons have always been tight. Grandpa approved of this project coboration himself. Sure, Estre and I had our differences, but nothing could affect the bond between our families. ¡°And let¡¯s face it. You¡¯ve managed to move past Holly and now you¡¯re with Estre. So, one day, you¡¯ll divorce Estre and find new love. I trust that someday you¡¯ll see my worth, and truly appreciate who I am.¡± Pa had always believed that she was destined to be with Jason, that she was the one meant to be by his side in the end. So what if they were married? Divorces were a dime a dozen these days. She wouldn¡¯t be surprised if theirs was around the corner. Her confidence was unshaken. Jason picked up the phone on his desk and dialed Drew, ¡°Drew, bring a couple of security guys over.¡± Pa was still clueless when Drew arrived with the guards. Seeing Pa, he promptly said, ¡°Miss Pa, if you please.¡± A puzzled Pa looked at Jason. ¡°What¡¯s this about, Jason?¡± He ignored her, signaling Drew, who gestured to the guards. They lifted Pa from her seat. ¡°My apologies, Miss Pa.¡± ¡°Jason!¡± she cried. Her voice trailed as she was taken away. Once she was gone, Jason felt a sense of peace. Those who should seek him out didn¡¯t, while the uninvited just kept showing up. Pa¡¯s mention of the project weighed on Jason¡¯s mind. He had to admit, Erin¡¯s skills and capabilities surpassed those of his father. The fact that Lamont Corporation could climb out of such a crisis and secure a partnership with the Nelsons spoke volumes. No sooner had Jason dealt with Pa than his phone buzzed. It was Keith. ¡°Jason, bring Estre over for dinner tonight,¡± came Keith¡¯s steady voice. 08:42 ¡°Sure,¡± Jason agreed. In the evening, Estre stepped out of herw firm to find Jason¡¯s car waiting. The air was chilly, and he smoked a cigarette, watching her approach. Sliding into the passenger seat, Estre quipped, ¡°Showing off, aren¡¯t we?¡± Jason used to avoid her, but now there was no pretense. Estre almost wondered if this was a different Jason altogether. He tossed his cigarette, started the car, and announced, ¡°We¡¯re having dinner at the family estate.¡± Estre touched up her lipstick. ¡°Got it. Kristin called me earlier.¡± After she finished, Jason asked, ¡°Trying to seduce someone?¡± Estre pursed her lips in the mirror, and then turned to Jason. ¡°Of course you, Jason.¡± His response was a yful pinch on her thigh. Arriving at the estate, they were met by Kristin¡¯s stern face. Something was off. Kristin usually greeted Estre with joy, but today her expression was unusual. ¡°Hey,¡± Estre greeted. Kristin took her hand, warning, ¡°The Lamonts are here. Just be prepared.¡± Estre smiled, understanding the tension. That exined Kristin¡¯s nervousness. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. After briefing Estre, Kristin turned to Jason. Your grandfather wants to ease tensions Don¡¯t be too stiff with him.¡± Jason pocketed his hands. ¡°Got it.¡± Just then, a lively Pa bounced out. ¡°Jason, you¡¯re back!¡± Her smile faded when she Estre, even rolling her eyes at her. Estre, unfazed, looped her arms through Jason¡¯s. ¡°Honey, how far is that hot spring mentioned? Maybe we should go for a couple¡¯s retreat this weekend.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± Jason agreed. Kristin interpreted for Pa in the background, ¡°Pa, you know how Jason is. If he likes someone, nothing else matters. Don¡¯t take it personally. Lovey-dovey couples are all like that. You¡¯ll understand once you¡¯re married.¡± Kristin¡¯s message was clear; My son¡¯s not into you, and neither am I. He¡¯s happy with Estre, so find someone else and stop cluttering the view. Pa looked at Kristin with hurt in her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you like me?¡± Kristin replied smoothly, ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. But like my son, I only have eyes for Estre, my daughter-in- law.¡± 08-12 Kristin¡¯s words struck Pa hard. She had thought winning over Keith would make her beloved by all the Nelsons, but the harsh reality was that the Nelson family¡¯s affection for her was lukewarm at best. In truth, Keith wasn¡¯t particrly smitten with her. It was just that the old men from both families had served together in the military, so their bond, forged in the trenches, ran deep. This meant that wherever help could be extended, it would be. ¡°Estre, Jason.¡± The group entered the house, and Erin rose courteously to greet them. Today, Garrett had brought only Erin and Pa, sparing everyone the presence of his good-for-nothing son. At thepany, Hunter had been rendered powerless, and his influence waspletely hollowed out by Erin With Estre and Jason¡¯s arrival, dinnermenced. The chef at home was invited from a five-star hotel, so the evening¡¯s fare was nothing short of tavish. Keith¡¯s intent for the evening was to smooth over any friction between Estre and the Lamont family, and foster a mutual help between Jason and Erin in the future. Jason thought it unnecessary. He didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s help, but he was willing to give Keith the respect due to an old family friend. ¡°Through the years, the bond between the Lamonts and the Nelsons has always been strong. I hope that Jason and Erin continue this friendship, each shining a light on Ravenwood through their endeavors,¡± Keith toasted. ¡°Absolutely. Jason and Erin are sure to outshine our generation,¡± cheered someone from the Nelson side. During the course of the dinner, Estre remained silent, focusing on her meal. No need for her to chime in at such gatherings. Midway, as she stood to make her way to the restroom, Erin unexpectedly followed. Estre caught Erin¡¯s eye in the mirror, and with a dismissiveugh she said, ¡°Bold of yo to shadow me here, in Nelson territory, Erin.¡± Erin stepped closer, almost brushing against Estre. ¡°Thanks for praising me.¡± He paused, and then added, ¡°But seriously, my dad¡¯s early retirement owes much to your¡­ assistance.¡± From not too far off, another figure approached, but upon seeing the two of them together, she halted abruptly. Chapter 120 ¡°Please, don¡¯t mention it, Erin. If you ever need help again, I¡¯m all in.¡± Estre quipped with a twinkle in her eye that seemed to say, ¡°Erin, you better not slip up, or I¡¯ll have your hide.¡± Erin returned the look with a genteel grin. ¡°Well I¡¯ll! Estre, darling, do tell, how might I get our lovely Pa to call you ¡®sister-inw¡¯?¡± The corners of Estre¡¯s mouth lifted as she casually straightened Erin¡¯s tie. ¡°Erin, you¡¯ve got a long way to go before you¡¯re even in the same league as Jason.¡± So what if he was now the chairman of the Lamont family empire? He was still leagues behind Jason in her eyes, and not even worth a second nce. ¡°Oh! Is that right?¡± Erin leaned in closer. His voice was smooth as silk. ¡°I have a feeling you¡¯lle to me for a favor one day.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll just see about that, won¡¯t we?¡± Estre replied, with an eyebrow arching in challenge. From the sidelines, Kristin¡¯s blood boiled as she overheard Erin¡¯s flirty banter with Estre about getting Pa to call her ¡°sister-inw.¡± That bastard! Keith was running interference for him, but he was nning to covet her son¡¯s wife? The Lamont family trulycked any scruples ¨C neither Hunter nor Janie could raise a decent human being. Pa, with her eyes fixed on Jason, already made Kristin unhappy. Now Kristin knew that Erin seemed to have set his sights on Estre, and she felt worse. ¨C Kristin was well aware that Erin¡¯s interest in Estre wasn¡¯t just about the girl ¨C it was a power move to outdo her son. He was aiming to knock her son off his pedestal. Kristin spat in Erin¡¯s general direction and muttered under her breath, ¡°As if you could ever measure up to my son. You really think too highly of yourself.¡± When Erin returned to the dining room, Kristin greeted him with a deceptive smile and piled his te high with food. ¡°Erin, you look so thin. Have you been feeling alright? Maybe you should see a doctor.¡± Before Erin could protest, Kristin piled on. ¡°You and Jason are the same age. Jason¡¯s been married for two years and is about to be a dad. You don¡¯t even have a girlfriend. Could there be an issue? If there is, you should see a specialist sooner rather thanter. I happen to know an excellent andrology doctor¡± She added helpfully as she ced an abalone in Erin¡¯s bowl. Kristin cursed in her heart, ¡°Take that! You dare to chase after my son¡¯s wife! You¡¯d better start taking care of yourself!¡± Erin was bbergasted. What was Jason¡¯s mother ying at? Why was she suddenly serving him so much food, and each remark sharper than thest? She knew he couldn¡¯t handle spicy food, yet she deliberately filled his bowl with it ¨C it was an obvious jab at him. 08:42 Kristin, watching Erin¡¯s changing expressions, continued with a grin, ¡°Erin, a man should eat spicy food to keep up his vigor. Otherwise, he might end up pale and uninteresting to thedies, just like you. Just look at Jason. See how robust he looks? He takes good care of Estre, keeps her blushing and happy. Her insinuation was clear: you¡¯re not half the man my son is, so back off from my daughter-inw and stop trying to undermine my son. Pah! Erin¡¯s face darkened at Kristin¡¯s words, and Garrett didn¡¯t look too pleased either. Jason watched the drama unfold with an amused expression. He didn¡¯t need to ask to know that his mother must have seen or heard something while she was out. Kristin was doing a stand-up job defending him. He hadn¡¯t pampered her in vain. As the Lamont family men brooded, Keith¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Kristin, what¡¯s gotten into you?¡± The younger generation had managed to keep the peace today, but here she was, causing a scene. Still smiling, Kristin shrugged off her father¡¯s chiding. ¡°I was just expressing my concern for Erin. I¡¯ve always been open with him since our families are so close. Just look at him he¡¯s not as vibrant as Jason.¡± Erin chuckled dryly. After such a roasting, how could he look anything but worse for wear? Pa, oblivious to the underlying tension, earnestly addressed Erin, ¡°Are you really alright? If there¡¯s anything wrong, you should definitely see that specialist Kristin mentioned.¡± Garrett cut in sternly, ¡°Pa, what nonsense are you spouting? Your brother¡¯s as fit as a fiddle. He¡¯s single because he¡¯s busy with thepany.¡± ¨C Kristin chimed in, seizing the opportunity to boast about her son. ¡°Exactly! Maybe tha because he¡¯s just not up to it unlike my son, who manages hispany so well and still maintains a vibrant personal life. He got married when it was time, and now he an Estre are even looking to have a baby. We were just shopping for baby supplies the other day.¡± ¡°Your grandson might be busy with work, but so is my son. However, he¡¯s living life to the fullest. In the end, your grandson is no match for him.¡± Kristin thought. Estre watched as Kristin seemed to be in rare form today, throwing shade left and right. It was quite the spectacle. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Kristin must have seen Erin¡¯s earlier flirtations and, not taking kindly to his words, decided to strike back. Kristin, usually so straightforward and easygoing with friends and rtives, was fiercely protective of her family. She might absorb insults directed at herself, but she wouldn¡¯t ??? 08:42 stand for any attacks on her son and daughter-inw. Erin, listening to Kristin¡¯s tirade, nced at Estre and asked, ¡°Estre, are you expecting?¡± Estre responded with a knowing smile, ¡°We¡¯re working on it. It shouldn¡¯t be long now.¡± Pa¡¯s impatience got the better of her as she turned to Jason with a flushed face. ¡°Jason, how could you? How could you¡­?¡± Weren¡¯t his and Estre¡¯s rtionship on the rocks? How could he have sex with her? How could they be trying for a baby? As Pa¡¯s face turned crimson with urgency, Jason replied coolly, ¡°She¡¯s my wife. We can do whatever we want.¡± ¡°Jason!¡± Pa¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. Estre was already too clingy. If she had a child with Jason, she¡¯d surelytch onto him even tighter. To prevent Pa from speaking out of turn, Erin intervened with a smile, ¡°Then let me offer my congrattions in advance.¡± Erin¡¯s lips uttered congrattions, but his heart wasn¡¯t nearly as jubnt. He wanted to go toe-to-toe with Jason, to wrest away everything Jason held dear, including his woman. But as for a woman who had a child? He wouldn¡¯t consider. ¡°Thanks!¡± Jason and Estre expressed their gratitude. The dinner that followed was even less enjoyable. Past nine in the evening, after the Lamonts had departed, Keith¡¯s expression darkened instantly. He turned to Kristin and said, ¡°You¡¯re usually so sensible and polite. What got into you today? You were just not appropriate.¡± Seeing Keith still taking the Lamonts¡¯ side, Kristin retorted with a huff, ¡°Let me tell you. That grandson of the Lamont family, Erin, he¡¯s no good. Don¡¯t be fooled by him.¡± Keith¡¯s brows knotted in confusion, prompting Kristin to add even more heatedly, ¡°If Erin wants to challenge Jason professionally, I have nothing to say. But he¡¯s got the gall to set his sights on Estre, suggesting she should leave Jason and be his wife. Like I could swallow that! Does he think the Nelsons are pushovers? He can just talk about taking away our daughter-inw like it¡¯s nothing?¡± Chapter 121 Kristin was fuming, and her blood was boiling at the thought of Erin¡¯s audacious words earlier. If it hadn¡¯t been for the respect she had for the two old gentlemen, she would have torn off Erin¡¯s smug mask right then and there. As soon as Kristin voiced her anger, Estre knew she had seen Erin corner her in the restroom. Keith furrowed his brow as he listened to Kristin¡¯s ount. ¡°This is news to me,¡± he muttered with concern. Turning to Estre, Kristin insisted, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Estre. Didn¡¯t Erin stop her in the restroom? Didn¡¯t he say those things to her?¡± That guy has a heart of stone. Who knows if he was behind the exposure of Hunter¡¯s illegitimate child using Estre. And I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s been ruthless to the mistress. Poor Hunter can¡¯t even show his face at the office; Erin¡¯s made his life a living hell,¡± Kristin added with a disgusted shake of her head. Estre chimed in, supporting her mother-inw, ¡°Grandpa, Erin¡¯s ambitions are indeed dangerous. Kristinm¡¯s not lying.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Faced with the testimonies of both Kristin and Estre, Keith gripped his cane tighter. His brow creased in silence. He pondered the possibility that by helping the Lamont family, he might have helped a future enemy. If Erin ever grew more powerful, he would surely sh with Jason. Keith sank into a thoughtful silence, which was broken by Jason stepping forward. His hands were casually tucked into his jeans. ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t worry about it. Whether it¡¯s work or Estre, Erin doesn¡¯t stand a chance.¡± Jason¡¯s reassurance eased Keith¡¯s mind, and he finally said, ¡°Jason, you¡¯ve always been sensible and measured. My philosophy is simple: live and let live unless they cross you first.¡± ¡°Understood, Grandpa,¡± Jason replied with a nod. ¨C After a brief chat, Jason and Estre prepared to leave. Kristin came out to see them off. Her mood was visibly lighter. In the yard, Jason took Estre¡¯s hand and nced back at Kristin. ¡°Mom, what did Estre say to Erin earlier?¡± ¡°She said that Erin doesn¡¯tpare to you,¡± Kristin confessed with a hint of pride in her voice. ¨C At that, Jasonughed a genuine, heartyugh that filled the evening air. He then wrapped an arm around Estre. His fingers yfully tweaked her earlobe as he teased, 08:42 ¡°Good taste.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about taste, but at least I¡¯m not dumb,¡± Estre shot back with a smile. Kristin, intuitively aware that the couple¡¯s rtionship had significantly improved, was thrilled upon hearing their ns of starting a family. Her heart overflowed with joy at the prospect of bing a grandmother. After imparting a few more pieces of wisdom, she bade them goodbye. As their car disappeared into the distance, her heart brimmed with dreams of cuddling her future grandchildren. As the car pulled away, Jason turned to Estre with a wry smile. ¡°Erin¡¯s got some nerve.¡± It seemed that theirst confrontation, where Erin¡¯s arm ended up broken, had been too lenient. Estre fanned the mes, ¡°He sure does, even daring to go after your wife.¡± Jason warned her with mock severity, ¡°Estre, let me make one thing clear. If you ever think about straying, I¡¯ll bury you.¡± ¡°Same goes for you,¡± Estre retorted, yfully challenging him to keep himself in check as well. Back at home, they had barely stepped through the door when Autumn greeted them with open arms and a warm smile. ¡°Estre, Jason, you¡¯re back!¡± Estre, slipping off her shoes, asked with a hint of suspicion, ¡°Mom, what brings you here?¡± ¡°I came to see you and Jason, of course!¡± Autumn said as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Estre, now facing her mother, sensed there was more to the visit than a simple check-in Jason greeted Autumn as well. ¡ª ¡°Ah!¡± Autumn responded with surprise, pleased to find Jason at home ¨C something that was a rarity during her visits. It confirmed what Kristin had said about the couple¡¯s improved rtionship. As Jason excused himself to take a work call from Grayson, Autumn seized the opportunity to grill Estre. ¡°Estre, how have things been going with Jason? Any news on the baby?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± Estre replied with a roll of her eyes, knowing well that her mother was here on a mission to talk about grandchildren. After reassuring her mother that things were under control, Estre received a bundle of health supplements from Autumn, which she promised to use. Once Autumn was satisfied, she made to leave. Her motherly duties were fulfilled for the 212 08:42 day. Jason returned from his call and suggested she stay for dinner, but Autumn had other ns and soon departed, leaving the couple to their evening. Jason and Estre stood side by side on the porch, waving as Autumn¡¯s car disappeared down the suburban street. Jason, with his hands buried deep in his pockets, shot Estre a nce and quipped, ¡°Your mom¡¯s still holding me at arm¡¯s length, huh?¡± Estre¡¯s gaze drifted away as she crossed her arms and headed back inside. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you the model son-inw!¡± Before they got hitched, Jason had been a regr visitor at the Dorvold residence. But after the wedding, his visits could be counted on one hand. It was no wonder Autumn felt distant. Following Estre into the house, Jason recalled her conversation with Erin earlier that evening. She had said Erin couldn¡¯tpare to him. Quickening his pace, he swept Estre off her feet in one smooth motion. Startled, Estre instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°What¡¯s the big idea? Lost your sense of time and ce?¡± Jason, with a smirk, retorted, ¡°When your mom¡¯s dropping by to nudge us about grandkids, what else is there to do?¡± He didn¡¯t need to hear their mother-daughter chat to guess Autumn¡¯s visit was about encouraging the next generation. Estre chuckled. Her hands were still around his neck. ¡°You¡¯re getting along with your mother-inw. That¡¯s progress.¡± Their marriage was now rock solid, and Estre¡¯s thoughts were already turning towards children. She didn¡¯t want to prove Autumn right about wasting three years and ending up with thebel of a twice- married woman. ¡°I haven¡¯t showered,¡± Estre pointed out, with a yful tone in her voice. Jason grinned mischievously. ¡°To the bathroom, then. Let¡¯s head to the bathroom.¡± Chapter 122 Jason scooped Estre up in his arms and headed for the bathroom after her gentle reminder. Exhausted, Estrey sprawled across the bed, her thoughts racing. They¡¯d been having sex for quite some time now, and by all ounts, there should have been some sign of pregnancy. Plus, her period was due any day, yet there was no sign of it. The usually carefree Estre felt her heart leap to her throat at the thought. Could she be¡­? The possibility of being pregnant sent Estre¡¯s mind into overdrive, plotting out their future in rapid session. Jason sat beside her, noticing her unusual silence. ¡°Asleep yet?¡± he asked, pinching the back of her neck. ¡°Not yet,¡± Estre turned to face him. ¡°Come, sit with me,¡± Jason patted the space beside him. Reaching for some clothes, Estre was met with Jason¡¯s teasing objection. ¡°Seen it all before, haven¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t a girl be cold?¡± Estre shot back with a re that couldn¡¯t hide her vulnerability. Jason chuckled at her defiant look, and she dressed and sat up. As Estre tied her hair up with a scrunchie, she knew it was time to have a serious talk about their future. Jason lit a cigarette, but he promptly snuffed it out at Estre¡¯s sidelong nce. ¡°Estre,¡± he began, then fell silent. Yawning, she teased, ¡°If you¡¯ve got nothing to say, I¡¯m off to sleep.¡± Just as Estre was about to lie back down, Jason¡¯s stern gaze had her sitting up straight again. ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m sitting,¡± she grumbled internally. Was she supposed to y the doting wife without so much as a ¡°please?¡± As she sat up, Jason pulled out an exquisite little box from the nightstand and offered it to her. Estre didn¡¯t take it right away, staring at him instead. She knew Jason wasn¡¯t the romantic type. There had to be a reason for this sudden gift, or else her nerves would get the better of her. When she didn¡¯t immediately take the box, Jason exined, ¡°I¡¯ve had this ring for a while now, just waiting for the right moment to give it to you.¡± With that, Estre understood. He was offering a bted wedding ring. Though they¡¯d been getting along, it didn¡¯t erase their past. After the wedding banquet was canceled and 09.12 This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. they were left with a marriage certificate, Estre spent that night alone in the Sandalwood Oasis. ?ince then, she hadn¡¯t once dreamed of rings, wedding photos, or ceremonies. All those dreams had faded the day she was left behind. Staring at the box, Estre teased with augh, ¡°What, I wasn¡¯t good enough before?¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened, so Estre quickly grabbed the box. ¡°I¡¯ll take it. Who am I to say no?¡± She wasn¡¯t one to quarrel or embarrass anyone unless pushed too far. Taking the box from Jason, Estre didn¡¯t open it right away. Instead, she turned to ce it on the nightstand. ¡°You¡¯re not going to look?¡± Jason asked. Opening the box, Estre admired the ring. The diamond was no ostentatious rock but a tasteful, well- sized diamond set in a simple tinum band. The craftsmanship was uplicated, but the taste was impable, and the value was undeniable. As she gazed at the ring, memories of their shared past shed through her mind like scenes from a movie. ¨C ¡°Jason, my leg hurts, carry me.¡± ¨C ¡°Jason, I didn¡¯t finish my homework. What do I do?¡± ¨C ¡°Jason, slow down! I can¡¯t keep up!¡± ¨C ¡°Jason, your car¡¯s backseat must be reallyfy, huh!¡± ¨C ¡°Jason, who do you think you are?¡± ¨C ¡°Jason, we¡¯re even now.¡± ¨C ¡°Don¡¯t ever think about having my kids.¡± Estre mused that if Holly were still here, she wouldn¡¯t be part of the picture. Yet, fate had a way of intertwining their lives once more through the words of fortune tellers. As the past receded, Estre looked at the ring and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± Staring at the ring on her finger, Estre felt a pang of irony. This marriage, her rtionship with Jason, even this ring-everything felt like she had forced it into existence. Landon had been the one to propose the match to the Dorvold family. Though Jason had agreed, his two years of silence had given Estre the impression that she was nothing but a shameless woman. In truth, when he had pped her, she had braced herself for a life without him. ¡°Nice,¡± she said. As she was about to put the ring aside, Jason took it and the box, catching her off guard. 08:43 He then took the ring out, grasped her left hand, and slid it onto her ring finger. The fit was perfect, and Estre¡¯s hands were slender,plementing the ring as if they were made for each other. She had no doubts about Jason¡¯s taste in aesthetics. With a ring suddenly adorning her finger, Estre felt a bit out of sorts, as if she was truly a married woman now and no longer free to flirt with abandon. Feeling the weight of the ring, Estre¡¯s hand trembled, and Jason released her. ¡°Remember, you¡¯re a married woman now. Don¡¯t forget it,¡± he said. Estre simply smiled. So, this ring was like a little nudge for her to remember who she was when she was out and about. To keep her from hanging around ces like massage parlors, huh? Swiveling her head towards Jason, Estre smirked and said, ¡°Pot calling the kettle ck.¡± Both of them were cut from the same cloth, neither in a position to throw stones. With that, Estrezily slipped under the covers, tugging the duvet to cocoon herself. Jason slid into bed behind her and wrapped his arms around her. Estre nced back at him and muttered a dry ¡°Thanks.¡± She quickly added, ¡°But don¡¯t expect anything in return, okay?¡± Two years into their marriage, and this was the first gift she¡¯d ever received from Jason. ¡°It kind of stings,¡± Estre thought. Probably, no wife had ever felt as awkward about it as she did, so she figured she¡¯d let the whole idea of reciprocating slide. Besides, the ring hade toote to mean much of anything now! ¡°Jason, where the heck is your hand wandering off to now? Haven¡¯t you had enough? What, did you pop some pills or something?¡± Chapter 123 Estre resisted with all her might, but in the end, she couldn¡¯t escape Jason¡¯s clutches. He devoured her yet again, leaving nothing untouched. ¡°Estre, Jason and Holly are an item now. Holly tweeted about it, and the Ledford family has acknowledged their rtionship,¡± Jesse informed her. Estre was utterly dumbfounded. She had thought she and Jason were an item, that despite not making their rtionship official, they were essentially lovers. Staring at Jesse¡¯s phone, Estre was frozen for what seemed like an eternity before managing a forced, casual smile. ¡°They do seem like a good match,¡± she said. Her heart ached, and though she tried to hide it, her voice and body were shaking uncontrobly. Suddenly, sitting upright in bed, Estre¡¯s forehead was drenched in sweat. By the light of the bedside lamp, she nced at the pillow where Jasony in deep slumber. Bracing herself with her hands against the mattress, she tried to calm her racing heart. Then, wiping the sweat from her brow, she silently got out of bed. For so long, she hadn¡¯t dreamt about the past, about that incident. Pouring herself a ss of water from the cab, Estre noticed the wedding band on her left ring finger-a, token of her bond with Jason. Holding the ss to her lips, she stared at the ring for a long time, then drank half the water before padding barefoot into the adjoining study. Standing before the floor-to-ceiling window, she examined the ring on her finger. It was amitment ring, yet having just put it on that evening, it had triggered memories of the past. Estre gazed at the ring for a while longer, then crossed her arms and looked o bright moon through the window. The moon was full tonight, just as it had been f years ago. After the Ledford family and Holly had made their rtionship public, Estre didn¡¯t confront Jason. He hadn¡¯t sought her out either, probably feeling no need to exin himself to her. After all, they had never really started anything. No confessions were made. They were just ¡®friends.¡¯ A weekter, when Korey threw a dinner party, they crossed paths again. Estre hadn¡¯t wanted to attend, but with Jason and Holly¡¯s rtionship now out in the open, skipping the event would have seemed petty. She might have lost in love but wasn¡¯t about to embarrass herself. So she went. She spent the evening chatting with Jesse and Bryce, deliberately ignoring Jason and behaving like a total outsider-which, in truth, she was 08:44 Later, overwhelmed by the noise, she escaped to the rooftop for some air. Resting her elbows on the balcony railing, she enjoyed the cool breeze ofte summer. She was finishing thest sip of her canned beer when she heard footsteps. Tossing the empty can aside and turning around with a slight buzz, she saw Jason approaching. Back then, Jason was 23, and she was 19, a sophomore in college. Jason had been working at Nelson International for nearly two years. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s you!¡± she greeted him with a tipsy smile upon seeing Jason. Jason walked up leisurely. Estre, with a hazy look in her eyes, chuckled and said, ¡°Congrattions!¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± After half a month without contact, was that all she had to say to him? Estre saw his mood sour and, thinking of how happy Holly had been that night-parading Jason around as if they were celebrating an engagement-she added, ¡°You two really seem well-suited.¡± As her words fell, Jason¡¯s face grew even more unapproachable. Estre watched him silently stand there. She knew he had a girlfriend, so she decided to leave the rooftop. ¡°I¡¯m heading back in then.¡± But as she brushed past Jason, he grabbed her arm and shoved her backward with such force that her back mmed against the railing. Pain nearly brought tears to her eyes, and her light buzz dissipated instantly. Had the railing been any lower, she might have fallen off the rooftop to her death. Before she could catch her breath, Jason¡¯s icy voice hit her. ¡°Estre, if you have something to say, just say it. There¡¯s no need for sarcasm.¡± Estreughed incredulously. She¡¯d only spoken a few words-a simple cong and ament about the couple¡¯spatibility-and yet she was being use sarcasm? Suppressing her anger, she asked with a smirk ¡°How was I being sarcastic? Tell me, am I supposed to say?¡± Jason shoved his hand back into his pocket. ¡°If you¡¯re unhappy about Holly and me, you can tell me.¡± Estre found this really funny. Jason was publicly with Holly, and the Ledfords had made it official. There was nothing left for her to say. What right did she have to be unhappy? She snorted, ¡°Please, I¡¯m not that entitled or privileged to be unhappy. How you want to live your life is entirely up to you. If my presence bothers you, I¡¯ll just disappear.¡± They were good friends once, but now that he had a girlfriend, it was only right to keep their distance. 08:44 After saying her piece, Estre¡¯s back still throbbed with pain, which turned out to be I internal bruising uponter examination. This incident was one of the reasons she distanced herself from Jason and stopped confiding in him. Jason was used to being coddled by others, a figure of authority within their circle. So, when Estre finished speaking, Jason¡¯s reaction was as expected-furious. He stepped closer, pinching her face, asking, ¡°Not entitled or privileged? If you¡¯re going to vanish from my sight, what was the meaning behind all your actions before, Estre?¡± Estre¡¯s temper red at his questioning and physical aggression. She tried to pull his hand away but failed, and finally, gripping his wrist, she retorted, ¡°What did it mean? It was all just fun! With the Nelson family¡¯s status and wealth, everyone in Ravenwood wants totch onto you, Jason. Who wouldn¡¯t want to be your friend?¡± With a sudden burst of energy, Estre shoved Jason off of her. She could almost see mes dancing in his gaze when she locked eyes with him again. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Their eyes met, and the memory of how he¡¯d just treated her fueled her defiance. ¡°Jason, who do you think you are without the Nelsons backing you? What makes you think you can strut around Ravenwood with such arrogance? You think you¡¯re so untouchable, perched on your high horse?¡± ¡°And don¡¯t get it twisted. You seriously didn¡¯t think I had feelings for you, did you? Don¡¯t tter yourself. Hanging out with you was no different than with anyone else. It¡¯s just because you¡¯re Mr. Big Shot Jason Nelson¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. A sharp p to her left cheek cut her off, and for a moment, Estre waspletely stunned. The sting of the p echoed through her. Chapter 124 Staring nkly at Jason for what felt like an eternity. Estre finally blinked back tears and offered him a cold, hollow smile. ¡°Jason, we¡¯re square,¡¯ she said, her voice tinged with a frosty edge. All the fights she¡¯d stood by him in, the homework she¡¯d done for him, everything¡­ It had alle crashing down with that one p After she spoke, she brushed past Jason, leaving him behind as tears streamed uncontrobly down her cheeks. Neen years of knowing him, and this was the culmination. She had to watch him be with someone else and feel the sting of his hand across her face. Estre was never one to start trouble or throw around harsh words. She was always more inclined to talk things out and negotiate. But sometimes, we must admit, our circumstances and those around us drive us to the brink of madness. People push you to say things you¡¯d never want to say and do things you never thought you¡¯d do, to the point where you might not even recognize yourself in the mirror or feel like you¡¯re on the verge of breaking. If Jason hadn¡¯t shoved her that day, if he hadn¡¯t grabbed her face so harshly and interrogated her with such icy detachment, she wouldn¡¯t have exploded in anger and said those things. If he hadn¡¯te to her and had that fight, if she hadn¡¯t felt the burn of his p¡­ But life is devoid of ¡®ifs,¡¯ and what¡¯s done is done. Sometimes, all we need is a hug and a few understanding words, and everything could be All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. different. Overwhelmed by memories, Estre gazed out at the moon and touched her cheek, still feeling the heat of the p. So much so that the memory of it still felt hot and painful, as did the memory of her back hitting the rails. She knew she could never get close to Jason again after that. Unbeknownst to her, disaster struck when Holly was caught in a terrible fire and didn¡¯t make it through the surgery. She certainly didn¡¯t expect the soothsayers toe out of the woodwork with their ominous predictions, nor did she anticipate that his family woulde knocking for a marriage proposal, and least of all, Jason would agree to it. Looking back, she thought maybe he agreed to the marriage to torture them both, to ensure neither could swallow their pride. Eventually, buckling under her parents¡¯ pressure, she agreed to the marriage. She had thought that maybe with a little effort, or if they both tried just a bit harder, they could get through life, turning a blind eye to their problems. But Jason wasn¡¯t on the same page. He 08:52 seemed to revel in making her miserable. Recently, however, he seemed to have had a change of heart and wasing home more often. Perhaps the Nelson family had exerted dome pressure, as he¡¯d said himself ¨C a divorce would benefit neither of their families. Estre sighed deeply and withdrew her gaze from the window, looking down at the diamond ring on her finger. She tried to remove it but couldn¡¯t. After a few attempts, she gave up. Turning her attention to the master bedroom, she realized she and Jason were the epitome of being in the same bed with different dreams. She gathered her clothes around her and was about to head back to her room when the door to the study suddenly opened. Jason appeared. With a smile, Estre greeted him, ¡°You¡¯re up too?¡± Jason, noticing her bare feet, asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing shoes?¡± Estre nced at the rack with a couple of spare slippers and slipped a pair on. Jason walked over, and Estre turned back to the window, murmuring, ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± He stood beside her, nced out the window, then back at her, noticing the reddish mark around her ring finger. He knew without asking that she had tried to remove the ring but hadn¡¯t seeded. Estre caught his gaze on her hand and offered a light-hearted exnation, ¡°I¡¯ve gained weight. It doesn¡¯t fit as well.¡± Jason remained silent, not sharing that he had designed the ring to be easy to put on but hard to take off. He understood that despite Estre¡¯s outwardposure, she was deeply affected by the past, especially the p. Some things, once done, cannot be undone. They leave scars and create distance. As they argued more over time, Estre¡¯s heart grew numb, but nothingpared to the pain of that first p. Her patience and affection seemed to have been eroded by the constant back-and-forth, the relentless arguments. After a long silence, Jason asked, ¡°Something on your mind?¡± Estre forced a smile, ¡°Just an old dream. Feels like it happened in another lifetime.¡± But the hurdle remained unjumpable. Jason probably guessed what the dream had been about. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t havee to the study alone. The silence resumed, and Estre, looking at the moon, said bluntly, ¡°That shove of yours 08:52 m hurt like hell. I ended up with internal bleeding. Jason¡¯s heart skipped a beat, realizing the severity of his past actions. Without another word, Estre turned to him and said, I¡¯m going to bed.¡± That night, Estre had wanted to talk to Jason about their future, but the dream made her reconsider. Whether they could make it to the end or what sort of rtionship they¡¯d have didn¡¯t seem to matter anymore. Every day, so many couples divorce. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if they didn¡¯t make it. There were countless couples who stayed together, but how many didn¡¯t fight or harbor resentment? How many weren¡¯t living separate lives under one roof? At that moment, Estre understood she was just another person in the vast sea of humanity. Her life was subject to the same strife and entanglements as everyone else¡¯s. As she approached her twenty-fourth birthday, Estre saw many things more clearly and of her need for control. Love and marriage were all the same in the end. let go Jason spun around and grabbed her hand. Estre¡¯s fingers were icy to the touch, the chill seeming to emanate from her very bones. Their eyes locked, and Jason tried to speak, to say something to Estre, but the words faltered on his lips. With Holly gone, exnations seemed meaningless. ? The silence lingered until Estre sneezed, prompting Jason to finally let go of her hand. Estre chuckled, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to bed?¡± Jason replied simply, ¡°Yeah.¡± Once they returned to the bedroom andy down, Jason instinctively pulled Estre into an embrace. She didn¡¯t resist. Instead, she snuggled closer to him, seeking the warmth from his body. Life, it seemed, was all about the performance After a quiet interlude, Jason finally broke the silence. He said softly, ¡°Estre, I¡¯m sorry. No matter what, I shouldn¡¯t have pushed you. I shouldn¡¯t have pped you.¡± Chapter 125 After Jason finished his apology, Estre didn¡¯t respond for a long time. When Jason looked down, he saw that she had already nestled into his arms and fallen asleep. Typical Estre¡­ When it came to being carefree, Estre was second to none. The next morning, they woke up as if nothing had happened the night before. Estre hadn¡¯t been haunted by memories from years ago, nor had Jason. Jason stood by the closet and saw Estre emerge from the bathroom. ¡°Come help me with my tie, will you?¡± ¡°Do I get a tip?¡± Estre teased. Jason reached out and pulled her close. ¡°Sure you do.¡± Estre, now snugly in his embrace, looked up at him, her eyes catching the fervent gaze in his. Azy smile yed on her lips as she started to work on his tie. Six years ago, not long after Jason had joined thepany, Estre had learned to tie a tie just for him. But they¡¯d fallen out soon after, so her skills were a bit rusty now. Estre focused on the tie. The ring on her left ring finger glittered, but she paid it no mind. After a bit of fumbling, the knot was finally perfect. She straightened Jason¡¯s cor. ¡°There you go, boss. Ready to go make that money.¡± Jason pinched her chin and leaned down to kiss her. Estre tensed slightly. ¡°That¡¯s the tip? Jason, you¡¯ve got no shame.¡± Jason justughed. ¡°You good? Consider it delivered.¡± For the next few days, their lives proceeded without incident. After finishing her work, Estre would hang out with Jesse and Bryce. T One evening, as the three of them sat down for dinner, Jesse was conspicuously glum, stirring her juice absentmindedly, a look of concern stered on her face. Estre tapped her bowl with her chopsticks and asked, ¡°It¡¯s written all over your face. Did you, Melinda, and Damita have a fallout?¡± Jesse ran a hand through her hair, struggling to find words. ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± Ever since Estre had dealt with Melinda and Damita, they had been much more subdued. Although they still threw asional shade her way, their antics were nothingpared to before. Plus, Jesse hadn¡¯t been to the Manning family home muchtely, so things were rtively calm. Bryce, noticing Jesse¡¯s heavy heart, chimed in, ¡°Jesse, what¡¯s up? You can¡¯t talk to me and 09-14 Estre about it? Aren¡¯t we buddies?¡± Jesse sighed deeply. ¡°My dad¡­ he¡¯s arranged a marriage for me. He wants me to settle down.¡± Before anyone could respond, Jesse continued, ¡°You both know me well. I¡¯ve never even thought about this stuff. Marriage? It¡¯s got nothing to do with me.¡± Despite the Manning family¡¯s wealth, Jesse had grown up in a less than ideal environment. After a certain incident in middle school, Jesse¡¯s perspective on life diverged from the norm. It was understandable that she wasn¡¯t interested in marriage or children. Bryce exploded at the news. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to your dad¡¯s nonsense. He¡¯s probably using you for some deal. Don¡¯t let them use you as a pawn.¡± He then pointed out, ¡°As to whether marriage is good or not, just look at Estre. You both don¡¯t need to jump into the same pit.¡± After Bryce finished, both Estre and Jesse turned to him. ¡°Bryce, you¡¯re unusually perceptive today.¡± Knowing that Estre and Bryce were on her side, Jesse added, ¡°Honestly, I know my dad is trying to use me to curry favor. Andtely, he¡¯s been treating me differently, probably about to ask me to transfer my shares to him.¡± Jesse¡¯s shares were inherited from her mother before she passed. They were a significant amount, even more than what her father Tori held in thepany. Opening up, Jesse added, ¡°Besides, if Damita is okay with this match, it means the guy isn¡¯t good. Otherwise, she¡¯d have him marry Melinda, not me.¡± Jesse was not naive. She and Estre had always suspected Damita was the mastermind behind the incident nine years ago. Jesse doubted she¡¯d be alive today if not for her grandparents and her control over the shares. Bryce advised, ¡°Jesse, since you clearly understand this situation, don¡¯t bother with their ns. What do they amount to, anyway?¡± Estre added, ¡°Jesse, we can marry and settle down, but it has to be with someone we truly love, someone who¡¯s worth it. Ignore your dad¡¯s scheming. They can¡¯t force you into this.¡± Like Jesse said, the Manning family wouldn¡¯t prioritize her happiness in marriage. Estre didn¡¯t want Jesse to end up in a simr situation like her where marriage brought nothing but trouble. Estre and Bryce¡¯s support seemed to lighten Jesse¡¯s mood. ¡°Talking to you guys has made me feel better already.¡± ¡°What were you holding back for?¡± Bryce asked. ¡°You should¡¯ve told us sooner.¡± 09:14 Jesse exined, ¡°At first, it didn¡¯t seem like a big deal. But my dad¡¯s been calling non-stop, insisting on meetings. I¡¯ve been avoiding the office just to escape it.¡± Estre warned, ¡°Jesse, be prepared. Your dad might want you to trade your shares in exchange for staying single.¡± Jesse¡¯s eyes popped wide open in indignation. ¡°On what grounds? My mom left those shares to me. Besides, without her, Tori wouldn¡¯t be where he is today. He can keep dreaming about getting his hands on them.¡± She would not let go of her shares even if it cost her life. Jesse¡¯s firm stance was a relief to Estre and Bryce, who feared she might fall prey to Tori¡¯s scheming. As they were discussing this, the empty chair beside Estre suddenly screeched back, and everyone turned to see Jason had arrived on the scene: Upon seeing his cousin, Bryce felt his legs turn to jelly. He hurriedly tried to exin, ¡°We haven¡¯t done a thing. We¡¯re just here, just eating dinner.¡¯ Jason shot them a frosty nce. ¡°Good thing I got here when I did.¡± Who knew what sort of mischief they¡¯d get up to in the second half of the night? This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Bryce swore up and down. ¡°Bro, there¡¯s nothing shady going on. I was nning to take E home right after dinner. Ask Jesse if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± After Bryce finished, he turned to Jesse, who dryly remarked, ¡°Did we actually talk about going home?¡± Bryce was crestfallen, looking like he was on the verge of tears. Estre chuckled and said, ¡°You haven¡¯t been caught red-handed. What are you scared of?¡± She then called out to the waiter, ¡°Excuse me, could we get an extra set of cutlery over here?¡± Chapter 126 When Jason arrived, Bryce and the others toned down their chatter, abandoning their private conversations for some inconsequential gossip. After dinner, Bryce walked home with Jesse, while Estre naturally returned to Sandalwood Oasis with Jason. They exchanged sparse, trivialments in the car, but the atmosphere was rtively harmonious. Upon arriving, Estre had somehow already fallen asleep without Jason noticing. He gazed at her for a moment before deciding to pick her up and carry her inside. Jason realized she hadn¡¯t gained much weight. Her 5¡¯7¡å frame was still feather-light. ¡°Back already?¡± Marie whispered with a soft chuckle as she greeted Jason, who was carrying Estre in. ¡°Mm,¡± Jason replied curtly, taking Estre upstairs and gentlyying her on the bed. Kneeling by the bed, Jason was haunted by the memory of their midnight talk when Estre mentioned how his push had caused her internal bruising. His heart clenched ufortably. He also thought about how she hadn¡¯t informed him of her car ident.st year and how she preferred to call Jesse to take her to the hospital rather than reach out to him. Jason watched her in silence for a moment, remembering the p he had given her, remembering the fire she was used of setting. Despite his reluctance to believe she was guilty, the evidence was damning. Their rtionship was irreparably altered. Estre stirred in her sleep, and Jason, expressionless, stood up. She did not wake as he pulled the covers over her. Meanwhile, Bryce had just dropped Jesse off at her ce when her father, Tori, called. Annoyed, Jesse hung up, but Tori called right back. ¡°Look, I¡¯m already in bed,¡± Jesse snapped when she picked up. ¡°Whatever it is, can wait till tomorrow.¡± Tori¡¯s voice came through, unbothered. ¡°Come home now. The driver¡¯s right behind you, and there¡¯s no need to make things difficult.¡± Jesse nced back to see the driver standing a few feet away, then begrudgingly got into the car, muttering about the inevitability of facing her father eventually. Half an hourter, Jesse arrived at the Manning residence. Tori, along with Damita and Melinda, were at home. They were all smiles until Jesse entered, casting a shadow over their merriment as if she were there to collect debts. ¡°You¡¯re home,¡± Damita greeted her with a chilling tone, 09-14 Once upon a time, Damita feigned warmth, but as the rift between Jesse and Tori grew, she couldn¡¯t bother to pretend. Jesse stuffed her hands in her pockets and faced Tori, ¡°What¡¯s it, Dad? Make it quick. Don¡¯t waste my time.¡± Before Jesse could continue, Damita interjected, ¡°Look at her, Tori, no trace of femininity left. What kind of girl cuts her hair short like that? Acts so brashly? Speaks to her father in such a manner?¡± ¡°If Melinda was like this, I¡¯d be driven mad by both my children,¡± Damitamented as if she had always regarded Jesse as her own. Melinda stepped in, trying to mediate, ¡°Enough, Mom. Jesse has her own preferences, and we shouldn¡¯t judge.¡± The act between Damita and Melinda only darkened Tori¡¯s mood. Damita¡¯s provocation made him view Jesse not as a daughter but as an adversary. Jesse dismissed their charade. ¡°Spare me the act, will you?¡± Damita red up. ¡°Tori, do you see this? Look at the disrespect! She doesn¡¯t care about either of us.¡± Tori, a man who valued power and demanded obedience, was incensed by Jesse¡¯s defiance. ¡°You¡¯ll clear your schedule this Saturday,¡± Tori stated coldly. ¡°You¡¯ll have lunch with Hanson, and our families will have dinner. No arguments. It¡¯s been arranged by your grandparents.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Jesse was taken aback, but she quickly pieced together that Tori must¡¯ve influenced their decision. ¡°I won¡¯t be going. You can go without me,¡± Jesse¡¯s voice was icy. Tori¡¯s anger boiled over. ¡°You¡¯ll agree to this marriage whether you like it or not. Do forget you¡¯re a daughter of the Manning family and a shareholder in Manning International. If you want to live selfishly, relinquish your shares and sever ties with th family. Then you can do as you please.¡± Tori¡¯s furious logic was met with Jesse¡¯s sarcasticughter. Estre was right. Tori was after her shares. Jesse, hands still pocketed, faced her father defiantly, ¡°Dream on about getting my shares.¡± Damita leaned in, her voice dripping with condescension. ¡°Why would a girl like you need so many shares? You must know that Estre and Bryce are as cunning as theye. Your dad¡¯s only looking out for you. Handing over your shares to him is the right move.¡± Jesse shot back without missing a beat, ¡°Dream on.¡± With a nonchnt shrug, she pulled her hand from her pocket and dusted off her jeans. ¡°I won¡¯t be at the gathering on Saturday, and I¡¯m definitely not transferring my shares. My 0010 life, my rules. I don¡¯t need you or anyone else to call the shots for me.¡± She added firmly, ¡°I came here today to make my stance clear. So, T¨®ri, do yourself a favor and stop ringing me up.¡± Tori¡¯s face turned a shade of crimson, veins throbbing at his neck, as he barked orders at the help, ¡°Lock her up in her room. She¡¯s marrying whether she likes it or not.¡± As the domestic staff moved to seize Jesse, she spun around, locking eyes with Tori. ¡°You can imprison me, force me down the aisle, but let¡¯s get one thing straight. If mywyer can¡¯t reach or see me in three days, my 21% stake in Manning International will vanish from the Manning family¡¯s grasp. It¡¯ll be donated. So, Tori, you might as well get used to clutching your measly 20%. Manning International could slip through your fingers at any moment.¡± Chapter 127 Tori¡¯s shares in the familypany were a hair¡¯s breadth less than his daughter¡¯s. But since blood ties ran deep, the two were practically one entity to the outside world. If Jesse and Tori ever fell out or her shares fell into the hands of another, Tori¡¯s stronghold as CEO could crumble like a house of cards. Estre was a sharpwyer with a streak of victories under her belt. As Estre¡¯s friend, Jesse wasn¡¯t about to y this high-stakes game without an ace up her sleeve. After all, she wasn¡¯t one to leave her fate to chance. Jesse¡¯s warning had sent Tori¡¯s face through a palette of pallor and fury, and even Damita and Melinda seemed rattled. They never expected Jesse, often the butt of their mother-daughter jokes, to show such backbone in the clutch. Her words had the staff skittering like startled hens, all eyes on Tori, waiting for his verdict. Tori was unable to discern truth from bluff in Jesse¡¯s statement. He was also mindful of Estre, the legal field¡¯s rising star, and begrudgingly conceded, ¡°Let her go. I¡¯d like to see what kind of waves she can make on her own! The staff retreated. Jesse sauntered up to Damita with her hands buried in her pockets and a look that could freeze over a summer¡¯s day. ¡°What are you staring at?¡± Damita¡¯s voice was ice. ¡°Your love life¡¯s your own mess to sort out, not mine.¡± Jesse let out a cold chuckle. ¡°If Hanson was such a catch, would you let him marry me instead of saving him for your darling Melinda?¡± ¡°Watch your tone, Jesse,¡± Damita snapped back. ¡°Your grandparents handpicked him. It wasn¡¯t me. And frankly, you¡¯re hardly his match.¡± Undeterred by her barbs, Jesse locked eyes with Damita. ¡°Damita, the incident that happened nine years ago¡­ you were behind it, weren¡¯t you?¡± Damita faltered, her evasion clear as day. Jesse¡¯s smirk widened. This was a lead worth pursuing. To Tori, the exchange was nothing but insolence from the younger generation. Jesse¡¯s defiance was too much to bear. ¡°If you won¡¯t participate in the family¡¯s arrangements, get out of the Manning estate!¡± Jesse¡¯s reply was swift. ¡°Rest easy. Even if you begged, this ce isn¡¯t worth my time.¡± With that, she strode out, leaving the echoes of her departure to fill the Manning mansion. She felt a surge of satisfaction. Her life wasn¡¯t up for Tori and Damita to discuss or negotiate. 09:15 After leaving the Manning estate, Jesse dialed her driver. Within minutes, her ride was there. Having cleared the air with Tori about the matchmaking debacle, Jesse felt a weight lift off her chest, but she knew the power struggle for control of Manning International was far from over. The next morning, Jesse recounted her heroic stand to Estre and Bryce, whovished her with praise. Fresh from a courtroom victory representing an employee against a corporate Goliath, Estre considered the timing of her missed period. After a subtle exit from the post-trial celebrations, she headed to the hospital. Post-examination, Estre scrolled through her phone in the waiting area, pondering the implications of a potential pregnancy, given her doctor¡¯s previous diagnosis of her fertility. ¡°Estre, your test results are ready,¡± called a nurse, guiding her back to the doctor¡¯s office. The doctor was seated, reviewing the results. ¡°You¡¯re in excellent health. While you are indeed fertile, you¡¯re not pregnant. Menstrual irregrities can happen and are often linked to stress or lifestyle.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not pregnant?¡± Estre¡¯s brow knitted in confusion. Despite bracing for this possibility, the confirmation brought a tinge of disappointment-a hope unfulfilled. Estre¡¯s surprise was palpable as the doctor double-checked her test results and confirmed, ¡°You are definitely not pregnant. You should expect your period in the next few .days.¡± Noting Estre¡¯s despondency, the doctor scrutinized her report and asked, ¡°Are you absolutely certain you haven¡¯t been using birth control? It seems to me that with you fertility, conception should happen pretty easily with regr sexual activity.¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t used any birth control,¡± Estre replied confidently. She recalled her intimate moments with Jason. Besides the first two times which happened during her safe period just after menstruation, they had been having sex almost daily. It was precisely because of this regrity and the fact that she was highly fertile, that she thought of taking these tests in the hospital. The doctor suggested, ¡°In that case, it might be something on your husband¡¯s end that needs to be checked. Or it could be that he¡¯s used contraception unbeknownst to you. If that¡¯s not the case, then he needs toe in for an examination.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Estre was left reeling by the doctor¡¯s words. Could there be a problem with Jason? The Nelson family had always been in good health with no gic diseases. So why was it difficult for Jason and her to conceive? 09:15 about Thinking about the tense moments of their rtionship from two years ago Jason saying she wasn¡¯t worthy of having his child ¨C a cloud of fear descended on Estre. It was difficult not to steer her thoughts in the direction of contraception. ¡°All right then, thank you, Dr. Robin,¡± Estre managed to say, thanking the doctor before leaving the room, her heart heavy with worry. On her way out to the restroom, she got her period. Her drive home was silent except for her tumultuous thoughts. Estre gripped the steering wheel tightly, her face set in a grim mask. If she couldn¡¯t get pregnant and be a mother, what was the point of this marriage? If Jason had indeed secretly been using contraception, that was a deal-breaker, she thought. Considering the current state of their rtionship, she saw no point in carrying 1. Later in the evening, after getting back from work, Estrey motionless on her bed.. On his return, Jason came in directly without noticing her absence downstairs. Seeing her lying on the bed, expressionless with her eyes wide open, he approached her, asking, ¡°Is everything okay? Looks like you¡¯ve had a rough day.¡± Chapter 128 Estre nced at him, the difort of her monthly visitor painting her mood in shades of grey. ¡°Aunt Flo¡¯s in town, not exactly feeling chipper.¡± Jason couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Hang in there, and it¡¯ll pass in a few days. I¡¯ll make it up to you, with interest.¡± His nonchnt demeanor hung in the air as Estre simply watched him, words unspoken. Their eyes locked for a moment before Estre, half-squinting, probed, ¡°Jason, is there something you¡¯re keeping from me?¡± Sitting on the edge of the bed, he stared at her for a long while before standing up to unfasten his tie and hang his jacket on the coat rack, asking, ¡°What exactly are you referring to?¡± Secrets and undisclosed truths were woven into the fabric of their rtionship. At his response, Estre fell silent. What more could she pry from him if he¡¯d alreadyid his cards on the table? It was better to dig up the dirt herself. Jason turned to find Estre turned away, silent. ¡°Not hungry?¡± he asked. With the back of her head to him, she replied, ¡°No appetite.¡± Truth be told, it was her spirits that were low. She thought she might¡¯ve been pregnant, but a test dashed that hope, leaving her feeling as though she¡¯d slept through the past days for naught. Seeing her weighed down with thoughts, Jason didn¡¯t tease her further. He changed clothes and retreated to the adjacent study. As they prepared for bed, Estre¡¯s mood had not lifted. She was lukewarm in his embrace, a far cry from her usual fervor. Days passed in this manner until Estre¡¯s cycle ended, and Jason¡¯s touch reignited a spark within her. She even indulged him in trying something new. A couple of hourster, theyy in bed, spent. Jason offered to fetch water to clean her up, but Estre bolted upright. ¡°I feel sticky all over. I need a shower.¡± As she rose, Jason followed suit, but before he could speak, Estre cut him off. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about joining me. Don¡¯t push your luck.¡± With that, she dashed to the bathroom and locked the door behind her, In the bathroom, Estre secured a sample in a box before stepping under the soothing cascade of the shower. After her shower, she returned to bed, where Jason pulled her close. This time, she didn¡¯t 09:15 resist and soon drifted to sleep in his arms. The next morning, after Jason dropped her at thew firm, Estre took a brief leave to visit the hospital. The matter that kept her up at night needed resolving. She sought to clear the fog that clouded her mind. Later that afternoon, after apanying Logan to meet a client, she returned to the office. A colleague called out, ¡°Ms. Estre, there¡¯s a client in the lounge insisting on seeing you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll check it out,¡± she replied, striding in her sleek gray suit and heels. Carrying two cups of coffee, Estre pushed the door open to find a familiar face rising from the couch. ¡°Estre,¡± the woman greeted. Estre¡¯s steps halted as she heard her name. She turned to face the voice, finding it vaguely familiar yet unable to ce its origins. Upon noticing the confusion on Estre¡¯s face, the girl rified. ¡°Estre, I¡¯m Zoey. We¡¯ went to high school together, remember?.¡± ¡°Zoey,¡± Estre suddenly connected the dots. ¡°I knew there was something familiar about you. I just didn¡¯t recognize you right away. It¡¯s been years since west met.¡± With a friendly chuckle, she came closer, extending a cup of coffee towards the young woman. Zoey had always been bookish, a bespectacled girl with unassuming single eyelids, leaving a fond impression on Estre. Zoey took the coffee from Estre, smiled, and exined, ¡°I had LASIK eye surgery, hence the change in appearance.¡± Estre settled down on a nearby couch, casually inquiring, ¡°Are you here for legal consultation, or do you need to initiate awsuit?¡± Cradling her coffee with both hands, Zoey fixed a solemn gaze on Estre. ¡°I have a ca that I want you to represent me on.¡± With a nod, Estre flicked on her digital voice recorder and opened her notebook. ¡°Go on, she urged. ¡°Lexi, my older sister, married Nick two years ago. She¡¯s a middle school English teacher and he¡¯s a P.E. teacher at the same school. Despite being married for over two years, they¡¯ve not had any children.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Our families are quite average ¨C my parents are ountants for somepany, and my brother-in- law¡¯s father has a regr job, while his mother is a homemaker. ¡°A fortnight ago, Lexi fell from her third-storey balcony. She was lucky;nded in a flower bed of the greenery below, saving her life. Still, she¡¯s been in aa since. ¡°My mother and I noticed these bruises on her while we were at the hospital. Lexi has always been one to suffer in silence, which leads us to suspect that she might¡¯ve suffered 09.15 domestic abuse. ¡°But Lexi¡¯s inws insist they¡¯ve neverid hands on her, attributing her bruises to the fall. Yet, those welts were clearly old, not recent. ¡°They im that Lexi jumped following an argument. But Lexi would not just take her own life. It¡¯s just not her. ¡°They have connections,¡± Zoey continued, fighting back her tears. ¡°The localmunitymittee and the police station have inspected the situation. Lexi never told anyone in our family about the alleged abuse, nor did the neighbors notice any such instances. They say we¡¯re being overly sensitive and everyone¡¯s just looking the other way.¡± Tears welled up in Zoey¡¯s eyes as shepleted recounting the events. Gulping down her emotions, she managed to croak out a fervent plea, ¡°Estre, we n to sue my brother-inw. We believe he abused Lexi, leading to her subsequent fall.¡± ¡°Estre, I¡¯m certain Lexi wouldn¡¯t take her life. If not for her sake, she would¡¯ve considered our parents. She wouldn¡¯t force them to bury their own child.¡± Zoey lost her battle with her tears as she finished her plea. Her recounting of Lexi¡¯s abuse and her current condition could barely stem the flow of emotion overwhelming her. Chapter 129 Estre handed Zoey a handful of tissues. She said soothingly, ¡°First things first, let¡¯s head to the hospital to check on your sister. Then we¡¯ll gather clues and evidence to see what charges we can press that¡¯ll stick.¡± ¡°Thank you, Estre,¡± Zoey replied, her eyes reflecting the glimmer of hope she saw in Estre for justice for her sister. Estre had made a minor breakthrough in Ryan¡¯s case, which had gotten some media coverage. Now, her acquaintances and old ssmates were paying more attention to her, feeling quite proud to know someone so aplished. Back in her school days, Estre was the talk of the campus. Now, all the schools she¡¯d attended, especially Ravenwood College, boasted about her achievements. N?velDrama.Org content. Still young, Estre had a long road ahead with many more opportunities to make headlines, crack high-profile cases, and maybe even tackle international incidents. Her reputation was already up there, rivaling Jason¡¯s on the global stage. But all that was a tale for another time. After visiting theatose Lexi at the hospital and reviewing the photos Zoey provided, Estre could almost confirm that Lexi had suffered domestic abuse. A thorough medical examination would likely reveal a history of older injuries. The photos Zoey snapped on the day Lexi was rushed to the hospital after falling from the third floor also showed clear marks on her neck, indicating strangtion. So, the truth of what happened that day went beyond a simple argument that led Lexi to jump. The full story behind her fall remained a mystery. Estre felt a weight in her heart as she sat at her desk with the evidence spread before her. She would asionally sh back to the moment Jason had pushed her. Suddenly, the bedroom door swung open, but she was so immersed in her work that she didn¡¯t notice Jason¡¯s entrance. Jason approached, carrying a steaming mug of hot milk, and ced it beside her, noting the sses perched on her nose as she delved into work. ¡°Working on a new case?¡± he asked, as she had only recently taken a brief respite after wrapping up Ryan¡¯s case. Without so much as ncing at Jason, Estre murmured, ¡°Yeah. A high school friend thinks sister¡¯s been a long-term victim of domestic abuse, and it escted to attempted murder.¡± At the mention of a ssmate, Jason tensed up. ¡°Is this friend a guy or a girl?¡± Estre couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, pausing her work to look at him and teasing, ¡°A guy,¡± before adding with a smirk, ¡°And there¡¯s a personal angle, too.¡± 11:33 Jason¡¯s expression darkened momentarily before Estre rified, ¡°It¡¯s a girl. What else were you thinking?¡± With that, Estre refocused on the evidence and case files. Having seen Lexi at the hospital, she decided to take the case. The exact charges were still under consideration, but Estre didn¡¯t rule out the possibility of pushing for an attempted murder charge. Jason didn¡¯t disturb Estre since she was absorbed in her work. He picked up a book with a gold- rimmed pair of sses and settled into bed to read. At midnight, as Estre stretched and prepared to wrap up, Jason intended to suggest it was time for bed. After clearing her desk, Estre sat down next to Jason, who turned to her with a question, ¡°Doesn¡¯t dealing with all this wrongdoing ever scare you? Aren¡¯t you afraid it might affect you?¡± Estre smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve seen so much darkness, so I strive to keep my heart light. I hope that through my efforts, society can be just a little fairer.¡± Looking into her clear, bright eyes, Jason was reminded of how Estre once chased down a hit-and- run bus driver for two entire blocks in middle school. In college, she saved a child from being hit by a car, only to be mistaken for a criminal until the neighborhood surveince footage cleared her name. Those were just a few instances of Estre¡¯s inherent bravery, which had only matured with her over the years. As Estre slipped off her jacket and crawled into bed, Jason turned off the light and wrapped his arms around her. Estre blocked him with her hands, ¡°Not tonight. I¡¯m not in the mood.¡± She really wasn¡¯t feeling it, partly because she¡¯d sent a sample for testing and partly due to the weight of the day¡¯s case. ¡°And besides,¡± she thought, ¡°we should wait for the test results.¡± Jason tugged at her clothes yfully. ¡°If you¡¯re dealing with cases like this every day, are you ever going to be in the mood?¡± With her eyes closed, Estre promised, ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll make it up to you.¡± She was truly exhausted from a night of sorting through evidence. ¡°Why are you pulling at my pants? If you can¡¯t control yourself, go to the bathroom.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not without a wife. Why would I go to the bathroom for that?¡± Despite her best efforts to resist, Estre still ended up conceding more than she intended, and if not for sheer fatigue, she might not have escaped his advances that night. 11:33 The next morning, amidst a busy schedule at thew firm, Estre received a call from the hospital. ¡°Is this Estre? The results for the sample you submitted are in. You cane to pick them up,¡± the voice on the other end informed her. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be there shortly. Thank you,¡± Estre replied before hanging up and excusing herself to drive to the hospital. ¡°Estre,¡± called the nurse, prompting her to rise from the waiting area and head to the office. The same obstetrician who had seen her before now handed her the diagnostic results, saying, ¡°Your husband¡¯s been on birth control. That¡¯s why you haven¡¯t conceived. But you¡¯re still young, and there¡¯s plenty of time to have childrenter if you wish. If you¡¯re really eager to start a family now, just have a chat with your husband. After all, life¡¯s pressures are pretty significant these days.¡± The doctor shared the results with Estre, offering advice and reassuring her that by today¡¯s standards, 23 was still young to start a family. At her age, many young folks were just embarking on their careers, striving to make their mark in the world. ¡°Dr. Robin, I can¡¯t thank you enough,¡± Estre said with an outward calmness that belied the raging inferno of anger swirling within her. That scumbag, Jason, if he didn¡¯t want kids, all he had to do was say the word. But no, he had to go behind her back and take precautions like she was some kind of fool. If he was really done with this rtionship, why couldn¡¯t he just man up and tell her straight? She wouldn¡¯t cling to him. She¡¯d walk away with her head held high. But this? What was this game he was ying? Clutching theb results in her hand, Estre felt like a top spinning out of control, her anger at Jason reaching a boiling point. She¡¯d always fancied herself as sharp, but apparently, he was the one pulling the strings. He¡¯d managed to sleep with her while avoiding the possibility of pregnancy, all without the decency of handing her a condom. Stepping out of the hospital with the damning report, Estre¡¯s face was a storm cloud of fury. Even when Kristin sent her a message about catching a cheater, she hadn¡¯t looked this grim. This was it. Tonight, Jason would have hell to pay. 11:33 Chapter 130 Jason strolled into the house after an evening of obligatory socializing, only to be greeted by Marie, who swiftly wiped her hands on her apron before rushing over to update him. ¡°Mr. Jason, you¡¯re back! Ms. Estre¡¯s home, too. She looked a bit under the weather and didn¡¯te down for dinner.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go check on her,¡± Jason said, ascending the stairs. As he pushed open the bedroom door, Estre was just finishing a call by the bay window. Turning to see Jason, her previously impassive face clouded over with a dark scowl. After noticing her mood, Jason asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you have dinner?¡± Estre tossed her phone onto the desk with a tter, ignoring his question. Dinner? She was so infuriated by him that the thought of eating was thest thing on her mind. Seeing that Estre was giving him the cold shoulder, Jason edged closer to the desk, tapping on its surface to subtly inquire what was wrong. He hadn¡¯t done anything to provoke her recently. Estre nced at him and, without warning, flung theb report on the desk at him. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked up at Jason with aposed challenge. ¡°Jason, what are you trying to do?¡± Silence lingered as Jason perused the report. His rxed demeanor vanished. Secrets never stayed hidden forever, and Jason was startled to realize that Estre had discovered his interference so soon. It seemed she was quite eager to get pregnant. After a moment of silence, he tossed the report back on the desk and said, ¡°You¡¯re too young to rush into having kids.¡± His condescending remark about her age made Estreugh bitterly. ¡°Too young, huh? Then don¡¯t bother getting into bed with me. Have the guts to keep your distance!¡± Her sarcasm cut through the tension. To Jason, she was too young to bear children but not too young to share his bed. Estre¡¯s simmering anger met with Jason¡¯s calm reply, ¡°Let¡¯s put off the kid conversation for a couple of years.¡± Put it off? Estre stared back at him before standing up with an icy retort, ¡°Fine. We can wait two years.¡± She went to the closet, pulled out a set of clothes for going out, and began to change. Did he want to wait two years? Fine, they¡¯d wait two years before seeing each other again-to save her the constant aggravation. 11:33 As Estre started to change, Jason closed in and grabbed her arm, yanking her back. ¡°Estre, a little drama is okay, but let¡¯s not blow this out of proportion.¡± His forceful pull inmed her further, and she threw the clothes in his face. ¡°Jason, don¡¯t push me too far. If you don¡¯t want this life, just tell me. But secretly taking preventative measures behind my back- what am I to you?¡± They could have discussed it. He could have exined that he felt she was too young, and they could¡¯ve decided together to wait. But his secretive actions spoke volumes. Even if their marriage was just a formality, he had crossed a line by not trusting her.. Estre¡¯s anger was palpable, yet Jason remained defiant. ¡°So you married me just to have a child?¡± She shot back, ¡°What else? Am I after your money or your charming personality?¡± Her words left him speechless. Money was not an issue for her. The Dorvold family was well-off. As for him, deep down, he wished she was after his affection, but he knew the state of their rtionship all too well. The room fell into a tense silence as they faced each other. Turning away, Jason fell quiet. Estre did the same. After a tense pause, Jason broke the silence with a cold statement. ¡°Estre, if all you want is a child, then I¡¯m telling you now. Give up on that idea.¡± He wouldn¡¯t be used as a mere sperm donor. Estre turned to face him. ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t have kids. Men are the least of what the worldcks. Why should I be hung up on you?¡± As she turned to leave, Jason grabbed her arm again. She faced him, about to retort when he cut her off, ¡°Estre, if you mess around outside¡­¡± Herughter was bitter. ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± She shrugged off his grip and stepped close, her voice low and fierce. ¡°Jason, I ow nothing. Let¡¯s be clear. I married you because I believed those fortune-tellers. I want child. If you can¡¯t give me what I want, what are you to me?¡± She hadn¡¯t wanted to argue, to say all this, but Jason had underestimated her for too lon She was increasingly finding this marriage meaningless. They had started with different expectations. She hadn¡¯t been solely focused on having children. She had hoped that time might heal the wounds Holly left behind. But she had overvalued her ce in his heart. His agreement to marry her was just a means to torture themselves, to appease his parents. She no longer cared to mince words. With Estre¡¯s candidness, Jason scoffed. ¡°In that case, you might as well forget about 17.93 having children at all.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. He couldn¡¯t understand her sudden change of heart, marrying him despite her hatred. It seemed he had overestimated his importance to her. Estre met his gaze defiantly. ¡°We¡¯ll see who canst.¡± With her words hanging in the air, Jason pocketed his hands and, without another word, left the house. After he departed, Estre didn¡¯t follow. She remained alone with her thoughts. A medical report had reset their lives back to square one. Jason had stoppeding home, and Estre had thrown herself into her work with abandon. At the moment, she was solely focused on wrapping up the Lexi case, after which she nned to tackle her personal turmoil. However, the three-year deadline Landon had given them was fast approaching, with just a little over four months left. Estre was bracing for the worst. Deep down, she knew agreeing to marry Jason was a mistake. How could two people, so rife with conflicts, possibly bury the hatchet and carry on with their lives as if nothing had happened? How could they ever truly open their hearts to each other? After all, in this world, anything that had been broken would show its cracks, especially the human heart. Jason had been gone for a solid ten days without a word, leaving Estre to keep a grueling schedule, coming and going in the early andte hours. Marie and the others wanted to ask, to inquire, yet they didn¡¯t dare. Estre had also taken a decisive step by formally initiating a murder charge against Nick. That evening, Estre, Logan and Arden had attended a dinner with some district leaders, After, one of them insisted on driving her home after she had indulged in a couple of drinks. Stepping out of the car, she thanked her colleague and made her way inside. Marie hurri over with a bit of news that was as surprising as it was unexpected. ¡°Ms. Estre,¡± she said, a note of caution in her voice. ¡°Mr. Jason hase back.¡± Chapter 131 Estre¡¯s motion of swapping her shoes halted abruptly. She hadn¡¯t felt any headache initially, but Marie¡¯s words seemed to bring on an instant throb. After a brief pause, she replied, ¡°Got it.¡± The day Estre had argued with Jason, she had contemted leaving Sandalwood Oasis. But the thought of her mother, Autumn,ing after her with tears streaming down her face, snot and all, made her stay put Fear was a stranger to Estre in most cases, except when it came to Autumn¡¯s tears. Besides, Landon¡¯s three-year deadline was down to thest four months. She had endured over two years. She could grit her teeth and get through a few more months. Maybe Jason wouldn¡¯te back after all. Out of her expect, Jason had returned today. Estre slipped into her shoes as if her legs were filled with lead at the thought of Jason upstairs-she couldn¡¯t bring herself to climb those steps. Still, she eventually mustered the will to ascend. Upon entering her room, Jason turned around from the bay window. Their eyes met, and Estre tried to muster a casual smile. ¡°Back again, huh?¡± Estre¡¯s resilience was not just the envy of many women but also of many men. Yet, even as she greeted Jason as if nothing was wrong, her spirit wasn¡¯t as buoyant as before, not even as it had been a few months ago. She felt weary, reluctant to deal with him but unwilling to let things grow too tense. At the very least, she had to keep up appearances. Hands buried in his pockets, Jason eyed Estre indifferently and asked, ¡°Who wa dropping you off just now?¡± His words hung in the air, and Estre paused mid-motion, her phone halfway to the Finally, she looked at him and said, with a hint of amusement in her voice. ¡°You¡¯ve bee gone for days and have the nerve to check up on me?¡± Estre often couldn¡¯t fathom where Jason got the audacity to act so high and mighty. She hadn¡¯t nned to question his whereabouts, but his tone was simply too irritating. Jason stepped closer, his gaze fixed on her. ¡°Estre, I¡¯m asking you a question. Don¡¯t change the subject.¡± Estre¡¯s smile faded as she responded indifferently, ¡°With a question like that, whoever you think it was is who it was.¡± To those who didn¡¯t trust her, a thousand exnations wouldn¡¯t suffice. Those who did would never have asked such a thing, to begin with. 11:33 She suspected Jason was just looking for an excuse to end their marriage early. Her nonchnce made Jason¡¯s expression darken. Before he could retort, she cut in, ¡°Jason, if you¡¯ve got something on your mind, let¡¯s talk about it. This constant nitpicking is getting old. It¡¯s exhausting.¡± He was the one who stayed away, the one who refused tomit to their marriage, the one who insisted on contraceptives. Estre was truly tired. She was so tired that she didn¡¯t want to fight with Jason anymore. She didn¡¯t even want to argue. Her job was demanding enough, taxing her mind. Who would want to waste energy on trivial matters every single day? If they could make it work, fine. If not, then so be it. Besides, there were so many other things to do in this world and so many interests to pursue. Who the hell wanted to spend all their time fixating on love affairs and family dramas? Estre¡¯s weary gaze seemed to douse the mes of Jason¡¯s anger, and he seemed to realize what she was thinking. She was fed up, tired, and unwilling to even fight with him anymore. Jason just stood there, watching her for a long while, until he finally left the master bedroom. Once he was gone, Estre exhaled a huge sigh of relief. Phew! She took a deep breath and headed to the bathroom to change. For now, she wanted Jason to stay away and not bother her so she could focus on wrapping up the Lexi case. She would be more than grateful for that. In the adjacent study, Jason called Drew as soon as he walked in. ¡°Check on what Estre¡¯s been up to lately.¡± ¡°Right away, Mr. Jason,¡± came the prompt reply from Drew, who set about his task immediately. Jason¡¯s face was still clouded with displeasure, especially when he recalled Estre¡¯s scornful look. Shortly after, Drew¡¯s call came in. ¡°Mr. Jason, Ms. Estre¡¯s been working on a case for a high school ssmate¡¯s family. She¡¯s been running between the hospital,w firm, and district attorney¡¯s office non- stop.¡± ¡°Also, tonight, she dined with some local leaders. It was Mr. Gordon who drove Ms. Estre home. They were probably discussing some old housing demolition dispute in the district.¡± Drew knew Jason might¡¯ve been concerned about who had brought Estre home tonight. It was the only evening she had an engagement, and coincidentally, he returned to Ravenwood. 11.02 After getting the information, Jason thanked Drew and hung up. Gordon, the man Drew mentioned, was an old family friend. Jason had known him since childhood. He had grown up alongside Estre and was well acquainted with both their fathers. Gordon had a son who was several years their junior, just starting his freshman year of college. Knowing that Estre was escorted home by a trusted elder, Jason felt relieved. Thinking back on his earlier interrogation of Estre and her sarcastic gaze, he massaged his temples. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t trust Estre, but that fight had been so fierce, and the memory of the fire she set years ago lingered, making him insecure. Plus, everyone knew that Estre married him because of some fortune-teller¡¯s words. After some time alone in the study, Jason returned to the bedroom to find Estre had already washed up and fallen asleep on the bed. Approaching her, he gently rearranged the hair on her face, pondering whether agreeing to this marriage had been a mistake. Perhaps it was time to let go and give each other freedom. The thought of letting go and having no connection with Estre in the future was unbearable for him. The mere idea of her marrying someone else and being with someone else made him unwilling to step aside. The next morning, Estre emerged from her bedroom to find Jasoning out from the room across the hall. She was initially surprised, then casually greeted him with a ¡°Good morning!¡± She couldn¡¯t be bothered to tease him as she usually would. Speaking to him first was simply a gesture of her magnanimity. ¡°Yeah,¡± Jason replied indifferently. As they made their way downstairs, Jason headed toward the dining room, and Estre grabbed something quick to eat and left. Upon seeing this, Marie followed Estre to the door to exin, ¡°Ms. Estre, Mr. Jason was asking about you as soon as he got back yesterday! Oh, and Mr. Jason has been away on a business trip recently.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Estre responded coolly. Inside, she found it bitterly ironic. Despite being his wife, she needed to hear about his whereabouts and doings via the housekeeper. The state of their marriage couldn¡¯t get any more ridiculous. Jason nced back at her, noting her reluctance to even sit at the same table for a meal. With a snap of frustration, he put down his utensils, no longer in the mood to eat. In the afternoon, Estre was heading back from the district attorney¡¯s office when her mother, Kristin, called her. ¡°Estre, don¡¯t forget about Grandma¡¯s birthday today! Make 11:33 sure you leave work early ande over with Jason.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Chapter 132 ¡°I¡¯m gonna pop by the boss¡¯ office and let him know I¡¯m heading out early.¡± If it wasn¡¯t for Kristin¡¯s call, Estre would¡¯ve totally spaced on the whole thing. On the other end, Kristin said, ¡°Jason¡¯s gonna pick you upter. You guys can head back together.¡± ¡°Cool,¡± Estre chuckled. ¡°If I bump into him, we¡¯ll ride back together.¡± After hanging up, Estre quickly said her goodbyes to Logan and left. The car had barely started when Jason¡¯s call came through, ¡°I¡¯m downstairs.¡± On her end, Estre replied, ¡°I¡¯m almost at the old house.¡± With a click, he hung up, knowing all too well she had done it on purpose. In her Audi, Estre nonchntly tossed her phone on the dashboard after the call dropped. ¡°Estre, you made it!¡± ¡°Hey, Estre.¡± ¡°Estre!¡± As soon as she stepped into the yard, Kristin greeted her with a beaming smile, and the older folks of the Nelson n warmly called out her name. Smiling and exchanging pleasantries, Estre walked in to find Thomas, Grayson and her parents had already arrived. After mingling a bit, she found a spot in the yard to sit and browse her phone. Keith and Amber¡¯s casual family gathering always featured chefs from top-notch hotels cooking up a storm at home. It was a tight-knit affair, with only close friends and rtives attending ¨C not just anyone could snag an invite! ¡°What¡¯s up, E? What game are you ying?¡± ¡°E, that looks super fun!¡± Lounging in a deck chair, engrossed in her phone, Estre was soon surrounded by a group of kids. ¡°I¡¯m gaming! Just wait till I lose this round, and you can have a turn,¡± Estre said, her fingers flying over the screen as she yed Snake. That was when Kristin approached. ¡°Estre, hasn¡¯t Jasone in yet?¡± Estre nced up, ¡°I took off early with the boss¡¯ approval. He¡¯s trailing behind.¡± 11.33 After her response, Kristin had a sinking feeling ¨C the couple must¡¯ve been at odds again. They¡¯d been getting along so well recently, hadn¡¯t they? Thest spat between Estre and Jason had slipped under Kristin¡¯s radar. With the ce bustling, Kristin refrained from prying, but she suspected Jason was at fault, likely due to something involving that Serene girl. Estre wanted kids and had always been easygoing. Kristin figured the trouble couldn¡¯t be Este¡¯s fault. As Kristin mulled over the potential cause of their argument, Jason strolled in, unfazed. He cast a brief nce at Estre, swarmed by children, then headed straight inside without a greeting. From the sidelines, Kristin was watching. The more she observed their cold war, the more convinced she became that they had indeed had a falling out. As dusk fell and a chill set in outside, Estre led the kids indoors without acknowledging Jason, acting as though he were a stranger. Jason, meanwhile, was engrossed in watching Thomas Grayson and others y cards, his gaze never straying toward Estre. With the kids now monopolizing her phone, Estre stood up to fetch some snacks from the kitchen. Kristin quickly followed. ¡°Hey,¡± Estre greeted her with a smile as Kristin approached. ¡°Estre, are you and Jason fighting?¡± Kristin, ever the straight shooter, went straight to the point without beating around the bush. Estre replied with a lightugh, ¡°Just a little spat.¡± Having long picked up on the facade of happiness, Kristin joined Estre and began helping her wash some grapes. ¡°Weren¡¯t things fine just a while ago? Didn¡¯t you say you were trying for a baby? What happened for you two to stop talking all of a sudden?¡± Before Estre could answer, Kristin continued, ¡°I could tell you two had a tiff the moment you didn¡¯t come in together.¡± She added, ¡°Estre, how¡¯s the baby situation? Having a child could resolve a lot of the tension between you. Sometimes, a child can be the peacemaker in a marriage.¡± The talk of children brought Estre¡¯s grape-washing hands to a halt. For other couples, a child might¡¯ve been a peacemaker, but for her and Jason, Estre wasn¡¯t so sure. If anything, a baby might¡¯ve just amplified their issues. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. After a pause, Estre turned to Kristin. ¡°Mom, Jason¡¯s been¡­ using contraception.¡± Estre decided to spill the beans about Jason, not wanting to end up holding the bag. Besides,ying out the situation for Kristin could prepare her for the reality that she and Jason might notst much longer. When Estre revealed that Jason was taking preventive measures, Kristin felt like her brain was about to explode. Once she grasped the gravity of what had happened, her temper red. That no-good son of hers was actually taking precautions behind Estre¡¯s back. With a stormy expression, Kristin crushed the grapes in her hand, recalling how Jason had sweet- talked her about having Estre get pregnant by the year¡¯s end and making her a grandmother the following year. It was all just a stalling tactic. How could she have given birth, to such a brat? 1. How could he go behind Estre¡¯s back like that? How did Estre feel? Where did that leave her dignity? She¡¯s a woman, for heaven¡¯s sake! At that moment, Kristin didn¡¯t need to ask whether the childbearing issue was the root of their argument and why Estre hade to the old house alone. Kristin tried to steady her tumultuous emotions, gearing up to console Estre and concoct some excuse for Jason, when Estre spoke in a subdued tone, ¡°If Jason doesn¡¯t want to, let¡¯s not push him. It¡¯s not easy for him either.¡± That set Kristin off. ¡°I don¡¯t care about what he finds easy! I care about what makes you and me feel at peace.¡± She couldn¡¯t fathom Jason¡¯s casual attitude. After all, wasn¡¯t she the daughter-inw they had finally weed with open arms? Others like Korey would give anything to be in his shoes! The nerve of Jason! After venting her frustration, Kristin turned back to Estre and probed, ¡°Hold on, Estre, what did you mean by what you just said? What¡¯s this ¡®if Jason doesn¡¯t want to, let it be?¡± Estre faced Kristin and exined, ¡°Jason and I have both tried our best in this marriage. If we push it further, I¡¯m afraid the conclusion will be even less amicable, possibly leading to more strain.¡± They had known each other for 23 years; parting on good terms seemed the best choice rather than ending up in a situation too awkward for both families to bear. At Estre¡¯s words, Kristin panicked. ¡°Estre, can¡¯t we give it another shot? I¡¯ll talk some sense into Jason. Don¡¯t be so negative. What if those predictions turn out to be true? What then?¡± Kristin would never have brought up the matter of fortelling if Estre hadn¡¯t made her stance clear. Deep down, Kristin knew all too well that those prophetic words influenced a significant part of Estre¡¯s reason for marrying Jason. 11.24 Chapter 133 Estre watched Kristin with a resigned smile. ¡°It¡¯s not really up to us, is it? And honestly, I¡¯m kind of fed up with the way things are going.¡± It had been two and a half years of one problem after another. The issues between her and Jason seemed endless, and she was truly ready to throw in the towel. If those fortune-tellers were right, then she might as well resign herself to a solitary life! Jason¡¯s attitude forced Estre to rewrite her entire life n, including whether to have children or even embrace motherhood. It had be a trivial concern. ¡°Estre, honey, let¡¯s not get worked up over this. How about we make Jason pamper us for a change, huh?¡± Estre just chuckled without responding. The thought of Jason trying to charm her wasughable. She had given up on such daydreams. Kristin, sensing her daughter¡¯s silence, felt uneasy. She knew all too well that when a woman¡¯s heart was wounded, nothing could mend it. Kristin just adored Estre and only wanted her as a daughter-inw. None of the other women, be it Serene or those minor celebrities caught her eye. Even if Holly were still around, she wouldn¡¯t have approved of her son marrying anyone else. Kristin was distracted and served grapes without washing them, lost in her thoughts about needing to talk to Autumn to persuade Estre. She was painfully aware that the majority of Jason and Estre¡¯s marital issues were due to her son¡¯s behavior. Take the wedding, for example. He hadn¡¯t organized a thing, not even a wedding portrait. Any other girl would have walked out on him long ago. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. When dinner was announced, Kristin walked over in a daze, still fuming over Jason¡¯s birth control secret. She found him more disagreeable by the minute, not serving him any food and even knocking his utensils out of his hand. ¡°What do you need a meal for with all your antics?¡± After the fourth time Jason¡¯s utensils were knocked away, he looked up at Kristin. ¡°Mom, what have I done to you?¡± ¡°You upset me every single day, and I can barely stand the sight of you,¡± Kristin snapped back. Her anger amused the others, especially Bryce who couldn¡¯t help but stir the pot. ¡°My cousin is the worst, with a heart so dark. He shouldn¡¯t be eating. He should be reflecting on his misdeeds.¡± Jason shot Bryce a cold nce, and Bryce quickly focused on his meal, acting as if he hadn¡¯t spoken a word. 11.34nting Kristin, seeing this, served Bryce more food. ¡°You¡¯re right, Bryce. Have some more.¡± Then, wistfully, she added, ¡°If only your cousin had half your sense, I¡¯d have peace of mind.¡± If Jason were as attentive to Estre as Bryce was, if he could dote on her as Bryce did, Kristin would be overjoyed. Their marriage wouldn¡¯t have any issues, and they would be inseparable. Bryce, basking in the praise, then served Estre some food. ¡°Estre, have a little more. I¡¯ll help you cut the caketer.¡± ¡°See, Bryce knows how to treat someone right, Kristin said, her actions speaking louder than her disappointment in Jason. Jason then realized that Kristin had a hunch about Jason¡¯s secret and was taking out her frustration on him. After the lively dinner, it was time to sing the birthday song for the family matriarch, Amber, and make a wish. ¡°Grandma, any wish you make today is bound toe true,¡± Jason¡¯s cousin whispered to Amber. Even at 82, Amber was sharp and robust. Scanning the room, she announced her wish. ¡°My first wish is for Jason and Estre to bless me with a great-grandson soon and to see the Nelson family thriving.¡± The room erupted with encouragement for Jason and Estre, but Kristin¡¯s heart ached. If they were heading for divorce instead of having children, it might just break Amber¡¯s heart. ¡°Why so quiet today? You don¡¯t seem happy,¡± Bryce asked Kristin, noticing her mood. Kristin forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve got a bit of a headache, feeling a bit off. Go ahead and eat a bit more, Bryce.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll eat your share, too,¡± Bryce replied cheerfully. After Amber made her wish, the cousin started cutting the cake. Bryce picked out a slice of chocte cake for Estre, and Kristin sighed, wishing her son had the same initiative. Turning to Jason, she saw him stepping outside to take a phone call instead of joining the celebration. Frustrated, Kristin stormed over and gave him a piece of her mind. Jason blocked her with his arm. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Kristin seethed. ¡°Have you forgotten what you promised? That day, at the old house, did you make those vows just to y us for fools? Jason, how can you be so heartless? Are you on contraception without telling Estre? Estre married you in 273 good faith. If you weren¡¯t ready for this marriage, you shouldn¡¯t have agreed to it!¡± Kristin thought of Jason¡¯s scandals, like how he kept Serene as his secretary. Kristin felt he was unfair to Estre. How did she end up with a son who just couldn¡¯t do right by his wife? If she were Estre, she¡¯d probably be fuming mad by now, pushing up daisies with a tombstone so overgrown it¡¯d be the talk of the graveyard. When Kristinid into him, Jason straightened his shirt and calmly retorted, ¡°Estre¡¯s young, you know, and she¡¯s all in on her career right now. Kids? We can put that conversation on ice for a couple of years.¡± ¡°Put it on ice for a couple of years?¡± Kristin blew her top. ¡°You¡¯re just biding your time until you can file for divorce next year! Don¡¯t think you can y your little games, and nobody will catch on.¡± The deadline Landon had set for their trial period wasing up in February, and after that, Jason could legally initiate a divorce. The thought that Kristin had pegged him as such a guy irked Jason. He wasn¡¯t pleased, not one bit. Chapter 134 Jason shoved his hands deep into his jeans pockets, gazing down at her before he uttered, ¡°Who said I¡¯m waiting until next year to get a divorce?¡± Oh, the nerve! Kristin chuckled in disbelief, ¡°Do you really need to tell me that yourself? And don¡¯t pretend, Jason. Can you honestly say you never mentioned kicking poor Estre to the curb when the timees? You¡¯ve really grown some backbone! Now you¡¯re bold enough to do the deed but not to own it, huh?¡± The things Jason had spat out during his fights with Estre were never directly ryed to Kristin, but the household staff were all too eager to report every detail they overheard. Noticing Jason¡¯s mood darken, Kristin hastened to clear any misunderstanding on Estre¡¯s behalf, ¡°With so many eyes and ears at home, Estre didn¡¯t need to breathe a word of it to me.¡± Jason remained silent. He knew Estre was too proud toin to his mother about the harsh words he¡¯d thrown at her. All she wanted was a child, nothing more. Seeing his silence, Kristin pushed further with a triumphant air, ¡°Lost for words now, are we?¡± Her persistence seemed to weigh on Jason. His eyes narrowed as he said, ¡°Mom, aren¡¯t you worried that Estre only wants a child? That she might take the kid and demand a divorce?¡± Jason¡¯s blunt question left Kristin speechless. It wasn¡¯t that she hadn¡¯t considered the possibility, but having it thrown in her face like this made her realize that he wasn¡¯t entirely without reason. It seemed his reluctance to get Estre pregnant was his way of clinging to their marriage out of fear she would leave him once she had the baby. After staring at Jason for a while, Kristin suggested, ¡°Then you should treat Estre better, show her some warmth. She¡¯s always so generous with her smiles around you and never holding a grudge.¡± Jason snorted, hands still in his pockets, ¡°She¡¯s always generous with her smiles to everyone.¡± Kristin had no words. Just moments ago, Kristin was full of confidence, but now she suddenly felt the conversation was going nowhere. Usually, she was quick-witted, especially when schooling Jason. Why did he manage to leave her at a loss for words?. Furrowing her brows in concern, Kristin truly worried about the possibility of a future divorce for the couple. They had known each other for so many years. Why couldn¡¯t they just get along? 11:34 After a thoughtful silence, Kristin proposed, ¡°Even so, you can¡¯t keep giving Estre the cold shoulder. She¡¯s not just anyone. She¡¯s your wife.¡± Pausing, a sudden idea seemed to strike her, and her eyes widened, ¡°Why don¡¯t you have Estre sign a prenup, promising she won¡¯t ask for a divorce after having a child?¡± Jason looked down at Kristin but said nothing. Seeing him just staring, she continued with a half-hearted smile, ¡°I guess that wouldn¡¯t be right either, huh? It does seem pretty distrustful, making it seem like there¡¯s no trust between you two.¡± She had never contemted the thought of Jason and Estre actually getting divorced. She hoped that when things cooled down, she¡¯d see her son give Estre the grand wedding she deserved, making up for the simple marriage certificate ceremony they had before. After her spiel, Jason gave her a smile, ¡°Mom, you usually don¡¯t seem all that bright, but today, your IQ is through the roof. Not a bad idea.¡± It wasn¡¯t like he hadn¡¯t had Estre sign agreements before. What difference would another make? Kristin, relieved by his praise, clutched her chest and exhaled, ¡°So the idea holds water, huh! If it¡¯s solid, then you and Estre better sign it quickly! Get that paperwork done and start working on having kids.¡± She added as an afterthought, ¡°But don¡¯t tell Estre this was my idea.¡± She couldn¡¯t afford to upset Estre. If anyone was to take the me, it would be her son. Jason rolled his eyes skyward at Kristin¡¯s anxious demeanor. Like mother, like son ¨C Bryce was no different, selling out their own kin cleaner than anyone else. and Kristin patted his arm. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go inside for some cake.¡± They entered the house to find Estre and Bryce yfully wrestling, their faces smeared with frosting. Jason felt aplicated pang in his chest. His wife seemed to get along with everyone in the Nelson family except him. As the partygoersughed and indulged in cake, Kristin took the opportunity to follow Estre out to the yard under the pretext of dodging the children¡¯s frosting-smearing antics. Estre called out when she saw Kristin emerge. Kristin wiped her face, remarking, ¡°You missed a spot.¡± Then, changing the subject, she ventured, ¡°Estre, you wouldn¡¯t think of divorcing Jason after having a child, would you?¡± Without needing to ask, Estre knew Kristin had juste from talking to Jason, and of 11:34 This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. course, Jason had deflected the issue onto her. After a long look at Kristin, Estre replied with augh, ¡°Whatever happens between us is always up to him.¡± She did have that intention, but she couldn¡¯t possibly admit it! It was one thing to confront Jason but entirely another to confess to Kristin. Kristin seemed satisfied. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t have that idea, that¡¯s good. You know, it¡¯s not easy for two people toe together in this big world, especially after knowing each other for so many years.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Estre agreed. She thought it was time for a change after so many years. Their conversation in the yard continued as the birthday party came to a close. Guests bid farewell to the hosts, Keith and Amber, and left for their homes. Jason and Estre said their goodbyes to the old couple, who made them promise to work on their rtionship and to plete their mission¡¯ soon. They nodded and agreed, but as soon as they left the house, they parted ways, one turning left, the other right. Jason¡¯s hands rested casually on the steering wheel as he followed Estre¡¯s car. The thought of the preemptive strike she hadunched with his mother soured his mood. It seemed she truly had the idea in her head ¨C to get a divorce. Jason¡¯s mood was as dark as a brewing storm, rolling in from the ocean and threatening to sweep everything in its path. After a drive thatsted a touch over twenty minutes, their vehicles pulled up to Sandalwood Oasis. Estre stepped out first, followed shortly by Jason. They entered the house one after the other. Marie, ever the cheerful soul, greeted them with a beaming smile, ¡°Mr. Jason, Ms. Estre, you¡¯re back! I bet the old manor was all hustle and bustle tonight!¡± ¡°Quite lively,¡± Estre replied. Jason remained silent. After a brief exchange with Marie downstairs, Estre ascended the stairs. Opening her. room door, she found Jason¡¯s gaze inadvertently meeting hers. Casting him a fleeting nce, she shrugged off her coat and hung it neatly on the rack. Breaking the silence, Jason asked with a hint of detachment, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait for me this afternoon?¡± Estre, with her back to him, replied nonchntly, ¡°I just went ahead, nothing to wait for.¡± She half- expected him to confront her about possibly tattling on Kristin, but he didn¡¯t bring it up. Jason watched her back, his mind teetering on the edge of speech, yet each time, he found himself reeling the words back in, unspoken. Later, when Estre emerged from the bathroom, refreshed from her shower, Jason was 214 11:34 no longer in the room. She didn¡¯t reach for her phone or seek him out. Instead, she simply dried her hair and slipped into bed, surrendering to sleep. Boom! Boom! Boom! In the dead of night, a series of thunderous roars ripped through the silence, jolting almost the entire city awake. Estre was no exception, startled from her slumber. As her eyes snapped open, a sh of lightning and a st of thunder illuminated the room, and there, in the stark brightness, she caught sight of a pair of deep, intense eyes staring intently at her from just an arm¡¯s length away. 11.24 Chapter 135 Estre bolted upright in bed, flicking on the light to find Jason, who had somehow snuck in beside her. Her irritation red instantly, and she grabbed the pillow next to her, unleashing a barrage of whacks. ¡°Jason, are you out of your mind? It¡¯s the middle of the night. Could you be any louder? And why aren¡¯t you sleeping? Why are you staring at me like some creep?¡± It wasn¡¯t the thunder that had jolted her awake in the night. It was Jason¡¯s piercing gaze that had set her heart racing. If her heart hadn¡¯t been so sturdy, that shock might have done her in. Jason, bewildered by the pillow assault, protested, ¡°What noise did I make? And why can¡¯t I watch you?¡± He was simply curious about her. The thunder had woken him up, and he admired Estre¡¯s ability to sleep through the storm. She hadn¡¯t stirred in the slightest. Estre¡¯s heartbeat hadn¡¯t calmed down yet, so she kicked him twice in frustration, venting her scare. ¡°Are you trying to annoy me? Weren¡¯t you supposed to be gone? Who asked you toe back?¡± He definitely wasn¡¯t in the room when she had taken a shower earlier. Jason, unfazed, tossed her foot aside. ¡°Who told you I left?¡± Estre red at him and kicked him again before getting up to pour herself some water. Jason felt her explosive temper with a slight smile ying on his lips. This was the Estre he remembered from before. Another thunderp boomed outside, and Jason nced out the window, but Estre remained unfazed as though she was in a different world. After finishing her water and lying back down, Jason kept his eyes on her, causing her skin to prickle. ¡°Are you going to sleep, or are you just going to keep staring at me?¡± she asked. ¡°It¡¯s thundering outside,¡± Jason remarked. Estre pulled the nkets tightly around her. ¡°Are you scared?¡± Jason saw her cocoon herself with the sheets, chuckled, and teased her, ¡°Estre, what are you even afraid of?¡± He remembered watching soap operas with Kristin as a kid, where the female lead would be terrified of the thunder, always seeking refuge in the male lead¡¯s arms for protection. Estre, however, wasn¡¯t following the script. The storm raged outside, but she waspletely unaffected. Jason had been lectured by Kristin earlier that evening and wanted to mend their 09:34 rtionship. Even if Kristin hadn¡¯t scolded him, he was looking for a breakthrough to resolve the tension. But when he had returned that night, Estre¡¯s attitude was lukewarm, and his pride was at stake. Estreughed at his question, and then, mimicking Serene¡¯s voice, she teased him, ¡°Jason, the thunder is so scary! I¡¯m so frightened!¡± Jason¡¯s spirits lifted, but before he could respond, Estre rxed back into herzy posture, yawned, and said, ¡°Jason, you watched too many TV dramas with your mom as a kid, huh?¡± It was just a bit of thunder, after all. Jason was at a loss for words. Estre¡¯s performance had given him hope for a moment, but she was just using it to tease him. Their eyes met, and seeing Jason still focused on her, Estre yawned. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep.¡± As Estre turned over, giving him her back, Jason flipped her into his arms in one swift move. Estre tensed up, her eyes widening. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Jason intertwined his fingers with hers and leaned in to kiss her lips. Estre struggled, but she was no match for Jason¡¯s strength. His hands were like boulders, his kisses as fierce as the storm outside, leaving her breathless. If a couple had a problem, a good night¡¯s sleep could usually fix it. If not, then perhaps two. Jason kissed her lips, her eyes, her cheeks, her ears¡­ His touch became gentler and more tender, as if he truly loved Estre, as if she was a precious treasure he held in his hands. Having experienced both Jason¡¯s dominance and tenderness, Estre shivered when he kissed her ear. Jason whispered, ¡°Estre, you want this too.¡± Estre retorted, ¡°Just get on with it. Stop talking.¡± If he hadn¡¯t seduced her, or his hands hadn¡¯t roamed, would she have lost control? She could tell that Jason had been watching her all night. He needed to let off steam, or neither of them would get any sleep.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. After her response, Jason¡¯s lips found hers again. As he moved down her body, Estre gripped his shoulders tightly, and her emotions swirled. She called out his name with bated breath. ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Jason responded, kissing her lips before boldly moving forward. Estre wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingernails etching deep marks on his back as he moved with intensity. Outside, the storm raged, and Jason was determined not to be outdone by the elements. He poured his energy into Estre as if trying to merge her into his very bones, never to part. 09:34 Finally, when Estrey exhausted on the bed pleading for him to stop, Jason watched her flushed face and dazed eyes, and after onest kiss, he relented. Exhausted, Estre closed her eyes, drifting between sleep and wakefulness, when Jason suddenly leaned in close, stroking her hair, ¡°Estre, get up and write something for me¡± It had been over two years of marriage, and it was the first time Jason called her Estre instead of her full name. Strictly speaking, since that one incident, he hadn¡¯t called her Estre at all. She opened her eyes, furrowed her brow at him, and said, ¡°Jason, can¡¯t you just settle down for the night?¡± Estre had a mountain of tasks waiting for her the next day, and she had already been more than generous with her time by keeping himpany for so long. As Estre opened her eyes again, Jason said, ¡°This won¡¯t take more than a few minutes of your time.¡± The thunder had ceased outside, but the rain continued to fall gently. Estre¡¯s re at Jason, however, was fiery enough to make up for the absence of lightning. Why on earth did the lightning spare him? Jason wore a dark gray satin rob¨¦, his signature gold-rimmed sses perched on his nose. Despite the late hour, he looked as dashing and gentlemanly as ever. No wonder he had a slew of admirers fawning over him. Estre had fallen for him once, probably enchanted by his handsome exterior. After staring at Jason for what felt like an eternity, Estre finally asked, ¡°What am I writing?¡± ¡°Just a little promise, like the one you made before,¡± Jason replied. ¡°If we ever have kids, you won¡¯t bring up divorce.¡± Thest thing he wanted was to be seen as a walking sperm bank. It was an absolute hit to his pride. After Jason hadid out what he wanted her to write, Estre gave him a look that screamed, ¡®Are you insane?¡¯ then deliberately turned her back on him, leaving him with a view of her defiant head. Did he think she was a fool, or was he just na?vely optimistic? Was such a document something one could casually draft? He had already disregarded her, and if she penned this promise, she would be bending over backward for him for the rest of her life. He¡¯d have her in his pocket,pletely at his mercy Chapter 136 Even though Estre wasn¡¯t the brightest bulb in the box, she wasn¡¯t that dim either. Jason ced his hand on Estre¡¯s shoulder, turning her to face him. ¡°Estre, cut the act.¡± Estre turned away from him again, too irritated to even look at him, let alone argue back. What a piece of work! If she actually wrote that promise, she¡¯d be the fool. Seeing that Estre ignored him after he spoke, Jason¡¯s gaze lingered on her before he stood up from the bed and switched on the main light. ¡°Estre, you sure you won¡¯t write this pledge?¡± he asked. The bright light stung her eyes. She propped herself up in bed and sat up, exasperated. ¡°Jason, are you out of your mind? Who the hell writes such a promise in the middle of the night? Ande on, are you a toddler? Does that piece of paper actually mean anything?¡± Jason looked down at her without responding to her rant, simply tugging at the sash of his robe. ¡°Sure you won¡¯t write it?¡± Estre¡¯s eyes trailed down to his toned waist and further up to his abs and pecs¡­ Feeling a dangerous sensation creeping up on her, she swallowed hard and then clutched the sheets tighter. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± They had just finished a marathon sex. Jason flexed his neck, calmly saying, ¡°Maybe I wasn¡¯t enthusiastic enough before and didn¡¯t make you comfortable enough to decide to stay with me. So, it seems necessary to turn up the heat again.¡± Estre felt a tingling on her scalp. She wasn¡¯t exaggerating-her legs were jelly, and she had no strength left. If Jason went for another few rounds, she was sure she wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of bed the next morning. Their eyes met, Jason cleared his throat, and Estre scrambled out of bed. ¡°I¡¯ll write. I¡¯ll write it for you.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the paper? The pen?¡± she said, jumping out of bed barefoot, moring for writing materials. Behind her, a faint smile yed on Jason¡¯s lips, but he quickly subdued it and walked over to the desk to fetch a pen and paper for her. Taking the pen and paper from Jason, Estre looked at him and said, ¡°How should I write this? Maybe you write it, and I¡¯ll just sign?¡± 09:34 Jason leaned against the desk. ¡°I¡¯ll dictate, and you write.¡± He began, ¡°I, Estre, hereby promise Jason that marrying him is entirely of my own free will, without any ulterior motives. Regardless of wealth or poverty, no matter what happens, I will stand by Jason, forever and ever¡­¡± Before he could finish, Estre looked up at him with disdain. He had the nerve to ask for such a pledge when all he had given her was a shoddy, ill-fitting ring. His audacity knew no bounds. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Ignoring her contemptuous look, Jason merely pulled at the sash of his robe again. Without another word, Estre ducked her head and dutifully began to write what he had dictated. Jason tightened his sash with satisfaction and waited for her to finish before continuing, ¡°I promise never to ask for a divorce from Jason on any pretext or for any reason, especially after we have children. I will never even speak of divorce.¡± He paused, then added, ¡°If I break this promise¡­ from now on, no more climaxes.¡± Estre mmed the pen down on the desk and red at Jason. ¡°You¡¯re a real pi¨¨ce of work, Jason. No wonder everyone talks behind your back. Your mother was right; you¡¯ve got all the family¡¯s vices rolled into one.¡± She had expected him to threaten her with lightning strikes or a legal battle, but instead, he cruelly wished her ack of pleasure. Downright wicked. She wasn¡¯t going to write such a humiliating thing. As Estre tossed the pen aside, Jason started to undo his sash again. She didn¡¯t pick up the pen this time but instead looked at him and said, ¡°Go ahead, might as well enjoy it while I can.¡± ¡°Brave words, Estre,¡± he said with a grin that wasn¡¯t quite a grin. Estre turned to face him, and as her eyes fell on his lower body, she noticed how¡­ impressive he was even before he got started. That tingling sensation returned. He was the worst. Before, he wouldn¡¯t let her fuck him when she wanted to. Now, she didn¡¯t want to, and he was threatening her to have sex. As Jason¡¯s robe began to tent, Estre turned away and picked up the discarded pen. If he was going to force her every night, make a move every single evening, multiple times¡­ Well, she might as well write it. After all, what was written in haste couldn¡¯t possiblye to pass, right? As she wrote down Jason¡¯s words, Estre cursed him in her mind a million times over for good measure. What terrible deeds had the Nelson familymitted to produce such a son? Reluctantly, Estre finished the pledge, and Jason slid the stamp pad toward her. She 09:34 signed her name with gritted teeth and resentment and pressed her thumbprint onto the paper. Finally, the pledge wasplete. Estre looked at him and asked, ¡°So I wrote the pledge. What about you?¡± Jason replied, ¡°Same here. I won¡¯t bring up divorce either.¡± Estre retorted, ¡°Oh, please! You didn¡¯t swear an oath. Don¡¯t feel pressured on my ount.¡± She had written a pledge not to initiate divorce, but she hadn¡¯t said that if Jason asked for a divorce, she wouldn¡¯t agree. So, it was fine by her if he brought it up. Seeing right through her little game, Jason picked up the pen to write beneath her pledge. Estre quickly reached out to stop him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to write anything. I was just asking. I¡¯m not as childish as you and don¡¯t want to pressure you.¡± She regretted her impulsive question as she tried to stop Jason. It was just an offhand remark, but Jason took it seriously and was about to put pen to paper. The more Estre tried to stop Jason, the darker the storm brewing on his face became. Finally, he insisted on adding a passage to their agreement, echoing Estre¡¯s sentiments, Vowing that if he broke the promise, he too would be devoid of joy. With a flourish, he signed his name and pressed his thumb into the ink, sealing hismitment. Estre stood there, her head spinning with confusion. They had been on the brink of discussing divorce, and now this. What in the world was Jason thinking? Did he not want to end their marriage? Was he aiming for a lifetime of mutual torment? Even if what she had said that one time was harsh, he had retaliated with a p, a hit that left her reeling. Surely, by now, he should have cooled off. The two stood there, eyeing each other, and Estre didn¡¯t bother to delve deeper into his thoughts. Other people¡¯s wedding vows often turned out to be empty words, so what weight did this piece of paper they¡¯d just written hold? Suppressing a yawn, Estrenguidly rose from her chair. Estre had, after all, written the pledge for him, and Jason¡¯s mood lifted. Barely awake, Estre was about to copse into bed when Jason suddenly wrapped his arms around her from behind, his chin resting heavily on her shoulder. His face was warm and soft against her skin, and as he embraced her, Estre involuntarily shivered with a reflexive tremor. Chapter 137 Estre couldn¡¯t deny it-Jason¡¯s proximity was intoxicating, his touch a magic spell. Every brush of his skin sent unusual shivers through her. It had always been this way, from the beginning to now. Her hands gripped his wrists as she swallowed hard, then turned to face him. ¡°I¡¯ve written the promise not to mention divorce again. Don¡¯t push your luck.¡± Jason nuzzled her cheek. ¡°Just let me hold you.¡± Estre fell silent, not pushing his hands away from her waist. She had been furious and resolved on divorce when she found out he¡¯d been secretly using contraception. So much so that she¡¯d kept her distance, ignoring him entirely. But Jason¡¯s antics tonight had almost disarmed her wrath. Despite hisck of exnation, his actions were speaking volumes. He didn¡¯t want kids out of fear she¡¯d use him and leave. Wrapped in Jason¡¯s warmth, she looked at him and said, ¡°You¡¯re the one who told me to pack up and leave, and now you¡¯re demanding promises from me. No consistency.¡± He pulled her closer, kissing her cheek before whispering, ¡°I told you to leave because you were only thinking about having kids and not thinking about us.¡± His breath tickled her ear, and her legs went weak. She retorted, ¡°Oh, please. Who¡¯s the one that¡¯s hardly ever home?¡± It was rare for Estre to dredge up the past, and it warmed Jason¡¯s heart. He held her tighter. As the storm outside subsided, so did their turbulent rtionship, returning to a semnce of peace. Jason kissed her face, admitting, ¡°My fault. I should¡¯vee home.¡± His candidness left Estre speechless. Indeed, spare those who concede. Besides, the quiet of the night was ripe for intimacy, especially after signing such an agreement. Life¡¯s always a mess. It¡¯s never smooth sailing. There are always problems. They gazed at each other. Estre suddenly sighed as she blurted out, ¡°Jason, you¡¯re¡­ ready again.¡± She could feel him pressing against her. Without a word, Jason leaned in and kissed her lips. His kisses were soft. From their first kiss, Estre had found itforting, enchanting. She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. After a heated exchange of kisses, Jason scooped her up, her legs wrapping around his waist. They continued like this until he gentlyid her on the bed, enveloping her in his Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. 09:34 arms. With her hands still around his neck, she found his face addicting, not to mention his ability to earn and¡­ fuck. He nibbled her gently, and leaning closer, she whispered in his ear, ¡°Jason, I want¡­¡± Hisughter followed her request, and then he kissed her deeply. ¡°Jason!¡± In the heat of passion, Estre clutched the sheets. Her face flushed as she called out his name. ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Jason replied, his voice tender. Time passed, and as dawn approached, they finally rested. Snuggled in his arms, Estre, with eyes closed, muttered, ¡°Damn, that promise was for nothing.¡± Jason chuckled and kissed her forehead, letting her drift to sleep. The next morning, Estre arrivedte at thew firm-a rare urrence. Sitting at her desk, she couldn¡¯t help but muse, ¡°Beauty does lead to trouble!¡± But then again, Jason was quite the partner. Initially, he was all brute force, but he seemed to have honed his skills. Despite the emotional distance, their physical chemistry was undeniable-a rare connection that sent electric shocks with every touch, every nce. Maybe that was the silver lining of their marriage-at least they could find sce in each other¡¯s arms. ¡°Estre, write up a summary of yourst case to share with the team,¡± Logan suggested. ¡°Sure,¡± she replied. ¡°You need it by tomorrow? I¡¯ve got to prepare for Lexi¡¯s trial and visit the hospital later.¡± ¡°By Monday morning, before our meeting, would be great.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± After acknowledging Logan, Estre plunged back into work. Following a quick lunch, she drove to the hospital. Upon arrival, she found Zoey already there, eyes rimmed red from crying. ¡°Estre,¡± Zoey greeted her, offering a ss of water. Taking the water, Estre nced at Lexi on the hospital bed. ¡°Still no change?¡± Zoey shook her head, her voice weak. ¡°Not yet she said, wiping away a tear. ¡°She¡¯s so young and didn¡¯t even have kids yet.¡±. Estre soothed her, patting her back. ¡°She¡¯ll wake up. She¡¯ll be okay.¡± 09:34 Regainingposure, Zoey turned to Estre. ¡°Can we win? Can we make my brother-inw pay for this?¡± Hope shone in Zoey¡¯s weary eyes. Estre took a deep breath and steeled herself. She knew about the home surveince, how Zoey was barred from gathering evidence by Lexi¡¯s husband Nick, and how the neighbors were tight-lipped, fearing trouble. After a pause, Estre said firmly, ¡°If he¡¯s guilty, we¡¯ll win. Thew won¡¯t let him get away with it.¡± Zoey nodded emphatically. ¡°Absolutely! Thew won¡¯t let the bad guys get off scot-free, and I trust you, Estre, with all my heart.¡± When it came to her old ssmate, Lexi hadplete faith. She trusted Estre would go to the ends of the earth to help them out. As Zoey spoke, she nced again at her sister still unconscious, and felt her eyes welling up with tears. She said, ¡°Ever since my sister¡¯s ident, my brother-inw and his parents have barely shown their faces. Mom¡¯s also sick at home and full of regret for ever agreeing to this marriage.¡± At that point, Zoey took Estre¡¯s hand earnestly. ¡°Estre, we¡¯ve got to keep our eyes wide open when we get married. All the other stuff is secondary. The man¡¯s character has toe first, no matter what. Marrying a rotten guy is just not worth it. You¡¯re better off on your own. At least you¡¯d be safe.¡± A few days ago, she had the doctors give her sister a thorough check-up, and they discovered a lot of old injuries, even a once-broken rib. These were things Zoey couldn¡¯t bring herself to tell her parents in detail, fearing it would just be too much for them to bear. Because of all this, Zoey was almost certain her sister had been suffering from domestic abuse. Chapter 138 Estre held Zoey¡¯s hands tightly, nodding affirmatively, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± She then said, ¡°Zoey, I promise I¡¯ll uncover the truth behind your sister¡¯s injuries.¡± ¡°Estre, thank you!¡± ¡°It¡¯s what anyone would do.¡± After spending some time with Zoey in the hospital room, Estre left. She had yet to see Nick show up. Since taking on this case, Estre had visited the hospital five times and hadn¡¯t bumped into Nick even once. Clearly, there was trouble in paradise. At the very least, Nick was a huge part of the problem. His affection for Lexi seemed minimal, or else he wouldn¡¯t have stayed away from the hospital for so long. Gripping the steering wheel, Estre mulled over the case details until the car behind honked, pulling her back to reality ¨C the traffic light had turned green. As she stepped on the gas to drive off, her gaze inadvertently fell on a ck Mercedes SUV across the street. To her surprise, Nick was seated in the passenger seat. The driver was a woman who appeared slightly older than Nick, not strikingly beautiful but exuding a mature allure. Moreover, that Mercedes SUV was high-end, definitely out of Nick and Lexi¡¯s price range. At this moment, Nick looked somber and lost while the woman casually held the steering wheel with one hand. If Estre¡¯s hunch was right, it looked like their hands were intertwined from a distance. She kept her eyes on the Mercedes SUV until a horn honked behind her again, prompting her to pick up speed. As the two cars crossed paths, Estre quickly dialed her colleague, ¡°Keegan, can you help me run a license te and find the car owner?¡± ¡°No problem, Estre. Shoot me the te number,¡± replied the assistant attorney back at the office. Estre ryed the te number she¡¯d memorized to her colleague. Her instincts told her there was more than meets the eye between Nick and this woman, which might be N?velDrama.Org content. connected to Lexi¡¯s fall. Three days after spotting Nick, Lexi¡¯s case went to trial. The judge introduced the parties and their lawyers and then announced the official start of the proceedings, allowing Estre to present the intiff¡¯s demands. As Estre detailed the old injuries on Lexi, medical reports, and evidence of strangtion marks on Lexi¡¯s neck from the day she fell, Nick¡¯s expression grew darker. His icy re at Zoey was downright frightening as if he could devour her whole. After outlining the intiff¡¯s suspicions and demands, Estre nced at Nick and then turned to the judge. ¡°Your Honor, in light of the evidence presented and the defendant¡¯s apparent apathy and failure to fulfill his spousal duties, we are charging the defendant, Nick, with assault and attempted murder.¡± Having stated her case, Estre saw Nick point usingly at Zoey. Assault. Murder. Zoey had the gall. Nick¡¯s gesture wasn¡¯t missed by the judge, who warned, ¡°Defendant, this is a courtroom. Mind your behavior.¡± That was when Nick¡¯s mother burst out from the gallery. ¡°Zoey, you viper! What have we ever done to wrong you or your sister? Sure, my son might have been too busy with work to visit the hospital often, but haven¡¯t he and I visited? Your sister¡¯s beenatose and hasn¡¯t woken up once. Are we expected to keep vigil by the bedside of someone who¡¯s unconscious 24/7? You bitch. How dare you use my son of assault and murder. You gonna pay for this!¡± The judge had to bang the gavel to remind Nick¡¯s mother to control her emotions, or she¡¯d be asked to leave. After she reluctantly sat down, the judge asked Nick, ¡°Defendant, do you have any response to the intiff¡¯s attorney¡¯s statement?¡± Nick rose from his seat, facing Estre. ¡°Your Honor, thiswyer must be talking about someone else because I haven¡¯t done any of the things she¡¯s using me of. I neverid a hand on my wife, and I certainly didn¡¯t push her off the third floor.¡± Estre probed, ¡°Are you aware that your wife Lexi frequently had injuries?¡± Nick retorted, ¡°No.¡± Estre pressed, ¡°With such a close rtionship, you never noticed her injuries?¡± Nick scoffed, ¡°Who has the time to inspect her all day? I believe Lexi might have been hurt, and I ept that your reports are real. But I didn¡¯t cause those injuries. If you want to seek justice for her, find the real culprit instead of throwing around baseless suspicions.¡± Zoey couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. Standing up, she faced Nick, ¡°You¡¯re lying. My sister¡¯s injuries were obvious. You must have known. And the marks on her neck the day she fell my mother even asked you about them.¡± Nick shot a cold nce at Zoey. ¡°If you want to know about your sister¡¯s bruises, you should ask her. Maybe she got them fooling around behind my back.¡± Enraged by his insinuation, Zoey eximed, ¡°How dare you use my sister like that?¡± Nick retorted, ¡°If you can suspect me of murder, why can¡¯t I suspect her of infidelity? Who knows if her guilt drove her to jump?¡± In the gallery, Haley was wiping away tears at Nick¡¯s words, and Jeffrey was shaking with anger. How could he have been so blind to give his daughter away to such a man? Nick¡¯s words and demeanor that day only deepened Lexi¡¯s family¡¯s suspicion that her injuries and fall were no ident. After his outburst, Nick smugly added, ¡°Zoey, if you suspect I¡¯m linked to your sister¡¯s death, you better come up with solid evidence instead of trying to convict me with empty usations.¡± Zoey challenged him, ¡°Then let us investigate your house. You better release your home surveince footage.¡± ¡°With the way you¡¯re grilling me, you think I¡¯d just hand you the keys to my kingdom?¡± Nick chuckled, shaking his head with a feigned pity that didn¡¯t quite reach his eyes. ¡°Sorry, sweetheart. I¡¯ve got ns for at least a few more Thanksgivings, and I don¡¯t intend to spend ¡¯em pushing up daisies.¡± ¡°Nick,¡± Zoeyretorted, her voice dripping with an usation as pointed as the heels she refused to run in, ¡°you¡¯re dodging the issue. Guilty conscience much?¡± Chapter 139 The judge banged his gavel again and reminded sternly, ¡°Please, intiff and defendant, mind your emotions.¡± N?velDrama.Org content. Heeding the judge¡¯s advice, both parties simmered down, their anger barely contained. The judge turned to Nick¡¯swyer and inquired, ¡°Counsel for the defense. Do you have anything further to add?¡± Nick had chosen a middle-aged male attorney who, upon the judge¡¯s query, stood up said, ¡°Your Honor, my client has made his position abundantly clear. I have nothing further to add at this time.¡± and The judge then looked towards Estre, ¡°Counsel for the intiff. Are you able to present any further evidence at this point?¡± Estre replied, ¡°Your Honor, we have no further evidence to present today. Therefore, we request an adjournment until the next session. ¡°Very well,¡± the judge addressed Estre, ¡°but please be prepared to present any additional evidence before we reconvene.¡± || Estre acknowledged, ¡°Understood, Your Honor.¡± If they couldn¡¯t produce anypelling evidence next time, the case would effectively be closed, and Nick would walk away without a scratch. The judge announced, ¡°Court is adjourned for today regarding the case of Lexi Hart¡¯s injury. Both parties will be notified of the date for the next hearing in due course. The defendant, Nick, is instructed not to leave Ravenwood until the conclusion of this case.¡¯ And with that, the session concluded, leaving Lexi¡¯s family with little advantage aside from the charges filed against Nick. As the group made their way to the parking lot in front of the courthouse, Jeffery and Haley spotted Nick emerging and, with eyes red with fury, osted him, ¡°Nick, you¡¯re heartless! You¡¯ve ruined my daughter.¡± Dressed in a branded sportswear ensemble, Nick approached Lexi¡¯s family with his hands in his pockets, his demeanor casual as he said, ¡°Inws, let¡¯s not jump to conclusions or hurl insults. I¡¯ve already said this has nothing to do with me. Why don¡¯t you wait for Lexi to wake up and exin it to you herself? And really, I was quiteposed in there, given how you¡¯re pinning this on me.¡± Jeffery and Haley trembled with rage. Haley was too upset to stand steadily, let alone hurl usations she desperately wanted to. How dare he defend himself and smear her daughter¡¯s name, insinuating that she was unfaithful. Haley knew her daughter better than anyone. She couldn¡¯t be that kind of person. 09.07 Jeffery and Haley were livid and unable to utter a word. Nick turned his gaze to Zoey, his expression darkening considerably. Pulling his hand from his pocket, he pointed at Zoey. ¡°Are you using me of murder, Zoey? That¡¯s pretty harsh.¡± After his remark, he casually spat on the ground and sauntered off with a carefree swagger. Estre remainedposed, watching the scene unfold. She had dealt with types like Nick before. Once Nick was out of sight, Zoey looked at Estre with tears in her eyes. ¡°Estre, do you believe my sister¡¯s injury and fall have nothing to do with him?¡± Estre watched Nick¡¯s retreating figure. ¡°I¡¯ll bring him to justice.¡± ¡®Estre¡¯s determination and calmness inexplicably soothed Zoey and her parents, instilling in them a belief that she would uncover the truth and secure justice for their daughter. After consoling Zoey and her parents and discussing the next steps for the case, Estre suggested they head home. Zoey offered to treat Estre to dinner, but she declined, suggesting they wait until the case was resolved. Estre encouraged Zoey to take her parents to rest. Zoey reluctantly agreed and left with her parents. After watching them depart, Estre turned to find her own car, only to discover it was sitting unusually low. Upon closer inspection, she found all four tires punctured, the car sagging lifelessly. It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out that Nick was behind this petty act of revenge, upset that she had taken on Lexi¡¯s family¡¯s case. Shaking her head in frustration, Estre was fuming. What a low blow! Nick¡¯s juvenile stunt only steeled Estre¡¯s resolve to win this case. She couldn¡¯t let a man like that get the best of her, especially since held likely seek revenge on Zoey if given the chance. As she pulled out her phone to call for a ride, a sleek ck car pulled up beside her. ¡°Estre.¡± Turning, she saw the window slowly roll down to reveal Korey¡¯s face, ¡°Estre.¡± Surprised, she greeted him, ¡°Korey.¡± ¡°Get in. I¡¯ll give you a lift,¡± he offered. With her car out ofmission and Korey conveniently right there, it seemed more awkward to refuse than to ept. So, she hopped in. The car started moving, and ke, the driver, nced back and offered a polite ¡°Ms. Estre.¡± She smiled back at ke and turned to Korey, Were you around here on business?¡± ¡°Just doing a routine check of the prosecutor¡¯s office,¡± Korey replied before probing, ¡°What 09:071 happened to your car? The tires seem to be damaged.¡± ¡°Likely the work of the defendant,¡± she said. Korey¡¯s concern was palpable as he suggested, ¡°I¡¯ll have someone look into it, and I¡¯ll ask Doug to assign a couple of ex-military guys to follow you discreetly.¡± Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°It¡¯s not that serious. Besides, he wouldn¡¯t dare make a move now, or he¡¯d be the prime suspect. And once this case is over, he won¡¯t have the chance.¡± Besides, if anyone should be arranging protection, it¡¯d be Jason, not Korey. If Jason found out, it could cause a ripple of unease not just for her but for the entire Nelson and Ledford families. She thought it best to let everyone live peacefully. Korey¡¯s features softened at Estre¡¯s words, and he chuckled, ¡°Estre, you¡¯re still as sharp and self- assured as ever.¡± With a yful smile, Estre quipped, ¡°Guess that¡¯s all I¡¯ve got going for me.¡± ¡°Nah, you¡¯ve got plenty of good attributes,¡± Korey retorted, still smiling. Estreughed in response. Later, Korey offered to take her out for lunch. Just as they were contemting where to go, ke pulled up right in front of the diner, so Estre ended up grabbing a bite with Korey. After they finished their midday meal, Korey dropped Estre off at thew firm. She toiled away the afternoon until the clock struck seven. The world outside was shrouded in darkness, the building emptied of its workforce. Estre finally powered down herputer and called it a day. By the time she arrived home, Jason was still out. She was worn out, so after a quick shower, she copsed onto the bed andy there motionless. Exhaustion weighed heavily on her, yet her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. She tried closing her eyes for some rest, but sleep eluded her. She wasn¡¯t sure how long she¡¯d been lying there when the bedroom door creaked open, and Jason returned. ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± she greeted him, her voice barely above a whisper, drained of energy. Jason, noticing her lethargy, hung up his tie and approached the bed, gently caressing her face. ¡°What¡¯s got you looking so wilted?¡± Estre didn¡¯t shy away from his touch, herrge, dewy eyes gazing into his, intoxicating him with their vulnerability. It was a look reserved for moments when she felt deeply wronged or was profoundly downhearted. In the nearly 24 years he¡¯d known her, he¡¯d seen that expression less than a handful of times. Chapter 140 Jason¡¯s right hand tenderly caressed her face. He broke the silence with an uncharacteristically gentle inquiry, ¡°Lost the case?¡± That just didn¡¯t make any sense. The court proceedings had only just begun. Estre was charging the defendant with intentional harm and murder. Such awsuit wouldn¡¯t usually be resolved so quickly. Propping herself up slightly, Estre,y on her side on the bed, gazing up at Jason toin, ¡°The defendant punctured all four of my tires. What a jerk.¡± One would have been bad enough, but all four? The thought still irked Estre. Jason¡¯s expression darkened as he listened to her, his grip tightening on her hand. But then Estre continued, ¡°After such a long day, I just wanted to sleep, but I¡¯ve been tossing and turning without a wink of shut-eye.¡± Jason¡¯s gloomy face softened into a smile as he teased, ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you this riled up. You can¡¯t even sleep.¡± Typically, Estre was unfazed by the world¡¯s troubles, going about her business as if the sky were always blue. Before Estre could respond, Jason brushed aside the strands of hair on her face, suggesting, ¡°Marie mentioned you skipped dinner. Why don¡¯t you go have a bite? Leave work at the office. If you¡¯re struggling with evidence, I could send Drew to handle it.¡± Estre resisted, ¡°Keep out of my work matters. I can handle it.¡± If she needed Jason¡¯s help for her job, what was the point of her years of hard work and education? Jason insisted, ¡°At least go eat something.¡± Estre flopped back onto the bed. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± The night was young, and their room was a haven of tranquility. It had been a long while since they¡¯d enjoyed such a leisurely chat. Jason found Estre¡¯s willingness to banter a delightful treat, feeling their distance wasn¡¯t as vast as before. Seeing Estre sprawled on the bed again, he leaned in to kiss her cheek, yfully threatening, ¡°If you¡¯re noting down, I¡¯m getting undressed.¡± Estre, lying there, casually slipped off her nightgown, revealing her porcin shoulders.. ¡°Come on! I¡¯ve been waiting.¡± Jason was momentarily speechless. Estre was growing too ustomed to his bluffs. Pulling her nightgown back up, Jason effortlessly scooped her up from the bed. ¡°Let¡¯s get some food in you first, or you¡¯ll beining halfway through.¡± 09.07 With her arms around his neck, Estre looked into his eyes, ¡°Jason, you seem different tonight.¡± He seemed gentler and more patient, almost like he was guiding her. Jason met her gaze. ¡°You seem different tonight, too.¡± Estre quipped, ¡°I¡¯m different every day and always ready to surprise you.¡± Jason teased back, ¡°Then surprise me tonight and be my maid.¡± Since she imed to be ever- changing, he¡¯d picked something totally out of character for her. Estre, still clinging to his neck, held out her hand. ¡°Pay up.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Jason whispered something saucy in her ear, prompting Estre to look at him like he was a pervert, followed by a chuckle, ¡°Stingy as ever.¡± As Jason carried Estre downstairs, Marie greeted them with joy, ¡°Ah, you¡¯vee down! Mr. Jason always knows how to handle you, Ms. Estre. What would you like, dear?¡± Estre stepped out of Jason¡¯s embrace. ¡°Just some light dessert and fruit.¡± ? Marie beamed, ¡°The fruitpote is still warm, and I¡¯ll prepare a fresh fruit te.¡± The couple chatted sporadically by the dining table while Marie bustled around them, her smile never fading. After more than two years, the pair had finally had their epiphany, enjoying the clear moon after the storm clouds. After theirte-night snack, they headed back upstairs, and Jason called for Estre to join him for a shower. She, however, was at herputer. ¡°I¡¯ve got some work to finish. You go ahead.¡± After teasing her a bit and getting a promise that she¡¯d join himter, Jason relented and headed to the bathroom. Soon enough, he emerged to find Estre, now with sses on, all business at her desk. Rubbing his damp hair and tossing his towel aside, Jason embraced her from behind, his warm face nuzzling against hers, ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Estre replied distractedly, typing away, ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a bit.¡± She hadn¡¯t nned on working late, but the dessert had sparked her thoughts anew. Jason fell silent but didn¡¯t let go, holding her while she remained focused on her work. His hand wandered from her waist to the softness of her chest, causing Estre to squirm ufortably. Estre shot him a nce. ¡°Stop it!¡± ¡°You do your thing. I¡¯ll do mine,¡± Jason replied nonchntly. Estre had always thought herself more brazen than Jason, able to voice things he wouldn¡¯t dare. But she¡¯de to realize that his public decorum was just a facade. In 09:07 private, he could surpass even her in shamelessness. After staring him down for a moment, Estre returned to her work, but Jason¡¯s antics escted, distracting her to the point of typos. As he whispered provocatively in her ear, Estre snapped, ¡°You¡¯re impossible.¡± He just chuckled, his hand continuing its journey downward. A moment of yful teasing, and Estre made several typing mistakes. At that moment, Jason bit her ear and provocatively whispered, ¡°You are wet.¡± Estre cursed under her breath, ¡°You¡¯re a real piece of work.¡± Jason shed a grin, and swift as aet, he swept her into his arms. Effortlessly, he carried her to the edge of the bed and gently set her down. In the next instant, he shed his own clothes, and a torrent of kisses rained down upon her. Estre lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck, embracing the cascade of affection. In the heat of their passion, he murmured, ¡°Estre, you¡¯re mine.¡± His voice, a velvet whisper, was both a im and a caress against the backdrop of their intimacy. Chapter 141 Estrey on the bed with her eyes closed as if her body and soul were floating above, detached and weightless. Afterward, Jason lounged in the bed, lighting a cigarette for himsHe snuffed it out before he could take more than a couple of drags. The rush had been so intense, so utterly satisfying, that he craved a smoke, but Estre wasn¡¯t fond of the smell of tobo. He didn¡¯t want to risk her health just in case she stirred. So, after only two puffs, the cigarette was extinguished. Gazing down at Estre, he watched as she quivered on the bed and chuckled, ¡°Still feeling it, huh? Women should enjoy it even more.¡± Estre¡¯s bare shoulders peeked out from under the covers as she looked back at him and yfully suggested, ¡°Maybe next time, I¡¯ll take the lead¡­¡± Knowing that Estre was not one to mince words, Jason shot her a stern look, and she promptly mimed zipping her lips. When it came down to it, their chemistry was seamless. Neither had others topare to, but they both knew they shared an umon connection ¨C both were intellectuals, and they understood these matters well. The room fell into a serene silence, and Jason snuggled under the covers. Propping his head up with his right hand, hey on his side and began to tidy the stray locks on Estre¡¯s face, asking softly, ¡°Did you run into anyone today? Anything you need to tell me?¡± Estre just looked at him. He¡¯d practically asked her point-nk. She might as welle clean. Pulling the nket over her shoulders, she replied nonchntly, ¡°You already know, don¡¯t you? So why ask?¡± Jason reached out to her, ¡°It¡¯s one thing for me to say it, another for you to admit it.¡± Estre shivered under his touch. The night was quiet, the room charged with intimacy. Noticing Estre¡¯s silence, Jason pulled her into his arms with a gentle tug. Their skin met, bare and inviting, despite their earlier exertions. Estre met Jason¡¯s deep gaze, noticing the absence of the usual sharpness and coldness in his eyes, only a hopeful expectation for her to speak her truth. She inched closer and wrapped her arms around his neck, confessing, ¡°I had a t tire. Korey just happened to pass by and gave me a lift, and we grabbed lunch together.¡± Before Jason could respond, Estre yfully pinched his chin, ¡°But Jason, howe 00-15 you know every move I make? Have you been having someone follow me?¡± Jason was straightforward, ¡°It¡¯s not like that. A senior manager from the office saw you at the courthouse.¡± He wasn¡¯t lying. Despite some distance between them, Jason would never stoop to having her followed. He trusted her more than that. The conversation remained soft-spoken. When Estre didn¡¯t press the issue, she turned over and yfully bit his chin, ¡°Got any energy left for another round?¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Jason cradled the back of her head, drawing her into a kiss. Their forey was brief as Jason lifted her legs and entered her, holding her waist as they began in earnest. They were tightly intertwined as if the rest of the world faded away. They spoke kindly to each other. The rare ease between them was palpable. After a while, both satisfied, Jason held Estre close as they drifted off to sleep. The next morning, Estre was busy at work when amotion erupted outside thew. firm with a very familiar male voice. ¡°Where¡¯s Estre? I want her out here now.¡± ¡°She¡¯s losing a case and got my car trashed. What kind of intellectual does that? What kind ofwyer is she? She should be disbarred¡± ¡°Estre, get the hell out here!¡± ¡°Sir, if you continue this, we¡¯ll have to call the police.¡± Though her colleagues tried to block Nick, he barged in anyway. Estre stood calmly from her chair. ¡°Keegan, let him through.¡± Hearing Estre¡¯smand, they let Nick go. Pointing furiously at Estre, the man. bellowed, ¡°What kind ofwyer are you? I swear, I¡¯m gonna get your license revoked!¡± As his finger nearly jabbed Estre¡¯s face, Keegan and the security guards intervened once more. Unperturbed, Estre retorted, ¡°Nick, if you want to sue me, you need to get your facts straight. If you carry on with this behavior in our firm, I could have you behind bars for a fortnight.¡± ¡°Fine, you deny it, huh!¡± His face was pale with rage. Nick took out his phone to show her photos. ¡°You dare deny that you trashed my car? Are you seeking revenge?¡± Estre nced at the photos on his phone-a Volkswagen SUV, battered beyond recognition, practically totaled. In an instant, Estre knew what had happened. Without asking, she knew it was Jason¡¯s 09:45 doing, a way of venting his anger for her. Estre withdrew her gaze from the photos. ¡°I didn¡¯t trash your car, and I have no knowledge of this incident. I suggest you report this to the police right away.¡± She added, ¡°But judging from what you just said, my tires were also shed yesterday.¡± She then turned to Keegan, ¡°Call the police.¡± Jason was meticulous. He wouldn¡¯t have left any evidence behind, and if there were any, he would¡¯ve handled it. All Estre had to do was act as if neither she nor her husband had anything to do with it. At Estre¡¯s instruction, Keegan promptly reached for the phone to call the authorities. Nick lost hisposure, realizing he wasn¡¯t going to intimidate Estre sessfully and instead had been outmaneuvered. ¡°You don¡¯t know? You couldn¡¯t possibly not¡­¡± Before he could finish, Estre interjected, ¡°The police will find out soon enough if I did it. They¡¯ll also help you investigate what actually happened to your car.¡± Estre¡¯s words hit the man like a shot of bourbon, straight and fiery, leaving him speechless. He pointed an using finger at her, his voiceced with grudging respect, ¡°You¡¯ve got guts,dy.¡± With that, Nick stormed out of thew firm, his pride wounded and anger boiling under the surface. Estre watched him leave, a smirk ying on her lips as she turned to Keegan. ¡°Keegan, tail him,¡± shemanded crisply. She had a hunch that after Nick¡¯s car had been vandalized, he¡¯d surely make a beeline to deal with it-likely slipping up in the process. As Nick disappeared from view, Estre¡¯s mind wandered to the image of the woman in the fancy Mercedes and how crestfallen he had appeared in her presence. ¡°Men like him,¡± Estre thought, ¡°I can read them like an open book.¡± Keegan nodded, understanding the assignment. He grabbed his DSLR camera and followed Nick swiftly on Estre¡¯s cue. Chapter 142 No sooner had Nick left thew firm than he made a beeline for the woman who had driven the Mercedesst time. In the cozy corner of a quaint caf¨¦, Nick had a stark transformation. The arrogance that clung to him in the firm dissipated into a subdued gloom, his face etched with the weight of the world. Across from him, the woman reached out and sped his hand. ¡°Nick, what¡¯s wrong?¡± He looked at her, a picture of helplessness. ¡°The court session was yesterday. My wife. didn¡¯t have a leg to stand on, no evidence to speak of. They couldn¡¯t take their frustration out on me directly, so they went and smashed my car.¡± As he spoke, there was no trace of anger in his eyes, only deep sorrow. The woman patted his hand in aforting gesture, and Nick continued, ¡°I just don¡¯t get it. Why are Lexi¡¯s family so hell-bent on making me the scapegoat? Why take it all out on me?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been married for over two years, and Lexi¡¯s health issues meant we couldn¡¯t have kids. Not once did my parents or Iin. We didn¡¯t want to pressure her, so we never even mentioned children around her. ¡°I think Lexi must have acted out of guilt, and I¡¯m heartbroken about it. I¡¯ve spent my days working or at the hospital taking care of her, shouldering the medical bills alone. I can¡¯t fathom why her parents won¡¯t let up on me. ¡°I can sympathize with them, to an extent, but I¡¯m my own person, raised by loving parents. Why are they trying to drag me down, even going as far as to smash my car?¡± Nick¡¯s face was the very image of grief as he spoke. Seeing his spirits low, she held his hand tightly. ¡°Nick, some people are just selfish. Don¡¯t take it to heart. As long as your conscience is clear, that¡¯s what matters. Besides, if they want to frame you, they¡¯ll need evidence. They can¡¯t just use you without proof.¡± Nick nodded morosely. ¡°I know. I just wonder when this whole farce will end. I hope Lexi wakes up soon so they¡¯ll have nothing left to say.¡± The woman remained silent. Then, reaching into her bag, she pulled out her Mercedes SUV keys and ced them in his palm. ¡°Look, Nick, with your car smashed, getting around must be a hassle. Take mine and use it for now.¡± Nick tried to hand back the keys immediately. ¡°I can¡¯t do that, Piper,¡± he protested. Piper was a 34-year-old divorced woman, an entrepreneur with her own start-up and six years Nick¡¯s senior. They had met at a gym. She pushed the keys back into his hand and insisted, ¡°Nick, no formalities between us, okay? Besides, I have more cars than I can 09.15 drive. Just take it and use it for now.¡± She followed up, ¡°By the way, is your wife¡¯s medical bill covered?¡± She then took out an envelope filled with cash and handed it to him. ¡°I happen to have two thousand here. Take this for now, and if it¡¯s not enough, you have to tell me.¡± ¡°Piper,¡± Nick looked at her, moved. She pushed the money and the keys toward him and said sternly, ¡°If you think of me as your friend, cut the courtesy.¡± Nick held the car keys and the cash tightly, expressing his sincerity, ¡°Piper, I¡¯ll pay you back.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll talk about thatter,¡± she replied. Not long after pocketing the money and keys, they left the caf¨¦ and headed to a nearby hotel. It was past six in the evening, the sky darkening, when they emerged from the hotel. Nick looked visibly drained, a clear sign that the afternoon had taken its toll in exchange for the cash and the luxury of the Mercedes. ¡°Wow, over seven hours. That¡¯s quite a marathon,¡± Keegan muttered to himself as he captured their exit with his camera before heading back. Meanwhile, Estre had arrived home from work to find an early surprise ¨C Jason was already there, donning an apron and bustling about the kitchen. Leaningnguidly against the doorway, arms folded, she watched him as if amused by an intriguing spectacle. Jason turned to find Estre standing there. He greeted her with a start, ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Sure am,¡± she replied with a smile, eyeing him up and down before gesturing to the kitchen. ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡± ¡°Just felt like it.¡± There had been a promise long ago, one where Jason had vowed to cook for Estre. But after a fallout, that promise had remained unfulfilled. Lately, things had been good between them. Just the previous night, Estre had taken the initiative, which had left Jason in high spirits all day. So, he hade home early to cook for her. Estre smiled. Then, trying to mimic Jason¡¯s usual stance, she attempted to rest her chin on his shoulder but found him too tall. She poked his back with her chin, ¡°Crouch down a bit. I can¡¯t reach.¡± Obliging her request, Jason spread his legs and squatted slightly, bringing his height down 09:45 to her level. With his adjustment, Estre easily rested her chin on his shoulder, arms still folded. It felt good. ncing at the stir-fry in the pan, she looked up at Jason. ¡°Did you have Nick¡¯s car smashed?¡± N?velDrama.Org content. Jason kept his focus on the cooking, casually responding, ¡°You¡¯re awyer; you should know your words carry weight.¡± Unfazed by his non-admission, Estre nted a quick kiss on his cheek. Such were the dynamics of their rtionship ¨C when things were good, she¡¯d recall all his kindness, willing to give him her all. But when things turned sour, grievances piled up, and a thousand divorces seemed possible in a single day. Estre¡¯s peck was met with a look from Jason. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Just as he added water to the simmering ribs, Estre chuckled and then pressed her lips. to his, engaging in a passionate kiss. Her lips were soft, and for Jason, it was like indulging in a never-ending jelly treat from his childhood. As he stood there, momentarily dazed by her affection, Estre teased with a smile, mimicking his usual approach by prying open his lips to let her tender tongue inside. Jason¡¯s throat tightened as he reached out and pulled her into his embrace. What followed was a passionate storm. They kissed so intensely that the world seemed to blur around them. Jason nearly had Estre¡¯s clothes off her in the heat of the moment. Estre¡¯s palm struck the back of his hand. ¡°Marie and the rest are just outside,¡± she reminded him with a mix of annoyance and urgency in her voice. Her resistance only fueled Jason¡¯s desire as he pulled her closer for another fervent kiss. The insistent buzz of his phone in his pocket finally forced him to let her go. Estre touched her swollen lips, then nced down. She caught sight of the name shing on his phone screen. Looking up, her eyes met Jason¡¯s with an unspoken question. Chapter 143 At that moment, Estre caught Jason¡¯s gaze as he was already watching her. Their eyes locked, and with an air of calm, Estre said, ¡°Answer it.¡± Jason¡¯s heart skipped a beat, his nerves frayed. But faced with Estre¡¯s unyielding stare, Jason reluctantly answered the call in front of her. It was the only way to clear the air. ¡°Jason,¡± came Serene¡¯s voice through the phone, already tinged with a sob. It had been a while since Serene had been involved in Jason¡¯s work, and their contact had dwindled. The unexpected call today likely meant trouble was afoot. At the sound of her ¡°Jason,¡± Jason nced up at Estre again. To his relief, her expression remained mostly unchanged. On the other end, Serene¡¯s voice, now choked with tears, cried out, ¡°Jason, my mom¡¯s sick again. She trashed the house, and she hurt Vincent, Jason, I¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m just so exhausted!¡± After her confession, Serene burst into tears. Soon after, her brother¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Jason, why has my mom be like this? She just hit me and my sister. Jason, I miss you so much! It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve seen you.¡± Following Vincent¡¯s plea, Serene, through her tears, said, ¡°Jason, I¡¯ve been trying to calm Vincent down for ages. He must have been scared tonight and kept asking for you, saying he wanted to see you. I know you¡­¡± Before Serene could finish, Jason cut her off, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Jason, I¡¯m so sorry! Really, I am!¡± Serene¡¯s apology was met with silence as Jason ended the call. When he looked back at Estre, her gentle demeanor had vanished. He cleared his throat awkwardly and was unsure of how to exin the situation to Estre. She spoke first, ¡°They all seem to miss you so much. Why don¡¯t you go?¡± She added, ¡°I¡¯lle with you.¡± Jason eyed Estre with suspicion. She simply smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯ty a finger on the kid.¡± After her reassurance, the sizzling sound of ribs cooking pulled their attention. Seeing that the ribs needed attention, Jason hurried to tend to his dish and called Marie to take over the kitchen. He set off for Serene¡¯s ce with Estre in tow. Although he was hesitant to bring Estre along, refusing now would seem like he had something to hide. Estre¡¯s insistence on joining him, as if on a mission to catch a cheater, made Jason nervous, but at the same time, he felt valued by her concern. Serene lived in an old apartment block with no elevator. Jason parked the car and led 00.151 Estre up the stairs. He noticed the hallway lights were out. With one hand, he guided Estre, and with the other, he lit the way with his phone. Estre turned to Jason and asked, ¡°She lives in such a rundown ce. Why haven¡¯t you offered her a house?¡± Jason shot her a look. ¡°I haven¡¯t given you a house, so why would I give her one?¡± He¡¯d dly pay if money could solve his obligation to Serene, but cash couldn¡¯t settle some things. Estreughed at Jason¡¯s retort,pletely forgetting about the ne he had given Serene. She wasn¡¯t one to dwell on the past unless pushed to her limit. Upon reaching the fourth floor, Jason knocked on the door. Serene opened it, her eyes red with tears as she lunged toward Jason, ¡°I knew you¡¯de, I just knew¡­¡± Instinctively, Jason stepped back, holding the door wide open. As the light from inside spilled out, Serene¡¯s eyes shifted to the figure beside Jason, her expression turning to one of shock. The tears stopped as she stared at Estre in surprise. ¡°Estre.¡± It never crossed Serene¡¯s mind that Jason would bring Estre, let alone that Estre would agree to come. Estre acknowledged her with a hod, then nced around the chaotic interior. The sparse furniture that could be smashed was indeed in ruins. Serene shifted ufortably but politely offered, ¡°Jason, Estre, would you like toe in?¡± Had Jason arrived alone, Serene would have already pulled him inside. Without a word from Jason, Estre said, ¡°We¡¯vee this far. Let¡¯s go in.¡± Serene stepped aside, letting them through. As they entered, she awkwardly said, ¡°After my dad left, mom¡¯s been struggling, having her moments. I apologize for the mess, Estre.¡± Her apology was directed solely at Estre as if Jason were already part of the family. Estre inquired, ¡°Hasn¡¯t the culprit been caught yet?¡± ¡°Drew found the culprit a while back and had him sentenced,¡± Serene replied, then turned to Jason, ¡°Thanks to Jason. Otherwise, the criminal would still be atrge.¡± Estre observed Serene¡¯s disheveled state. She knew that if it were up to Jason, Serene wouldn¡¯t be left in such dire straits unless she refused help. Perhaps she was ying the long game, seeking sympathy with her pitiable situation. Once a man felt sympathy andpassion for a woman, it was hard to let go. That was why Jason had kept Serene around, not just because she resembled Holly but also because of her vulnerability. After a tour of the apartment, Estre¡¯s gaze returned to Serene, who quickly hid the pink diamond ne under her clothes. In truth, if it hadn¡¯t been for her fidgeting with her ne, Estre might havepletely forgotten about the piece of jewelry, let alone 09:45 Bada Band And stuck to News Vason I dunno what even notice the one adorning her own neck. But that subtle gesture had jogged her memory. Estre couldn¡¯t help but chuckle inwardly. This woman was incredibly perceptive. ¡°Jason.¡± The room fell into a hush until Vincent burst out from inside, a Band-Aid stuck to his forehead. He scampered over and grabbed Jason¡¯s hand, the boy blurting out, ¡°Jason, I dunno what got into Mom today. She went totally nuts, smashed stuff all over the house, and she ever hurt my head.¡± He touched the Band-Aid gingerly. ¡°She hit my sister, too. Then sis gave her some meds, and she finally crashed.¡± Only after he finished spilling his concerns did Vincent realize there was someone else beside Jason, a lady no less. Suddenly, on high alert, he darted behind Jason and peered out, ¡°Big Bro Jason, who¡¯s she?¡± Jason replied, ¡°She¡¯s my wife, E.¡± Vincent eyed Estre warily, not bothering with hellos or formalities. Estre didn¡¯t mind. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. After scrutinizing her for a moment, Vincent, still clutching Jason¡¯s hand, ventured, ¡°Big Bro Jason, there¡¯s a couple of math problems that¡¯s got me stumped. Can you help me out?¡± Jason, hearing this, turned his gaze to Estre. Chapter 144 Estre, with an effortless grace, said, ¡°Go on! I wait for you.¡± Since she had apanied Jason here, she could certainly keep her cool. Jason went with Vincent into the room, and Estre and Serene remained in the living room. Serene, looking nervous, gazed at Estre for a long while before blurting out, ¡°Estre, have you had dinner? I can whip something up for you.¡± Estre declined, ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± Serene insisted, ¡°Then let me get you a ss of water.¡± Since Serene was adamant about hospitality, Estre didn¡¯t stand on ceremony. They each settled on a couch. Estre wasposed and rxed, while Serene seemed ill at ease, like a child who had done something wrong as if this wasn¡¯t even her own home. Biting her lip, Serene looked back at Estre, envying her for always seeming so unppable. Estre took a sip of her water, setting the cup down on the coffee table when Serene burst out, ¡°Jason has been such a help to Vincent and me. If it wasn¡¯t for Jason, I honestly don¡¯t know what I would¡¯ve done. I¡¯m so grateful that¡­¡± Her voice trailed off as she caught Estre¡¯s direct gaze. Realizing her mistake, she hurriedly stopped mid-sentence, exining, ¡°Estre, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I¡¯m not trying to brag. I¡¯m just really thankful for Jason, and it¡¯s¡­ awkward sitting here in silence.¡± Estre smiled nonchntly. Serene¡¯s behavior was ambiguous. Sometimes Estre couldn¡¯t even tell if Serene was genuinely mean or just putting on an act. As Estre looked at Serene, she calmly said, ¡°Jason mentioned that you once saved him.¡± Seizing the topic, Serene quickly said, ¡°Yes!¡± then continued, ¡°Actually, during that big fire three years ago, Jason was in the room too. I just happened to be passing by and busted in. There were two firefighter masks inside, and one was broken. Holly gave the only working one to Jason, and that¡¯s why he turned out okay. But Holly¡­ her health wasn¡¯t good to begin with, so¡­¡± Her voice faded, not finishing the thought. That fire had been so fierce, and for a moment, Serene had almostcked the courage to enter. But thinking of Jason inside, she had ultimately gone in. Holly had been conscious at the time, urging her to save Jason first. Serene had listened to Holly. The memories surged, and Serene¡¯s demeanor softened from anxiety to mncholy. Serene recounted the past lightly while Estre simply observed. So it turned out that 00:52 Jason had been right there during Holly¡¯s incident, and Holly had given her mask to him. Jason had never mentioned this to Estre. He never told her he had been there as well. Estre¡¯s silence prompted Serene to ask, ¡°Estre, didn¡¯t you know about this?¡± then added, ¡°Jason didn¡¯t tell you, probably because he didn¡¯t want to worry you.¡± With a sigh, Serene said, ¡°Jason looks after me because I saved him and Holly. Later, we heard that fire was set deliberately, but somehow the case just fizzled out, and the arsonist was never caught.¡± As Serene exined, Estre¡¯s gaze drifted toward Vincent¡¯s room. The muffled sound of Jason discussing a problem with Vincent carried faintly to them, and Estre suddenly realized just how distant she and Jason had be. He hadn¡¯t even shared the details of such a serious event with her. Thinking back, it was ¡®that time¡¯ on the rooftop their argument, his p, and how they had stopped talking altogether since then, even at Holly¡¯s funeral. His gaze had been particrly icy as if she were his enemy. At that moment, the feeling of being an outsider returned. Serene knew all his affairs. They shared a life-and-death bond. With his family background and pride, Jason still managed to integrate into Serene¡¯s life. Over the past couple of years, Jason had probably visited Serene¡¯s home far more times than he had the Dorvold family¡¯s. Estre¡¯s gaze returned from Vincent¡¯s room, and she spoke evenly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Jason will uncover the truth.¡± ¡°Absolutely! I trust Jason,¡± Serene nodded vigorously, then added, ¡°So Estre, please don¡¯t misunderstand me.¡± Serene seized the moment to make amends with Estre, who simply smiled, ¡°You¡¯re not even on my radar.¡± Estre was clear on one thing. Serene wouldn¡¯t be epted by the Nelson family. However, if Jason insisted on looking out for Serene in other ways, there was nothing she could do. One could manage another¡¯s actions, but not their heart. Besides, men didn¡¯t need to be managed. If you were in a man¡¯s heart, he wouldn¡¯t let you be misunderstood or upset. Estre¡¯s words left Serene looking as if she wanted to say more, but ultimately, she held back. Just then, the unlocked front door swung open and Drew came bustling in. ¡°Serene, you home?¡± N?velDrama.Org content. His words halted as he caught sight of Estre and he jumped, greeting her, ¡°Ms. Estre.¡± Seeing the two women in conversation, he added, ¡°Ms. Estre, I got held up with some family stuff. Sorry for making youe out here, too.¡± 213 09:52 Estre rose smoothly from the couch. ¡°I needed some fresh air.¡± Inside, Jason heard Drew¡¯s voice and came out of the room. ¡°You made it.¡± ¡°Mr. Jason,¡± Drew greeted, then said, ¡°Mr. Jason, why don¡¯t you and Ms. Estre head back? I¡¯ve got it covered here, and the doctor will be here soon.¡± With Drew¡¯s arrival, Jason approached Estre and took her hand. ¡°We¡¯ll leave this to you, then. Estre and I will head back.¡± Vincent rushed over and clung to his arm. ¡°Jason, are you going already? Can¡¯t you stay and y a bit longer?¡± Jason nced at his watch and realized it was gettingte. ¡°Hey, E hasn¡¯t had her dinner yet. I better take her home for some grub. You hang here with Drew, alright?¡± Vincent reluctantly let go of Jason¡¯s arm upon hearing this. ¡°Okay, then.¡± The siblings watched Jason walk away with Estre. Their eyes were heavy with goodbyes until the two disappeared from sight, leaving them lingering outside. Drew nudged Vincent, reminding him that Jason had left. Vincent turned to Serene, a wistful note in his voice. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be awesome if you were Jason¡¯s wife? Then we could all be one big happy family, living under the same roof.¡± Serene¡¯s face flushed with surprise. ¡°Vincent, what are you talking about? Jason and E are the family unit here.¡± She then turned to Drew, her voice tinged with embarrassment. ¡°Sorry, Drew. My little brother doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s saying. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± ¡±? get it,¡± Drew said with a dismissive wave, changing the subject. ¡°How¡¯s your mom doing? Does she need to go to the hospital?¡± As the Maybach hummed to life, Estre¡¯s mind was still echoing with Serene¡¯s words about Jason being present during that devastating fire. That meant he had witnessed Holly¡¯s death firsthand. Estre had been silent the whole ride, prompting Jason to steal a nce her way. ¡°Penny for your thoughts?¡± She seemed worlds away from the person she was in the kitchen. He regretted bringing her along, yet he knew they couldn¡¯t have avoided today¡¯s confrontation. It seemed like she was once again building walls between them. Estre was like that-holding her cards close and never tipping her hand. You always knew she had a knife, but you could never predict when she¡¯d decide to let it drop. Chapter 145 Estre leaned her elbow on the car window, cradling her face in her hand, and replied to Jason with a lack of energy, ¡°Just thinking about nothing.¡± There was still a chasm between her and Jason, an invisible wall that no amount of glossing over the ufortable truths could mask. They could never truly return to the way things were before. Jason had never brought up the past, and Estre didn¡¯t want to either. Besides, bringing up Jason¡¯s former me-especially one who had passed away-wasn¡¯t the wisest move she could make. It would only diminish her worth in his eyes and elevate Holly¡¯s importance in his heart, nudging him back into the arms of bygone memories. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have brought you here,¡± Jason muttered. Estre looked at him with a yful smile. ¡°So, you don¡¯t want me to be part of your life?¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I mean,¡± Jason replied. Estre just smiled and didn¡¯t say anything more. Before long, they were back at home. Marie greeted them with her usual cheerfulness, saying, ¡°You¡¯re back! Dinner is ready. Mr. Jason just made some ribs that are out of this world-I tried them myself!¡± Suppressing a yawn, Estre responded, ¡°Marie, I¡¯m not hungry. You guys go ahead and eat.¡± Marie wiped her hands on her apron, puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? How can a little outing¡¯ take away your appetite?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll eatter,¡± Jason said. Estre was clearly upset, and Jason noticed it. But then, if she had taken him to Korey¡¯s ce, he wouldn¡¯t be thrilled either. Retreating to their bedroom, Estre grabbed some clothes and headed to the bathroom. As she sshed water on her face, an inexplicable sense of mncholy washed over her. When she came out of the shower, Jason put aside the case file he was reading and looked at her. ¡°Come on, try to eat something.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Estre said, toweling her hair. Then, cing her hand on her stomach, she teased, ¡°Besides, who knows if I¡¯m pregnant? You haven¡¯t been carefultely, have you?¡± Estre had always had a way with words, speaking nonsense when she didn¡¯t feel like talking seriously. 09-527 Jason was momentarily stunned by her words, his heart leaping into his throat. ¡°We should get you checked out at the hospital tomorrow,¡± he said uncertainly. Seeing his serious reaction, Estre couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. ¡°I was just joking, and you took it seriously.¡± Though, judging by Jason¡¯s reaction, he probably hadn¡¯t been practicing safe sex recently. Jason¡¯s expression shifted instantly, and he pulled her into a kiss as if to silence her teasing lips. Sometimes, he really did wish he could sew her mouth shut. After a passionate kiss, Estre keptughing, remembering Jason¡¯s earlier response. He stroked her cheek, half-serious, half-yful ¡°Come on, try the ribs, at least. And aren¡¯t you going to thank me for today?¡± Jason had indeed orchestrated the vandalism of Nick¡¯s car. If it weren¡¯t for Estre¡¯s insistence on not meddling with her work, he would have taken care of the matter long ago without waiting for thew to take its course. With those words hanging in the air, Estre descended the stairs with him despite herck of appetite. She managed a few bites of Jason¡¯s barbecue ribs, which were, to his credit, delicious. After dinner, Estre returned upstairs to work overtime. Initially, she hadn¡¯t nned to workte, but after visiting Serene¡¯s house, she wasn¡¯t in the mood to keep Jason She felt Jason nudge her from behind and realized that she wasn¡¯t in the mood for romance. After a work call, he retreated to his study. By the time he finished and returned to the bedroom, Estre was already asleep on the bed. Sitting at the edge of the bed, Jason realized there was still a barrier between them. That was why Estre, even in her displeasure, hadn¡¯t talked to him about her concerns tonight. After watching her sleep for a while, Drew called. Jason took the phone to the adjacent study. Drew reported on Serene¡¯s situation and mentioned, ¡°By the way, Mr. Jason. Serene said she talked with Ms. Estre about the fire three years ago. She mentioned saving you and Ms. Holly.¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened ever so slightly at Drew¡¯s report, but he ended the call with a nonchnt acknowledgment. Standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows, Jason was haunted by memories of the fire and Holly¡¯s words that day. He didn¡¯t know how long he stood there before returning to his desk. He opened a secret file on hisputer, revealing evidence that it was Estre who had tampered with the evidence and had set the fire. Jason had been in denial when he first found the evidence, but subsequent investigations 211 ?? confirmed the harsh reality. Estre had started the fire that killed Holly. Jason closed the video screen and leaned his head back, letting it rest on the chair. The decision to agree to this arranged marriage was indeed a form of revenge against her, giving her what she wanted but denying her what she truly desired. Memories flooded back, weighing heavily on Jason¡¯s heart. After all, it was due to that devastating fire that Holly lost her life. He closed his eyes, overwhelmed by the thought that if the Ledford family ever found out and the truth ever surfaced¡­ He couldn¡¯t bear to think any further. Jason raised his right hand and rubbed his temple. It was clear to him that he and Estre could never go back to how things used to be. The next morning, Jason woke up to find Estre already gone from their bed. Marie informed him, ¡°Mr. Jason, Ms. Estre left about half an hour ago. She said you were sleeping soundly, and she didn¡¯t want to wake you.¡± With a curt nod, Jason had breakfast at home before heading to the office. Meanwhile, Estre clocked in at thew firm and headed straight to Nick¡¯s neighborhood to look for clues. When she asked a few neighbors on Nick¡¯s floor about the situation, they hurriedly tried to close their doors, iming they knew nothing about the man in 302, especially regarding any domestic abuse. The moment Estre heard that response, rm bells rang in her head. She hadn¡¯t even broached the subject of domestic abuse, yet the neighbors were preemptively shutting it down. It was clear they¡¯d heard themotion, possibly even cries for help. But there was a line she knew she couldn¡¯t cross. If they were unwilling to speak, she couldn¡¯t force This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. them. When Estre knocked on the door across from Nick¡¯s, it swung open to reveal an olddy. With Estre having visited the neighborhood multiple times, she figured Estre was the detective in charge. With a helpless sigh, she said, ¡°Look, we all just want to live our lives in peace. We don¡¯t go sticking our noses in other folks¡¯ business. You might want to find another way to handle this.¡± After expressing her resignation, she quickly closed the door. Standing at the doorstep, Estre pieced it together. Nick must¡¯ve warned everyone to mind their own business, which is why no one dared to speak up. With hands buried in her trouser pockets, Estre headed downstairs. Gazing up at Nick¡¯s balcony, a vivid scene invaded her thoughts. She imagined Nick unleashing his rage on Lexi, his fists and feet flying, and even using a chair as a weapon against her. 09:52 Lexi, desperately fleeing from the living room to the balcony, found herself with her back against the railing, cornered with nowhere to go. She could almost hear Nick¡¯s menacing voice as he cornered her. ¡°Run, go on, try to run from me again?¡± Chapter 146 Lexi¡¯s face flushed with effort as she pushed against his hands, but Nick¡¯s resolve was as cold as steel. Memories of Piper danced in his mind, a life with her that seemed so possible if Lexi were out of the picture. No messy divorce, no scandal, and the bonus of ying the grieving widower to garner Piper¡¯s sympathy. So, with calcted cruelty, he tightened his grip around Lexi¡¯s neck and, in one swift movement, sent her tumbling over the balcony rail. Estre¡¯s mind painted the grim scene as a young boy¡¯s voice suddenly broke her reverie. ¡°Hey,dy, are you digging into the whole 302 incident?¡± Startled, Estre looked down to see a boy of maybe nine, mask-d, staring up at her with wide, earnest eyes. Kneeling before the boy, she gently tousled his hair. ¡°Yeah, kiddo. I¡¯m awyer working on a case for thedy who lived in 302.¡± The boy, absorbing her words, inquired further, ¡°So you¡¯re helping thedy from 302, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, little man. I¡¯m her attorney, trying to uncover the truth for her family.¡± Encouraged, the boy fished out a USB drive from his pocket and handed it to Estre. ¡°Here, take this. It might really help you. But please, don¡¯t tell anyone I gave it to you, okay?¡± Estre clutched the USB drive, her surprise evident. This could be the breakthrough she needed. The boy, noting her astonishment, assured her, ¡°It¡¯ll definitely help thedy from 302. You have to catch the bad guy. I¡¯ve gotta jet,¡± he said, taking off before Estre could react. As the boy¡¯s figure disappeared into the distance, Estre pocketed the drive without chasing after him. This evidence was too crucial to risk any additional attention that could endanger the boy. Once she brought Nick to justice, she¡¯d have all the time in the world to thank the mysterious helper. Estre was back at her office. The phone rang as soon as she settled at her desk. It was Bryce. ¡°Estre, I¡¯ve got the dirt you asked for. And, damn, it¡¯s downright monstrous.¡± ¡°Shoot it over to my email,¡± she replied, her voice a mixture of anticipation and dread. Soon after, Bryce¡¯s findings arrived in her inbox, turning her pale as she read them. Clutching the damning evidence, she headed straight to the prosecutor¡¯s office. As she drove back from the courthouse, gripping the steering wheel, Estre was haunted by Lexi¡¯s tragic end and Nick¡¯s deceit. As the traffic light turned green and she began to move forward, a white Maserati zoomed by. A nce at the passenger¡¯s profile left her N?velDrama.Org content. stunned. It was her! But how could it be? She reasoned it must¡¯ve been a lookalike, for the world couldn¡¯t contain such an uncanny doppelg?nger. That evening, as the office emptied, Estre continued to work overtime. The image of the afternoon¡¯s mysterious silhouette flickered in her mind alongside the memory of the fire Serene had mentioned. As the world outside plunged into darkness, and Estre was stretching, ready to leave for the night, someone rapped on her desk. She looked up to see a familiar face and smiled. ¡°What brings you here?¡± Then, with a yful grin, she added, ¡°If you¡¯re here to catch me red-handed, you¡¯re out of luck.¡± Jason yfully pinched her cheek. ¡°Not up for a little hide-and-seek this time?¡± He was teasing her, recalling the time she had hidden Bryce from him, yfully searching the entire ce as if it were a game. ¡°Keep dreaming,¡± Estre quipped, surprised Jason hade to her office. Descending in the elevator with Jason, she noticed missed calls on her phone. Work often made her oblivious to the world. They got to their old favorite diner. The nostalgia was palpable as they hadn¡¯t dined alone like this in ages. The server brought out the fish, Estre¡¯s favorite dish. However, it now turned her stomach in knots. Just a whiff of it, and she felt a wave of nausea. Jason, concerned at her pallor and her hand clutching her chest, asked, ¡°Feeling okay?¡± She nced at him and took a sip of her juice. ¡°Probably just a stomach bug. Ate something off at lunch.¡± He poured her a bowl of soup, and as she sipped on the savory soup, the queasiness subsided. But when she tried the fish again, the nausea returned full force. By the end the meal, she was miserable. On the way home, she joked weakly, ¡°Jason, my body¡¯s having a pretty strong reaction to you.¡± His response was azy nce. Not amused, Jason squeezed her chin. ¡°No sweet talk everes out of that mouth of yours, does it? Let¡¯s get you a thorough check-up tomorrow, alright? Don¡¯t need you falling ill at such a young age.¡± Estre smiled wryly. Without his reminder, she¡¯d almost forgotten her youth. Burdened by a serious job and a marriage to Jason that made her feel decades older, she sometimes felt like she was already living the life of a much older woman. 00.50 In hardly any time at all, the pair made their way back home, and as they did, Estre felt that nauseating sensation wash over her once more, even more forcefully than when they were having dinner. As soon as they stepped through the front door, Estre clutched her mouth and bolted for the bathroom. Chapter 147 Marie intended to exchange pleasantries with the couple, but as she watched Estre dash to the restroom with a hand mped over her mouth, she hurried after her in a fluster. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Ms. Estre?¡± Marie asked, just as Estre retched, suggesting, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s food poisoning!¡± No sooner had she spoken than she was bent over the toilet, vomiting. Jason soon appeared with a ss of warm water. After Estre rinsed her mouth, she felt a smidgeon better. Jason was at her side, gently rubbing her back while Marie muttered, ¡°The grub from outside just ain¡¯t reliable. We should have Mr. Lee deliver lunch to you guys.¡± Estre managed to nod in agreement, attempting to stand, only to be hit with another wave of nausea. As Estre staggered back to the toilet, Marie¡¯s eyes sparkled with realization. Shel nced at Jason, then back at Estre, her mind racing. Mr. Jason had been around more oftentely, and the lovebirds seemed pretty cozy, often all lovey-dovey in front of others. Connecting the dots, Marie asked with a hint of excitement, ¡°Ms. Estre, are you by any chance expecting?¡± The question caught both Jason and Estre off guard. After a recent all-clear from the doctor and a previous bout with food poisoning, pregnancy was thest thing on Estre¡¯s mind. Given her rtionship with Jason, it wasn¡¯t something she had considered likely. Jason, momentarily stunned, turned to Estre. He had assumed it was just a stomach bug, having no prior experience and never having yed the role of a dad. Watching Estre, Jason¡¯s grip on her arm unconsciously tightened, his gaze filled with unspoken. concern. Estre, half-amused, reminded him, ¡°Jason, you¡¯re hurting my hand.¡± Upon her words, Jason quickly let go. Marie couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Mr. Jason is just over the moon at the thought of bing a daddy,¡± she teased. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure this is it. I¡¯ll apany Ms. Estre to the clinic tomorrow to check.¡± Without hesitation, Jason blurted out, ¡°I¡¯ll take Estre.¡± Marie¡¯s smile widened. ¡°If you can take Ms. Estre, that would be perfect. Congrattions to you both,¡± she said, offering her support to Estre¡¯s other arm. 10:40 Jason, noticing Estre¡¯s pallor, asked, ¡°Are you feeling unwell anywhere else?¡± ¡°Just a bit nauseous,¡± Estre replied. ¡°That settles it then. You¡¯re definitely pregnant,¡± Marie concluded confidently. Hearing this, Jason held Estre even closer as if afraid she might fall or stumble. Back in their room, Estre noticed that Jason wouldn¡¯t let her do anything, even something as simple as fetching clothes from the wardrobe. He insisted on doing it for her. When it came time for her shower, Jason insisted on joining her, citing his worry that she might slip and fall alone. Estre, finding it impossible to argue, reluctantly agreed to let him help her bathe. She found it amusing that Jason had be uncharacteristically anxious since Marie¡¯s pregnancy suggestion. She had known him for years and had never seen him so on edge, so careful with her as he was now, even while helping her bathe. After her shower, Estre sat at herputer desk, and Jason¡¯s mood darkened. ¡°Who said you could turn on theputer? Get back to bed, now.¡± Feeling a mix of amusement and frustration, Estre turned to him. ¡°Jason, we don¡¯t even know for sure what¡¯s going on. Don¡¯t be so tense. Besides, even if I am pregnant, working women still go to their jobs.¡± ¡°You are my wife,¡± Jason stated firmly. His deration of ¡°my wife¡± silenced Estre. Then, Jason approached and, with a tenderness she wasn¡¯t ustomed to, lifted her from the chair as if she were a precious gem and ced her gently on the bed. As he tucked her in and brought her a warm ss of milk, Estre reminisced about the time she fell ill in eighth grade. Jason had watched over her for 72 hours. He did not leave her side except for bathroom breaks, and he even missed school to care for her. As she watched him fussing over her, Estre teased, ¡°Jason, you¡¯re making me feel guilty. If I¡¯m not pregnant, I¡¯ll feel like I¡¯ve let you down, let down the entire Nelson family ancestry.¡± Jason, normally so self-assured, was attending to Estre¡¯s every need, and it made her feel guilty. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he reassured her, ¡°If you¡¯re not, then you¡¯re not. It¡¯ll happen eventually.¡± She smiled at his words. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want kids.¡± After nearly three years of marriage, his rare visits home, his avoidance of her touch, and his secretive contraception use had convinced her that Jason never wanted to be a father. The room fell into afortable silence as Jason stroked her face gently, ¡°I never said! didn¡¯t want kids.¡± 10 40 Jason had just finished speaking when Estre turned to face him and said, ¡°Jason, I need to discuss something with you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Jason asked, his tone open and approachable. Estre¡¯s hand emerged from theforter, reaching out to gently sp his. ¡°My court date is next Monday, and I was thinking of postponing the hospital check-up until after this whole Lexi case is wrapped up.¡± The uing trial was weighing heavily on Estre¡¯s mind, and thest thing she wanted was an additional distraction. Plus, she knew that if the pregnancy test came back positive, Jason would probably insist on her taking leave from work immediately. She also preferred to handle the hospital visit on her own, without Jason¡¯spany. Predictably, Jason was not on board with her n. ¡°No, we¡¯re going to get that check-up done tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, we¡¯ll do the check-up tomorrow,¡± Estre conceded, not one to pick unnecessary fights. She snuggled deeper into the covers and closed her eyes, signaling her intention to sleep. ¡°You haven¡¯t finished your milk,¡± Jason reminded her. ¡°You drink it,¡± Estre replied, her voice muffled by the nket. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Estre,¡± Jason said, his hand sneaking under the covers. Estre had always been ticklish, a vulnerability Jason was well aware of. So the moment his hand crept in, she wriggled out of bed like a startled rabbit,ughter, and protest mingling in the cozy twilight of their room. Chapter 148 When Jason woke up the next morning and opened his eyes, Estre was no longer by his side. She had already left, leaving him to wake alone. The look on Jason¡¯s face was, as one might expect, less than thrilled. At thew firm, no sooner had Estre settled at her desk than her phone buzzed with Jason¡¯s call. ¡°Getting a little too bold, aren¡¯t you, Estre? king on me?¡± Bncing the phone between shoulder and ear while her fingers danced across the keyboard, Estre retorted, ¡°Who¡¯s getting bold? I¡¯ve got a busy day at the office, but don¡¯t you worry. I¡¯ll swing by the hospital as soon as I¡¯m done here.¡± ¡°Estre, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning to sneak off for a check-up, looking to hog the baby all to yourself?¡± Jason¡¯s suspicion sounded as if Estre was already carrying their child, and she was plotting to run off with it. Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh, standing up from her seat to find more privacy in the fire escape stairwell. ¡°Of all people in this town, your Nelson family is rolling in it. You¡¯ve got the heftiest bank ount, and the highest status. Clinging to your coattails is my daily grind, just hoping to bear you a child. Why would I ever keep a baby from you? I¡¯m counting on that kid to get a slice of your fortune.¡± Before Jason could respond, Estre continued, ¡°I¡¯m not that foolish. I¡¯m just swamped with a case that¡¯s hitting the courts soon, and I can¡¯t be distracted. I promise, I¡¯ll head to the hospital once I¡¯m done.¡± She added, ¡°Besides, I didn¡¯t feel any morning sickness today. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t havee to the office at all. Oh, and just so you know, I¡¯m in the fire escape, which has spotty reception. Gotta hang up now.¡± ¡°Hello¡­ hello¡­¡± Estre murmured into the phone before pulling it away, pretending the call had dropped, and with a grimace, Jason ended the call on his side. You can¡¯t stay mad at someone who¡¯s all smiles. Estre had exined herself with such patience that Jason had no choice but to let it go and hung up. Let her y her game. He¡¯d see how long she could keep this up. Back in her office, after Jason hung up, Estre was weed by a co-worker¡¯s teasing. ¡°Got a boyfriend, Estre? Was that a call from your man?¡± ¡°Sure was, Estre replied nonchntly. Boyfriend? She had been married for two years, a fact she preferred to keep out of workce gossip. So Estre deflected questions with simple answers, preserving her privacy. ¡°Estre, the court just rang. They need you over there.¡± ¡°On my way,¡± Estre said, grabbing her car keys and heading out. Friday traffic was slow, and as Estre tapped a rhythm on her steering wheel, her gaze caught the sleek Maserati approaching. It was the same car she¡¯d noticed a couple of days ago. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Estre watched the girl in the passenger seat, and could hardly believe her eyes. Her intuition told her that it couldn¡¯t be just a simple resemnce. It was impossible to have someone so alike, even in temperament. As traffic inched forward and horns red behind her, Estre stepped on the gas and continued on her way. She brushed past the white Maserati and immediately pressed the speed dial for Bryce. ¡°Bryce, I need a favor.¡± ¡°No problem, shoot me the details,¡± Bryce chuckled. ¡°Heck, I could be your assistant at Justice Guardians LLP.¡± ¡°You¡¯re on, but no sry,¡± Estre joked back. ¡°As if,¡± Bryce scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t work pro bono.¡± ¡°So about that favor I just asked, are you doing it or not?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± Estre chuckled and forwarded the Maserati¡¯s license te number to him. As awyer, Estre had a hunch that there was something fishy about this, and it might be linked to the fire that had urred three years ago. In fact, there were many things Estre found suspicious, like why Landon insisted she marry Jason. Before the fortune-tellers came into the picture, Landon had briefly broached the subject of marriage, which she had brushed off due to their ipatibility. But after consulting her own fortune-teller and facing pressure from her parents, she had found herself in the current predicament. After sending Bryce the information, Estre drove to the courthouse to wrap up her work. Exiting the courthouse around two in the afternoon with a nauseous feeling creeping back, she decided to visit the hospital. She needed to get some medicine for what could be a recurring bout of gastritis. By three-thirty, Estre had her results in hand when Jason¡¯s call came through. ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°After finishing work at the court, I came straight to the hospital. Got the results. I¡¯ll snap a photo for you.¡± With that, she sent Jason the picture of her medical report. Jason¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°Estre, you don¡¯t have a husband.¡± Estre chuckled. ¡°Then what are you?¡± She quickly added, ¡°No need to make a mountain out of a molehill. Did you see the report? Gastritis, that¡¯s all. I¡¯m used to handling hospital visits on my own.¡± ¡°I saw it,¡± he replied, his tone softening. ¡°Got a meeting tonight. I¡¯ll be homete.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After hanging up, Estre asked the doctor, ¡°Could you prescribe some folic acid and a few other vitamins, please?¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll get those ready for you.¡± Past ten that evening, fresh from a shower and ready for bed, Estre heard Jason return, a faint trace of alcohol on his breath. ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± she noted. ¡°Didn¡¯t workte tonight?¡± he inquired. ¡°Everyone deserves a break,¡± Estre replied, moving closer to hang his suit jacket on the rack. Jason watched her, his gaze then shifting to the medical report on the table. He paused, picked it up, and flipped it open. It confirmed what she had sent earlier: no pregnancy, just gastritis. Jason¡¯s gaze drifted over to the folic acid and vitaminsid out on the table. Estre, noticing his attention, chimed in, ¡°Well, I figured since we¡¯re nning on it, might as well start taking them, right? We¡¯re going to need them eventually.¡± Jason responded with a nonchnt ¡°Hmm,¡± setting aside the report he had been reading. However, it was clear that his spirits weren¡¯t as high as they had been a few days earlier. Estre, picking up on his mood, prodded gently, ¡°Not thrilled because we¡¯re not expecting yet?¡± After her words hung in the air, Jason reached out, pulling her into his embrace, his chin resting on her shoulder. ¡°A bit disappointed,¡± he admitted. The night before, Marie had been so confident that Estre was pregnant, and Jason, caught up in the moment, believed he was on the brink of fatherhood. But it turned out to be a false rm. Estre didn¡¯t know that earlier that morning, Jason had asked his secretary to buy a whole array of maternity and baby items. Now, all those preparations seemed to be useless. Feeling Jason¡¯s disappointment, Estre¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She hadn¡¯t anticipated such a strong reaction from Jason. After all, he had always been reluctant about having children. Tilting her head to look up at him, Estre softly called out, ¡°Jason, actually¡­¡± Chapter 149 Jason nced down at her, with a hint of a question in his eyes. Estre, on the verge of saying something, finally just smiled reassuringly, ¡°It¡¯ll happen when it¡¯s meant to be.¡± With a nomittal grunt, Jason bent down and kissed her cheek. As he moved to kiss her lips, Estre pushed him away, ¡°You reek of booze. Go shower first, and I¡¯ll make you some tea.¡± ¡°Damn, can¡¯t even get a kiss now,¡± Jason grumbled yfully, pinching her cheek before taking the clothes she had pressed into his arms and heading to the bathroom. Watching Jason¡¯s retreating figure, Estre couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Soon after, when Jason emerged from the bathroom, Estre had brewed the tea and even prepared a fruit tter for him, ying the part of the doting wife for a change. Jason wrapped his arms around her. As he was about to kiss her, Estre blocked him, ¡°Eat something first to line your stomach.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Jason eyed her suspiciously. Estre picked up a slice of fruit with a smirk, ¡°If you don¡¯t fill up, I doubt you¡¯ll have the staminater.¡± Jason was momentarily speechless-wasn¡¯t she always the one begging for mercy? Estre fed him fruit, and after a few bites, Jason¡¯s kisses became more urgent, though not as fierce, betraying the weight on his mind. With her arms around his neck, Estre whispered, ¡°Still not over it? Should I go out and pick up a kid for us right now?¡± That made Jasonugh, ¡°Would any kid be the same as one you¡¯d give birth to?¡± With that, he yfully tumbled her onto the bed. Estre braced herself against his shoulders, ¡°Easy tiger, remember my stomach.¡± Jasonughed again, ¡°I can¡¯t reach that far.¡± Estre burst intoughter, ¡°Jason, you¡¯re even naughtier than I am! Their fingers interlocked. Then, Jason leaned down to kiss her deeply. He gotta work hard to get Estre pregnant. After their lovemaking, Estre was left exhausted on the bed, and Jason easily pulled her into his arms. Half-awake, she muttered into his neck, ¡°We¡¯ll have a child someday eventually, just be good to me.¡± Jason nuzzled her gently, affirming with a soft hm,¡¯ though it wasn¡¯t clear exactly what he was agreeing to. Over the weekend, Estre made a trip to the office and took some time to rest at home. 10:41 Come Monday, Lexi¡¯s trial resumed. Entering the courtroom alongside Zoey, Estre saw Nick standing cocky and smug, his hands in his pockets as if the case was already won. His arrogance inmed Zoey¡¯s eyes to red, while Jeffery and Haley in the audience regretted ever misjudging such a man and agreeing to the marriage. As both parties returned to their seats, the judge and jury arrived, and the judge announced the continuation of the trial, turning to Estre to ask, ¡°Does the intiff have any new evidence rting to the charges of intentional harm and murder?¡± Rising confidently, Estre replied, ¡°Your Honor, regarding the case of Mr. Lexi¡¯s fall and her injuries, we have new evidence and insist on charging the defendant, Mr. Nick, with intentional harm and murder.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s review some images and videos of the defendant to establish his motive for the alleged murder,¡± Estre continued, picking up a remote and casting images of Nick and Piper together onto the projection screen. ¡°As you can see, the defendant Nick met thedy in the photos, Piper, at an upscale gym in town this April. Piper, 34, is a divorced entrepreneur with two sessful clothing businesses, both online and in brick-and-mortar stores, and is quite well-known.¡± ¡°Piper is financially stable. In the seven months since meeting Nick, she has transferred him a total of $260,000, not counting cash, and even bought him a luxury Mercedes SUV.¡± As Estre¡¯s investigation turned to Piper, Nick¡¯s face paled, his neck veins bulging. He stood up abruptly, pointing at Estre, ¡°What the hell kind of evidence is this? Piper and I are just friends. This is an invasion of privacy!¡± ¡°Calm down, will you?¡± Estre retorted coolly. The judge, unimpressed by Nick¡¯s outburst and profanity in court, brought down his gavel, ¡°Defendant, please control your emotions. And the intiff¡¯s attorney, please continue with the evidence pertinent to this case.¡± After the judge¡¯s prompt, Nick sat down, seething but silent. Estre resumed with poise, ¡°Your Honor, this is just the beginning of the evidence chain.¡± ¡°Proceed with your evidence,¡± the judge instructed. With a nce at Nick, Estre continued the presentation, ¡°The defendant ims he and Ms. Piper are merely friends, yet we have found several instances of them checking into hotels together over these seven months.¡± ¡°Their longest recorded encounter was nine hours. I¡¯ll leave the nature of their interactions to your imagination, but from the photos of their daily interactions, it¡¯s clear they were more than just friends- they were lovers. ¡°Given this, we must question whether the defendant, Nick, wanted to end his marriage 10-$10. with the victim, Lexi, to be with Piper, and upon being refused, chose murder as his exit strategy. ¡°Or maybe the defendant didn¡¯t want to tarnish his image in front of Ms. Piper, fearing to be seen as a gold-digger who dumped his wife for wealth. So, he chose to push the victim, Lexi, down the stairs, fabricating the excuse that it was a suicide. In doing so, he could still y the role of the devoted lover in front of Ms. Piper, trying to ingratiate himself and garner sympathy. ¡°Our team is now leaning more towards this second suspicion because, from the conversation captured on the video, we can hear that the defendant has been using the victim¡¯s fall to gain sympathy and swindle money. He imed to have been constantly by the victim¡¯s bedside at the hospital, but ording to our investigation, the defendant visited the victim only twice after her fall, with the total time amounting to less than thirty minutes. His visits to the victim were even shorter than the time he¡¯d spend on a single hotel room rendezvous.¡± When Estre reached this point, Lexi¡¯s mother had already burst into tears in the audience seats, while the father trembled with anger. This jerk had an affair. He could have simply filed for divorce if he wanted out of the marriage, but why did he have to kill their daughter? That was a human life. As Estre listed the preliminary evidence, the spectators in the gallery were seething with anger, each of them hurling insults at Nick, calling him an asshole, convinced that Lexi must have been pushed by him. Chapter 150 Next to Estre, Zoey was perpetually wiping tears from her cheeks. Nick¡¯s brutal treatment of her sister was because he himself had been unfaithful-he was using her sister¡¯s life to craft his own public image. As Estre mentioned the affair between him and Piper, and seeing that there was no hiding his infidelity, Nick rose from his chair with a nonchnt swagger and admitted, ¡°Yes, I confess I didn¡¯t love Lexi. I cheated.¡± ¡°I was upfront with Lexi about it and even suggested we get a divorce. She said she¡¯d think about it, but then she just went off the deep end and jumped. Bottom line, everything that happened to Lexi has nothing to do with me.¡± Since Lexi was in aa, he felt free to spin the narrative however he wished, without anyone to counter his ims. Then, turning to Estre with arrogance, he taunted, ¡°Ms. Estre, you think you can pin a crime on me with a few photos? Set me up? If that¡¯s how you practicew, you might as well be better off at home doing theundry and cooking dinner.¡± Estre simply smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself.¡± Continuing, she turned to address the judge, ¡°Your Honor, the intiff requests to present the second piece of evidence.¡± The judge nodded, ¡°The intiff¡¯s second piece of evidence is epted.¡± Nick¡¯s face briefly betrayed his concern, but he quickly regained hisposure. After all, he had never allowed Estre into his home, so how could she possibly have any N?velDrama.Org content. evidence? With the judge¡¯s go-ahead, Estre began ying a video as she exined, ¡°This second piece of evidence was provided by a young member of the defendant¡¯smunity. Given that the witness is a minor and considering their safety, coupled with the fact that the evidence is a legitimate, live-action video, we won¡¯t bepelling the witness to testify in court.¡± After Estre finished speaking, a video from Nick¡¯s home started ying on the projection screen. Although it wasn¡¯t shot inside his house, it was still very clear. It showed Nick delivering a barrage of punches and kicks to Lexi, even hurling objects at her. No matter how Lexi tried to dodge or plead, Nick was relentless, each blow more vicious than thest. ¡°From this video, we can clearly see the defendant¡¯s severe propensity for violence. His abuse of the victim, Lexi, is abhorrent and also corroborates that her injuries were indeed inflicted by the defendant,¡± Estre continued. ¡°Beyond this drone footage, we also have surveince videos from inside the defendant¡¯s home, providing a closer look at the brutality suffered by the victim and the final motive 08:56 for murder.¡± ¡°Nick, please stop, I¡¯m begging you,¡± Lexi¡¯s voice echoed through the courtroom. ¡°Nick, Nick¡­¡± ¡°Nick, is it because I haven¡¯t given you a child? The doctor said there¡¯s nothing wrong with I can have children. Nick, let¡¯s not rush this, please.¡± me, When Lexi mentioned children, Nick grabbed a chair and smashed it on her, barking, ¡°Have kids? With what money to raise them? You¡¯re a useless waste, a disgrace. I thought marrying you would bring a decent wedding gift from your folks, but all they coughed up was a measly $200,000. You worthless tramp, have your parents transfer the house to us, or it¡¯ll all go to that little tramp Zoey.¡± As the video continued to show Nick¡¯s brutal beating, Estre revealed, ¡°Defendant, are the medical reports we obtained correct? You suffer from azoospermia-you¡¯re the one who can¡¯t have children, right?¡± Estre didn¡¯t hold back in exposing Nick¡¯s infertility to the public, sparing no regard for his dignity. In the defendant¡¯s seat, Nick¡¯s face turned ashen. In a fit of rage, he hurled a card at Estre, ¡°You bitch, you¡¯re invading my privacy! I¡¯ll sue you, and you¡¯ll rot in jail. And these videos-where did you get them from? They¡¯re illegally obtained; none of this evidence should be admissible!¡± The judge, witnessing Nick¡¯s fury, cautioned, ¡°Defendant, please control your emotions.¡± But how could Nick stay calm after what Estre had revealed? ¡°Estre, you bitch. You¡¯re framing my son, falsifying evidence!¡± Nick¡¯s mother exploded from the spectator¡¯s bench. The judge, seeing themotion, immediately had Nick¡¯s mother escorted out of the courtroom. Lexi¡¯s parents, witnessing their daughter¡¯s abuse on video, were ovee with shock. Lexi¡¯s mother fainted, and her father, along with staff, rushed her to the hospital. Meanwhile, Zoey, sitting beside Estre, wept uncontrobly, heartbroken for her sister. How could Lexi be so foolish? She got beaten, but she didn¡¯t tell anyone and didn¡¯t consider divorce. If they had known about the domestic abuse, they would never have allowed her to continue living with such a man ¡°Nick, you¡¯re a monster,¡± Zoey tried to swear at him through her tears, but was too choked up to speak. ¡°Order, order,¡± the judge called for silence, then turned to Estre and asked, ¡°Counsel for the intiff, where did you obtain this evidence? Is it obtained legally?¡± 08:56 Chapter Chapter 150 Estre replied, ¡°Your Honor, the surveince footage from the defendant¡¯s house was discovered identally on a website. The defendant, far from feeling remorse for abusing our client, actually boasted about it online, even sharing the videos.¡± ¡°As for the medical proof of the defendant¡¯s azoospermia, he bragged about it on a dating website, showing off his physique and prowess, and boasting that there was no risk of pregnancy. We found it inadvertently.¡± As the video continued to y, it showed Lexi attempting to discuss divorce calmly with Nick and him responding with more vicious beatings, iming she had no right to ask for divorce and that he was the only one to make decisions about their rtionship. He even threatened to kill her parents and her sister if she dared to speak of it outside. Zoey understood then why her sister had never shared her plight with them. Lexi feared Nick¡¯s madness and the potential harm to her family. ? Zoey¡¯s sobs grew more intense, and the courtroom spectators were filled with an urge tosh out at Nick themselves. Even Nick¡¯s ownwyer mmed his folder down on the table, his face so grave he couldn¡¯t muster a word. It was as if the taking of Nick¡¯s case had been a stain on him as a person and on his professional career. Nick was in a heated tug-of-war with Estre, jabbing a finger in her direction and yelling, ¡°Bullshit! I never posted that online, and I certainly didn¡¯t share any medical reports.¡± Sure, Nick had been an active user online, but he was clever enough to mosaic his own face in shared images. He had a profile on the social app and had arranged a few hookups, but he had never, in fact, posted any personal health documents. Bryce had been the one to manipte the evidence. As Nick vehemently denied the allegations, Estre calmly presented screenshots of Nick¡¯s ount and past posts, including photos and videos. ¡°Your Honor,¡± she dered confidently, ¡°we can assure the court that all evidence presented is obtained legally, all sourced from the very tforms the defendant unted them on. It¡¯s all traceable.¡± Nick¡¯s head was spinning as the evidence Estre had unveiled shed before his eyes. For a moment, he was utterly disoriented, unable to discern whether he had actually posted those things or not. Chapter 151 The trial was in full swing, and the evidence kept rolling. The drone footage that little boy had captured for Estre was damning-not only had it caught Nick in the act of domestic violence, but it even recorded the chilling moment when Nick had his hands around Lexi¡¯s throat and pushed her down the stairs. Estre¡¯s predictions were correct about how Nick abused Lexi and how Lexi tried to evade him. With irrefutable evidence, including the scene of him pushing Lexi down the stairs captured on camera, Nickpletely wilted, a stark contrast to his earlier arrogant demeanor. All his schemes and dreams were shattered. He wouldn¡¯t be wooing any wealthydy like Piper anymore. The rest of his life would likely be spent behind bars. After the video evidence concluded, the judge turned to Nick¡¯s defense with a stern look. ¡°Counselor, do you have anything to say in your client¡¯s defense?¡± Nick¡¯swyer shook his head, defeated. ¡°Nothing, Your Honor.¡± The judge then turned to Nick. ¡°Defendant, do you have anything to say for yourself?¡± At that moment, Nick was still fixated on the projector screen that had disyed his downfall. How was this possible? How did Estre get her hands on this footage? Who in the neighborhood was spying on him with a drone? Nick had thought he¡¯d covered his tracks by keeping Estre out of his house and away from his home security footage. He believed his abuse of Zoey had been seamless, with no witnesses to expose him, but he never anticipated that Estre could obtain even more evidence, including the very moment he pushed Lexi down the stairs. Justice has long arms. Seeing Nick still shaking his head at the projector screen, the judge repeated his questi but Nick just remained silent. After a brief consultation with the jurors, the judge proceeded to deliver the verdict. ¡°Under Section 232 of our criminal code, the defendant Nick is hereby sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for the crime of intentional homicide.¡± ¡°Under Section 234 of the criminal code, the defendant Nick is hereby sentenced to 3 years imprisonment for assault, totaling 28 years.¡± Nick was 28 years old. Now, sentenced to 28 years of prison, his life was effectively over. The thought of a life of luxury was reced with the grim reality of life behind bars. The sentences for murder and assault were handed down, and Zoey broke down in tears. Rather than bringing Nick to justice, Zoey would rather her sister had never known this 08:56 scumbag, and never experienced any of this. Estre wiped away Zoey¡¯s tears and gave her shoulder a reassuring pat, letting her cry on. her shoulder. They had initially decided not to let Zoey¡¯s parents attend the trial, fearing they couldn¡¯t withstand the harrowing evidence. However, the couple insisted on witnessing Nick¡¯s downfall and sentencing. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t make it to the end of the trial and had to be rushed to the hospital. Estre can somewhat understand Zoey¡¯s current feelings. When Estre first saw this evidence, she herself was trembling with anger. ¡°Estre, thank you,¡± Zoey managed to say between sobs. Estre just patted her back, offering silent comfort. Once Zoey had calmed down a bit, Estre drove her back to the hospital, then headed to the office. ¡°Ms. Estre, congrats! Another win for you.¡± ¡°Ms. Estre, congrattions.¡± Her colleagues¡¯ cheers couldn¡¯t lift Estre¡¯s spirits. She didn¡¯t feel any joy, only a wish for such incidents to decrease and for women not to be seen as victims. After wrapping up the case paperwork at thew firm that afternoon, Estre drove to the hospital in the evening. Zoey¡¯s mother had woken up by then. Seeing Estre, the family quickly stood up to express their gratitude. ¡°Ms. Estre, thank you.¡± ¡°Estre, thanks so much.¡± ¡°I am just doing my job,¡± Estre replied, steadying them. She nced at Lexi on the hospital bed. ¡°Has she woken up yet?¡± Jeffery went to get Estre a ss of water while Haley sighed heavily. ¡°Lexi¡¯s still Then she added, ¡°We thought we knew Nick, but we were so wrong, and we let her n him. It¡¯s our fault.¡± Estre consoled her, ¡°Some people are masters of disguise. It¡¯s not your fault, or Lexi¡¯s It¡¯s Nick who¡¯s to me, and his parents who failed to teach him right from wrong.¡± Haley wiped away tears and said, ¡°All we hope for now is that Lexi wakes up soon.¡± ¡°Lexi will wake up,¡± Estre assured her. ¡°And she¡¯s young. She has her whole life ahead of her.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you exposing that Nick, Lexi would still be suffering,¡± Haley said with gratitude. Estre gently patted Haley¡¯s arm, signaling her not to be too distressed. 08:56 After sitting with Lexi¡¯s parents for a while, Estre checked the time and decided to leave. Zoey apanied her to the hospital lobby, showering Estre with thanks and sharing how her perspective on love and marriage had changed. She no longer saw marriage in her future. Caring for her parents and sister was her priority. Estre replied, ¡°If you can¡¯t meet the right person, marriage indeed doesn¡¯t hold much meaning.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Marriage was something Estre hade to understand well-full of petty squabbles and heartaches. Without propermunication and mutual respect, it was better to remain single. As Estre finished speaking, her phone in her pocket rang. It was from Jason. ¡°Where are you?¡± Jason asked when she answered. ¡°At the hospital.¡± ¡°I¡¯lle pick you up.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After hanging up, Zoey inquired with a hint of teasing, ¡°Estre, have you got a boyfriend?¡± Estre tucked her hands into the pockets of her coat, grinning as she announced, ¡°I got married. Got the license two years ago, but never had the big reception.¡± Zoey tensed up immediately. ¡°Estre, does your husband treat you well?¡± Having just witnessed her sister¡¯s tumultuous marriage, the mere mention of the word ¡®marriage¡¯ triggered an almost visceral fear in Zoey. Estre turned to look at her, offering a wry smile. ¡°He¡¯s alright.¡± Estre didn¡¯t want to delve too much into her life with Jason, afraid that any detail might feed Zoey¡¯s phobia of matrimony even further. When Zoey walked Estre to the hospital entrance, Jason¡¯s car pulled up just in tim After a brief goodbye, Estre hopped into the vehicle. As they drove away, Jason nced at her and asked, ¡°You won the case and you¡¯re still not happy?¡± Estre¡¯s smile was tinged with bitterness. ¡°Winning? It¡¯s not about winning. The day women are no longer victims of domestic abuse, when they¡¯re truly respected and treate as equals that will be a real victory.¡± Nick¡¯s crimes of domestic violence and attempted murder warranted today¡¯s verdict. And with Lexi still unconscious in the hospital, there was no real sense of triumph. Jason squeezed Estre¡¯s hand, his gesture heavy with unspoken remorse. That time, he shouldn¡¯t have lost control and pped her. Feeling the weight of Jason¡¯s grip, Estre knew he was recalling something regretful. She 08:56 turned to face him and asked, ¡°Jason, what would you have done if Holly hadn¡¯t died?¡± Chapter 152 Jason had his hands firmly on the steering wheel when Estre¡¯s question came through, prompting him to steal a nce her way. ¡°If Holly were still here, I would make the same choice, to be with you,¡± he said with unwavering certainty. Estre simply watched him, the corners of her mouth curling into a knowing smile. She had felt a tad juvenile for asking such a hypothetical question. Life wasn¡¯t a bed of what-ifs. As Jason met her gaze once more, Estre offered him a quick smile before turning her attention back to the road ahead. The mysterious Maserati she had encountered twice now lingered in her thoughts. Surely Bryce had some leads by now. When they arrived home, Marie greeted them with the warmth of a spring breeze. ¡°Mr. Jason, Ms. Estre, wee back.¡± Her joy was palpable, akin to a mother weing her children home, even though her recent blunder about Estre¡¯s pregnancy had left her a bit embarrassed. After exchanging pleasantries with Marie, the couple sat down to a home-cooked meal. Estre had been in good spirits during the drive, but the sight of fish being served made her uneasy, a frown creasing her forehead. Once fond of seafood, she now found the N?velDrama.Org content. smell unbearable. Noticing her difort, Jason served her a bowl of consomm¨¦. ¡°Not feeling well?¡± he inquired gently. Clearing her throat, Estre took a sip of water ¡°My stomach¡¯s been a bit off,¡± she admitted. Jason ced the bowl before her and signaled to Marie to take the fish away. Marie couldn¡¯t help but murmur to herself as she carried the fish back to the kitchen. ¡°It¡¯s so odd. She used to love fish, and now it¡¯s as if she can¡¯t stand the smell of it. She¡¯s been going to bed earlier too. These are all tell-tale signs of early pregnancy. I¡¯ve raised two kids of my own and cared for expectant mothers before joining the Nelson family-l should know.¡± With a puzzled look, Marie decided to prepare aforting soup for Estre the next day. After dinner, Estre took a quick shower and flopped onto the bed, utterly spent. With Nick¡¯s case wrapped up, she could finally rest easy. Jason approached the bed, his hand gently kneading the tension at the back of her neck. ¡°Something on your mind?¡± he asked softly. Estre, lounging on her side, pondered the day¡¯s events. ¡°Just the case from today. Human nature is quiteplex. Luckily we had Bryce and that brave kid who stepped up. Otherwise, it would¡¯ve dragged on.¡± 08:56 ¡°I¡¯ll visit that kid with Zoey tomorrow,¡± she added. But as soon as Bryce¡¯s name slipped from her lips, Jason¡¯s mood visibly darkened, his massaging hand retracting. ¡°What did you stop?¡± Estre teased, looking up at him. Jason stood abruptly, his face a mask of cold indifference. ¡°Since you¡¯re so close to Bryce, ask him to do it. Herughter broke the tension as she yfully nudged his thigh with her foot. ¡°Jealous, are we?¡± Jason brushed her foot aside. ¡°Feet off.¡± He was irked that, despite his offer to help with evidence for the case, she turned to Bryce instead. What ce did he hold as her husband if she¡¯d rather rely on someone else? Estre, sensing his intent to leave, quickly blocked him. ¡°Let¡¯s not blow this out of proportion. Besides, Bryce got nothing to do, and he¡¯s good withputers. I¡¯m just making the best use of resources, Jason scoffed, tapped her forehead with a finger, then lightly pushed her back onto the bed. Estre gently copsed onto the bed, noticing that her bedside ss of water was empty, With a careless swipe, she knocked the ss onto the floor before gasping, ¡°Jason, did you really have to hit me that hard? You¡¯ve dislocated my arm!¡± Prompted by the noise, Jason paled immediately and rushed towards Estre. He gently helped her up from the bed and objected, ¡°I didn¡¯t use any force.¡± Honestly, he hadn¡¯t. He¡¯d merely tickled her with his finger. Sporing her right arm limply, Estre red at him and snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t you know I¡¯ve b pampered all my life?¡± She then winced while clutching her right arm, ¡°It hurts. Don¡¯t to me.¡± As Estre grimaced in pain, Jason found himself filled with worry. Holding her arm gently, he asked ¡°Does it hurt when I touch it?¡± Before she could respond, he swiftly lifted her off the bed and proposed, ¡°My grandad¡¯s friend is a skilled bone setter. Let me take you to see him.¡± Beads of sweat formed on Jason¡¯s forehead as tension gnawed at him. Much to his surprise, Estre burst intoughter. She flung her arms around his neck and smirked, ¡°I was just messing with you.¡± Estre¡¯s mirth was infectious, and her arms remained around his neck. After watching her for a moment with a flicker of annoyance mixed with relief in his eyes, Jason promptly dropped her back onto the bed. Estre, taken aback, instinctively clutched her belly, then kicked out at Jason. ¡°If you hurt 08:56 me and something happens, you¡¯ll be the one with regrets.¡± Returning to the matter at hand, she attempted to rise from the bed, but Jason. intercepted her, pointing out the broken ss on the floor. He then proceeded to clean up the mess with a broom and dustpan. Watching Jason sweep up the shards, Estre realized how much he had changed over the years. Once a man who wouldn¡¯t lift a finger, he was now tending to household chores and even cooking the asional me¨¢l a fact that would surely surprise Kristin. Jason had finished picking up the shattered ss on the floor, and without a word, he flopped down next to Estre. He didn¡¯t so much as nce her way, clearly still peeved that Estre had gone to Bryce for help instead of him. Estre rolled over and perched herself in his arms, but Jason¡¯s voice was frosty, ¡°Get off.¡± She already had Bryce, what did she need him for? ¡°But weren¡¯t you all worried about me just a moment ago?¡± Estre asked. ¡°Get off,¡± he repeated, his expression unchanging. Seeing that Jason was still putting up a cold front and ignoring her, Estre distanced herself from him and spoke. ¡°Fine, if you won¡¯t cuddle with me, I¡¯ll sleep by myself.¡± With that, shey down beside him, wrapping herself in a nket and deliberately turning her back to him. Jason watched her give him the cold shoulder and felt a re of irritation. Things were different in the past. Whenever he was upset, she¡¯d always make the effort to soothe him. But now, after only a few attempts, she stopped bothering to try. Damn it, he thought, it was just like they said: once you¡¯ve got what you want, the chase is over. Jason held a book in his hands, but he couldn¡¯t seem to turn the pages. He waited, ho Estre would make a move, but she remained still. Gradually, his foot began to inch toward her side of the bed, almost of its own ord. Chapter 153 With her back to Jason, Estre didn¡¯t open her eyes or acknowledge him. Seeing this, Jason set aside the book he was reading, yanked theforter off Estre, and in a swift move, he had her wrapped up in his arms. ¡°Estre, what¡¯s this all about, huh? You get what you want and then you just turn cold? Going to Bryce instead of asking for my help, and you think you¡¯ve got the high ground?¡± Even though he was being moody just now, couldn¡¯t she have tried to be nice to him a bit more? He would have backed down if she had just soothed him a bit more. He was sure of it. Jason¡¯s voice was tinged with jealousy as he challenged her, but Estre found it amusing. With a quick maneuver, she had him pinned down instead, her fingers intecing with his. Jason tensed up, an involuntary swallow betraying his anticipation as he opened his legs to let her settle on top of him. A smile yed on Estre¡¯s lips as she leaned down to kiss him. When things started getting heated, Estre softly reminded him, ¡°Be gentle, okay?¡± Jason chuckled. ¡°Scared? Weren¡¯t you the one who used to worry about not getting enough?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. Jason, be careful, please.¡± He was already gentle by nature, and at her reminder, Jason became even slower. Afterwards, as Estrey exhausted in his arms, Jason pulled her close. ¡°Estre, from now on, no matter what, I want to be the first person you turn to.¡± Jason was a bit bothered, and admittedly a tad envious, of the close bond Estre had maintained with Bryce, despite the fact that Bryce was his cousin. Estrey still, offering no response. Jason looked down at her and seeing she had reacted, gently traced his hand along her waist until she finally spoke up, ¡°I¡¯lle to for anything and everything.¡± She couldn¡¯t handle another round; they had already been at it for so long. With Estre¡¯s promise, Jason held her close and drifted off to sleep. Unconsciously, his expectations of her were growing; he wanted her to rely more on him. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. As he held her tight, Estre¡¯s thoughts drifted to the white Maserati she couldn¡¯t quite forget. In the following days, while wrapping up the case summary, Estre received a call from Zoey. The call started with good news-Lexi had woken up and was out of danger. Lexi was grateful to Estre and now wanted to finalize her divorce from Nick to spend quality time with their parents. 00.56 fas Estre assured Zoey that the divorce would be straightforward. If Nick refused to sign, the court would grant it anyway. Whether it was domestic violence, infidelity, attempted murder, or Nick¡¯s infertility, the court would rule in favor of divorce. Zoey wanted to apany Estre to the prison, but upon seeing her trembling and clenching her fists in anxiety, Estre decided not to let her go in. The damage Nick had inflicted on Lexi¡¯s family was too severe, a wound that could never fully heal. Such people were best avoided, no need to let them disrupt one¡¯s peace of mind. ¡°Estre, are you okay going alone?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m awyer. I¡¯ve seen my fair share of tough cases.¡± ¡°Thank you, Estre.¡± Estre patted Zoey¡¯s arm reassuringly and then got out of the car. Watching Estre enter the prison, Zoey¡¯s trembling didn¡¯t cease, her mind flooded with images of her sister¡¯s abuse. She had wanted badly to be brave and go in with Estre, but in the end, she couldn¡¯t stop shaking. Inside the visitation room, Estre was the first to arrive. When Nick, dressed in prison garb, saw her as he was brought in by the guards, his expression soured. His re seemed to pin all his miseries on Estre, as if he had done nothing wrong at all. Once he was handcuffed to the chair, he sneered at Estre, ¡°What do you want now? Come to gloat over my misery on behalf of Lexi¡¯s family?¡± Ignoring his taunts, Estre slid the divorce papers across the table. ¡°Lexi¡¯s awake. She wants a divorce. Just sign here.¡± Nickughed scornfully. ¡°She wants to divorce now that I¡¯m in jail? Is she trying to see other man? Estre, pass on a message to her from me ¨C she can forget about it for rest of her life.¡± ¨C Estre looked at Nick, her gaze unwavering, quiet andposed. ¡°Nick, even if you sign, the court will still rule. But your non-cooperation will be noted and it won¡¯t do you any favors when ites to possible sentence reductions.¡± Nick, not well-versed inw, didn¡¯t know whether to believe Estre or not. Seeing Nick¡¯s hesitation, Estre handed him a pen. ¡°You can sign now.¡± Nick didn¡¯t want to sign. He wanted to keep Lexi entangled, to deny her happiness and leave her with a thorn in her heart forever, but the prospect of a reduced sentence made him waver. Estre, seeing his indecision, added, ¡°If you are prepared to harm others without any gain for yourself, I¡¯d be more than d to deal with you.¡± Her words tipped the scales. With furrowed brows, Nick grabbed the pen and signed where Estre indicated. ¡°Sign here, here, and here,¡± Estre instructed, pointing out the spots on the document. Nick was about to rummage through some old files when Estre couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°You know, right now Lexi doesn¡¯t want your house, not even the down payment she made with you. She¡¯s not asking for a dime back. All she wants is a divorce.¡± When Lexi first mentioned wanting a divorce, Estre hinted that she could fight for more, but Lexi just shook her head. She wanted nothing to do with Nick anymore, not even the $480,000 she had contributed towards the down payment. Lexi knew that arguing over the house would cause an uproar with Nick¡¯s parents. They were the kind to turn the world upside down over such matters. Even if Nick had the cash on hand to pay her back, she was skeptical about where that money hade from. What if it¡¯s from some other woman? So, she decided to let it go. Lexi even had Zoey toss out anything she once wore or used, and she cut her long, dark hair short. Lexi was determined to start anew and erase every trace of that man from her life. Estre chose to respect her decision. Nick nced over the agreement and, seeing that there was indeed no im on the property, just the divorce, he signed on the dotted line. As Estre was getting ready to leave, Nick suddenly called out to her retreating figure, ¡°Estre, don¡¯t think this case is over. I¡¯ll appeal. This isn¡¯t the end of it.¡± His words hung in the air as Estre turned around, a sly smile ying on her lips. ¡°And just who do you think will take up your case, Nick? Piper? How about I let you in on something?¡± With that, Estre walked back to the table and pulled a voice recorder out of her bag. Chapter 154 Estre clicked the recorder, and Piper¡¯s voice emerged, ¡°Ms. Estre, right? Take a seat, please.¡± Estre had visited Piper while gathering evidence of Nick¡¯s domestic abuse against Lexi, but Piper hadn¡¯t provided anything useful for the case, so Estre didn¡¯t present it in court. ¡°So, Piper, were you aware that Nick was married?¡± Estre inquired. Through the recorder, Piper¡¯s voice chuckled, ¡°Of course.¡± She continued, ¡°I met Nick at the gym this past April. He made the first move. Guys hitting on me? Happens all the time.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s cut to the chase, Ms. Estre. We¡¯re both women here, sessful in our careers. ¡°I¡¯m a divorced singledy who always prioritized work, so dating took a backseat. But you know, a woman, especially at my age, has needs and stress to release. ¡ª ¡°When Nick came along, I figured, why not? He¡¯s easy on the eyes, fit, skilled, and not some male prostitutes from a club seemed safer byparison. Whenever I had the time or the urge, I¡¯d meet up with him. ¡°His family? It never crossed my mind to wreck his home. Never pried into his marriage. He brought it up on his own. ¡°Guys need excuses for their infidelities, right? know he wanted cash from me. I¡¯m not hurting for money, so whenever he¡¯d beat around the bush about being broke, I¡¯d toss him a bit. ¡°If you¡¯re digging for dirt on his wife, I¡¯m clueless. And I¡¯m not foolish enough to probe into his personal life. All I know is he mentioned his wife couldn¡¯t conceive. ¡°As for the assault and murder charges you¡¯ve got against him, obviously he would me. He still wanted to look good in my eyes.¡± At this point, Estre asked, ¡°Given the aspects of Nick you¡¯re pleased with, have yo thought about marrying him?¡± Piper burst outughing at that, ¡°Marriage? I¡¯ve just wed my way out of that pit. I¡¯ve money, men, and freedom of time and energy. Do you really think I¡¯d choose marriage, Estre?¡± ¡°If Nick¡¯s entertaining that fantasy, he¡¯s delusional. Even if I were to marry, it wouldn¡¯t be with someone like him. To put it bluntly, he¡¯s only good enough for a lick of my boots. ¡°I chose him because he¡¯s a cheaper and safer option than any male prostitutes. Why wouldn¡¯t I go for the best deal? ¡°As for the money, it¡¯s just to shoo him away. I did let him drive a car of mine, but that¡¯s just for temporary use. I wouldn¡¯t give away something worth millions just like that. I may 08:56 have money, but it wasn¡¯t easily earned. ¡°And just between us, myst marriage might¡¯ve been childless, but my businesses have flourished. I¡¯ve already arranged a surrogate abroad. My twins just turned one. I visit when I can and I¡¯m nning to bring them home soon. ¡°Having kids, cash, and no husband? That¡¯s a woman¡¯s peak. Why would I ruin that with marriage?¡± As Piper spoke, Estre realized she was a woman with a story, likely wounded by her past marriage and now solely focused on making money, treating men as mere ythings. Piper already had twins abroad while Nick was foolishly dreaming of marriage. Estre mused, the clearest heads were those who could secure their own wealth. Piper¡¯s liaison with Nick might be morally questionable, but Estre couldn¡¯t help but admire her candidness. After all, if it wasn¡¯t Piper, Nick would¡¯ve found another woman- it was in his nature. etween Estre and Piper, his face Across the table, Nick listened to the conversation turning ashen as he realized she saw him merely as a human shaped dildo, and a cheaper one at that. His hands clenched into fists, veins throbbing on the back of his hands. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He had thought Piper¡¯s financial generosity and the luxury car were signs of affection, believing in the image he¡¯d cultivated. But now, he just realized she only saw him as a joke. Nick recalled every time Piper gave him money, they¡¯d have marathon sessions at a hotel, where Piper wouldn¡¯t let him leave until he was utterly spent. In retrospect, Nick realized she was only with him for his youth, physique, and stamina The money was nothing more than her payment for his services. He had pushed Lex down the stairs for Piper, naively hoping to secure a future with this wealthy woman! was the punchline. Piper¡¯s trips abroad were to visit her children, and a woman who wouldn¡¯t even carry-h own babies wouldn¡¯t have room in her heart for a man. Remembering Piper¡¯s dismissive words, Nick¡¯s face flushed with rage, veins bulging at hi temples. Piper had no feelings for him and considered him worthy only of groveling at he feet¡­ ¡°Damn her, that bitch,¡± Nick seethed, his anger close to boiling over. Estre calmly put away the recorder, ¡°Nick, save your curses. If you hadn¡¯t gone chasing after others, they wouldn¡¯t even know you. If you¡¯re going to y games, you¡¯ve got to be prepared to y them right.¡± In this world, it was never quite certain who was the true yer. 08:56 Estre¡¯s indifference only fueled Nick¡¯s fury as he red at her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me hear the recording earlier? Why only now?¡± Had Estre yed it sooner, he would never have signed the divorce settlement. He would¡¯ve found a way to see Lexi, to apologize, and to convince her not to divorce. He would¡¯ve strived to get out early and let Lexi wait for him. However, it was toote, and Nick¡¯s ns, like his illusions, had crumbled to dust. Estre saw right through Nick¡¯s ploy with a dismissive chuckle, ¡°Should I, instead, let you listen to this recording first? Then you can go pester Lexi, y the victim with her, and make her wait for you not to divorce? Nick, do you really think that¡¯s going to fly?¡± That¡¯s men for you-backed into a corner, and they¡¯re still trying to drag a woman down with them. At her words, Nick shot up from his chair like a jack-in-the-box, ¡°Give me back that divorce agreement. I¡¯m not signing it. I¡¯m not going through with this divorce. I need to talk to Lexi, face to face.¡± 2 The sheer audacity of the man was enough to stagger Estre¡¯s understanding of shamelessness. Tucking the voice recorder into her purse, Estre tossed a ¡®Dream on over her shoulder and walked out without looking back. ¡°Estre, damn you,e back here! Give me that agreement back. I¡¯m not signing it¡ªI¡¯m not getting a damn divorce!¡± No matter how loud Nick hollered after her, Estre couldn¡¯t care less. She didn¡¯t turn around, not even once, as she left. Chapter 155 He would never get a chance to see Lexi, and even if he did, Lexi would have still insisted on getting a divorce. Before, Lexi was under his thumb, scared for the safety of her parents and little sister, but now that he was going to be behind bars for 28 years, Nick can¡¯t touch her. He¡¯s got no leverage left. Nick¡¯s case had been an eye-opener for Estre. She couldn¡¯t fathom how he had the gall to refuse a divorce, let alone demand to see Lexi. Zoey climbed into the passenger seat, her features etched with worry. ¡°Estre, did Nick sign the papers?¡± Nick was a narrow-minded man, and Zoey feared that even at this low point, he¡¯d try to drag her sister down with him, and to hold onto her for a lifetime out of spite. He was the type who¡¯d do such a thing. Estre handed over the signed agreement. ¡°He did.¡± She didn¡¯t even bring up Nick¡¯s request to see Lexi. A man like him didn¡¯t deserve the chance, or a wife. Spotting Nick¡¯s signature on the divorce agreement, Zoey tightly hugged Estre, saying, ¡°Estre, thank you. If it weren¡¯t for you, I don¡¯t know what we would have done. Nick might still be out there, living the high life.¡± As Estre started the car, she offered aforting thought. ¡°Justice has a way of catching up. There¡¯s no erasing the things you¡¯ve done.¡± Then she drove Zoey to the hospital and apanied her up to Lexi¡¯s room. ¡°Ms. Estre,¡± Lexi greeted warmly, attempting to rise from her bed. ¡°Stay on the bed, Lexi¡± Estre insisted, gently urging Lexi to stay put. Zoey chimed in with a smile, ¡°Nick signed. Estre says we just need to make a trip city hall to finalize everything.¡± Holding Estre¡¯s hands, Lexi¡¯s eyes watered with gratitude. ¡°Ms. Estre, I can¡¯t than enough.¡± Estre adjusted the hospital bed to make Lexi morefortable. ¡°Lexi, it¡¯s all part of th job.¡± As Lexi fought back tears, Estre sat down beside her, urging, ¡°Lexi, whether it¡¯s making friends or getting married, be sure to keep your eyes open and choose wisely.¡± Lexi nodded, her resolve clear in her tearful eyes. After spending some time with Lexi, Estre took her leave as Jeffery and Haley arrived. Zoey walked Estre down to the garden..Noticing Estre¡¯s difort, she whispered, 08:56 ¡°Estre, are you pregnant?¡± Estre didn¡¯t confirm but replied with a smile, I¡¯ll let you know if I ever be a mother.¡± At that, Zoey¡¯s eyes widened with joy, looking forward to celebrating Estre¡¯s good news. As they reached the parking lot, Estre got into her car, and Zoey waved her off, watching the Audi disappear before heading back to the hospital. Inside the car, Estre nced at her stomach and then pulled over to take her vitamins with a swig of milk. She had been eating more regrly and healthily these past few days. Later that evening, Jesse joined her for dinner since Jason was upied with his own engagements. When they called Bryce, he was still busy. It wasn¡¯t until after 8 o¡¯clock in the evening, after Estre and Jesse had finished their dinner, that Bryce finally returned the call. ¡°Estre.¡± On the other end, Estre inquired, ¡°Bryce, hows the lead on that Maserati I asked you about?¡± N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°Got it,¡± came Bryce¡¯s response, adding, ¡°Estre, you need to swing by Velvet Voices KTV right away. I¡¯ve got urgent news for you, and then we can talk more about that Maserati t Estre hesitated, but Bryce¡¯s pleading and promises convinced her to head over with Jesse. Velvet Voices KTV was Ravenwood¡¯s most upscale karaoke club, known for its high-quality crowd and ¡®entertainers.¡¯ Jesse drove them there in her Maserati, and upon arriving, Bryce was eagerly awaiting them. As they approached, Bryce immediately hooked an arm around Estre and began ¡°Estre, Jason¡¯s at it again. As soon as I got here, I saw him, surrounded by a crow to no good. And that Serene is with them.¡± Estre realized then why Bryce insisted on hering. It was to catch Jason in the a Estre hadn¡¯t done that in ages. Bryce was fuming as he ratted out Jason, saying, ¡°Look, Jason¡¯s car is parked right over there. They¡¯re chilling in the VIP Lounge number 888.¡± Bryce had initially wanted to book the VIP Lounge 888 himself, but when Jason showed up, he had to settle for Lounge 777 instead. So when it came to snitching on Jason, Bryce didn¡¯t hold back at all. Jesse quipped, ¡°If you¡¯re not running with those dirty thoughts, what are you doing here as 08.56 8 well, man?¡± Bryce replied with a look of mock indignation, I¡¯m here for a bros¡¯ night out. There¡¯s not a singledy in our lounge. Of course, that¡¯ll change when you two show up, but you guys hardly count, you¡¯re dudes, just like me.¡± After Bryce finished, Estre and Jesse grabbed him and gave him a good ribbing. Bryce, shielding his face, pleaded, ¡°Not the face, guys I¡¯ve got to make a living with this handsome mug.¡± After roughhousing Bryce a bit, they let him straighten his clothes as he continued, ¡°Estre, it¡¯s not that I can¡¯t stand to see you with Jason; it¡¯s just that he¡¯s really not cut out for the domestic life. You should seriously consider getting that divorce sooner rather thanter. If he decides to call it quits first Bryce¡¯s words hung in the air as Estre nced towards the parking lot where, indeed, Jason¡¯s car was unmistakably parked. Chapter 156 Bryce was relentless in his efforts to persuade Estre to get a divorce, and even Jesse was moved by his dedication. She yed Bryce a recording she¡¯d made, ¡°Bryce, I¡¯ve got the recording all set. Once Estre gets back, we¡¯ll just y it for Jason, so she doesn¡¯t have toe up with an excuse to dump him.¡± When Bryce saw that Jesse had made a recording, he lunged to snatch the phone away. Each time Jason knocked him down a peg, Bryce would simmer down for a bit, but as soon as he recovered, he¡¯d be back at it, egging Estre on to cut ties. For over two years, not a single day did Bryce relent from this self-appointed mission. Estre, watching Jesse and Bryce chase each other around her, instinctively shielded her belly, fearing they might bump into her. ¡°Estre, you better get Jesse to delete that recording quick,¡± Bryce pleaded with Estre, unable to snatch Jesse¡¯s phone. ¡°If Jason hears that, he¡¯s gonna skin me alive.¡± N?velDrama.Org content. With one hand in her pocket and the other gently resting on her belly, Estre said, ¡°So, are we still on for the sting operation or not?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Bryce¡¯s voice shot up an octave, as he was here specifically for that purpose. Then he added, ¡°Estre, you feeling okay? You¡¯ve been guarding your belly this whole time.¡± Estre dropped her hand, ¡°Just cramps.¡± Bryce, uncertain, asked, ¡°Is it that time of the month?¡± Estre pushed Bryce¡¯s head yfully and then the trio headed into the karaoke bar. If it weren¡¯t for Bryce dragging her out, Estre would have been home sleeping by now. They entered the private room to find an assortment of trendy and attractive guys lounging on the sofas, with a bevy of gorgeous girls of all types standing before them. The guys were picking out their favorites. With her hands tucked into the pockets of her cozy brown cardigan, Estre casually remarked, ¡°Bryce, I had no idea you were such a yer.¡± Was she here to catch him, or to catch Jason? At Estre¡¯s words, Bryce lost his cool and started hurling shoes at the guys on the sofa, ¡°Go to hell! Who told you to invite escorts? Didn¡¯t I say someone important wasing? Are you doing this on purpose?¡± After chewing the guys out, Bryce sternly ushered the girls out. The guy in the center threw Bryce¡¯s shoe back to him, ¡°You never said that someone was ady,¡± Bryce, fuming, slipped his shoes back on and opened all the vents and air conditioning in the room, asking sternly, ¡°No one smoked, right?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± the guys shook their heads. Estre couldn¡¯t stand the smell of Estre, so wherever Bryce was, smoke was a no-go. After Bryce¡¯s tantrum, he introduced Estre and Jesse to everyone, ¡°This is Estre, the most important person I talked about, and Jesse, the young miss from the Manning family.¡± He didn¡¯t mention that Estre was his sister-inw. The guys greeted them, ¡°Hi E, hi Jesse.¡± ¡°Make sure you take good care of these two.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± they assured. After Bryce gave the word, the guys who had earlier been acting high and mighty, ready to select their girls, quickly turned into sycophants, ready to entertain Estre and Jesse. Estre, with her easy-going and generous nature, quickly joined the crowd in their fun. Every so often, she¡¯d catch Bryce¡¯s eyes, and he¡¯d reassure her, ¡°Estre, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m on it. I guarantee you we¡¯ll catch my bro tonight and you can get that marriage annulled.¡± Bryce had a spy keeping an eye on Jason¡¯s room. When nothing untoward happened, he enthusiastically sent in a flock ofdies, certain Jason couldn¡¯t resist. Estre watched Bryce, amused, wondering how Jason would deal with Bryce¡¯s scheming. He had already sent Bryce off to build schools in remote areas, subjected him to medicinal baths he had to endure, and arranged for a group of men to give him massages. What would Jason do this time? At the moment, Estre was actually looking forward to Jason¡¯s tactics. Soon enough, Bryce¡¯s informant reported back that Jason¡¯s room had sent all thedies away, iming there had been a mix-up at the karaoke bar. Bryce¡¯s brows furrowed in frustration. Why weren¡¯t they taking the bait? As Bryce¡¯s expression grew grim, Estre gave him a ¡®you deal with this¡¯ look and headed to the restroom outside. Just as she reached the restroom, she caught a glimpse of a slender figure passing by at the end of the hallway. Instinctively quickening her pace, Estre followed, but by the time she got there, the figure had vanished. Gazing at the spot where the figure had disappeared, Estre couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the events of the past were not as straightforward as they seemed. When she returned to the restroom and fancied her reflection in the mirror, Estre¡¯s thoughts lingered on the silhouette she¡¯d seen and the Maseratis she¡¯d encountered before. 09:28 ¡°Estre,¡± someone called from behind her as she pondered. ¡°You are Estre, right?¡± She turned to see a young man in a suit, looking at her excitedly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Estre,¡± she replied, wiping her hands with a paper towel. ¡°I¡¯m Dominic,¡± the man introduced himself, ¡°I attended Ravenwood College too, a couple of years ahead of you in the Law program. We evenpeted in a debate tournament together. Do you remember?¡± Estre looked at the young man, her memory failing to ce him. Seeing her nk expression, Dominic continued with excitement, ¡°Even though you were younger, you were like an idol to us back then. Oh right, our club is having a get-together tonight. You shoulde along, Estre.¡± ¡°What club?¡± she inquired. ¡°Chess,¡± he replied. Hearing this, Estre realized what Jason had been up to. He, too, was a member of the chess club at Ravenwood College, as was Serene. No wonder Bryce had mentioned they were together. It must be a college club reunion. Before Estre could even respond, the boy grabbed her arm and whisked her towards the private suite, saying, ¡°Estre,e take a seat. We¡¯ve got a bunch of big shots from Ravenwood College here today. You were a legend at Ravenwood too. If I bring you in there, it¡¯s going to blow everyone¡¯s mind.¡± Chatting excitedly, the boy pulled Estre to Suite 888, flung the door open, and announced to the room, ¡°Guess who I just ran into?¡± As he finished, everyone¡¯s gaze turned toward the doorway. ¡°Estre!¡± ¡°Estre!¡± With her congenial nature, ster academics, and good looks, Estre had been incredibly popr back in school. Her arrival as a freshman had caused quite the sensation, eclipsing even the buzz that surrounded Holly when she started. Guys from the neighboring universities were green with envy, iming that Ravenwood had snagged a goddess. So when Estre appeared before them now, everyone was stunned, rising from their seats as if in one ord. Though she was a celebrity of sorts, Estre was usually understated, especially after graduation. News about her was scarce until she made headlines with a few high-profile cases. ¡°The queen herself! Dominic, you¡¯ve really outdone yourself today.¡± 09:28 ¡°Tell me about it. Estre¡¯s been the queen of our Law Department for years. Seeing her is better than winning the lottery.¡± ¡°Hey, Estre, I¡¯ve got a spot right here next to me.¡± ¡°There¡¯s room by me too, Estre.¡± Amid the warm wees from her seniors, Estre¡¯s gaze drifted towards Jason, who seemed to be the only one not thrilled to see her. Serene, sitting beside him, quickly shuffled to the side to create some space between them. ¡°Estre.¡± Grayson was also there, standing to greet her. With a smile, Estre approached and extended her right hand. ¡°Grayson. Long time no see.¡± Grayson was momentarily taken aback. They had just had dinner together not too long ago. Estre was ying her part, so Grayson yed along, taking her hand with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± After the greetings, he cast a nce at Jason, whose expression was something to behold. Jason hadn¡¯t wanted to join this gathering. He had been cornered at Nelson International and all but dragged here. Following Grayson¡¯s nce, Estre turned to Jason with a smile. ¡°Mr. Jason, there are. It¡¯s been years, and you look more distinguished than ever.¡± Chapter 157 Jason¡¯s scowl deepened as Estre greeted him, but since she¡¯d taken the initiative, he couldn¡¯t very well ignore her without seeming petty. So, with measured nonchnce, he rose to his feet to y the ¡°long time no see¡± game. When he took Estre¡¯s hand, his grip was firm, as if to say, ¡°We¡¯re going to have a talk about why you¡¯re at Velvet Voices KTV once we get home.¡± Serene, watching Grayson and Jason put on an act with Estre, forced a smile and gave up her seat next to Jason. ¡°Estre, why don¡¯t youe sit over here?¡± Someone called out to Estre, and with augh, she said to Jason, ¡°Have fun, Mr. Jason. I¡¯m going to take a seat over there.¡± After pulling her hand away from Jason¡¯s, Estre went to join Dominic and the others. Jason watched Estre walk away, his gaze lingering on her until he slowly clenched his suspended hand into a fist and let it fall to his side. With Estre¡¯s arrival, the atmosphere became even livelier. Dominic and a few other guys from thew department circled around her, discussing their current case studies. After a while, Dominic turned to Estre, ¡°You¡¯re so aplished, Estre. I bet you¡¯re still single, right? Back in the day, you were the queen of our department-my queen, too. Remember, I had a few high school buddies who had crushes on you? They didn¡¯t make it, to Ravenwood College but asked me to set them up with you, and to take and to take you out for dinner. I never agreed. I figured, if I hadn¡¯t managed to charm you myself, why would I help them out?¡±N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°Dominic, you sly dog! But seriously, Estre, you had such a unique approach to cases that even Professor Lowe praised you in ss. ¡°Are you still single, Estre? Do any of us stand a chance? If you¡¯re unattached, we can¡¯t let ourw department¡¯s treasure slip away to someone else.¡± Amid the yful banterced with truth, Serene nced at Jason. His eyes seemed glu to Estre, unable to look away, and his gaze was so intense it was as if he wanted to s the men alive. What they didn¡¯t know was that their queen was already his wife. Addressing the group¡¯s inquiries, Estre chuckled, ¡°If you liked me so much, why didn¡¯t you tell me back then? You missed your chance.¡± ¡°Estre, are you single now, or do you have a boyfriend?¡± Estre quipped, ¡°No boyfriend yet, but I did get a girlfriend. You know, you guys had chance to set me straight back in school.¡± your The guys were bbergasted, then resignedly said, ¡°So it¡¯s true, the pretty and talented girls really only like other girls. We missed our shot.¡± 09:29 Jason¡¯s face twisted in distaste at Estre¡¯s nonsense. After joking around with everyone for a bit, Estre stepped outside to answer a phone call from her mother. ¡°I¡¯m here with Bryce and Jesse.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jason¡¯s here too. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know.¡± Estre finished her call in the small garden at the back and was about to return to the private room when Jason appeared, having followed her outside. Seeing him, Estre smiled, ¡°Mr. Jason,ing out for some fresh air?¡± Jason, with a note of scorn, replied, ¡°Addicted to the act?¡± Estre countered, ¡°Just following your old style.¡± In the past, he never acknowledged their rtionship wherever they went. Over time, Estre got used to it. It was convenient and saved a lot of exnations. With her ever-present smile, Jason felt a warmth in his heart and pulled her close. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he exined, ¡°Grayson dragged me out here, so I just came to hang out for a bit.¡± After his exnation, he looked at Estre and asked, ¡°What brought you here?¡± Estre wrapped her arms around his waist, ¡°I came to catch you cheating, but you¡¯re not making it easy.¡± Jason¡¯s face darkened before he asked, ¡°Bryce called you over, didn¡¯t he?¡± He had sensed someone skulking behind him as he entered the KTV. Now it was clear that the girls who had joined the room earlier were likely Bryce¡¯s doing, an attempt to trap him and catch him in the act. To get him to divorce, Bryce really went to great lengths. What a dutify cousin. Estre looked up, ¡°How do you know it wasn¡¯t your mom who called me?¡± Jason chuckled, ¡°Do you think my mom can easily get ahold of my whereabouts and leverage?¡± Kristin wasn¡¯t that capable. Theints she made to Estre in the past were only what he wanted Estre to see. Otherwise, they could dig three feet into the ground and still not find him. Estreughed along with him, realizing he was just trying to rile her up before. Her hands still around Jason¡¯s waist, and she gave him a sharp pinch, Jason inhaled sharply, then, pinning Estre¡¯s chin, he leaned down to kiss her lips. It was only when she could barely breathe that Estre pushed him away, wiping her mouth, ¡°Mr. 09:29 Jason, that was shameless.¡± With each mention of ¡°Mr. Jason,¡± Jason rolled his eyes but pulled her close again. As Estre tried to push him away with her hands on his chest, Jason murmured, ¡°Just let me hold you.¡± The sight of those men crowding around her in the private room, calling her the queen of thew department had filled him with jealousy. But it was true, Estre had been popr at school, and the boys¡¯ adoration for her was no less intense than the girls¡¯ adoration for him. Back in the day, Estre wasn¡¯t just a looker or a brainiac; she was a jack-of-all-trades, excelling in everything she touched, including athletics. Whether it was sprinting, long-distance running, or high jump, if Estre was in the race, she was clinching the gold, no question. Even in the school marathon, the boys couldn¡¯t keep pace with her. There was that one time when Estrepeted in the 100-meter hurdles. The guys from her ss showed up decked out in cartoon-themed hair clips, with homemade banners in hand, cheering her on like she was a rockstar. The thought of how Estre was still the life of the party, and so darn lovable made Jason pull her in for an even tighter hug.i Estre chuckled as she yfully protested, ¡°I¡¯m gonna cough up dinner at this rate.¡± With that, she wriggled into Jason¡¯s coat, seeking warmth. ¡°It¡¯s freezing out here.¡¯ Feeling her shiver, Jason led her inside. As they were about to step into the private room, Estre raised her hand to his face, ¡°You sure you want to go in like this?¡± Jason¡¯s response came with a frosty edge, ¡°What, you think I¡¯m not good enough for you? Or maybe I¡¯m interfering with your man-hunting?¡± The audacity of thosew students had gotten under his skin. They had the nerve to his wife right in front of him. Jason couldn¡¯t stomach the disrespect. He realized it wa high time to make their rtionship crystal clear, and to ward off any would-be suitors Don¡¯t think he hadn¡¯t noticed. Those guys had all sent friend requests to Estre¡¯s Messenger. Chapter 158 Estre, unfazed, began to speak, ¡°Of course its¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t finish her sentence before Jason shot her a chilling look that made her swallow her words. Fine, have it your way,¡± she conceded with a sigh. She thought to herself, ¡®Such a petty man with double standards.¡¯ To keep the peace, Estre pocketed the harsh words she wanted to say. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Estre didn¡¯t pull her hand away or protest when he made their rtionship public. Jason grabbed her hand, and their fingers intertwined. They had barely reached the entrance when Bryce, all hustle and bustle, approached them. ¡°Estre, where¡¯ve you been? I waited ages and finally came looking for you.¡± 11 Noticing Estre¡¯s hand in someone else¡¯s, Bryce didn¡¯t even grant Jason a nce. He just whisked Estre away, looping his arm through hers. ¡°I¡¯ve got the gang together to keep youpany,¡± he said. Estre¡¯s voice was tinged with sarcasm. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy on my ount.¡± Herment wasn¡¯t just about Bryce¡¯s presumptuous behavior but also about his disregard for Jason. Bryce chuckled. ¡°C¡¯mon, we are friends.¡± Estre had to remind him, ¡°Did you see the man behind you?¡± Only then did Bryce take notice of Jason¡¯s brooding presence behind him. He jumped at the sight of Jason¡¯s dark stare, then casually said, ¡°Hey, bro. You¡¯re here too. Just make sure Serene¡¯s taken care of. I¡¯ve got E covered.¡± Jason shoved his hands in his pockets and watched Bryce in silence. Unphased by Jason¡¯s presence, Bryce told his friends, ¡°The queen bee has returned. Make sure you treat her right.¡± ¡°And remember,¡± Bryce added, ¡°she can¡¯t stand smoke, so no cigarettes tonight, guys.¡± With that, Bryce seated Estre amidst a group of eager young men. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s continue our game. If you win, I¡¯ll crack walnuts with my bare hands for you,¡± one of them said. ¡°Sure thing.¡± ¡°Need a drink? Here¡¯s some milk.¡± ¡°Want some fruit? Just open up.¡± Bryce¡¯s friends were just as quirky as he was. Jason watched from afar as a circle of young guys entertained Estre ¨C ying games, 09.20 feeding her snacks, and massaging her shoulders. His face was a tapestry of emotions. Bryce sure knew how to charm Estre. ¡°You and Estre are still this tight, huh?¡± someone remarked. ¡°Definitely.¡± ¡°Good for you. Staying close to Estre for so long, you got your eye on her?¡± Bryce, ever carefree, boasted, ¡°Of course, I am the best.¡± He didn¡¯t mention pursuing Estre, let alone the fact that she was married, and certainly not that she was married to Jason. Bryce, aw student from Ravenwood College like Estre, followed her lead into the program but eventually ended up drifting through a job at Nelson International. Estre was happily ying games with people, while severalw department guys were on the sidelines, cheering for Estre and watching as some other people skillfully cracked open walnuts with bare hands. Jesse, with azy posture, lounged beside Estre, arm draped over the back of the couch as if Estre were her girlfriend. She took particr delight in Jason¡¯s glowering. How the tables had turned, Jason now watched as Estre became the center of attention. Jason¡¯s internal struggle was palpable. Admitting Estre was his wife in this context would¡¯ve been too humiliating. ¡°Jason.¡± Serene called out to him cautiously as he returned to his seat, his expression frosty. Jason didn¡¯t respond, his focus solely on Estre, who wasughing joyously. He longed to whisk her away from the adoring crowd. After a while, Estre suggested a break from the games, concerned for one of the bo whose hands were reddened from cracking walnuts. Ready to cater to her, Bryce¡¯s frie started massaging Estre¡¯s shoulders and arms. Their conversation meandered from case discussions to reminiscing about their colleg days. A girl who had been chatting with Grayson suddenly mentioned, ¡°Jason used to date Holly back in school, right? Holly was quite popr too, but it¡¯s such a pity what happened.¡± The mention of Holly caught Grayson, Jason, and even Serene off guard. Jesse and Bryce nced at Estre, who remained cool and collected. She continued to snack on nuts, her legs crossed casually, waiting for the girl to continue. Jason¡¯s eyes remained frosty as he watched the girl who brought up the past. Grayson, sensing the tension, intervened, ¡°Is that so? I can¡¯t quite remember. Let¡¯s not discuss those who aren¡¯t here.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to gossip,¡± the girl rified. ¡°We¡¯re all alumni here, just reminiscing. It¡¯s just that if Holly were still around, she¡¯d probably be married to Jason by now, right?¡± At this, even Serene turned to look at Estre, who seemedpletely unaffected, popping nuts and waiting for the girl to go on. Jason, with his signatureid-back drawl, responded to the spective chatter, ¡°I won¡¯t be marrying her and for the record, I¡¯m already hitched.¡± ¡°Mr. Jason, you¡¯re married?¡± ¡°What? When did you tie the knot, Mr. Jason?¡± ¡°This is blockbuster news! I gotta spill the beans in our alumni chat.¡± Off to the side, Estre waszily cracking nuts, a smirk ying on her lips that now shone with an even more radiant smile. Who knew Jason had such a knack for ying it cool? Beside Jason, Serene turned her gaze to him, then flicked it back to Estre, her eyes brimming with both envy and sorrow. In Jason¡¯s heart, the person he cared about the most must have been Estre, even more than Holly. ¡°So, Jason, who¡¯s the luckydy that got you to settle down so young?¡± ¡°Seriously, if Estre here hadn¡¯t dered her love for thedies, I¡¯d have bet you two were a match made in heaven. Was even thinking of ying Cupid.¡± ¡°Come on, Jason, who¡¯s your wife? Can you give us a hint?¡± Chapter 159 With everyone chatting away, Jason calmly stood up from the sofa. He then walked over to Estre, bent down to pick up her bag from the couch, and watched her without changing his expression, saying, ¡°Haven¡¯t had enough fun yet? Isn¡¯t it time to go home?¡± As Jason locked eyes with Estre, the room fell into a stunned silence before erupting into chaos. ¡°Jason, Estre¡¯s your wife?¡± ¡°Seriously?! Ravenwood College¡¯s power couple tied the knot?¡± ¡°Man, this party just paid off. What a juicy secret!¡± ¡°E, this is¡­ this is¡­¡± ¡°E.¡± Bryce¡¯s buddies were gobsmacked, witnessing the scene unfold. Bryce hadn¡¯t mentioned this little tidbit to them. They all thought Bryce was just her friend. Given how clingy they were to Estre just now, they were worried that Jason might be angry. When Estre saw Jason pick up her bag, she nonchntly tossed thest few nuts from her hand back onto the te and rose from the sofa. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s head back.¡± With their rtionship out in the open, Estre wasn¡¯t about to show Jason up. After all, to a man, pride often trumps all. Estre¡¯s s¨¦ attitude left Dominic and the others shaking their heads in amusement. She always did enjoy pulling their legs. Just moments ago she¡¯d been calling him Mr. Jason, addressing him with a mix of formality and familiarity-no wonder Grayson was so bemused and Jason was so broody. ¡°Estre, you¡¯re such a tease,¡± Dominic said with a mixture ofughter and exasperation. Estre shed a grin. ¡°Just spicing up everyone¡¯s mundane life a bit.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Jason, Estre, let¡¯s hang out again sometime¡± someone chimed in. ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Jason murmured, his arm wrapped around Estre¡¯s shoulders, nodding amicably in agreement. They were all friends, and the men who had been moring for Estre¡¯s attention were Bryce¡¯s friends, so Jason didn¡¯t take it too personally. No harm, no foul. Their affection for Estre was a testament to their good taste. However, if anyone seriously thought about making a move, they¡¯d find they were sorely out of luck. As Jason and Estre made to leave and the clock stryck past eleven, the crowd began to 09:55 disperse. Passing by Bryce, Jason paused, turned, and said with a chilling calm, ¡°Bryce, we¡¯ll settle our score later.¡± At the veiled threat, Bryce almost teared up, pleading with a nce towards Estre, ¡°Estre, save me, please!¡± While begging, he clutched at Estre¡¯s sleeve. Jason shot him a frosty look, and Bryce quickly let go, his eyes pleading, ¡°Estre.¡± Estre quipped back, ¡°Quit your whining. You had me run a fool¡¯s errand today.¡± With that, Jason¡¯s right hand moved from her arm to the back of her neck and he steered her away. ¡°Estre¡­ Estre!¡± ¡°Bryce, I¡¯ll give you a ride home. Enjoy the peace while itsts,¡± Jesse offered, to which Bryce could only respond with deep, unspoken regret. In the crowd, Serene watched Jason and Estre¡¯s retreating figures with a bittersweet smile. No matter how much Serene resembled Holly, Serene wasn¡¯t her. And it seemed Jason¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t set on Holly after all. ¡°Serene, let me walk you out.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± she replied, pulled from her thoughts by the voice beside her. In the parking lot, Estre slid into the passenger seat, watching Jason circle the car to get in. Remembering his earlier deration of not marrying Holly, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. At the same time, the image of the white Maserati and the figure she¡¯d seen at the karaoke bar shed through her mind. Her right hand rested gently on her stomach. If her guess was right, and if Jason remained as steadfast as before, she could soon share her secret with him. Once Jason was in the car, he noticed Estre¡¯splex gaze. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked. ¡°Nothing much.¡± Jason started the engine and nced at Estre again, ¡°Nothing much, huh? Well, we¡¯ll settle the score when we get home.¡± He was still irked about her casual banter with others and pretending not to know him, not to mention how she¡¯d frolicked with Bryce¡¯s friends. Jason was always so guarded outside, never letting women get close, yet Estre seemed to have no such reservations. Estre fell silent. This wasn¡¯t over; he still wanted to ¡®settle the score¡¯? Facing Jason, Estre retorted, ¡°You¡¯ve already kissed me in public, and our rtionship is 09.55 He was so frustrated he could hardly swallow it down or vent it out. He wanted to whisk her away, and keep her in bed for three days straight, making sure she wouldn¡¯t dare cause a scene of spout nonsense in public ever again. After his rhetorical question, Jason pulled Estre close, then pushed her back onto the bed, wrapping her bound hands with a piece of clothing, effectively cuffing her to the bed This kind of dominance y was something he had been fantasizing about for a while Chapter 160 Estre was taken aback, rolling her eyes as she said, ¡°Jason, let go of my hand, will ya?¡± Jason peeled off his shirt, revealing a chest and abs that made Estre¡¯s mouth go dry. When her gaze inevitably drifted southward, she had to swallow hard again. Not only was his face a knockout, but his body was sculpted to perfection, and even his¡­ Estre¡¯s gaze zed over, and Jason, pinching her chin, asked teasingly, ¡°What¡¯re you staring at, huh?¡± Estre shot back with a hint of sass, ¡°I¡¯ll look wherever I damn well please.¡± After all, there wasn¡¯t an inch of him she hadn¡¯t seen. ying along, Jason started to unbuckle his belt, eyeing her with a mischievous glint, ¡°This one¡¯s for you.¡± With that, he cast aside his trousers and pulled Estre into an embrace, whispering seductively in her ear, ¡°Let¡¯s spice things up tonight.¡± Jason didn¡¯t wait for a response before blindfolding her with a piece ofcy lingerie. Estre reminded him, ¡°Take it easy, Jason. There might be a bun in the oven, you know.¡± ¡°When have I ever been anything but gentle with you?¡± he retorted, leaning in to kiss her lips. After a yful teasing in the bedroom, Jason scooped up Estre and carried her to the bathroom for a luxurious bath. Post-romance, while Estrey motionless on the bed, her phone suddenly rang. It was Bryce. Jason was in the shower at the time. Answering the call, Estre spoke weakly, ¡°What¡¯s up, Bryce?¡± She felt genuinely This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. exhausted after their lovemaking. On the other end, Bryce was all fired up, ¡°Estre, I forgot to tell you at the karaoke bar, we tracked down that white Maserati.¡± At the mention of the Maserati, Estre tensed up. Bryce continued, ¡°The owner¡¯s a gal named Reba, 24 years old.¡± Estre inquired, ¡°Any connection to the Ledford family?¡± ¡°You¡¯re on the ball, Estre. Did you look into it? This Reba turns out to be a distant rtive of the Ledfords. She went abroad four years ago and only recently returned.¡± The timeline was uncanny, almost matching the period of the great fire at Holly¡¯s. And that 09:55 driver didn¡¯t seem like she belonged to the Ledfords. Shecked that aristocratic air.. Estre¡¯s thoughts lingered on the passenger of the Maserati more than anything else. Bryce, sensing Estre¡¯s silence, pressed, ¡°Why the sudden interest in this car? Is it rted to your case?¡± Snapping back to the conversation, Estre dismissed it, ¡°Just curious.¡± The resemnce was uncanny, and the Ledford connection was intriguing. Bryce reassured her, ¡°Alright then. Just call me if you need anything.¡± Over the years, Bryce had always been there for Estre, true to his word that she was his top priority. After she hung up with Bryce, Jason emerged from the bathroom, noticing Estre put down her phone. As he dried his hair, he nced at her with a mix of suspicion and concern. Their eyes met and Estre snapped, ¡°It was Bryce.¡± Jason tossed the towel aside, remarking on her fiery temper. He pulled her into his arms, ¡°From now on, I don¡¯t want any other guyying a finger on you.¡± Recalling Bryce¡¯s friends fawning over Estre had left a sour taste in Jason¡¯s mouth. Estre scoffed. Before she could say another word, Jason¡¯s lips were on hers. After their kiss, Estre slipped out of his embrace and under the covers, eager for sleep. Jason joined her in bed, enveloping her in his arms. As Estre nestled against him, she couldn¡¯t help but think back to the night¡¯s revtion at the karaoke bar, and the mysterious figure that lingered in her mind. Jason, sensing her distraction, squeezed her waist, ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Estre snuggled closer, ¡°Nothing,¡± and with that, she closed her eyes to sleep. The next morning, Estre was woken by the vibration of her phone. Jason was already gone from her side. It was Bryce calling. Estre answered with a groggy ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Estre, I need a bailout. Jason is making me go to the office. You gottae save me.¡± She repliedzily, ¡°He won¡¯t bite. Just tough it out.¡± Bryce pleaded, ¡°You gotta help me.¡± As Bryce whined, Drew snatched the phone away, ¡°Mr. Bryce, Mr. Jason is waiting for you.¡± 214 ¡°Drew, my phone, give me back my phone!¡± ¡°Help me out here, will ya?¡± Drew then knocked on Jason¡¯s office door, ¡°Mr Jason, Mr. Bryce is here.¡± At the desk, Jason nced up at Bryce, disinterestedly saying, ¡°Is the paperwork for Velvet Voices KTV sorted? Once it is, Bryce can start managing the ce.¡± Bryce¡¯s confusion turned to shock as he asked, ¡°What¡¯s this all about?¡± Drew exined, ¡°Mr. Jason just bought the Velvet Voices karaoke club. You¡¯ll be running the ce, overseeing the staff and managing gigs. He said the club¡¯s performance better double under your watch, or you¡¯ll be off to build another school.¡± Bryce was bbergasted, ¡°How could you make me do something like a pimp?¡± Jason chuckled with a mischievous glint in his eye. Without so much as a nce at Bryce, Jason commanded, ¡°Drew, escort Bryce to report to Velvet Voices KTV.¡± ¡°Right away, Mr. Jason.¡± Drew nodded, turning to Bryce with a courteous, ¡°This way please.¡± ¡°Jason, you can¡¯t do this to me. How¡¯s E gonna look at me if I do this?¡± ¡°Jason, Jason!¡± Bryce¡¯s pleas fell on deaf ears. Jason ignored himpletely, signaling Drew to take Bryce off to the club. Meanwhile, at Justice Guardians LLP. Estre had just walked into her office when a colleague came up with a message, ¡°Ms. Estre, there¡¯s a client who insists on seeing you. She¡¯s requested you personally her case.¡± After a few high-profile cases, especially those involving Ryan and Nick, who had significant social presence, Estre¡¯s reputation had soared both inside and outsid circles. ¡°Sure,¡± Estre responded as she headed to the client lounge. Carrying her customary two cups of coffee, she entered the room to see a woman with distinguished air about her, who looked to be just in her early thirties, although Estre suspected she was older. ¡°Ms. Estre,¡± the woman stood up promptly to greet her. ¡°Ms. Megan,¡± Estre handed her one of the coffees. le Taking the coffee with both hands, the woman settled down and introduced herself, ¡°Ms. 09:55 Estre, my name is Megan, I¡¯m 42 years old.¡± Listening to her introduction, Estre turned on her recorder, picked up her notebook and pen, ready to take notes. Chapter 161 ¡°Eighteen years ago, Jackson and I were arranged to be married by our parents. At that tim¨¦, we were not familiar with each other, even strangers. However, after getting married, I discovered that Jackson had never let go of his first love. ¡°Three years ago, the ghost of his past returned to haunt our present. His first love came back to town, a widow burdened with grief. Jackson, hearing of her plight, became a man possessed. He helped her relentlessly, with a fervor and dedication I had never seen in him, not even for his own family. ¡°Last year, her brother was involved in a hit-and-run, facing a demand for a staggering settlement of two million dors. Jackson paid it without batting an eye. He bought her a new house, a new car, and took personal charge of her child¡¯s education. Our own daughter never received such diligence from him. ¡°I used to believe Jackson was emotionally detached, but that detachment, it turned out, was reserved for me, our daughter, and the family we built together. His heart belonged to another woman and her child. ¡°However, that child wasn¡¯t his. Before our marriage, his family paid a substantial amount to ensure she left Ravenwood, erasing her from our lives-or so they thought. These secrets only surfaced to me much later.¡± Megan sighed deeply, her smile tinged with bitterness. ¡°Our daughter started college this September, and that¡¯s when Jackson started moring for a divorce. He said now that our child was grown, we could finally set each other free.¡± The mention of divorce brought a crimson tide to Megan¡¯s eyes. Estre slid some tissues across the table. ¡°So, Ms. Megan, you want me to handle your divorce case, and to fight for everything you¡¯re entitled to?¡± Marriages that reached such an impasse left little but separation and division of assets. Men, once their minds are set on divorce, are as stubborn as mules-especially with their hearts imed by another. Jackson¡¯s decades-long infatuation was relentless. Megan¡¯s story was all too familiar to Estre, echoing her own journey, possibly foreshadowing her future. If that was the case, then perhaps it was best to let go. Their daughter was grown, and there was no need for Megan to cling to a loveless partnership. Megan met Estre¡¯s gaze, took a tissue and wiped away the wetness from her eyes. ¡°Ms. Estre,¡± she began, swallowing against the lump in her throat, ¡°I¡¯m not out to win the greatest prize.¡± Stunned by Megan¡¯s words, Estre simply watched her. Megan continued, her voice shaking, ¡°Jackson has made it clear. He¡¯d give up half his holdings, half his wealth, even half his business, if I just agree to a divorce. He¡¯d let me decide the terms, just as long as I 09:56 agree to end our marriage¡­¡± Megan¡¯s husband was willing to sacrifice everything, just for a chance to be with his first love. For a woman like Estre who understood the depth of emotions, the hurt was almost unbearable. ¡°Ms. Megan,¡± Estre said softly, after Megan had declined the offer of seeking maximum financial gain. ¡°What exactly do you want?¡± Megan looked up, her gaze resolute. ¡°Ms. Estre, I don¡¯t want a divorce. I want you to fight for me, to win this case, and to persuade Jackson not to leave.¡± The man mentioned by the woman was 45 years old at the time and was the CEO of apany, with a decent wealth. Estre hadn¡¯t expected that a man who thrived in the business world would also have a romantic side, especially at his age. Estre exined the stark reality, ¡°Ms. Megan, marriage is a voluntarymitment; there¡¯s no winning or losing here. Even if you win this battle, Jackson can simply file again, and the court will likely grant the divorce.¡± ¡°As for persuading Jackson not to divorce, Megan, you need a counsellor, not awyer,¡± Estre remarked. ¡°Lawyers are aboutw and cold hard facts, not about emotional disputes.¡± Listening to Estre¡¯s advice, Megan stated, ¡°Ms. Estre, I understand all that. I¡¯ve sought therapy, I¡¯ve tried different approaches but to no avail, and that¡¯s why I came to you. Ms. Estre, could you please help me out? Please help me keep my marriage intact in the first hearing. Can you just buy me some more time? Maybe Jackson will have a change of heart and wille back to the family and leave that woman behind.¡± Jackson had proposed divorce just as their daughter¡¯s final exams ended. Megan, however, had not given her consent. She had attempted various strategies to salvage their rtionship, but this only served to fortify Jackson¡¯s resolve. He even lodged a divorce case when she continued to postpone necessary paperwork. Estre questioned, ¡°Megan, your husband hase this far. Can you really live like this Can you bear it?¡± Megan forced a bitter smile. ¡°Ms. Estre, you¡¯re so young, and there are many things you won¡¯t understand. When we first got together, there wasn¡¯t much emotion between us, but over the years I¡¯ve truly fallen for Jackson.¡± Fearing Estre would look down on her, Megan further exined, ¡°He is good-looking, well-educated, and sessful. He has a strong business acumen and takes his work responsibilities seriously. How could anyone not fall for such a man?¡± N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°Over the years, Jackson has had no shortage of women vying for his attention, but never did he waver. I just hadn¡¯t expected Julia¡¯s return to shake him to his core, to drive him to such madness.¡± ¡°But I can¡¯t ept this truth. I don¡¯t want to leave him, I¡¯m still in love with him,¡± Megan confessed. ¡°in love, the one who falls first always loses. So, even if he doesn¡¯t love me anymore, I still don¡¯t want to divorce. I want to be with him, even if it¡¯s just to asionally catch a glimpse of him. Ms. Estre, I am truly frightened. I¡¯m scared that once we divorce, we¡¯ll have nothing tying us together.¡± As Megan confided in Estre, the pain within her was palpable. Jackson was loyal, but his loyalty and steadfastness were for another woman, not Megan. She had mistaken his deep love for his first love as devotion to their family, which led her to love him quite deeply. It wasn¡¯t until Julia¡¯s return that Megan recognized the reason why Jackson named their daughter Julie. He was using their daughter as a keepsake of his past love. She was heartbroken and struggled to ept this, but she couldn¡¯tprehend, and more so, wasn¡¯t willing to let go. As Megan expressed her mncholy, Estre, in turn, experienced an inexplicable ache in her heart, like a glimpse of her own future. Megan was too naive, still filled with hope that Jackson would return, when Jackson¡¯s heart was never really with them. Taking in Megan¡¯s desperate plea, Estre replied, ¡°Megan, if your husband remains adamant about divorce, eventually, you will have to part ways.¡± Estre initially wanted to advise Megan to ept things as they were, but she saw something else. Megan was not after Jackson¡¯s wealth. She was genuinely and deeply in love with her husband. Chapter 162 Megan leaned across the desk, her eyes imploring as she spoke to Ms. Estre. ¡°I know, I know, just snag me a little more time, okay? And I have this gut feeling-if you¡¯re the one to handle my case, even Jackson will crumble. You¡¯ve got the gift of gab, Ms. Estre.¡± Estre¡¯s reputation preceded her. Megan had been keeping tabs on her cases, especially the high- stakes ones involving Nick and Lexi. She hadplete faith in Estre¡¯s expertise, which was why she sought her out in the first ce. Sensing Megan¡¯s determination, Estre relented with a sigh, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see what I can do to buy you some time.¡± Megan¡¯s face lit up with gratitude. ¡°Thank you. Thank you so much, Ms. Estre.¡± After a flurry of thanks, Megan registered her details with the paralegal before heading out. Once Megan left, Ms. Estre picked up the documents and let out a long, weary breath. It seemed she was on her way to being pegged as the go-to divorce attorney in town. ¡°Ms, Estre, looks like you¡¯re not hurting for clients these days,¡± a colleague teased. ¡°Yeah, Ms. Estre, you¡¯re practically the queen of divorce court now,¡± another chimed in. ¡°I could use a few earth-shattering cases to shake things up a bit.¡± Estre half-joked, half-pleaded. Logan emerged from his office overhearing her. ¡°Estre, those cases with Ryan, Lexi, and Nick, they¡¯re all criminal cases. You¡¯re just so well-known now that everyone¡¯sing to you. But remember, it¡¯s not about the size of the case.¡± ¡°Hi,¡± she greeted him, along with the rest of the team. Logan waved everyone back to their seats with a casual gesture and continued, ¡°Each case thates to Justice Guardians LLP is a testament to our clients¡¯ trust in us. We need to handle every case with fairness and integrity.¡± ¡°We got it.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After the team¡¯s affirmations, Logan turned back to Estre. ¡°You¡¯re making great strides, Estre. Keep up the good work.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Once Logan retreated to his office, Estre settled back at her desk to dive into Megan¡¯s case. Later in the afternoon, after wrapping up a contract dispute from the previous week, Jesse called to invite her out to dinner. At the restaurant, Estre inquired with a hint of surprise, ¡°Where¡¯s Bryce? Why didn¡¯t hee with you?¡± 11:38 Jesse said, ¡°He got shipped off to manage Velvet Voices KTV. Jason thought he¡¯d be a good fit since he¡¯s got a knack forworking.¡± Estre rolled her eyes at the euphemism, knowing full well the kind of working¡¯ Jason had in mind for Bryce. Shortly after, the server brought their meals, and Jesse broached another topic. ¡°Got your invite to the school anniversary, Estre?¡± ¡°Yeah, I did.¡± They were talking about Ravenwood College¡¯s centennial celebration. Big shots like Jason and Grayson were practically VIPs, having donated generously over the years. Despite not being as prominent, Jesse, hailing from the prestigious Manning family, had also contributed to the school¡¯s legacy, earning her a ce among the honored guests. Midway through dinner, Bryce called, trying to talk Estre and Jesse into joining him at Velvet Voices KTV, promising a lineup of top-notchpany. Jesse couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Bryce, you might have found your true calling. Maybe you should just settle down at Velvet Voices KTV.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. On the other end, Bryce¡¯s voice grew frantic. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t abandon me! I¡¯m just missing you guys,e on over.¡± Jesse smirked, cutting the call short. As the clock neared nine, they strolled through a department store. Jesse suggested catching a movie, but Estre, yawning and teary-eyed from exhaustion, declined. ¡°Jesse, I¡¯m beat. Let¡¯s do it another time.¡± Jesse studied her closely, concerned. It was unlike Estre to tire so easily; they used to all-nighters gaming and movie marathoning without a peep ofint. Something was definitely up. ¡°What¡¯s with the look, Jesse?¡± Estre teased, wrapping her coat tighter around her. Jesse crossed her arms, a yful suspicion in her eyes. ¡°Estre, you¡¯ve been acting offtely, heading home early, getting tired. What¡¯s going on?¡± Estre couldn¡¯t help but chuckle under Jesse¡¯s gaze. Leaning in, she whispered something that turned Jesse¡¯s expression from shock to joy. ¡°Let¡¯s get you home,¡± Jesse said protectively, guiding her out of the store. Estre chuckled at Jesse¡¯s attentiveness. ¡°Don¡¯t treat me like some kind of royalty.¡± ¡°But you are my royalty,¡± Jesse dered with a wink. ¡°My queen.¡± Estre knew she could always count on Jesse. Smiling, they left the department store, their banter echoing into the night. Upon arriving at Sandalwood Oasis and ensuring Estre was safely back in the care of Marie, Jesse finally set off for home. Estre called out to her, ¡°Jesse, why don¡¯t you stay over tonight?¡± Jesse chuckled, ¡°You know how I am. I can¡¯t even get used to staying at the old Manning estate. I¡¯ve got to get back to my own ce.¡± She would have been quite content to bunk down with Estre at the spacious ranch in Waterfall Acres, but Sandalwood Oasis? Not so much. There were too many people, and Jason would being home later that evening. Since Jesse insisted, Estre didn¡¯t say further. As Jesse was waving goodbye, she cautioned, ¡°Estre, you better head inside before the wind chills you to the bone.¡± Estre stood firmly, ¡°I¡¯m not stepping out. I¡¯ll just stand at the door to see you off.¡± After watching Jesse¡¯s car disappear into the night, Estre turned back inside, while Mariemented nearby, ¡°Miss Jesse is actually quite a decent person, warm and polite.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Estre replied with a smile, her admiration evident. Jesse was better than they had imagined, stronger and more understanding. It¡¯s just Jesse¡¯s heart had closed off to everyone except Estre and Bryce after her mom¡¯s death and everything that happened. Not long after Jesse left, Jason returned. He found Estre fresh from the bath, stepping out of the washroom. He approached and wrapped her in his arms, nting a kiss before resting his chin on her shoulder. ¡°I had a little schmooze with Taylor and Grayson tonight,¡± he murmured. Estre teased, ¡°I can smell the mingling scents on you.¡± Jason assured her, ¡°I didn¡¯t drink or smoke. That¡¯s just the party¡¯s perfume clinging to me.¡± Chapter 163 Lately, Estre couldn¡¯t stand the smell of smoke and booze, so Jason had be extra vignt about it. He used to sneak the asional cigarette, but now he had quit cold turkey. Estre looked up at him and said, ¡°I know, you better go shower and try to hit the hay early.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Jason nted a kiss on her lips, teasing, ¡°Can¡¯t wait, huh?¡± ¡°Duh, I¡¯ve been waiting up for you half the night,¡± Estre replied, yfully pinching Jason¡¯s butt. Jason, at a loss for words, gave her a lingering kiss before grabbing his clothes and heading to the bathroom. After a while, freshly showered, he came out and sat down beside Estre. As he pulled her into his arms, Estre turned to him and mentioned, ¡°I got the invitation to the school¡¯s anniversary celebration this afternoon.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go together,¡± Jason said, kissing her cheek. Since the gathering at the club, whispers of Jason and Estre¡¯s marriage had started circting around the school on a small scale. But many were skeptical, saying that Jason had been so smitten with Holly in the past that it was impossible for him to tie the knot so quickly. They argued that a young guy like Jason wouldn¡¯t rush into marriage. Some even suggested that because Jason was the CEOof Nelson International, there would have been a grand wedding, and theck of any such news meant that perhaps Estre was spreading false rumors to corner Jason into submission. They recalled how Estre used to visit Jason at Ravenwood College even before she enrolled, indicating a one-sided affection from her. With all this gossip, the truth about Jason and Estre¡¯s marriage became even more obscured. The doubters were mostly alumni who had been close to Holly or had a soft spot for her. They believed that even though Holly had passed away, Jason hadn¡¯t move on and still held a torch for her. Jason had heard these rumors through Drew, which was why he insisted on attending the celebration with Estre. Resting in his embrace, Estre gave him an understanding look before leaning back into his arms. After over two years of marriage, these moments of closeness were rare. It had been a long time since she had simplyin in Jason¡¯s arms like this. As Jason yfully pinched her belly, Estre rested her hands on his wrists and asked in a steady tone, ¡°I took on a divorce case today. The husband and wife were brought together 11-387 by their parents¡¯ arrangement, but the husband¡¯s first love has returned. Now, with their daughter off to college, he¡¯s asked for a divorce.¡± ¡°My client still loves her husband and wants to salvage their marriage,¡± she continued. ¡°Jason, as a man, give me your take. Is there any chance for this marriage to be saved? Should she even bother trying?¡± Jason idly kneaded Estre¡¯s sides as he mused, ¡°After all these years, if he¡¯s still not over his first love, it¡¯s going to be tough for the wife, unless something drastic changes his mindset. Otherwise, there¡¯s hardly anything that could be done for the wife to save their marriage.¡± Then he looked down at Estre and remarked, ¡°They¡¯re at the point of suing for divorce. Why aren¡¯t you advising your client to just end it? As long as she gets a fair share of the assets, that should be enough. Isn¡¯t that usually your approach?¡± ¡°She can¡¯t bear to let go,¡± Estre said. ¡°So you think it¡¯s not worth holding onto this marriage, right?¡± ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Jason replied nonchntly. After responding, Jason suddenly felt as if he¡¯d been led into a trap. He studied her for a moment before asking, ¡°What are your client¡¯s name? What¡¯s her husband¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Megan and her husband¡¯s name is Jackson. You¡¯ve probably interacted with him before.¡± ¡°I remember him. Probably worked with him.¡± When Estre provided real names and details, Jason breathed a sigh of relief. For a moment, he had wondered if she was fishing for information. Estre chuckled at Jason¡¯s obvious sense of relief. She had only asked a casual question, after all. Still, the case did bear a striking resemnce to their own situation, even if she and Jason hadn¡¯t reached such a critical juncture. Estre¡¯s smug nce didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Jason, who tightened his embrace and kissed her ear, her most sensitive spot. As she melted into his touch, Estre returned h kiss with tender passion. Saturday arrived, and Ravenwood College was abuzz with excitement for its anniversary. Alumni who had the time all made their way back to their alma mater for the asion. The celebration kicked off in the morning, and Jason and Estre were up and about by seven, ready to head to their old stomping grounds. Despite having attended simr events in the past, this was the first time they would be attending together as a couple. ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± 11.20 ¡°Ms. Estre.¡± ¡°Jason.¡± As they stepped out of their car, greetings flew their way. Their coordinated outfits drew attention, and the school forums lit up with chatter. Jason and Estre were truly an item, everyone buzzed, with snapshots of the couple flooding social media. Thements ranged from adoration to judgment, with some mourning Holly¡¯s memory, while others defended Jason¡¯s right to move on. When someone brought up Holly, iming Jason was heartless, other ssmates couldn¡¯t stand idly by. They jumped into the fray under the post, using them of morally pressuring Jason. Besides, Holly had been gone for several years now, and even if she and Jason had a past, it was high time to turn the page. The online squabble was reaching fever pitch when the school administration stepped in with an announcement, urging everyone to focus solely on the uing reunion and refrain from irrelevant discussions. The notice emphasized that Jason and Estre were the pride of the school and today¡¯s honored guests. Following the announcement, the contentious post was removed, and the instigators found their ounts promptly suspended. Bryce, with time on his hands, screenshotted the post and sent it to Estre, who appeared utterly unfazed by the whole ordeal. As awyer, she¡¯d seen her share of conflicts. If she let every little thing get to her, she¡¯d be fit to be tied on a daily basis. Jason and Estre exchanged greetings with the school administrators, who quickly noticed that they were indeed married. Each of the leaders wore a broad, authentic smile as they cheerfully extended their heartfelt congrattions. Once the reunion festivities kicked off, following the opening remarks and speeches by the host and dignitaries, they invited Jason to the stage to speak on behalf of the alum Chapter 164 Jason stood proudly at the podium, delivering his speech with the charisma of a seasoned orator. Below the stage, Estre¡¯s face was alight with a beaming smile, her pping so vigorous that her hands turned a bright shade of red. She was bursting with pride. After all, that was her man up there. ¡°Estre, you and Jason seem to be doing great these days,¡± Jesse whispered, sliding into the seat next to her with a knowing grin. Estre simply smiled back and said, ¡°We¡¯re hanging in there.¡± Estre remained calm andposed, without much emotional fluctuation. Once the student representatives and school officials concluded their speeches, the crowd dispersed for some free-time revelry across the campus. Every nook and cranny boasted festive decorations for the centennial celebration, with banners and streamers fluttering in the breeze. The quad and surrounding streets were lined with food stalls reminiscent of a bustling county fair. The main event space, where the school¡¯s officials and special guests gravitated, was alive with excitement, with Jason and his peers at the heart of it all. Besides anniversary celebrations, there were also charity events scheduled for that day. Whether it was Jason, Grayson, or Estre, everyone showed their support, contributing to the school¡¯s future prosperity. The school officials, beaming at the sight of generous donations, could hardly contain their joy, knowing next year¡¯s research funds were more than secured. ¡°Jesse, $600,000.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Bryce, $600,000.¡± ¡°Estre, $600,000.¡± ¡°Grayson, $2 million.¡± ¡°Jason, $2 million.¡± The day¡¯s contributions were notably consistent, with the bigwigs like Jason casually dropping a cool $2 million each. Their typical donations, often reaching into the billions, were reserved for times when the school truly needed it. For the 100th anniversary, everyone had chosen to donate equally, no one vying for the spotlight, yet together, the total was staggering. As the emcee read out the amounts, most people were too engrossed in their conversations to pay much attention. 11.20 ¡°Holly, $600,000.¡± It was when the emcee called out Holly¡¯s name that the crowd fell into a stunned silence, the emcee himself taken aback. Holly, who had perished in a fire years ago, was now listed as a donor. Had there been a mistake? Confirming the list in his hand, the emcee announced once more into the microphone, ¡°No mistake, Holly has indeed donated $600,000.¡± The murmurings began. ¡°Holly? The same Holly we thought was gone? ¡°Didn¡¯t she pass away? Did her family make the donation on her behalf?¡± As the crowd buzzed with shock and confusion, Estre¡¯s gaze slid toward Jason, who looked equally stunned, his eyes scanning the throng. Estre had been right all along; she hadn¡¯t misrecognized the person those past few times. Holly had yed a massive joke on them all. ¡°Emcee, are you sure it¡¯s Holly? Don¡¯t scare us,¡± someone called out. With the crowd¡¯s doubts echoing around him, the emcee double-checked the list and reaffirmed, ¡°There¡¯s no error. It is indeed Holly who has donated $600,000.¡± ¡°Holly.¡± ¡°Holly.¡± ¡°Is that Holly over there?¡± Following the emcee¡¯s confirmation, a path cleared in the crowd, and Estre watched as that girl driving the Maserati stepped out, supporting a woman in a pale blue coat. As she approached, Estre¡¯s eyes traveled from the woman¡¯s feet to her face, and there was no surprise to see the one they had all thought lost for four years. Holly was alive. The girl from the Maserati wasn¡¯t a figment of her imagination, nor had she been mistaken at Velvet Voices KTV. Holly was very much alive, now standing in front of them all. Estre watched Holly for a moment, then turned to Jason, whose expression was aplex mix of astonishment and disbelief. He had never expected Holly to return from the dead. Beside him, Grayson and Thomas were equally dumbstruck, their eyes fixed on Holly. They had all attended her funeral, where the Ledford family had mourned her supposed passing due to a failed surgery. Now, Holly was here, in flesh and blood. Bryce and Jesse, sitting beside Estre, were just as taken aback, their faces darkening as they processed Holly¡¯s sudden reappearance. 11.38 With Holly¡¯s arrival, the crowd first boiled over with excitement, then fell into a hushed stillness, only to erupt once again. As Holly made her way toward Jason and Estre, she paused, her smile touching her lips as she greeted them, ¡°Jason, Estre, it¡¯s been a while.¡± Jason looked down, silent, as Holly, devoid of her usual vigor and moving slowly as if still recovering from a severe illness, said, ¡°It¡¯s a long story. I¡¯ll exin another time.¡± The Dean, shocked to see Holly alive and the donor of $600,000, wasn¡¯t sure what to say. ¡°Holly, we¡¯re so grateful you could make it today. It¡¯s just¡­ unexpected.¡± He had attended Holly¡¯s funeral over three years ago. Back then, she was gone, and the Ledford family had grieved deeply. Holly offered the Dean a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯m just doing my part for the school. There was a bit of a misunderstanding about that incident.¡± The Dean quickly reassured Holly, ¡°Of course. We are happy that you¡¯re okay, Holly. It¡¯s a joy just to have everyone back safe and sound, With the Ledford family¡¯s prominence and Korey¡¯s influential position, it was natural for the Dean to handle Holly¡¯s return with care. After chatting with Holly for a bit, the Dean breezed through the issue with a few words, urging everyone to continue enjoying the day¡¯s anniversary festivities. Jason and Estre ended up together, and it turned out Holly hadn¡¯t died after all. Ravenwood College¡¯s anniversary celebration today was full of surprises and gossip. At noon, the Dean arranged a grand banquet in the school¡¯s dining hall, while other students attending the festivities were free to grab lunch at other cafeterias or from the various activity stalls scattered around campus. Right then, as folks were chowing down in the dining hall, Holly was suddenly wheeled in by that girl named Reba. Holly¡¯s sudden appearance set off a fresh wave ofmotion and sympathy. Jesse and Estre kept mum, while Bryce was seething with rage, thinking to himself, ¡°She¡¯s been gone for years without a trace, and now she¡¯s back? Why can¡¯t she just stay gone?¡± Chapter 165 Throughout lunch, Estre maintained an air of sereneposure. It was as if she had anticipated the unfolding scene, her gaze asionally flickering over Jason, who sat with furrowed brow. Estre did not question him, nor did she offer words offort. After all, they were adults, masters of their own emotions. Beside Estre, Bryce suddenly turned to her and quipped, ¡°Estre, how can you be so chill? Not even a hint of surprise?¡± The rest of their circle had been visibly shaken, jaws nearly hitting the floor, yet Estre seemed unfazed, prompting a wave of envy in Bryce. With a chuckle, Estre revealed, ¡°The girl sitting next to Holly is the owner of that Maserati.¡± ¡°What?¡± Bryce gasped, even more astonished, before pressing on, ¡°So Estre, did you already see that Holly has returned?¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Estre¡¯s silence spoke volumes. Given the current situation at the time, it seemed that the girl driving the Maserati was Holly¡¯s maid. Holly didn¡¯t want people to know she had returned, nor did she want anyone to be aware of her presence. That was why the Ledford family had registered the car under the name of that girl. As Bryce and Estre chatted, Holly was wheeled over by a servant, her gaze briefly surveying the group, before she smiled weakly at Jason, ¡°Jason, I¡¯m not feeling up to par. I¡¯ll head back now and treat everyone to dinner another day.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Jason replied curtly. Holly didn¡¯t offer any exnation, and Jason didn¡¯t ask anything. Then Holly navigated her wheelchair away, leaving the group to turn their collective gaze upon Jason. With an edge in his voice, Jason snapped, ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡± Bryce shook his head, then, picking up his fork, he offered Estre more food, ¡°Estre, eat up.¡± Their afternoon ns cut short, Jason left promptly, and Estre soon followed. Bryce drove her back, with Jesse in tow. Inside the car, Jesse turned to Estre and asked, ¡°Estre, what¡¯s your game n now?¡± ¡°Just business as usual,¡± Estre replied with a smile. ¡°Right,¡± Bryce interjected, ¡°stand your ground, and if Jason dares to upset you, just kick him to the curb. You¡¯re too good to worry about finding men.¡± Bryce¡¯s rant continued, his mood soured by Holly¡¯s reappearance,menting how the past 10:02 3 had spared her. Estre, unbothered by the day¡¯s events, simply touched her stomach gently, pondering her next move. Soon, they arrived at Sandalwood Oasis, where Bryce and Jesse saw Estre inside. Bryce even snagged some of Jason¡¯s coffee before taking his leave. Jesse, on parting, reminded Estre to reach out if anything arose. Once they left, the house fell silent, save for Marie muttering, ¡°Mr. Bryce was still the same, always fond of taking Mr. Jason¡¯s things.¡± Estre replied, ¡°That¡¯s just who he is.¡± ¡°Ms. Estre, you probably didn¡¯t get a proper lunch outside. Let me whip up some pasta for you, and I¡¯ll also prepare some fruit,¡± Marie offered. ¡°Alright, thank you, Marie.¡±. Marie beamed and bustled off to the kitchen. A little whileter, Estre was tucking into her meal, her thoughts intermittently returning to Holly¡¯s unexpected appearance today. Holly¡¯s parents were surprisingly amodating, even agreeing to her bizarre idea of staging a mock funeral. Meanwhile, in the CEO¡¯s office of Nelson International, Jason had settled down at his desk. The Ledford family had once casually mentioned that Holly had passed away. At that time, they didn¡¯t dwell on it and went ahead to mourn at Holly¡¯s pretended funeral. Who would¡¯ve thought that she¡¯d reappear after more than three years? Fidgeting with the phone on his desk, Jason found a number that he hadn¡¯t dialed in years. Several times, he had thought about reaching out, only to hesitate, but in the end, he mustered the courage to dial Estre¡¯s number. ¡°Home safe?¡± ¡°Yes, was about to nap when you called,¡± Estre held the phone in one hand, with the other resting on her eyes. ¡°Rest up. I¡¯ll be home soon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Estre hung up, pulled the covers closer, and drifted to sleep, unswayed by the local astonishment over Holly¡¯s miraculous re-emergence. When she woke up in the evening, Jason was already there, watching her sleep. ¡°Back already?¡± she mumbled, half-asleep. ¡°You¡¯ve been sleeping a lot,¡± Jasonmented, his hand brushing her forehead. ¡°Too many court cases, they tire the brain,¡± Estre yawned, adding, ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Her appetite had grown fierce thesest few days. Arge bowl of pasta and a heap of fruit at noon had barely sufficed. Jason gently ruffled her hair. ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs and get you something to eat.¡± Jason didn¡¯t bring up Holly, and Estre, being smart, also chose not to mention it, pretending as if that person had never appeared. Downstairs, Marie cheerfully noted Estre¡¯s restful afternoons and encouraged an early night. Tonight, Jason originally had a social engagement. The school leaders invited him to dinner, but, Jason declined and chose toe back to apany Estre after finishing his work at thepany. After dinner, Estre and Jason retreated upstairs to unwind for the evening. While Jason took a refreshing shower, Estre nestled into the soft bed with a book in hand. Emerging clean and slightly damp, Jason scooped up Estre into a warm embrace. It was as if the school¡¯s anniversary celebration had never happened, and Holly was just a figment of the past. Tonight, Estre seemed content to curl up beside him. There was a rare moment of tranquility between them. Jason tightened his hold on her, resting his chinfortably on her shoulder. Estre, basking in his warmth, allowed her eyelids to flutter shut, drifting off without another word. Smart as a whip, Estre wasn¡¯t the type to stir up trouble, but God help anyone who managed to get on her bad side. The following morning, Jason awoke with Estre still in his arms. The room was bathe in the bright light of day. Reaching for his phone on the nightstand, he noticed a new message. The sender¡¯s name alone was enough to shift his expression. Chapter 166 [Jason, let¡¯s meet up today.] The message came from Holly, whose ount had been dormant for years. Staring at the message for a long time, Jason turned his gaze towards Estre, who was still half- asleep. He pulled the nket up to cover her shoulders, then replied to Holly¡¯s message before getting out of bed. As Jason got dressed and ready, Estre opened her eyes, her voice groggy, ¡°Up so early?¡± ¡°Yeah, got a bit of a thing,¡± Jason said, looking down at her. Estre nodded, grabbing the pillow next to her and hugging it to her chest, not pressing him on what the matter was. The door gently closed behind him, and Estre¡¯s eyes, which had been closed, slowly opened a little wider. Everything seemed to proceed just as she expected. Jason arrived at the coffee shop they¡¯d agreed on, and Holly was already there. When she saw him, she stood up and greeted him with a gentle, ¡°Jason, how have you been?¡± Her voice and demeanor carried a sense of recovering from a serious illness, and her spirit still wasn¡¯t very good. ¡°Good,¡± Jason sat down opposite her, and Holly ordered him an Americano. A few momentster, when the server brought over the coffee, Holly watched Jason with a faint smile and said, ¡°My sudden reappearance yesterday must have rattled you all, didn¡¯t it?¡± When Jason didn¡¯t respond, Holly took a sip of her coffee, then set down the cup gently and spoke deliberately, ¡°The surgery back then wasn¡¯t aplete failure. I just couldn¡¯ ept that version of myself. I couldn¡¯t ept being unable to stand, and the scars or my face.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know how to face everyone, especially you. Your folks were so fond of Estre and the idea of you two together. I felt that maybe it would be for the best for everyone was just gone. My family didn¡¯t know what to do with me, so they went along with that charade.¡± ¡°Jason, I never meant to deceive anyone.¡± After a pause, Holly¡¯s voice softened as she continued, ¡°I¡¯ve come back now because my health is gradually improving, and those scars have faded. That gave me the courage to return.¡± She paused, then asked, ¡°Jason, have you uncovered the truth about that fire all those years ago?¡± At the mention of the fire¡¯s truth, Jason¡¯s eyes involuntarily narrowed. Their eyes met, and Holly said, ¡°With your capabilities, you must have figured it out by now, right? I just never heard any fuss about it. Could it be that you have¡­¡± She trailed off into silence. Jason just stared at her, not saying a word. Even though Holly hadn¡¯t said it, he knew she must have learned the truth. After a long silence, Holly gave a rueful smile, I almost lost my life. I¡¯ve spent these years in the hospital. My future, with this body¡­¡± She stopped, then changed the subject, ¡°But if you¡¯d rather not dredge up the past, then let¡¯s leave it. After all, you were a victim too.¡± Jason didn¡¯t pick up where Holly left off, instead asking, ¡°What are your ns for the future?¡± ¡°Now, I¡¯m working at my uncle¡¯spany. As for my health, I¡¯ll just take it slow.¡± Holly replied softly. They sat a while longer, and then Holly mentioned feeling cold and wanting to step outside into the sun. Jason agreed to go with her. The coffee shop Holly had chosen, on the outskirts of Ravenwood, was a charming garden caf¨¦ that offered a nice selection of coffees, pastries, and a walking garden. Despite it being December, the weather was unusually clear, and the garden flowers were in full bloom. Walking side by side in the garden, Holly said at an unhurried pace, ¡°I¡¯m still not fully recovered. My respiratory function is a bit weak, so I don¡¯t get around much. When I get tired, Reba pushes me in the wheelchair.¡± Holly¡¯s personal attendant Reba was the girl who drove the Maserati. ¡°The medical care back home has improved a lot, and you¡¯ll be back on your feet soon. ¡°Yeah,¡± Holly replied, then smoothly shifted the topic, ¡°You still couldn¡¯t go against your family¡¯s wishes and ended up with Estre.¡± Jason just pocketed his hands and kept silent. Meanwhile, at Sandalwood Oasis. Estre had just woken up from a long sleep and came downstairs when Bryce stormed i with urgency, ¡°Estre.¡± Yawning, Estre asked, ¡°What brings you here so early?¡± Bryce retorted, ¡°It¡¯s almost noon.¡± Before Estre could speak, Bryce quickly approached her, his voice filled with indignation, ¡°Estre, do you know what I just saw? I must report this matter to you.¡± Estre looked at Bryce, her face still sleepy as he pulled out a stack of photos from his pocket, ¡°Jason is out of line. Holly just reappeared yesterday, and he couldn¡¯t wait to meet up with her today. Where does that leave you, his wife? He¡¯s chasing after Holly like this, how are you supposed to hold your head up in the future?¡± Bryce was fuming as he handed the photos to Estre. They showed Jason and Holly having coffee, walking side by side in the garden. Estre¡¯s face showed little emotion, asposed as before. It was as if this turn of events was anything but sudden. This morning, when Jason mentioned he was going out to take care of something, Estre actually already had a feeling about it. After looking at the photos, Estre turned to Bryce, ¡°You¡¯ve gone through a lot of trouble this morning.¡± Bryce replied, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble. I just happened toe across them.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Estre chuckled. She couldn¡¯t quite believe Bryce¡¯s im of coincidence. More likely, he¡¯d been shadowing Jason since the school reunion ended, looking to catch him in the act. Estre turned to Bryce and smiled. She didn¡¯t expose him; after all, Bryce just didn¡¯t want her to be kept in the dark. Bryce caught Estre¡¯s silent smile and sensed the turmoil hidden beneath her calm exterior. cing a comforting hand on her shoulder, he said, ¡°Estre, if something¡¯s eating at you, just spill it. Don¡¯t bottle it all up inside.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s a guy, anyway? A dime a dozen, right?¡± he added. ¡°Frankly, I think you should cut ties with Jason sooner rather thanter. Get a clean break, avoid the heartache.¡± When there was only one Serene in the past, Bryce had already been unable to swal his anger. Now, with Holly¡¯s unexpected and dramatic return from the shadows, Bry was fuming. The sight of Holly yesterday had left him feeling like a storm cloud had settled over him, casting a shadow on his every mood. Today, with Jason off to meet Holly, Bryce wished he could teleport the whole regist office to Estre¡¯s doorstep, urging her to finalize the divorce with Jason on the spot. As for Jason¡¯s love life? Bryce couldn¡¯t care less. Bryce¡¯s loyaltyy firmly with Estree what may. Chapter 167 Before Estre could utter a word, Bryce pressed on, ¡°Look, Estre, when ites to matters of the heart, it¡¯s better to rip off the Band-Aid fast. If you split now, you¡¯ll be upset for, what, maybe a couple of weeks tops? But if you don¡¯t, the pain¡¯s just gonna drag on. Why put yourself through that kind of grief? You¡¯re not exactly short on options, right?¡± As Bryce continued, Marie¡¯s expression turned so dark, it looked like a thundercloud. When the maid brought in the tea and cookies, Marie snatched the tray with a severe look. Later, when Marie stomped into the wroom, she mmed the refreshments down in front of Bryce and spat out, ¡°Mr. Bryce, I remember Mr. Jason is your cousin. He never did you any wrong, did he?¡± ¡°How can you, his cousin,e into his house and push his wife to divorce? And if I may be so bold, you wouldn¡¯t happen to have your eye on Ms. Estre, would you?¡± Marie was genuinely suspicious of Bryce¡¯s motives. If he wasn¡¯t Jason¡¯s cousin, Marie would have booted him out long ago. What kind of cousin was that? This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Annoyed by Marie¡¯s reaction, Bryce lounged on the sofa, legs apart, and said with an air of sincerity, ¡°Marie, aren¡¯t you being a bit too overprotective of Jason? You know exactly what kind of man he is. How often he¡¯s been home to Estre since they got married? You can¡¯t say you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°If Estre were your daughter, would you be happy to see her married to a man like Jason? Since there¡¯s no love and mutual affection, why force them to stay together? This marriage was a mistake from the start, and when you realize you¡¯ve made a mistake, you correct it promptly.¡± Marie was left speechless by Bryce¡¯s blunt words. He wasn¡¯t wrong; Estre and Jason marriage was indeed rocky, with Jason rarelying home. But Marie wasn¡¯t one to concede defeat. She dreaded the thought that Estre might actually take Bryce¡¯s advic and go through with a divorce. ¡°So rtionships need time to gel,¡± Marie argued. ¡°Besides, Mr. Jason and Ms. Estre have been getting along greattely. He¡¯s beening home nearly every day.¡± Bryce chuckled, ¡°They¡¯ve known each other for nearly 24 years. If it¡¯s not working, it¡¯s not working. How much more ¡®gelling¡¯ do they need?¡± ¡°Mr. Bryce, if you keep this up, I¡¯ll be calling Mr. Jason and Mr. Keith,¡± Marie threatened, seeing that Bryce was dead set on getting Estre to go through the divorce. Estre, who was feeling extremely tired, yawned amidst their back and forth. ¡°Bryce, give it a rest,¡± she said. Then she turned to Marie, ¡°Look, Marie, this is just how Bryce is. Don¡¯t take it personally. Plus, I can make my own decisions.¡± Estre knew exactly when and what decisions to make. Marie rxed a bit. ¡°Ms. Estre, you¡¯re a smartdy. I trust your judgment.¡± Bryce snorted, ¡°Smart about everything except for marrying my cousin.¡± Marie¡¯s expression darkened, and she looked like she was about to throw her shoe at Bryce. It was no wonder Mr. Jason always had it out for him. Estre smoothed things over a bit before sending her off to attend to other matters. Once Marie left, Bryce nonchntly cracked nuts and said, ¡°Jason¡¯s her golden boy. Of course, she¡¯s protective.¡± Estre shot back, ¡°Don¡¯t get too cocky. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Bryce teased, ¡°Just making sure you¡¯re not blinded by love.¡± In Bryce¡¯s eyes, Estre was a hopeless romantic. Estre justughed at the absurdity. After lunch at Sandalwood Oasis, Bryce was summoned away by a phone call and had to take off to manage Velvet Voices KTV that night. Once Bryce left, Estre nced at the photos on the coffee table. It was a beautiful day, perfect for a walk. As Estre¡¯s lips curled into a sardonic smile, Marie reappeared. Noticing the photos, she said, ¡°Ms. Estre, those pictures don¡¯t mean a thing. Better wait for Mr. Jason toe back and clear things up.¡± Marie knew thatmunication was the cornerstone of any marriage and urged Estrell to talk to Jason, confident he would exin. Staring at the photos, Estre said calmly, ¡°Marie, just burn these photos, will you? And need to mention Bryce¡¯s visit to Jason.¡± There was no need to ask Jason; she already knew what his answers would be. Holly¡¯s mysterious resurgence was something she wouldn¡¯t exin to anyone but Jaso So, there was no rush to confront the issue. If there was anything between them, it woue to light eventually. There was no need to act rashly and alert them. As Marie picked up the photos, Estre smiled, ¡°I trust Jason.¡± Only after Estre expressed her trust did Marie leave to burn the photos. Watching Marie¡¯s retreating figure, Estre touched her belly and then went upstairs to rest. After lunch with Holly, Jason drove her home. When the car pulled up outside the Ledford family estate, Holly turned to stare at Jason and hesitated to leave or speak. Noticing her prolonged silence, Jason nced at her and reminded her, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Jason¡¯s words hung in the air when Holly gently caught his hand. ¡°Jason.¡± It had been over three years since they¡¯dst met, yet he was just as charismatic and dashing as ever. At the alumni g the night before, amidst the sea of faces, she spotted him immediately. Jason always stood out, no matter the asion. He was perpetually the most dazzling one in the room. Holly gripped his wrist, and Jason turned to look at her, ¡°You take care now. Rest up at home.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Holly replied softly, her voice tinged with tenderness, before letting go of his hand. She continued to stare at Jason for quite some time. After spotting the Maserati returning, she reluctantly pushed open the car door and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll be heading back then.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Jason responded, his voice casual. Holly¡¯s gaze lingered on him, filled with unspoken yearning, until she finally set her feet on the ground and stepped out of the car. ¡°Miss,¡± the servant rushed over to support her. Leaning on the servant, Holly didn¡¯t immediately head inside. She waited until Jason¡¯s car vanished from her sight before reluctantly making her way back to the house. Three long years, and not a single day had passed without her thoughts drifting to him. She had never truly let him go. What if he hadn¡¯t¡­ However, life doesn¡¯te with so many ¡®what ifs.¡¯ Chapter 168 When Holly was supported back into the house, she immediately saw Korey. He was walking over from the French window side, his expression not looking very pleasant. ¡°Hey, Korey,¡± she called out to him. Korey cut to the chase, ¡°Did you meet with Jason today?¡± ¡°Yeah. I had a little chat with him,¡± Holly confirmed. At her response, Korey¡¯s expression darkened even more. ¡°Holly, Jason and Estre are married now.¡± Korey¡¯s reminder made Holly chuckle, ¡°I know that. I only met with Jason to clear up why I appeared out of the blue. He¡¯s just a friend to me. And what about you? Don¡¯t you have friends? Or do you not consider Estre a friend in your heart?¡± Korey¡¯s words made Holly feel like he was being hypocritical. With his hands buried in his pockets, Korey stared at Holly, his expression unchanging because he knew she wouldn¡¯t be as level-headed as he was. After a long silence, Korey finally said, ¡°Now that Jason and Estre are married, your past with Jason is irrelevant. You don¡¯t owe him any exnations. The best blessing you could give them is to stay out of their life.¡± Holly¡¯s already back, so what more was there to justify? No matter how she might try to exin, it all just reduced to the fact that she staged a spectacle back then. Jason¡¯s current wife was Estre. Whether the whole sham of Holly faking her death. years ago was true or not, it¡¯s not something he ought to concern himself with anymore. It¡¯s all water under the bridge. Right or wrong, Holly¡¯s deceit was part of the past. At this point, Korey could only hope that Holly would keep a safe distance from Jason. Holly had considereding back home half a year ago, but Korey had been against it. Eventually, though, he couldn¡¯t stand against their parents¡¯ wishes. In Korey¡¯s mind, since Holly had chosen to fake her death, she should have made it permanent and never returned. After all, medical care was superior abroad, and it would be best for her and Jason to never cross paths again. However, she insisted oning back, and Korey had to consider that her fake death years ago and her sudden reappearance were part of her own scheming¡­ Holly watched him and asked, ¡°Am I really your sister, Korey? Can¡¯t you trust me at all? And do you have so little faith in Estre that you think she can¡¯t keep Jason?¡± Korey, his hands still in his pockets, didn¡¯t reply. Finally, he said indifferently, ¡°I have 14:37 something to attend to. I¡¯ll leave first. Mom and Dad will be backter.¡± With that, Korey left without waiting for a response, his car disappearing into the distance while Holly watched from the window until she could no longer see the taillights. Then, she turned and headed upstairs. At Sandalwood Oasis, Estre was blissfully unconcerned about Bryce¡¯s tattling earlier that day. She carried on as usual. That evening, after finishing her dinner alone and preparing to rest, Jason came home. Hearing him enter, Estre lifted her gaze and casually asked, ¡°Back already?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Jason replied, wrapping her in his arms and resting his chin on her shoulder. ¡°Why are you still up?¡± ¡°Waiting for you,¡± she said, with a hint of affection in her voice. Soon after, she caught a whiff of a delicate jasmine scent, unmistakably Holly¡¯s signature fragrance. It had been Holly¡¯s favorite, and she had even had a custom perfume made. It was a scent exclusive to Holly. After a moment of closeness, Estre suggested, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, you should shower.¡± Jason listened to Estre¡¯s words and hugged her even tighter. They say men feel the most guilty when they¡¯re unfaithful and try hardest to appear devoted in front of their wives. Estre didn¡¯t know if Jason was in that state now. Eventually, at Estre¡¯s behest, he reluctantly gathered his clothes and headed to the bathroom. In the bedroom, as soon as Jason had stepped into the bathroom, Estre swiftly grabb a fresh set of clothes and slipped into the opposite bathroom. Compared to the fragrance of jasmine, Estre preferred the scent of gardenia flowers. When Jason emerged and didn¡¯t find Estre, he went looking for her and almost bumped into her as she stepped out of the neighboring room. ¡°Finished?¡± she inquired calmly. ¡°You¡¯d already showered, hadn¡¯t you?¡± Jason asked, puzzled. ¡°I spilled something,¡± Estre replied nonchntly. Jason sensed something was off but couldn¡¯t pinpoint it. Estre, feigning tiredness, dered she was heading to bed and climbed in. Jason followed suit, but in the days that followed, he became increasingly busy,ing hometer and later, sometimes not at all. Estre didn¡¯t call to ask. Such behavior was nothing new to her. Once you¡¯ve experienced something like this, its recurrence doesn¡¯t shake you as much. 14:37 Besides, she had already achieved her goal. That morning, Cole had just returned from a meeting when his assistant hurried over with news, ¡°Chairman, Mr. Jason from Nelson International is here.¡± ¡°Jason?¡± Cole questioned. ¡°Yes, he hase over.¡± Hearing the confirmation, Cole quickened his pace back to his office. It was unusual for Jason to visit thepany. What could have prompted this sudden appearance? When Cole pushed open the office door and entered, Jason set down the financial magazine he was flipping through, getting up from his seat.N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Jason, what brings you here today?¡± Cole inquired, nodding to his assistant. ¡°Brew Mr. Jason a pot of our finest coffee, please.¡± The assistant promptly set out to prepare a fresh pot. Soon after, a steaming cup of coffee was ced before them. Cole, with a warm smile, poured the dark liquid into Jason¡¯s cup and asked, ¡°So, Jason, what¡¯s on your mind today?¡± Taking a sip of the rich brew, Jason replied at a leisurely pace, ¡°I came by to discuss the project in the New District of Silverbrookwith you.¡± At the mention of the project, a subtle change flickered across Cole¡¯s face, and a twinge concern echoed in his chest. The New District of Silverbrook was the jewel in the crow for Nelson International, yet the Innovative Solutions Inc. was vying for it as well. Cole¡¯s thoughts immediately went to the Innovative Solutions Inc., owned by Holly¡¯s unc essentially a legacy of her maternal grandparents¡¯ empire. Holly, for her part, was currently working there. Chapter 169 Some days ago, Cole had already heard that the Silverbrook New District project was being spearheaded by Holly, marking her first foray into thepany¡¯s initiatives. The thought of Jason¡¯s past entanglement with Holly, coupled with her remarkableeback, naturally sent a shiver down Cole¡¯s spine. What exactly was the deal between Jason and her, and what was their status now? Cole tried not to care about that, but he disliked when personal emotions got entangled with professional matters. It was just like how, over the past few years, despite Estre¡¯s marriage to Jason, their respective families¡¯ businesses had kept their emotions at bay, avoiding any ovep. But with Jason knocking on his door, Cole found himself in a tight spot, and he simply looked at Jason, asking, ¡°So, what are you getting at, Jason?¡± After Cole¡¯s prompt, Jason cut to the chase. ¡°I¡¯m hoping you could pass on this project to Innovative Solutions Inc..¡± Though Jason didn¡¯t mention Holly, Cole knew exactly what he meant. After a long stare at Jason, Cole finally spoke, ¡°And what if I don¡¯t want to give up on this project, Jason?¡± At this moment, for Cole, it wasn¡¯t the project that mattered most. It was Estre-how his daughter would feel weighed heavily on his mind. As Cole¡¯s words settled, Jason didn¡¯t beat around the bush, admitting, ¡°Cole, the Silverbrook project is Holly¡¯s first project after she got into thepany.¡± Hearing this, Cole fell silent. Jason knew he had to lend a hand to Holly in her first prost back, but had he considered Estre¡¯s feelings? Cole stared at Jason for a long while, slowly exhaling before conceding, ¡°I won¡¯t ma difficult for you.¡± Jason had made the effort toe to him, and Cole feltpelled to agree, fearing the a refusal could lead to a fallout Estre might struggle with. Thus, Cole chose to keep the peace. Jason expressed his gratitude, ¡°Thank you.¡± But Jason¡¯s thanks did nothing to alleviate the furrow between Cole¡¯s brows. After a heavy silence, he asked, ¡°What are your ns with Estre then?¡± If it weren¡¯t for that Ledford girl pulling that stunt back in the day, Jason probably would never have ended up with Estre. Now that the Ledford girl was back, Cole suspected Jason couldn¡¯t contain himself any longer. Moreover, Jason¡¯s rtionship with Estre had always been rocky. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. The thought of his daughter turning a blind eye to the situation and amodating 14:37 Jason all these years, only to end up like this, made Cole¡¯s heart twist in agony. Estre might appear carefree, but she was fiercely proud. If he had known it woulde to this, he would never have agreed to the match, even if Landon was¡­ With that thought, Cole¡¯s demeanor darkened even more. Jason, however, assured him, ¡°Dad, I have never considered parting ways with Estre. I n to make things right with her.¡± At Jason¡¯s words, Cole was somewhat bemused. ¡°Do you think you can keep things ambiguous with the Ledford girl, ask me to drop a project, and expect Estre not to consider divorce? Is this your idea of making things right?¡± Jason, hands in his pockets and brows slightly furrowed, replied, ¡°I¡¯ll exin things to Estre.¡± ¡°Exin? How can you exin this? What could you possibly say?¡± Cole¡¯s frustration grew, but he didn¡¯t want to argue with Jason anymore. Waving his hand dismissively, Cole said, ¡°Never mind, just leave. I¡¯ll step aside this time on the project, but don¡¯t expect a second time.¡± This was a one-time allowance for his son-inw, to sort out his past with Holly, but it would never happen again. Sensing Cole¡¯s displeasure, Jason bid farewell and left. In the elevator, Jason¡¯s hands were in his pockets, and his forehead remained furrowed. In Cole¡¯s office, even though Jason had left, Cole¡¯splexion and mood hadn¡¯t eased. He had mentally prepared for the worst. In the past, whenever Estre talked about getting a divorce, Cole and Autumn had always talked about reconciliation. But this time, if his daughter harbored such thoughts, Cole wouldn¡¯t keep her again. One can bear the pain for a while, not for a lifetime. His daughter didn¡¯t deserve to e such distress. Engulfed in gloom, Cole had no appetite for lunch. At a little past three in the afternoon, Cole had just returned from a brief meeting in the conference room when Estre knocked on his office door. ¡°Dad.¡± Startled, Cole asked, ¡°What brings you here, sweetheart?¡± Hopefully, she hadn¡¯t heard about the Innovative Solutions Inc. deal yet. It seemed too soon, and Jason wouldn¡¯t have broached the topic during daylight hours. Estre, beaming, entered his office, ¡°I¡¯m here to renew a legal contract, and I thought I¡¯d check on you.¡± ¡°Just checking in?¡± Cole feigned annoyance at the offhand remark. Estre approached and perched on the armrest of Cole¡¯s chair, ¡°You¡¯re nitpicking now? How about this-I¡¯lle home tomorrow and join you and Mom for dinner. Is that better?¡± 14:37 Cole lifted his right hand and patted Estre¡¯s hand, yet his furrowed brow remained. Estre wrapped her arms around his neck and asked, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong? You seem upset and preupied.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Cole replied, though his expression suggested otherwise. Cole had been uneasy before seeing Estre, and now, with her right in front of him, his spirits failed to lift, regretting his past decisions. Even without the Nelson family, he could have ensured a carefree life for her. Why had he agreed to this match? Estre studied Cole¡¯s furrowed brow, the lines of worry etched deep like an untold story. ¡°It¡¯s all over your face,¡± she said gently, her voice tinged with concern. ¡°And it seems even my visit can¡¯t lift your spirits. This must be about me, isn¡¯t it?¡± Cole had always been like that. No matter how tough things got on the outside, the sight of her and Autumn would wash away the gloom. Estre was the beacon of his joy, the antidote to his every sorrow. Yet now, as she stood before him, Cole couldn¡¯t muster a smile. That alone told her the issue was indeed tied to her. Estre¡¯s hunch hung in the air as Cole mulled over his thoughts. Finally, he turned to face her, his voice weighed down by the gravity of his news. ¡°Estre, Jason came to see me this morning.¡± At the mention of Jason, Estre¡¯s yfulness vanished. Her eyes locked onto Cole¡¯s, silently urging him to continue. With her earnest gaze anchored on him, Cole let out a weary sigh, and said, ¡°Jason wants me to hand over the Silverbrook New District project to Innovative Solutions Inc.. It¡¯s the first time he¡¯s ever approached me about work stuff, so I agreed to it.¡± As Cole finished, the crease between his eyebrows deepened. Chapter 170 Listening to Cole¡¯s words, Estre just held him tight without moving. She stared at Cole for a long while before breaking into an easy smile. ¡°I thought it was something serious. It¡¯s just a project. If we have to let it go, we let it go. Next time I¡¯llnd you a bigger fish.¡± Her nonchnce seemed to half-convince Cole, who looked at her with a mix of belief and doubt. ¡°Estre, you really don¡¯t mind about this?¡± She should be aware of Holly¡¯s situation in Innovative Solutions Inc.. Estre waved it off as if swatting a fly. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Not worth getting all mopey over.¡± Her smile was as steadfast as ever, and Cole fell into silence. Cole knew his daughter all too well-she kept everything bottled up inside, never willing to share her burdens with anyone. Seeing Cole¡¯s fixed gaze, Estre knew what he was worried about. He was concerned about Holly coming back, and worried about her marriage with Jason going south. H¨¦r years with Jason had been like being married to a shadow. And with divorce rates sky-high, who could guarantee a smooth sail in marriage? Although they got along well recently, Jason¡¯s attitude towards her was just like that, not even as attentive as it was towards Serene. She had always been the one tofort him and smile at him, so he had grown ustomed to putting in no effort, acting as though giving her a wedding ring was doing her a massive favor. On reflection, she didn¡¯t find much in the marriage worth clinging to. Especially now with Holly back in the picture, her stock had plummeted even more. Reading the concern in Cole¡¯s eyes, Estre wrapped her arms around his neck an reassured him with a confident smile. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t worry about me. Besides, I¡¯ve alre aplished what I needed to. Jason has lost his value to me.¡± When Estre mentioned her achieved goals, Cole¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Estre you¡­¡± She ced her hands on Cole¡¯s shoulders, massaging them gently. ¡°I haven¡¯t told anyone but Jesse, so let¡¯s keep this between us for now. I don¡¯t want mom to identally spill the beans.¡± Cole, still concerned, asked, ¡°Estre, what¡¯s your n now?¡± ¡°y it by ear.¡± With Jason¡¯s character, she didn¡¯t need to do anything-he would screw up on his own. But she hesitated to share too much with Cole, not wanting to burden him with worry. After all, she had always been the one to make her own decisions, ever since she was young. 14:37 Cole caught Estre¡¯s hands from his shoulders and advised, ¡°Just take things in stride, and try not to let your emotions get the better of you.¡± ¡°I know, Dad.¡± After further talking with Cole, Estre left thepany. Gripping the steering wheel, veins popping on the back of her hands, Estre trembled with fury. What right did Jason have to ask her father to give up the Silverbrook project? If he wanted to curry favor with Holly and show his loyalty, why didn¡¯t he use Nelson International¡¯s interests to do so? Right, they were married. So only by stepping on her and the Dorvold family could he prove his loyalty to Holly. As for Holly working in Innovative Solutions Inc., it was clear as day she was challenging Estre, competing for the first project against Dorvold Group, despite being under the weather. Any other person would be resting at home. It seemed Holly couldn¡¯t wait to return, and snatch Jason back. Estre¡¯s chest tightened as she drove, the difort so intense it hurt to breathe. Jason¡¯s gallivanting didn¡¯t bother her, nor did his affair with Holly. But he crossed a line touching the Dorvold family¡¯s interests. After all these years, the Dorvold family had never taken advantage of him. What did he think he was? The more Estre thought about it, the angrier she got. She had only put on an act of indifference in Cole¡¯s office to keep him from worrying. Jason was her husband, sure, but even if he wasn¡¯t, she couldn¡¯t swallow this. So when she got back to Sandalwoo after work, she waited for Jason to return. As time ticked by with no sign of Jason, Estre¡¯s anger mounted. Ever since Hol return, he had reverted to his old ways, noting home. Around 10 p.m., while Estre was fuming in bed and pretending to read, Jason¡¯s cal finally parked downstairs. ¡°Mr. Jason, you¡¯re back.¡± Marie greeted him upon his entrance and asked, ¡°Mr. Jason, would you like to something to eat?¡± ¡°No thank you.¡± Jason asked, ¡°Has Estree back?¡± sis Marie replied, ¡°She¡¯s back. Had two tes of food and a big bowl of soup for dinner. Ms. Estre¡¯s appetite has been really goodtely.¡± If it weren¡¯t for thest medical examination confirming no pregnancy, Marie might have started suspecting in that direction. Relieved that Estre seemed to be in good spirits, Jason rxed, thinking she was still unaware of his visit to Cole. Better to exin things to her now than have her find out 14:37 from someone elseter. Still, the thought of finding an excuse made Jason uneasy. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. A few days before, Holly¡¯s mom Catrina hade to see him, exining that the board didn¡¯t want Holly in thepany, so they¡¯d set her up with a difficult task to make her back down. Holly, however, wasn¡¯t ready to give up. Catrina mentioned how Holly had been feeling insecure over the past years, constantly trying to prove herself, searching for her value. If she didn¡¯t secure this project, she wouldn¡¯t be able to stay in Innovative Solutions Inc.. Catrina had cornered Jason,ying it on thick about how she really hadn¡¯t wanted Holly to kick up a fuss. However, Holly had been adamant about not wanting to be a useless person anymore, so Catrina reluctantly came to him as ast resort. Catrina begged him to help soften the Dorvolds¡¯ stance, promising that Holly would steer clear of any trouble with them in the future. Catrina was hoping Jason could smooth things over, mentioning that if things went south, it would be a bad look for both families, and Jason would be caught in the middle. It was a face-to-face plea, and Jason couldn¡¯t find it in him to say no. So off he went to s¨¦e Cole. As he pushed through his bedroom door, he found Estre lounging on the bed, absorbed in a novel. Without a word, Jason wrapped his arms around her, but before he could say anything, Estre beat him to the punch. ¡°You hit up Dorvold Group to see my dad today?¡± she asked, cutting straight to the chase. Jason, still enveloping her in his embrace, thought she¡¯d been in the dark about the whole affair. Turned out, she was already clued in. ¡°Yeah,¡± Jason murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, before attempting ¡°This is Holly¡¯s first job back, and¡­¡± Before Jason could finish his sentence, Estre chuckled sarcastically. Chapter 171 hapter 171 Estre couldn¡¯t help but let out a sardonicugh as she set aside her book and turned to Jason, her eyes alight with a mocking glint. ¡°Jason, since when do you have any right to ask my dad to drop a project?¡± Before Jason could muster a response, Estre continued, her voice dripping with indifference, ¡°And what exactly does Holly¡¯stest job have to do with the Dorvold family?¡± Her casual dismissal left Jason speechless, his mouth opening and closing without a sound. As they locked eyes, Estre calmly removed Jason¡¯s hand from her arm, slid out of bed, and walked over to her desk. She picked up the two contracts and turned back to Jason. ¡°Since my father promised you the project, then even if it sticks in my throat, I¡¯ll swallow it. Get the paperwork done tomorrow. From here on out, let¡¯s go our separate ways and never cross paths again.¡± Estre felt she was using all herposure and strength by not demanding the project back or lashing out at him. She considered the project a payback for the baby in her belly, and after this, she owed him nothing. Anything rted to Estre would have nothing to do with Jason. Whether it was Holly or Serene, he could keep up his entanglements with whoever he pleased. Jason¡¯s temper red as he saw Estre with the agreement. ¡°Estre, have you lost your mind? Don¡¯t think you can threaten me with a divorce.¡± She had lost her mind? Estre¡¯s amusement turned to anger at the usation. She shot back with a sharpugh, ¡°Me? Losing my mind? Jason, you¡¯ve really lost all shame.¡± Then she added, ¡°What if I am threatening you? There¡¯s no point in pretending here. Let¡¯s just get this over with and move on with our lives.¡± She knew all too well that the Silverbrook project was just the beginning. It wasn¡¯t about not being able to beat Holly and Innovative Solutions Inc.; it wasughable to go-to such lengths for a man who didn¡¯t have a ce for her in his heart. Serene or Holly, it seemed anyone mattered more to Jason than she did. But why should she, or any woman, hang her hopes on one man when the world was so vast? She -refused to y that game any longer. She had her pride, and she wouldn¡¯t beg Jason to love her or stay with her, making their marriage seem like a debt she owed him. Estre¡¯s mocking tone and her insistence on a divorce left Jason looking particrly sour. He stared at her for a moment before he said, ¡°Forget about the divorce, Estre. It¡¯s not happening.¡± Estre chuckled, ¡°Afraid of taking the me? Worried about what people will say? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle it. You don¡¯t need to¡­¡± 14:37 She was cut off as Jason abruptly grabbed her face. ¡°Have you be addicted to causing scenes, Estre?¡± Unable to contain her fury any longer, Estre retorted, ¡°Jason, we¡¯ve known each other for years. Let¡¯s part on good terms and save some dignity for one another.¡± ¡°What dignity do you want? Me asking the Dorvold family to voluntarily step back is already giving you the utmost dignity. Otherwise, do you think your dad¡¯spany would have had a chance if I had stepped in?¡± Jason spat out. His outburst left Estre utterly furious, realizing that in his mind, he felt she should be grateful that he hadn¡¯t destroyed the Dorvold family. Suppressing her anger, Estre¡¯ said with a sneer, ¡°So, Jason, are you nning to go to war with my family over Holly?¡± ¡°Fine.¡± she eximed, pushing his hand away. Let¡¯s see who¡¯s more capable.¡± With that, Estre called her father Cole, her voice calm. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t pull out of the Silverbrook project. I¡¯ll take it on. There was a moment of silence on the other end before Cole said, ¡°Alright, Estre. Whatever decision you make, I¡¯m behind you.¡± If his daughter couldn¡¯t stomach the situation, they wouldn¡¯t either. If things got ugly, so be it. Pride was at stake. Seeing Estre stir up trouble again, Jason was beyond frustrated. He shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to gaze out the floor-to-ceiling window. Estre, noticing his distraction, went to the closet and grabbed a set of clothes for going out. As she began to change, Jason approached and grabbed her wrist. ¡°Can¡¯t you stop throwing a tantrum?¡± Estre, pped his face in retaliation, her anger boiling over. ¡°Get out, Jason me.¡± Jason¡¯s cheek burned from the p, his grip tightening on her arm as he pulled Refusing to yield, Estre said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, okay? I shouldn¡¯t have provoked you, agr this marriage, or been with you. Is that okay? Can I now make amends for you? Onc we¡¯re divorced, you can be with whoever you want, openly and freely.¡± Jason looked down at her and swallowed hard. ¡°Estre, all this over a single project?¡± Estre couldn¡¯t contain her scorn. ¡°Just a project? Yes, I¡¯m divorcing you over a project. What else do you think you are to me, more important than money and benefits?¡± ¡°Jason, I¡¯ve seen shameless people, but never someone as shameless as you. Nearly three years married, and what have you given me? What benefits have my family taken from you? What gives you the right to demand my father give up the project? ¡°If thepany was under my wing, I wouldn¡¯t mind going toe-to-toe with you, but my 14:37 ch dad? He¡¯s your elder, your father-inw. How do you have the nerve to ask him to step aside for Holly? Where do you think that leaves me, and where does that put my dad and the Dorvold family? ¡°You want to treat Holly well, I have no beef with that, but you¡¯ve got no right to mess with my family¡¯s legacy.¡± When Jason dropped that bombshell about there was no hope for Dorvold Group if he had interfered, Estre felt utterly done with the whole charade. Divorce seemed like the only option left-she couldn¡¯t even bring herself to be angry anymore. Jason was about to reply when Estre cut back in, ¡°Jason, being with you is downright exhausting, it¡¯s like running a marathon for the heart and mind. We¡¯ve been hitched for nearly three years now. How many times has your mom had me on a wild goose chase for infidelity? How often have youe back home, lent a hand to Serene, or paid a visit to my family? What have you actually given me?¡± N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to dredge up the past, but with the way you¡¯re acting, I have to. Otherwise, you¡¯ll keep thinking I owe you something. ¡°I¡¯ll admit, I married you because of those fortune-teller¡¯s words, but you haven¡¯t exactly made these years a walk in the park. Let¡¯s just call it even.¡± After a pause, Estre added, ¡°And now that Holly¡¯s back, let¡¯s find a day that works for you and get the paperwork done. Set me free, and set yourself free too.¡± Her words clogged Jason¡¯s heart with a mixture of emotions. He had thought she was scheming to marry him, and she wouldn¡¯t let go so easily, but time and again, she had shown her willingness to drop him and their marriage like a hot potato. As Jason stared at her in silence, Estre grabbed a coat from the bed and her pajamas. When she looked back at Jason, her hands twitched momentarily. Lifting he she noticed the ring he had given her still encircling her finger. Chapter 172 Estre nced at her hand, trying to slide off the ring, but it was too tight, impossible to remove. Jason, witnessing her struggle and recalling her words, called out, ¡°Estre.¡± She ignored him, didn¡¯t even look up, and instead wrenched at the ring with all her might, managing to budge it slightly. In the next second, blood started to ooze around the ring. A sharp pain shot through Estre¡¯s heart, but without a hint of mercy, she yanked the ring off her finger. Blood dripped down her finger, the ring still ensnared a piece of her skin. The irony of the situation struck Estre. The skin hanging from the ring was like theyers she had shed in this marriage. She always appeared carefree and jovial, but how could she truly be indifferent? More often than not, it was just a facade. Estre had always had a low tolerance for pain. As Jason saw her forcibly removing the ring right in front of him, his own heart twisted in agony, his chest tightened with anxiety. cing the bloodied ring on the desk, Estre calmly said, ¡°Jason, had I known it woulde to this, I would never have agreed to this marriage. We¡¯ve known each other for years, let¡¯s at least part with some dignity.¡± With that, she brushed past him and left the room. The door closed with a soft click, and by the time Jason turned around, Estre had disappeared. His gaze fell upon the ring, now surrounded by specks of blood on the floor. The jeweler had imed the ring was irremovable, but Estre had torn it off, flesh and all. Gripping the steering wheel with both hands, blood from her left ring finger dripped continuously onto her pants and shoes. In that moment, Estre felt numb with pain, her body trembling, her grip on the whee unnaturally tight. Swallowing hard, a pang of heartache washed over her, and tears cascaded down her face. She was never one to cry easily, but Jason¡¯s actions today, especially his remarks about the prospects of Dorvold Group, made Estre feel like their two decades of acquaintance had been in vain. Even after their arguments and discontent, she never imagined he could be so intolerant. She should have realized it the moment he pped her. Suddenly feeling a sharp pain in her abdomen, Estre panicked, caressing her belly before driving herself to the hospital. After an examination, the doctor advised, ¡°You need to avoid getting upset in the future. Don¡¯t hurt yourself. The baby can sense these things. Fortunately, there¡¯s no big issue today. Would you like to spend the night in the hospital, or should someone from home 14:37 ¡°I¡¯ll have a friend pick me up,¡± Estre said. The doctor frowned. ¡°What about the baby¡¯s father? What¡¯s with men these days, no sense of responsibility.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a father,¡± Estre replied. Hearing this, the doctor prescribed her some medicine and said no more. Soon after, Estre collected her medication, and Jesse rushed in to support her. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What did the doctor say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just some medicine,¡± she replied. ¡°Next time, call me earlier. Don¡¯t go to the hospital alone,¡± Jesse insisted. Noticing Estre¡¯s bandaged finger, Jesse asked, ¡°What happened to your hand?¡± ¡°Cut myself removing a ring,¡± she said nonchntly. Jesse, angered, blurted out, ¡°Damn, I knew you guys don¡¯t fit. Even that lousy ring doesn¡¯t fit.¡± Opening the passenger door, Jesse helped Estre in and started the car. ¡°What exactly happened today? You seem off,¡± Jesse inquired as they drove. Resting her head against the window, Estre muttered, ¡°I don¡¯t want to continue this.¡± ¡°Whatever you decide, I¡¯m behind you,¡± Jesse assured her. Estre exhaled softly, and Jesse pressed, ¡°Estre, are you sure you want to keep baby? Maybe Bryce was right, those fortune-tellers aren¡¯t always correct.¡± If they were not going to be together, was there any point in keeping the baby? If she through with it, would Estre always be reminded of Jason whenever she looked at h child? Would she feel foolish for her decision today? ¡°Let¡¯s handle the paperwork first, then we¡¯ll think about the rest,¡± Estre said calmly. For now, Estre just wanted to finalize things with Jason and cut all ties. Jesse, seeing Estre in a rare downtrodden state, put an arm around her shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze. Meanwhile, at Sandalwood Oasis. Jason descended the stairs with a stormy expression, and Marie hurriedly approached, ¡°Mr. Jason, what¡¯s going on with you and Ms. Estre? She seemed fine earlier, but then she insisted on leaving, and I couldn¡¯t stop her. 14:37 When Jason remained silent, Marie persisted, Mr. Jason, if I may ask, did you and Ms. Estre have a fight over Miss Ledford?¡± Jason asked indifferently, ¡°Did Estre say anything to you?¡± He had a hunch Marie knew something from her question.N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Marie responded to Jason¡¯s inquiry, ¡°A while back, Mr. Bryce visited and took photos of you and Miss Ledford having coffee. Ms. Estre didn¡¯t confront you, and she asked me to burn the photos, saying there was no need to tell you Mr. Bryce had been around. She said she trusted you.¡± As Marie spoke, Jason¡¯s expression grew even darker. Estre had known all along about his rendezvous with Holly, but she had never breathed a word of it. Marie continued, her voice a gentle chide, ¡°Mr. Jason, you really can¡¯t me Ms. Estre for feeling a bit sour. Ever since Miss Ledford came back, you¡¯ve nearly slipped back into your old ways,ing homete or some nights not at all. Anybody in Ms. Estre¡¯s shoes would have a hard time swallowing that pill. And frankly, she¡¯s got the patience of a saint. Any other woman would¡¯ve stormed right up to Miss Ledford¡¯s doorstep by now.¡± Jason rubbed his temples as Marie¡¯s words sank in. His recentte nights-orplete no-shows-at home had little to do with Holly. It was the end-of-the-year work crunch that held him up. Though, if he was honest, the haunting memories of that terrible fire often weighed heavily on his mind, souring his mood. ¡°Got it,¡± he replied curtly, and with that, he steered his car away from Sandalwood Oasis. His left hand firmly on the wheel, his right thumb flicked through contacts on his phone until Estre¡¯s number popped up. Without hesitation, Jason punched the call button. Chapter 174 Pausing in her tracks, she tucked her hands into the deep pockets of her coat, slowly exhaled a breath, and then, with a smile ying on her lips, asked, ¡°Something on your mind?¡± Jason strode up to her, one hand casually buried in his pocket, the other yfully brushing away a stray lock of hair from her forehead. ¡°Not heading home?¡± His nonchnce was met with a chuckle from Estre. After herughter subsided, she gently pushed his hand away. ¡°I¡¯m not joking with you, Jason. I am serious about getting a divorce.¡± His hand, once removed, curled into a loose fist. ¡°I was out of line with what I said the other day.¡± Following his sh with Grayson at the bar, Jason had mulled over both his words and those of his friend, admitting to himself that iming Dorvold Group couldn¡¯t clinch the deal if he had intervened was indeed an overstatement. ¡°So, are you apologizing?¡± Estre, hands still pocketed, looked at him with an amused smile. ¡°Alright, I ept your apology, but Jason, we¡¯re really not right for each other. Let¡¯s just go through with the proceedings, okay?¡± I As Estre brushed past him, Jason caught her arm. ¡°About the other day, seeing Holly was just-¡± Before Jason could finish, Estre cut him off. ¡°Jason, I¡¯m not interested in who you see or what you do. I just don¡¯t want to be with you anymore.¡± She had tried, given chances, but tolerance and patience had their limits. Once exhausted, she had no intention of ying games with him any longer. At Estre¡¯s resolve, Jason yanked her back with a bit more force. His persistence annoyed her. ¡°What is it you want, Jason? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re not ready for divorce. Nearly three years of marriage and I can see the indifference written all over your face. Can¡¯t you, as a man, just let go?¡± Estre¡¯s impatience was met with a fierce re from Jason. ¡°Are, you want?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m adamant about the divorce.¡± sure this is what Jason had even approached her father at the Dorvold Group. If she didn¡¯t end this marriage soon, she feared he might try to take over thepany. Her insistence on divorce evident, Jason¡¯s grip tightened, veins on the back of his hand standing out. Seeing this, Estre forcefully withdrew her hand, the bandage on her ring finger still 00.15 #s intact, the wound beneath not yet healed. As she reimed her hand, Jason bit back, teeth clenched in irony, ¡°Fine, you want a divorce, I¡¯ll grant it.¡± With that, he turned and walked away without a backward nce. At the doorway, Estre watched his retreating figure until he rounded the corner towards the elevator, then she entered her apartment, closing the door gently behind her. She stood still for a moment, hand pressed to her stomach, before slowly making her way to the couch to sit down. Jason never visited her after that. Estre didn¡¯t return to Sandalwood Oasis, and he returned even less frequently. Each return to the empty house, devoid of warmth or liveliness, left him feeling hollow inside. Opening the bedroom door, Jason looked towards the desk. For a moment, he thought he saw Estre smiling in greeting, but as he focused, he found the room empty, not even a mosquito in sight. Rubbing his temples, frustration washed over him. In the past, she would never leave Sandalwood Oasis, no matter what. Even if Jason didn¡¯te home at night, she would wait for him. No matter what he did outside, she would always greet him with a smile. Standing at the door, lost in thought, Jason eventually turned and left without entering the room. As he was about to leave, Marie stopped him. Mr. Jason, aren¡¯t you going to bring Ms. Estre back?¡± Before he could respond, Marie continued, ¡°Mr. Jason, women need to beforted. Just charm Ms. Estre a bit, and she¡¯lle back. In Marie¡¯s eyes, Estre was a woman of great patience, always cheerful and forgiving of Mr. Jason¡¯s faults Marie believed a little affection from him would surely win Estre back. Despite Marie¡¯s advice, Jason simply replied, ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± taking his car keys. Marie hurried after him, insistent. ¡°Mr. Jason, why are you just leaving? Go and bring Ms Estre back.¡± Jason didn¡¯t respond. He got into his car and drove away from Sandalwood Oasis. He ha intended to head to the office, but found himself outside Estre¡¯s building. Recalling her steadfastness about the divorce during theirst encounter, he tossed his phone aside in frustration. Actually, after Holly returned, he had barely seen her twice,ter being approached by Catrina instead. Realizing that his words that night had been harsh, Jason finally dialed Estre¡¯s number. This time, she didn¡¯t hang up. ¡°Figured it out?¡± she asked indifferently. It used to be Jason who asked her if she hade to her senses and was ready for a divorce. Without waiting for her to borate, Jason asked coldly, ¡°You¡¯re in such a hurry to divorce. Are you pregnant?¡± After nearly three years of silent endurance, was it so easy for her to walk away? Since when was Estre so agreeable? Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Jason suspected she had achieved her goal and was now eager to end the marriage, especially since she had caught him helping Holly. Chapter 175 Estre listened to Jason¡¯s inquiry with a calmness that seemed toe naturally to her. ¡°If you¡¯re worried, let¡¯s go to the hospital tomorrow for a checkup, okay?¡± The calmness in Estre¡¯s voice only seemed to stir something in Jason. ¡°We need to talk,¡± he said. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s talk at the town hall,¡± Estre replied without missing a beat. At the mention of the town hall, Jason, without another word, snapped his phone shut. This was the second time he had sought her out on his own initiative. Thest time he came over, it was to apologize for something he¡¯d blurted out in a moment of anger. Yet, she was relentless, and he thought to himself, Screw it, I¡¯m not putting up with this anymore.¡± With extreme irritation, he tossed his phone onto the dashboard and started the car with a scowl, making a sharp turn and leaving without looking back. Estre hadn¡¯t been back to Sandalwood Oasis for a while now, and with all the drama, she still wanted a divorce. Jason was nearing his breaking point. He had thought she would cool off after a while, and when he came over to offer an olive branch, she would gracefully ept it. Instead, she seemed to have made herself quitefortable on her high horse. If she didn¡¯t want to make up, that was just fine by him. He was tired of trying anyway. Upstairs, Estre exhaled sharply as she saw Jason hang up the phone. Her heart rate elerated. Jason was astute, guessing that she might be pregnant amidst the chaos. Her right hand gently touched her belly, relieved that the baby was too young to show any signs. Otherwise, the Nelson family would never allow them to split up. The following morning, as Estre readied herself to leave, she was startled to find Jason leaning against her front door, looking utterly dejected. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, showing up here so early in the morning?¡± she said, taken aback. She took a closer look at him. In the 23 years she¡¯d known him, she¡¯d never seen him look so disheveled, with stubble on his chin and upper lip, and numerous cigarette butts littering the ground. Even when Holly had passed away, he hadn¡¯t looked like this. Disdainfully rolling her eyes at him, Estre said, ¡°We¡¯re heading to the town hall, right? Since I have promised you a divorce, I¡¯ll see it through. A phone call would have been enough to let me know.¡± If there was such ack of trust between them, what was the point of continuing this charade? After she spoke, Jason¡¯s already haggard face seemed to darken even further. He approached her, grabbed the back of her neck, and ushered her into the elevator. Estre grabbed his wrist. ¡°We are about to get a divorce. Don¡¯t touch me,¡± she warned, then added, ¡°Any past climax on my part was nothing short of charity.¡± Jason was silent for a moment before asking tly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you ever enjoy it?¡± Besides, he never said he was going to take her to go through the procedures. ¡°Sure I did,¡± Estre replied with a hint of sarcasm. ¡°But let¡¯s not talk about money. I don¡¯t hold much dear, except for cash.¡± As Jason coldly shot her a nce, he maintained his grip on the back of her neck and pulled her closer into his embrace. Estre stumbled into his arms, and as she reached to pull his hand away, Jason noticed the bandage still wrapped around her ring finger. His heart clenched for a moment before he let go of her neck and took her hand instead. They stood motionless in the elevator until it reached the ground floor. Jason held onto her hand without letting go, prompting Estre to ask, ¡°What are you trying to do, Jason?¡± At her question, Jason didn¡¯t step out of the elevator. Instead, he turned to face her and asked bluntly, ¡°Do you want to charge a fee? Ten thousand? A hundred thousand?¡± He then took out his wallet, slid a bank card into her other hand, and said casually, ¡°The PIN is 123456. That should cover your fee After speaking as if it were the most natural thing in the world, he opened the elevator door and pulled Estre out with him. Estre¡¯s temper red. She threw the bank card at the back of his head, eximing, ¡°Jason, when will you ever be done with this?¡± The card hit his neck and fell. Jason stopped, turned, and picked up the card, realizing that Estre was bing increasingly stubborn and difficult to handle. Their eyes met. Sensing Estre¡¯s displeasure, Jason didn¡¯tsh out. Instead, he simpl took her wrist and led her outside the building. Once outside, Jason opened the passenger door of the car and ushered Estre in. A Jason had pushed her into the car, Estre didn¡¯t bother with the seat belt. Instead, sh crossed her arms and turned to look out the window. Since she wouldn¡¯t even grace him with a nce, Jason leaned in and fastened the sea belt for her. As he did so, he looked at Estre and said, ¡°There are some things I don¡¯t know how to tell you, but there¡¯s nothing going on between Holly and me.¡± Hearing this, Estreughed mockingly. ¡°Nothing going on, yet you can do all that for h even trampling my family¡¯s interests. If there is anything between you in the future, what¡¯l be left for me then?¡± ¡°That will never happen,¡± Jason replied. Estre turned away again, prompting Jason to gently pinch her face, forcing her to look at him. ¡°I went too far with what I said the other day. I apologize.¡± But Estre was fixated on something else. ¡°Did you bring the documents?¡± Jason let go of her face abruptly. ¡°So everything I just said was pointless to you?¡± He rummaged through her bag and, and to his dismay, he pulled out her documents. His expression darkened. ¡°What are you ying at, Estre?¡± ¡°Always ready to finalize the paperwork,¡± she responded nonchntly. Jason was so infuriated he could barely breathe. With a cold nce, he started the car and drove off with her. As Jason fumed, Estre felt a sense of satisfaction. She wasn¡¯t a child to be pacified with a few sweet words. He really had some nerve to think it would be that easy. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Gripping the steering wheel tightly, Jason thought about the documents in Estre¡¯s bag, and his face grew even gloomier. The entire drive was silent. Recalling how close they used to be, with Estre clinging to him every night, Jason¡¯s expression grew even more sour. Damn it, he thought, women are so heartless, turning on you faster than flipping a page. When they reached a crossroads, Estre noticed that he didn¡¯t turn right towards the town hall but continued straight ahead. She reminded him, ¡°Jason, the town hall is to the right.¡± Jason threw her a casual nce, ¡°Who said I¡¯m heading to the town hall?¡± B nox Estre, feeling annoyed yet amused, retorted, ¡®If you¡¯re not going to there, then what are you doing at my doorstep so early in the morning?¡± Jason ignored her and kept driving. It was then that Estre began to catch on to his intentions. He suspected she was pregnant and was taking her to the hospital for confirmation. When Jason parked the car at the hospital¡¯s parking lot, Estre crossed her arms an refused to get out. Jason walked around the car to the passenger side, opened the do and, leaning on the frame, he bent down to look at Estre, ¡°You¡¯re not getting out?¡± Estre was firm, ¡°Let¡¯s hit the courthouse first and make it official, then I¡¯lle for the check-up.¡± Jason couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°So, I should divorce you first, and then let you monopolize the baby? As if I¡¯ve worked my tail off just to hand you everything on a silver tter.¡± Estre, clutching her purse, smacked him with it, ¡°Jason, you¡¯re shameless, even more than I am. Besides, it¡¯s not like you don¡¯t work hard with other women. After knowing each other for so many years, what¡¯s the big deal if you give my a baby? It¡¯s your duty.¡± Jason raised an eyebrow, ¡°So, you are pregnant?¡± Chapter 176 Estre sighed, her voice edged with impatiende, ¡°I¡¯m not pregnant.¡± And she thought to herself. ¡°Even if I was, it wouldn¡¯t be yours.¡± Jason, ever the calm in the storm, said gently, ¡°Let¡¯s get you checked out, and we¡¯ll know for sure.¡± He added, ¡°I haven¡¯t been with any other woman, and I won¡¯t be. Just do as I say and get checked. If it turns out you are pregnant, there are things we¡¯ll need to focus on.¡± The more Estre denied it, the more Jason was convinced she was indeed expecting. ¡°You have your life, and I have mine,¡± she remarked nonchntly. Seeing that she was still miffed, Jason tried to soothe her, ¡°I promise, no more Holly. I won¡¯t have anything to do with her.¡± Estre¡¯s rm bells went off. Why was he making promises she hadn¡¯t asked for? All he needed to do was finalize the divorce. She raised her hand to stop him, ¡°Hold up, don¡¯t try to butter me up with sweet nothings. You can¡¯t even sort out your issues with Serene, and you¡¯re here talking about Holly?¡± Before Jason could respond, Estre unbuckled her seatbelt, ¡°So, if the test is negative, you¡¯lle with me to file the papers?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get the test done first,¡± Jason replied. As Estre stepped out of the car, she stumbled slightly but Jason, with his quick reflexes, caught her arm and steadied her. After straightening her clothes, Estre nced at him and continued walking with her back straight. Jason followed, chuckling, ¡°Feeling guilty?¡± ¡°Just go up and check,¡± she retorted. Jason couldn¡¯t help but wrap his arm around her, just like old times. Estre elbowed him hard, causing him to wince, ¡°Are you out of your mind? If you damage my penis, you¡¯re the one who loses.¡± ¡°I¡¯m about to move on, what do I have to lose?¡± Estre quipped back, as Jason pulled her in closer. Upon reaching the maternity ward, Estre was ushered to see the deputy director for her tests. While Estre took a call on the hospital¡¯s balcony, Jason watched her from the hallway, a smile ying on his lips. She had grown up so fast, ready to take on the world, maybe even motherhood. The fire hadn¡¯t imed Holly, easing Jason¡¯s guilt but increasing his worries, which had led him to seek out Cole. 09:15 Vhen Estre returned, Dr. Lee had her results, ¡°Mr. Jason, Ms. Estre¡¯s tests n the office, Jason gently pushed Estre into a chair before Dr. Lee broke the news, She¡¯s not pregnant, but she¡¯s healthy. No need to rush; you¡¯re both young.¡± Jason¡¯s heart sank. ¡°Dr. Lee, could there be a mistake?¡± he asked. Estre was fertile, and hey hadn¡¯t been careful. How could she not be pregnant? Dr. Lee assured them the tests were urate, suggesting a second opinion if needed. Jason thanked him, his disappointment palpable, and Estre rose to leave with him. Exiting the hospital, Jason was visibly upset, and Estre thought it was a good thing that she hadn¡¯t told him about the pregnancy. She wasn¡¯t about to let him have that control over her. Jason thought he had ties to the hospital. Well she could do that too. In the car, Jason stared at Estre, his gaze heavy with unspoken questions. ¡°What, happy you¡¯re not pregnant?¡± he asked abruptly. ¡°More or less,¡± Estre replied, then teased, ¡°You know, with my fertile nature, if I¡¯m not pregnant, you might want to¡­¡± His cold look cut her off, and she silenced herself as he started the car. His health was not an issue, and he had been thoroughly checked recently. Estre¡¯s work phone rang again, and after a brief conversation, Jason pulled up to a diner known for its brunches. He stepped out and returned with bags of breakfast. ¡°Thanks,¡± Estre said, taking the food and wrapping up her call. Just then, Jason¡¯s phone buzzed. Drew reported, ¡°Mr. Jason, the Dorvolds won the big the New District of Silverbrook project.¡± Holding the steering wheel with one hand and his phone with the other, Jason nced Estre, acknowledging the news. Estre¡¯s phone rang immediately after, a call from Cole. ¡°Hi Dad.¡± ¡°Estre, the Silverbrook project just got the green light.¡± ¡°As long as we¡¯ve secured the project, that¡¯s all that matters. We¡¯ll keep a close eye on the construction.¡± ¡°Estre, considering back to thepany,¡± Cole suggested. N?velDrama.Org content. Before Estre stepped in, Cole wasn¡¯t entirely confident about the project. But when Estre mentioned she¡¯d keep an eye on it, Cole suddenly felt as if he had support at his 213 09:15 back. His daughter, despite her tender years, had a knack for handling things with a inesse that belied her age. Often, her vision was just out of step with the rest. When Cole brought up the idea of her returning to the familypany, Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh it off, ¡°Dad, let¡¯s talk about thatter, I¡¯ve got to get back to the office now.¡± With those words, she hung up the phone. Turning to Jason with a yful smile, she apologized, ¡°Sorry, looks like your duties were a bust.¡± After her quip, Estre noticed that Jason was taking a wrong turn and reminded him, ¡®This isn¡¯t the way to city hall.¡± Jason cast her a sidelong nce, his voice nonchnt, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you needed to get back to the office?¡± For Jason, Dorvold Group¡¯s acquisition of the Silverbrook project was all within expectations, especially since Estre had caused a scene with him that day and he¡¯d stepped back from the whole affair. Chapter 177 Before Estre could utter a word, Jason cut in, ¡°Estre, don¡¯t even think about divorce.¡± From the moment he agreed to the marriage, he had never considered ending it. Estre, seeing Jason¡¯s refusal to consider separation, stared at him motionless for a long while, then carelessly tossed her breakfast to the side. After that, she just turned her face towards the window and fell silent. More than ten minutester, the car stopped at the base of thew firm¡¯s building. Estre got out and walked away without looking back. Holly hade back from death, and Estre wondered how long Jason could keep up his act. Watching Estre enter thew firm, and just as her silhouette disappeared, Jason¡¯s phone rang it was Holly. Holly¡¯s voice came through gentle and soft, ¡°Jason, can we meet?¡± Twenty minutester, they met at the caf¨¦ where they hadst seen each other. Holly was originally confined to a wheelchair, but seeing Jason approach, she braced her hands on the armrests and stood up, ¡°Jason, how have you been?¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Miss, be careful,¡± the servant rushed over to help Holly as she rose. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Holly responded with a smile, dismissing the servant¡¯s hand and walking over to Jason. Sensing Holly¡¯s rare happiness, the young servant quietly left them to their reunion. As they approached each other, Holly looked up at Jason with eyes full of mirth. Jason, feeling the intensity of her gaze, quickly looked away and then motioned to a nearby bench, ¡°Take a seat.¡± Without waiting for her response, he seated himself first. Holly took her time and sat down beside him, striking up a conversation, ¡°This winter¡¯s been so mild. Ravenwood is always sofortable. But it looks like a cold snap ising. I heard it might snow for Christmas.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Jason replied briefly, waiting for Holly to continue. Noting Jason¡¯s typically reserved demeanor, Holly leaned back on the bench and turned to face him, ¡°The Silverbrook project has been green-lit. The Dorvolds won the bid. I just submitted my resignation at thepany, and won¡¯t be stepping into the office or dealing with Innovative Solutions Inc. affairs anymore.¡± Hearing Holly¡¯s deration, Jason calmly suggested, ¡°It¡¯s better for you to rest at home. There will be plenty of time for work in the future.¡± Jason¡¯s constion was met with a faint smile from Holly, ¡°I¡¯ve been idle for years now, 09:41 feeling useless and unable to do anything. I remember how ambitious I used to be. But fate wasn¡¯t as strong as my will. I can¡¯t have a job of my own like Estre or Serene, and I can¡¯t live life to the fullest.¡± She suddenly became mncholic, ¡°I never expected Estre to hate me so much that she would even¡­¡± Noticing a shift in Jason¡¯s expression, Holly quickly masked her sadness with a forced smile before changing the subject, ¡°Jason, I didn¡¯t join Innovative Solutions Inc. topete with the Dorvold family. I just wanted a simple job. The board gave me the Silverbrook project because they were aware of our situation and wanted to trouble me. I never wanted a high position, just a regr job.¡± As she spoke, Jason simply said, ¡°Rest is what you need most right now.¡± Jason understood the subtext of Holly¡¯s words, but he chose not to engage. If he were to ce Holly within Nelson International, things with Estre would likely be untenable. Besides, Holly¡¯s health truly wasn¡¯t up to the demands of the workce. ¡°I get it, but everyone has their rebellious moments.¡± Holly chuckled and added, ¡°But I¡¯ve found a spot. I¡¯m nning to open a caf¨¦ and bookshop, something like this ce. I¡¯m not expecting it to be profitable, but just to add some fun to my days.¡± Jason nodded, ¡°That sounds more suitable for you.¡± After saying that, Jason stood up from the bench, ¡°Estre doesn¡¯t hate you, it¡¯s because¡­¡± Before he could finish, Holly stood up and cut him off, ¡°I understand, Jason. She¡¯s your wife now, and I won¡¯t share what you don¡¯t want others to know.¡± Hands in his pockets, Jason paused for a moment then said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Holly gave a bittersweet smile; the garden was vibrant with blooming flowers. She gazed at Jason intently for a long while, then stepped forward and rested her cheek gently against his chest, ¡°I just feel so unresolved and heartbroken.¡± Jason held his breath for a moment before gently pushing her away, ¡°I have another meeting. I need to get back to the office.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Holly responded, letting him go. It was a while after Jason had disappeared that Holly¡¯s gaze finally shifted back. The servant approached Holly, offering support, ¡°Miss, he¡¯s long gone.¡± Holly sighed as she watched the distance, ¡°If only I hadn¡¯t been injured and was healthy.¡± ¡°Miss, you¡¯ll regain your health after some more rest,¡± the servant reassured her. Holly managed a pained smile, ¡°But what good is health when Jason is no longer mine?¡± The servant remained silent. 00:41 Meanwhile, at thew firm. Estre had just left Logan¡¯s office when her phone¡¯s Messenger pinged incessantly. Bryce had sent a barrage of photos. Estre sat down and flicked through Bryce¡¯s images: Jason and Holly sitting together on the bench, basking in the sun, Holly¡¯s face buried in Jason¡¯s chest. Surrounded by vibrant flowers, they looked like a painting. Cycling through the photos, Estre could only offer a wry smile. She had just been pressured to go to the hospital for a check-up, and now he was already off tofort Holly. He really was busy. Staring at the photograph of Holly nestled against Jason¡¯s chest, Estre¡¯s expression suddenly darkened a touch. Holly was in poor health, and if Jason was stalling the divorce, could he be nning to take advantage¡­ The thought made her grip on her smartphone tighten noticeably. It seemed they both had their own ulterior motives. She had made a trip to the local hospital that day, and she wondered just how long this secret could be kept under wraps. ¡°Estre, why don¡¯t you pack up? We should head out to the symposium together,¡± Logan called out, interrupting her brooding thoughts. ¡°Sure thing,¡± Estre replied, stashing her phone and agreeing to Logan¡¯s n as she shut down her computer and stood up to get her things together. At the moment, she was only handling a divorce case where the client¡¯s main goal was to stall for time and avoid the split, so Estre wasn¡¯t too swamped. Plus, with the Silverbrook deal clinched, she felt at ease joining Logan and the others for a bit of schrly enrichment. She had barely pulled out of thew firm¡¯s parking lot in her car when Bryce¡¯s call came through. ¡°Estre, did you get the photos I sent you?¡± Estre gripped the steering wheel with both hands. ¡°I saw them.¡± Bryce, knowing she had seen the photos, threw a curveball. ¡°You still nning on taking this lying down? You intent on being¡­¡± Chapter 178 Bryce hadn¡¯t even finished his sentence when Estre cut him off, ¡°All right, I¡¯ll get a divorce.¡± She knew Bryce so well that she could guess the end of his sentence with her toes, so she didn¡¯t bother waiting for him to finish. ¡°That¡¯s more like it. I¡¯ll get some extra paperwork ready for you.¡± Bryce offered. Estre said, ¡°Deal. Once this is done, I¡¯ll get you that muscle car you¡¯ve been drooling over.¡± In the past, Bryce had always sided with Jason, helping him persuade Estre to divorce. Now, Bryce had completely switched sides. After chatting some more, Bryce found out Estre was about to head out on a business trip. She was already on her way back to Waterfall Acres to pack her bags, and Bryce eagerly scurried over to help. Estre eyed Bryce from head to toe as he arrived, all smiles, ¡°You¡¯re always poking your nose into my divorce, popping over here whenever. Are you secretly crushing on me or what?¡± Bryce¡¯s hands dove into his pockets casually, ¡°You know what kind of force of nature you are. Me, have a crush on you? Don¡¯t tter yourself, Estre.¡± After his retort, Estre kicked him lightly, ¡°What did you just say?¡± Bryce dodged, ying it off, ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s an honor to serve you, my queen.¡± Estre rolled her eyes at him, then promptly had him help finish packing her suitcase. On the way to drop her off at the office, Bryce noticed Estre gazing out of the car window in silence, ¡°Feeling blue? Not happy?¡± Estre chuckled softly, ¡°I¡¯ve been numb to it for ages. No room for sadness here.¡± If she let every little thing get to her, she would have been a goner long ago. Thanks to Jason¡¯s ¡®training¡¯ over thest couple of years, she had became much tougher. Bryce reached out, ruffling her hair in aforting gesture. Estre smiled, shrugging off the sentiment, ¡°I¡¯m not as fragile as you think.¡± When they pulled up to thew firm, Bryce insisted, ¡°I shoulde with you on this trip. I don¡¯t like leaving you alone when you¡¯re like this.¡± Estre justughed it off, ¡°You might as well stay and keep pimping.¡± Recently, Jason had put Bryce in charge of Velvet Voices KTV, overseeing the escorts there. Bryce had been enjoying himself, and things were going smoothly. Still, Bryce was persistent, ¡°Pimping is nowhere near as important as you, I¡¯d better apany you on your business trip.¡± Estre gave him another yful kick, shooing him away. 09:41 ¡°Estre,¡± Bryce had barely left when Logan¡¯s car pulled up. Estre grabbed her luggage and headed for the airport. This business trip was for an academic conference, so it wasn¡¯t too taxing on her mind. By 7 p.m., they had arrived at the conference center, conveniently located in a cultural district where they could eat, sleep, and attend the conference all in one ce. Estre copsed onto the hotel bed, exhausted. Although she dozed off during the journey, her pregnancy had her feeling sleepier than usual. She took every chance to rest. It wasn¡¯t until her stomach growled around 9 pm. that she woke up, yawning. She was about to get up for a snack when her phone buzzed. Jason had called more than a dozen times, and he was calling again. Estre answered with a frown, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Jason was immediately irate on the other end, ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this, Estre?¡± He paused, taking a breath before asking, ¡°Where are you now?¡± Estre hugged the pillow, ¡°Out of town on business.¡± N?velDrama.Org content. After her reply, Jason fell silent, then asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear your phone ringing?¡± ¡°I was asleep,¡± she responded. As soon as Estre finished speaking, Jason quickly hung up the phone and then sent a video call. Estre rolled her eyes. Jason¡¯s petty intentions were so obvious. She didn¡¯t want to answer, but remembering how Jason had chased herst time under suspicion of infidelity, she answered the call with a scowl. Upon connecting, she panned her phone around the room, ¡°No lover here, satisfied?¡± In the morning, he had been all lovey-dovey with Holly, and then he had the audacity to question her actions? Where did he get the nerve? Jason felt relieved, ¡°I¡¯m over at Waterfall Acres,¡± Estre¡¯s mood soured instantly, ¡°Who told you that you can go to Waterfall Acres?¡± She was indeed pregnant, after all, and was worried he would suspect something amiss. Jason adjusted his cor and voice, murmuring, ¡°Estre, let¡¯s have a chat when you get back.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll talk when I¡¯m back,¡± Estre replied curtly. She didn¡¯t want to discuss things further, and made no mentions of his morning meeting with Holly. Her mind was set on one thing: ending their marriage. As she was about to end the call, Jason stopped her, ¡°Don¡¯t hang up the video.¡± Against her better judgment, Estre kept the call going. They just sared at each other through 00.11 their screens, and even without words, there was no awkwardness. Seeing Jason shamelessly lying on her bed, Estre asked, ¡°Jason, if I had turned out pregnant at the hospital today, what would you have done?¡± The quiet of the night stirred feelings, prompting her question. Jason replied softly, looking at her through the screen, ¡°We¡¯d make it work.¡± Estreughed, ¡°You assume I still want to be with you.¡± Estre¡¯sughter was intoxicating, and Jason watched her for a moment before he said, ¡°Things are a bit hectic at year-end, but let¡¯s have the wedding after the New Year¡¯s rush.¡± When Jason mentioned throwing a wedding, Estre replied, ¡°I¡¯m starving. I¡¯m gonna grab a bite to eat, so I¡¯ll catch youter.¡± With that, she didn¡¯t wait for Jason¡¯s response and promptly ended the video call. After everything she¡¯d been through, there was no way she could just carry on living with him as if nothing had happened. There were many grievances she simply couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue over anymore. Anything Jason had to offer now, she didn¡¯t want it. Tossing her phone casually onto the desk in her room, Estre let out a long sigh. She sat there for a moment, gathering herself, then picked up her phone again and stood up, ready to hit the town for a while. However, as she swung the door open, the sight of that figure rushing towards her stopped Estre in her tracks. Chapter 179 Outside the door, the man saw that Estre had opened the door before he even had a chance to knock. With a grin spreading across his face, he greeted her with a casual, ¡°Hey, Estre.¡± Bryce had just showed up like that, and Estre couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°What the hell are you doing here?¡± She had explicitly told him that morning not toe, yet here he was, acting as if he hadn¡¯t heard a word. Bryce slung an arm around her shoulder as he dragged his suitcase inside and said, ¡°Worried about you, that¡¯s all.¡± Then he added, ¡°Besides, Holly¡¯s back in town. Who knows what kind of tricks she might pull behind the scenes?¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Estre responded dryly, ¡°Holly isn¡¯t that foolish.¡± If Serene was considered intelligent, then Holly was shrewd. After knowing Holly for so many years, that much was clear to everyone. Unconvinced, Bryce insisted, ¡°Still, I¡¯m not at ease. I need to be by your side 24/7.¡± With her hands crossed in front of her chest, Estre turned to nce at Bryce. He looked so smug, and she had to bump him with her hip. Catching himself, Bryce asked with a roguish tilt of his head, ¡°Estre, were you heading out to do something when you opened the door?¡± ¡°Hungry,¡± Estre admitted. ¡°Was about to go grab some grub.¡± Without hesitation, Bryce said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯lle with you.¡± With that, he took Estre by the hand and they headed out together. Jason would have a fit if he knew Bryce hade looking for Estre. What business did Bryce have always hanging around his wife? After strolling outside for over an hour, not only had they filled their bellies, but they also returned with a bounty of snacks. Estre walked in to find Bryce making himselffortable on her bed. She nudged his foot with hers and said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you have no intention of getting a room and n on crashing here?¡± Bryce sat up, leaning on his hands, and repeated his earlier statement, ¡°I told you, I¡¯m on a 24-hour watch.¡± Estre rolled her eyes at his audacity. ¡°We¡¯ll see how Jason skins you alive for this.¡± Bryce had a way of forgetting his woes once they were past, something Estre admired with a sense of resignation. She was the type who could hold a grudge for a lifetime, a ssic case of once bitten, twice shy. ¡°I¡¯ll crash on the couch. Besides, it¡¯s not like we haven¡¯t shared a bed before,¡± Bryce 09:41 pointed out nonchntly. Estre was a few months younger than Bryce and they had known each other since birth. Bryce had even worn Estre¡¯s dresses as a child. So, he never really saw Estre as an outsider, even though she was now married to his cousin. Estre gave Bryce a disdainful look and said, ¡®Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve got too much time on your hands? Shouldn¡¯t you be doing something meaningful?¡± Sprawled out on the bed like a lounging Adonis, Bryce replied, ¡°The most meaningful thing for me is hanging out with you, E. As long as you¡¯re happy, my life has purpose. You¡¯re my whole world.¡± Estre kicked out yfully at him. ¡°Great, now I¡¯m the excuse for yourziness.¡± Bryce grabbed a pillow to shield himself, ¡°E, it¡¯s not that I¡¯mzy. You see how it is with thepany and Jason. I don¡¯t get a chance to shine. I¡¯ve been thinking about starting something of my own, but every time I do, the folks throw cold water on it and cut off my funds. So, why not just live a carefree life?¡± He then added with a sigh, ¡°Having a super sessful cousin isn¡¯t always a good thing.¡± As Bryce expressed his sentiments, Estre remarked, ¡°You never should have followed me into the law department.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all good,¡± Bryce reassured her. ¡°I¡¯ve got ns.¡± With a yful shove, Estre said, ¡°Get off my turf.¡± Taking the hint, Bryce grabbed the pillow and the nket he¡¯d brought and moved to the couch. Estre was in for a long stretch of studying, and Bryce stayed by her side the entire time. He¡¯d doze off while she attended sses, hand her drinks when she was thirsty, and brin her food when she was hungry. His presence was indeed afort and convenience f Estre. A weekter, Drew knocked on Jason¡¯s office door, his voice trembling slightly as he reported, ¡°Mr. Jason, there¡¯s something you should know.¡± Without looking up, Jason said, ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Mr. Bryce has been apanying Ms. Estre on her business trip. He hasn¡¯t even bee to the club,¡± Drew reported. After a moment of silence, Jason mmed the documents on his desk, his expression turning sour. His wife was away on business, and Bryce had eagerly followed her. It wasn¡¯t the first time this had happened. Jason was furious, and Drew didn¡¯t dare mention that Bryce hadn¡¯t booked his own room and was staying with Estre. He¡¯s aware of Estre and Bryce¡¯s rtionship. Along with Jesse, the three of them are so close, it¡¯s as if they¡¯re one person. Fearful of aggravating Jason further, he decided to leave that detail out. Seething with anger, Jason stood up and unbuttoned his shirt cor as Drew reminded him, ¡°Mr. Jason, Ms. Estre will be returning tomorrow morning.¡± Jason was livid. With a dark look, he instructed Drew, ¡°Keep a close eye on Bryce when he gets back.¡± ¡°Of course, Mr. Jason,¡± Drew replied, trying to exin, ¡°Actually, Mr. Jason, Ms. Estre and Mr. Bryce¡­¡± Before Drew could finish, Jason cut him off with a cold voice, ¡°I know there¡¯s nothing going on between them, and there never will be.¡± What concerned Jason was Bryce¡¯s influence. Bryce was always encouraging Estre to divorce him or taking her to ces where men indulged in mischief. Bryce never really treated his wife as a woman. That evening, as Estre and Bryce enjoyed the takeout they¡¯d bought, Jason¡¯s video call came through. Estre answered nonchntly ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Jason¡¯s face was a storm cloud. He said, ¡°Tell Bryce he can¡¯t hide forever. We¡¯ll settle this when he¡¯s back.¡± Annoyed by his tone, Estre shot back, ¡°He was just worried about me being away. Don¡¯t make a mountain out of a molehill.¡± Sick of his constant negativity, Estre had had enough. She wasn¡¯t in the mood to appease him anymore. Estre¡¯s fleeting irritance didn¡¯t set Jason off. He simply said, ¡°What time should I expect you tomorrow? I¡¯ll pick you up from the airport¡± Estre replied, ¡°If the flight¡¯s on time, I shouldnd at 11 in the morning. If you¡¯re too¡­¡± She was about to tell him not to bother if he was busy, but Jason cut her off, ¡°Ravenwood¡¯s gotten chilly. Layer up before you dene.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Estre had barely responded when Bryce leaned into the frame, chiming in, ¡°Jason, don¡¯t you worry. I¡¯ll take good care of E. I¡¯ve even packed her down jacket.¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened instantly as Bryce appeared. Without a word, he ended the video call abruptly. Estre nced at Bryce. Sure, Bryce could be a goofball, but when it came to looking ol for her and Jesse, he was more attentive and daring than anyone. ! The next morning, the group gathered in the hotel lobby before climbing into the minivan to head to the airport. Bryce had loaded Estre down with a bounty of snacks, and he didn¡¯t forget her favorite dried prunes. Meanwhile, in Ravenwood. 09.11 Jason wrapped up his meeting, realizing it was about time to head for the pickup. He quickly briefed the others in charge and made his exit. As he descended in the elevator, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Pulling it out, Jason¡¯s face went through a quick session of emotions before he finally answered the call. Chapter 180 On the ne, Bryce was tucking Estre in with a thin nket when she stirred and woke up. Seeing Bryce steadfast by her side, Estre, with half-closed eyes, muttered, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you catch some Z¡¯s?¡± Bryce chuckled, ¡°Watching you sleep was enough rest for me.¡¯ ¡°1 Estre yfully kicked at him, and without taking offense, Bryce simply patted his leg and said, ¡°We¡¯ll bending soon.¡± While handing Estre her down jacket, he added, ¡°Put this on when we get off.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± she replied, lifting her hand, ¡°Water, please.¡± Bryce immediately unscrewed the thermos and ced it in her hands, almost to the point of personally feeding her. After hydrating, Bryce offered her some dried prunes, ¡°Want some of these?¡± Estre eyed him suspiciously from head to toe as he offered the prunes. Why was he bringing out prunes all of a sudden? Catching her wary look, Bryce popped a prune into his mouth, ¡°If you don¡¯t want them, I¡¯ll eat them myself.¡± Seeing Bryce munch on the prunes, Estre let go of her doubts and took one for herself. As the two chatted and snacked on the nuts and dried fruit, the nended smoothly. The passengers began to gather their belongings, and Bryce stuffed the remaining snacks into a bag and helped Estre into her jacket. ¡°Estre, your brother is one of a kind, treating you like you¡¯re some sort of queen,¡± Logan joked, although he was well aware of Estre¡¯s rtionship with Jason. Bryce, grinning like an idiot, joined in, ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth. Estre and I are twins, born from the same womb.¡± After Bryce¡¯sment, some of Estre¡¯s colleagues actually believed him, expressing their surprise, ¡°Estre, you¡¯re twins? But looking at you two, you do look alike. You¡¯ve got some strong genes in your family.¡± ¡°Of course, there are no ugly ducks in our family,¡± Bryce boasted proudly. Estre couldn¡¯t be bothered to stop his ramblings and let him spin his tales. Once they dened, the chill outside was biting, as sharp as a knife against their faces. Thankfully, Bryce hade prepared with all the essentials, including hats and scarves. Estre¡¯s female colleagues were visibly envious and kept asking Bryce if he was single, hinting at their interest in him. Bryce, shameless as ever, even added them on Messenger. Estre looked at him with disdain, ¡°Show- off.¡± 09:02 Bryce casually draped his arm over her shoulder, ¡°Estre, are you worried they¡¯ll snatch me away from you? If you¡¯re scared of losing me, I¡¯ll just unfriend them all.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Estre waved him off. ¡°Keep them as a distraction, so you don¡¯t cling to me all the time.¡± After she spoke, Bryce tightened his embrace. ¡°Bryce, you numbskull, you trying to choke me?¡± Estre protested. They had a history of roughhousing since childhood. Bryce would often tackle her, and once while she was watching Cole fish, Bryce pounced from behind, sending them both tumbling into the pond. She had swallowed quite a bit of water that day. Back then, they were only six years old. After scolding Bryce, Estre turned to him, ¡°Prepare yourself. Jason¡¯sing to pick us up.¡± Bryce adjusted her scarf, arm still over her shoulder, nonchntly replying, ¡°I am not afraid of him. Worst he can do is beat me up.¡± Ever since he could remember, Jason had been roughing him up, mostly for things involving Estre- like the time he led her to catch snakes, resulting in a snake bite, or when they climbed over a wall to skip school, and she dislocated her arm. Bryce had been the cause of too many such incidents over the years. Every time Estre got the short end of the stick, Jason wouldy into Bryce. The pond incident had earned Bryce a particrly harsh beating. Bryce was no stranger to tough love. ¡°Your arm¡¯s heavy. Take it off,¡± Estre grumbled. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. But Bryce only held her tighter, ¡°You can¡¯t despise me. You¡¯re not allowed to.¡± Estre rolled her eyes, ¡°You¡¯ll squash me.¡± Eventually, after Estre kicked him a few times, Bryce released her. As the group made their way out of the terminal, Jason was nowhere to be seen. Instead, it was Drew who hade. Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh at the irony, feeling no real disappointment, just a sense of the absurd. From a distance, Drew spotted Estre and Bryce emerging, and hurried over, ¡°Ms. Estre, Mr. Bryce.¡± Bryce, pulling his suitcase, peered past Drew, ¡°Where¡¯s Jason? Didn¡¯t he say he would pick us up?¡± Drew replied, ¡°Mr. Jason had some urgent business and couldn¡¯t make it.¡± He then added, ¡°By the way, Ms. Estre, Mr. Jason asked me to take you back to Sandalwood Oasis. He said to wait for him at home, and he¡¯ll be there as soon as he finishes up.¡± 09:02 r Bryce, hands in pockets and with a frosty tone, ¡°Tell Jason, if he¡¯s not man enough to keep his word, he should stop making empty promises.¡± With that, Bryce grabbed Estre¡¯s wrist,. ¡°We¡¯ll go back on our own.¡± Drew stepped in front of them, ¡°Mr. Bryce, Mr. Jason really had an emergency. He¡¯ll head straight to Sandalwood Oasis after. It¡¯s cold today, and either waiting or hailing a cab is inconvenient. Let¡¯s just go back to Sandalwood Oasis, shall we?¡± They had a lot of luggage, and Drew¡¯s argument made sense. Estre knew well Drew¡¯s work style; if Jason tasked him with something, he would see it through at all costs. Plus, their colleagues from the law firm were there. It was best to go back and talkter. As for Jason¡¯s proposal a chat; Estre had thought it overst night. It was indeed time for them to have a calm discussion and part ways amicably. So, watching Bryce pack up, Estre simply said, ¡°Let¡¯s head back and talk there, Bryce.¡± Drew, relieved that Estre was being reasonable, quickly helped Bryce load his suitcase into the car. On the drive back, Estre didn¡¯t ask what Jason was up to, and Bryce, catching her cue, didn¡¯t bring it up either. When Estre started to nod off, Bryce gently supported her head, letting it restfortably against his shoulder. Drew and the driver sat in the front, neither daring to ask questions nor speak out of turn. An hourter, the car rolled into Sandalwood Oasis. Bryce escorted Estre inside, finally feeling a weight lift off his chest. Marie politely invited him to stay for dinner, but Bryce declined. Sensing that Bryce was not very talkative on the way back, when Estre saw him of the door, she asked, ¡°Bryce, do you know something?¡± His demeanor during this busi trip was different from the usual Bryce. Chapter 181 Hearing Estre¡¯s question, Bryce turned around leisurely and smiled, ¡°So you thought that if you and Jesse kept mum, I¡¯d be clueless?¡± At Bryce¡¯s words, Estre¡¯s smile faltered. No wonder Bryce bought so many sour snacks this time. No wonder he insisted on joining her business trip when dropping her off at the airport. It made sense why he showed up in Harmony Springs almost immediately after she did, and why he insisted on a 24-hour vigil and imed the couch for his bed. He knew everything. Bryce had a faint smile on his lips and took his right hand out of his pocket to ruffle Estre¡¯s hair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t breathe a word to anyone, especially not Jason. But hey, if you ever need anything, just give me a buzz. I¡¯ll be there faster than pizza delivery.¡± Bryce was all seriousness now, a far cry from the usual carefree, rough-around-the-edges guy she knew. He was like this only on the rare when Estre was feeling down, taking on the role of her steadfast protector. Back when she and Jason had gotten their marriage license, Bryce had been just as earnest, assuring her she¡¯d regret it. Estre managed a weak smile, patting Bryce on the shoulder. ¡°Thanks, Bryce. You¡¯re a gem.¡± Bryce pinched her cheek lightly. ¡°It¡¯s chilly out, get inside. And whatever Jason says, don¡¯t take it to heart. Men aren¡¯t worth your peace. Estre chuckled. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Head in then,¡± Bryce nudged. ¡°Alright.¡± With a nod to Bryce, Estre turned and stepped into the foyer. Bryce watche and then strode off toward the yard with a casual wave goodbye. her go Watching Bryce¡¯s departure, a warm feeling spread through Estre. For all his bluster, Bryce was far more attentive than Jason, full of ambition and capability, just waiting for his moment to shine. As Estre stood in the foyer, Marie walked over and followed her gaze outside, saying, ¡°Mr. Bryce is too polite,¡± shemented. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t even stay for dinner after bringing you home.¡± ¡°He¡¯s been running around with me for days. He needs his rest,¡± Estre replied. Marie beamed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s good you¡¯re back, Ms Estre. The house has been like a ship without its captain with you gone. Mr. Jason¡¯s been downright lost.¡± Estre didn¡¯t respond, her eyes still fixed on the yard. Bryce climbed into his Maybach and gave Estre a wave from the passenger window. 09:02 ¡°Get inside.¡± ¡°I know. Go on,¡± Estre called back. Only when the car disappeared from sight did Estre turn back into the house. Marie, walking beside her, couldn¡¯t help but feel that Estre¡¯s rtionship with Bryce had be even better after this business trip. Marie mused about Jason¡¯s absence at the airport, fearing that if he continued to neglect Estre, Estre might just be swept off her feet by someone else-someone like Bryce. ¡­ Inside the Maybach, Bryce dialed a number the moment they left the driveway. ¡°Where¡¯s Jason now?¡± The response was swift, but Bryce¡¯s face darkened with every word. He ended the call abruptly. He chose not to confide in Estre this time. With her pregnancy, he couldn¡¯t bear to add to her disappointments, even though she imed to be alright. Choosing to marry Jason had been unwise from the start. Gripping the steering wheel with both hands, the driver sneakily nced at Bryce through the rearview mirror. Noticing Bryce¡¯s gloomy expression, the driver decided it was best not to say anything. Bryce might seem carefree, but he was sharp. When he put his mind to it, he could easily rival Jason. * ½â Back at the house, Estre¡¯s phone rang as soon as she stepped inside. It was Jason. Sh¨¦ stared at the screen for a moment before answering. ¡°You¡¯re home?¡± Jason¡¯s voice was soft but strained. ¡°Yeah.¡± Estre replied, her voice t. ¡°I had to deal with somethingst minute, so I sent Drew to pick you up. Stay home. I¡¯ll back once I¡¯m done,¡± Jason exined, his worry evident. ¡°Okay.¡± Estre¡¯s tone was calm, her resolve to divorce unshaken by his calls and messages. Now, she didn¡¯t even care to ask what kept him so upied. His affairs were of no interest to her. Relieved by her agreement, Jason advised her to dress warmly and stay indoors, but Estre abruptly ended the call. If only Jason could be as attentive and organized as Bryce, she might be inclined to listen to his advice and respond with warmth. She dismissed the thought. After all, she¡¯d managed just fine without his ¡®concerns¡¯ over the years. Hanging up, Estre¡¯s thoughts drifted to an old argument with Jason. She had imed that marrying anyone would be better than marrying him. It was said in anger then, but reflecting on it now, it seemed true. Even Bryce cared more for her than Jason did. 09:02 Setting her phone aside, Estre gently touched her belly, only to retract her hand hastily as Marie approached with a fruit tter. ¡°You must be exhausted after the flight, Ms. Estre. Have some fruit.¡± T Estre took the tter with a nonchnt smile, as Marie continued, ¡°With so many people depending on him at thepany, Mr. Jason sure has his hands full.¡± Marie had been with the Nelson family since Jason was a boy, almost raising him herself, which made her fiercely protective of him. Estre smiled, letting the conversation drift. Marie lingered with Estre for a while before bustling back to the kitchen to continue her chores. Estre, meanwhile, settled in with a fruit tter in front of the TV, toozy to even head upstairs to the bedroom. It was as if her return to Sandalwood Oasis was as a guest, not thedy of the house. In the hospital¡¯s emergency staircase, Jason¡¯s previously calm brow furrowed deeply as Estre hung up the phone without so much as a word. Damn, she was really starting to take him for granted. With his hands buried in his pockets, he lingered in the stairwell for a spell before turning back to the ward. By the bedside, Catrina looked up as Jason approached, and with a helpless tone, she said, ¡°Jason, sorry to bother you.¡± Then she added, ¡°It¡¯s just that Holly only just got back and she¡¯s already struggling. I didn¡¯t expect the change in weather to hit her so hard.¡± The fire from years ago had damaged Holly¡¯s respiratory system, and whenever the weather turned extremely hot or cold, her body couldn¡¯t cope and she¡¯d end up in the hospital needing oxygen. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Jason, hands still in his pockets, responded with a detached voice, ¡°Holly will be fine.¡± Catrina sighed, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have called you if the kid hadn¡¯t been calling out for you. I know you¡¯re busy, especially with the yearing to a close.¡± Jason replied, ¡°I figured I should swing by.¡± In that fire years ago, if Holly hadn¡¯t handed him her gas mask, it would likely be him gued with the failing health today. Chapter 182 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!¡± Chapter 183 Marie and the rest of the domestic staff were nowhere to be found as Estre, overwhelmed by despair and helplessness, wept inconsbly. ¡°Bryce,¡± No one came out of the house. Feeling waves of intense pain in her stomach, Estre burst into tears. Today, she shouldn¡¯t have trusted Jason to pick her up, gone back to Sandalwood Oasis with Drew, and waited for Jason at home. If only she had returned to Waterfall Acres, she wouldn¡¯t have had that nasty encounter with that stray cat, and taken this terrible fall. ¡°E.¡± Just as Estre was about to muster the strength to get up, Bryce¡¯s voice suddenly filled the air behind her. Bryce went pale when he saw Estre crumpled on the ground. He rushed to her side, dropping to his knees and steadying her. ¡°E, what happened?¡± His gaze settled on Estre¡¯s face, red-nosed and tear-streaked, and his heart shattered into pieces. In all the years he¡¯d known Estre, she¡¯d rarely ever cried, let alone appeared so disheveled and helpless. Bryce was there, and to Estre, he was a lifeline. She clutched at his cor desperately, ¡°Bryce, the hospital. Take me to the hospital.¡± Bryce, trembling, lifted Estre off the ground and made a beeline for the hospital. On the way, Bryce¡¯s shaking didn¡¯t cease. His lips turned a worrying shade of blue. He had never been so anxious and frightened in his 23 years of life, especially seeing Estre¡¯s face drained of color. A mix of tenderness and rage boiled inside him. Estre had to divorce Jason no matter what. Outside the operating room, when the nurse handed Estre¡¯s down jacket to him, Bryce only then noticed blood on the clothes. Back at Sandalwood Oasis, Estre¡¯syers had concealed the blood, and the waterproof jacket hadn¡¯t let it seep through. Now, gazing at Estre¡¯s stained clothes, Bryce felt as if his heart had been ripped out. N?velDrama.Org content. If he had known it woulde to this, he would have risked everything all those years ago to prevent Estre from marrying Jason. Sandalwood Oasis. When Marie noticed Estre hadn¡¯te in for quite some time, she ventured out into the yard to look for her and found no trace of her, just her cell phone buried under a fresh nket of snow. Marie searched the house top to bottom, sighing helplessly when she found no sign of 08:35 Estre sleeping or otherwise. Mr. Jason had really dropped the ball not picking up Ms. Estre, and she had waited at home for hours for nothing. If Marie were in Estre¡¯s shoes, she¡¯d be livid too, not wanting to see him either. Ever since Holly¡¯s return, with Jason starting to stay out, Marie had been worried sick about the young couple¡¯s marriage. She couldn¡¯t help but feel a tinge of resentment towards Holly. ¡°If you¡¯re going to y dead, at least do it convincingly! What sense does it make to suddenlye back to life?¡± Marie thought to herself. Meanwhile, in the hospital room. After the doctors had done their work, Holly was awake. Lying in the hospital bed, she gazed out at the heavy snowfall and then at Jason, sitting beside her. It had been so long since she¡¯d felt this content. Watching the snow, Holly said softly, ¡°Jason, it¡¯s been ages since Ravenwood has seen such a heavy snow. It¡¯s as if the snow is weing me back.¡± Jason remained silent. Even without words, just having him by her side made Holly feel like she had the whole world to herself. After a long while of staring silently outside, Holly spoke again, her voice tinged with nostalgia. ¡°Jason, wouldn¡¯t it be wonderful if we could turn back time, if we¡­¡± Noticing Jason¡¯s mood, Holly tactfully let the sentence trail off. Whatever the case, having him close was all that mattered. After three grueling hours, Estre was finally wheeled out of the operating room. ¡°E.¡± Bryce and Jesse hurried over, each taking one of her hands in theirs. It was just the two of them by her side now. Before entering the operating room, Estre had confided in Bryce that aside from the two of them and her father, no one knew of her pregnancy. She¡¯d asked not to tell her mother, fearing her mother might cry her eyes out. So Bryce kept it to himself, only telling Jesse that Estre was in the hospital, prompting Jesse to rush over in a panic. ¡°Estre, Estre,¡± Jesse called out to her several times, but when she didn¡¯t respond, Jesse simply held her hand tighter. Before long, Estre was settled in her hospital room, still unconscious. Bryce was silent, his breaths measured, while Jesse sat quietly by her side. They stayed through the night. The snow finally ceased after seven or eight hours,yering the world in about a foot of white. The world outside was alive with festive joy, but Estre remained enveloped in slumber. Jesse finally broke the silence. ¡°She¡¯s been out for so long now.¡± 08:35 ¡°Doctor said she¡¯ll be alright,¡± Bryce assured her, though his voice was hollow. Jesse sighed, ¡°Back then, maybe we should have tried harder to persuade Estre.¡± Bryce remained silent. The past was the past; there was no use dwelling on it. The important thing was to minimize the damage now. On the hospital bed, Estre had heard their conversation. In fact, she had been awake for a while, but feeling unsure of what to say or how to face them, she kept her eyes closed, seeking a moment of peace within herself. She drifted in and out of consciousness until the next morning, when the outside bustle and the nurses¡¯ chatter about Christmas finally prompted her to open her eyes. ¡°E.¡± Bryce and Jesse had stood vigil by Estre¡¯s side all night, and when she opened her eyes and came to, they eagerly grasped her hands. Bryce appeared disheveled with stubble, and Jesse¡¯s face was etched with fatigue. Estre smiled at them and said, ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡¯ Estre, are you hungry or thirsty? Anything you¡¯re craving?¡± Jesse asked with concern. With a chuckle, Estre replied, ¡°I could eat a whole cow.¡± Estre¡¯s mood was hard to pinpoint, but she didn¡¯t want to worry Jesse and Bryce. Bryce let out a soft chuckle and gently caressed her cheek with his right hand. Yesterday/ when he went to pick her up at Sandalwood Oasis, she looked deathly pale, with tears streaming down her face. She sat on the ground crying, and it almost scared the life out of him. Estre tenderly held the hand Bryce rested on her cheek, ¡°Bryce, thank you.¡± Bryce squeezed her hand in return, a gentle pinch to offer sce. With Estre awake, both Jesse and Bryce could breathe a sigh of relief. When Estre was rushed to the hospital the day before, Jesse had sat with her for a bit before heading back to Waterfall Acres to pack her things. Bryce, on the other hand, had stayed in the room to keep herpany. As the doctors examined Estre, Bryce was on the phone trying to reach Jason, but just getting his voicemail. After the doctors left the room, Bryce, in a fit of frustration, hurled his phone against the floor. Chapter 184 Estre didn¡¯t know what Jason was up to yesterday, but Bryce knew all too well. Jason was at the hospital apanying Holly. Jason¡¯s own wife had taken a nasty fall and ended up in the hospital, and he was impossible to reach by phone. Lying in the hospital bed, Estre saw Bryce¡¯splexion sour as he smashed his cellphone to bits. She tried to console him, ¡°Let it go, having you and Jesse by my side is all I need.¡± Bryce shoved his hands into his pockets and plopped down onto the chair beside the bed with a stony face. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Catching Bryce¡¯s mood, Estre chuckled, ¡°Just yesterday, you were telling me to keep my cool, saying men are the least of our worries. So, why are you the one losing your temper now?¡± Her face was still pale, and her voicecked its usual strength. That tumble she took really did a number on her. Bryce remained silent. Estre grabbed a pillow and yfully tossed it at him. ¡°What, you think just because I¡¯mid up today I can¡¯t handle you? You¡¯re gonna ignore me now?¡± Bryce moved closer, shimmying onto the edge of the bed. ¡°I brought myself over so you could hit me.¡± Estre smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± She paused, then added, ¡°It¡¯s actually better he didn¡¯t know?¡± show up. Gives me more reason to convince myself, you Bryce ruffled her hair with a bit more force than necessary. ¡°Damn, not worth it.¡± Estre lightly said. ¡°So why are you still mad? Bryce pinched her cheek affectionately. ¡°Once you¡¯re back on your feet, I¡¯ll set you up a decent guy, make Jason, that son of a gun, green with envy.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Estre agreed. with She might¡¯ve seemed nonchnt, but how could she not be hurting inside? Yesterday, she had cried out in the yard yesterday to no avail, her heart colder than the snow outside. But maybe it was for the best. Now she could let gopletely, without a single shred of longing left. Bryce¡¯s anger hadn¡¯t subsided, so Estre said, ¡°Bryce, don¡¯t tell my Dad about this, okay? I¡¯ll probably be discharged in a couple of days.¡± ¡°What about Jason? What if he still won¡¯t agree to a divorce?¡± he asked, Estre replied. ¡°His agreement isn¡¯t necessary ?? 08:35 Assured by her response, Bryce rxed a bit. Later, when Bryce stepped out to take care of some paperwork and make payments, Estre picked up the new phone Jesse had given her that morning. It was flooded with pictures of Jason, who had spent the entire previous day and night with Holly at the hospital. She exited the messenger app with a sardonicugh. Her mood remained unchanged and undisturbed. When Jason returned exhausted and didn¡¯t see Estre, he immediately called Marie over. Marie was none too pleased. ¡°Ms. Estre¡¯s your wife, why are youing to me? You didn¡¯t handle it well from the beginning, and you stood her up, making her wait for so long. If I were her, I¡¯d be furious and wouldn¡¯t stick around either.¡± Before Jason could get a word in, Marie continued, ¡°Mr. Jason, if you keep this up, you just might lose Ms. Estre for good.¡± Rubbing his temples, Jason reached for his phone to call Estre, only to find the battery dead. After charging his phone and powering it on, he saw that Estre had called him the previous afternoon. He dialed her number without a change in expression, but no one answered. Just as he was about to try again, Drew called to inform him that the executives had arrived at the office. Jason decided to deal with work first. He¡¯d sort things out with Estre at Waterfall Acrester. In the following days, Jason was swamped with work. He even epted Holly¡¯s invitation to visit her new library, where he sipped on a cup of coffee. It had be routine for him and Estre to go long periods without contact. Early i their marriage, they once went three months without a single message between them. One evening, after a business engagement with Grayson, the topic of his rtionship wi Estre came up. Jason realized it had been a week since Estre returned from her business trip. A full week with no contact, and she hadn¡¯te looking for him. Snuffing out his cigarette in a nearby trash can, Jason simply said, ¡°Same old, same old.¡± Grayson advised calmly, ¡°Sort out your issues sooner rather thanter. If you can¡¯t let go of Holly, then let Estre go.¡± Jason looked at Grayson, wordless. Truth be told, his rtionship with Holly wasn¡¯t what people thought, and he had no intention of rekindling anything with her. Staring at Grayson for a moment, Jason announced he was heading home and left. 08:35 As the car started, Jason dialed Estre¡¯s number. ¡°The number you have dialed is switched off. Please try againter.¡± ¡°The number you have dialed is switched off. Please try again¡­¡± After several attempts, each met with the same automated message, Jason tossed his phone aside and floored the elerator toward Waterfall Acres. ¡°Estre.¡± ¡°Estre.¡± He stood at the door and knocked, but Estre didn¡¯te to open it, and there was no response from inside the house. When Estre didn¡¯t answer her phone or the door, Jason casually keyed in the passcode and let himself in. ¡°Estre,¡± he called out again as he entered, to no response. The house felt like it hadn¡¯t been lived in for a while. He checked the bedrooms, which were immacte-not a speck of dust, and all of Estre¡¯s belongings, even her toiletries, were gone. Suddenly, Jason felt a pang of rm. He pulled out his phone and tried calling her once more, only to be met again with the message that the phone was switched off. At that moment, his mind raced to Bryce and he whipped out his phone to give him a call. Just as he punched in the digits, the front door swung open. In the living room, Jason subconsciously looked up and saw Bryceing over, wearing a long ck down jacket. Without a second thought, Jason hung up the phone and cut to the chase, ¡°Where¡¯s Estre?¡± Bryce felt an inexplicable burst of irritation, especially when he recalled the day Estr fell and Jason was at the hospital staying with Holly. It fueled Bryce¡¯s annoyance eve more. Chapter 185 Bryce shoved his hands into his pockets, first giving Jason a wry smile before his tone turned icy. ¡°She¡¯s gone, cremated.¡± As the words left Bryce¡¯s mouth, Jason¡¯s expression darkened instantly. Seeing the shift in Jason¡¯s demeanor, Bryce couldn¡¯t help but snicker. ¡°You¡¯ve got Holly and Serene, so what are you doing sniffing around Estre for?¡± Jason took two steps forward, his gaze on Bryce as frosty as midwinter. ¡°Bryce, cut the crap. It¡¯s not your ce to stick your nose in my business.¡± ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± Bryce retorted sarcastically. ¡°Not my ce, is it? Then don¡¯te asking about your wife like she¡¯s mine or something.¡± That was thest straw for Jason. He grabbed Bryce by the shirt and shoved him hard against the wall. Bryce¡¯s back mmed against the wall, but he wasn¡¯t backing down. He grabbed Jason¡¯s cor in retaliation. Remembering that Jason was, after all, his cousin, Bryce swallowed his rage and pushed him away. Brushing off his cor, which Jason had wrinkled, Bryce opened a nearby cab and pulled out two divorce papers, handing them to Jason. ¡°Estre wants you to sign these.¡± ¡°She¡¯s already squared things away with the city clerk. If you can¡¯t make it, just sign your name and anyone can get the divorce certificate for you. Jason, let Estre go, and give yourself some peace, man.¡± The divorce papers that Bryce handed to Jason sparked his anger. He grabbed Bryce¡¯s shirt again and mmed him against the wall. That moment, Jason didn¡¯t need to ask; he knew Bryce must have had a hand in it. With his back hitting the wall once more, Bryce threw a punch at Jason¡¯s face, then grabbing Jason¡¯s cor. Bryce hissed, ¡°Jason, for years I¡¯ve respected you as my cousin, always giving you some leeway and respect. Did you really think I was afraid of you, and couldn¡¯t take you in a fight?¡± After saying his piece, Bryce shoved Jason back hard, sending him crashing into the dining table. Jason couldn¡¯t stand being pushed around. He swung back at Bryce with a punch. ¡°Bryce, I¡¯ve warned you. Stay the hell away from Estre.¡± The boys¡¯ scuffle turned into a full-on brawl right there in Estre¡¯s house. In the end, neither came out on top, both sporting injuries. The living and dining rooms were a mess, with everything smashable shattered, debris littering the floor. Breathing heavily and picking himself up, Bryce wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and red at Jason. ¡°Jason, do you think everyone is a fool, that your actions outside are seamless, and no one can find out?¡± 08:35 Grabbing his coat from the floor, Jason shot back a cold look. ¡°What have I done?¡± Bryceughed derisively at his ignorance. ¡°The day Holly fell ill, you stayed with her all day and night in the hospital, didn¡¯t you? You were at her caf¨¦¡¯s opening, right? And the day Nelson International secured the Silverbrook project, you met her, too.¡± ¡°Everything I know, Estre knows. She just thinks it¡¯s beneath her to squabble with you. do you Plus, if it hadn¡¯t been for those fortune-tellers saying she was destined for you, think she would give a damn about you?¡± Listing out the times Jason met with Holly, Bryce watched the color drain from Jason¡¯s face. With a sneer, Bryce added, ¡°If you really want to know where Estre is, check the Sandalwood Oasis¡¯ security footage. And just so you know, even if you don¡¯t sign those divorce papers, there¡¯s no chance for there¡¯s no chance for you and Estre.¡± Without waiting for a reply, Bryce turned and left Estre¡¯s house first. §Ñ Bang! The door mmed shut behind him, and Jason gave the dining table ¨¤ furious kick before steadying himself with a hand to his forehead. Momentster, he too left Waterfall Acres. Gripping the steering wheel, Jason was seething over Bryce¡¯s words. He went to see Holly because of the fire years ago. She had evidence from that time. ¡°Mr. Jason, have you been in a fight?¡± Marie asked in shock as Jason returned home looking like he¡¯d been through a war. Jason brushed past Marie without a word and headed upstairs. Once in his study, he booted up his computer and began scouring the security footage. 25 Estre had rarely been back to Sandalwood Oasis, except for Christmas Eve, so Jason pulled up the footage from the 24th. He saw Bryce apanying Estre home and watched as she lingered in the doorwa reluctant to see him leave. At that, Jason grew suspicious. Bryce seemed overly concerned about Estre, as if his life revolved around her, and everything he did was intertwined with her existence. With a cold chuckle, Jason realized he had underestimated Bryce. Scrolling through the footage, Jason saw Estre in the yard, startled by a stray cat, falling hard to the ground and screaming helplessly with no one to hear her. Her phone was out of reach, and she couldn¡¯t get up to retrieve it. Jason¡¯s breath hitched. Even though the surveince footage wasn¡¯t very high-definition, he still felt Estre¡¯s fear and sadness. She sat motionless on the ground for so long, and Jason¡¯s heart clenched. Estre was not one to make a fuss. He knew her for 23 years, and she never yed the damsel in distress. Even when Bryce had helped her climb a wall and she dislocated her arm, she didn¡¯t cry. 08:35 In just a short while, he saw Brycee in. Bryce¡¯s eyes went straight to Estre, lying still on the ground, lookingpletely petrified. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Bryce rushed over, scooped her up in his arms, and left Sandalwood Oasis as if pursued by demons. Even though there was no trace on the ground where Estre had been, Jason¡¯s mind raced with a concern. Maybe Estre was pregnant. That could exin why after the fall she didn¡¯t dare to move a muscle, why she, who seldom shed a tear, was crying that day. Staring intently at the surveince feed, Jason felt a lump form in his throat, his eyes rimming with red. Swallowing hard, he leaned against the desk, gathering himself before turning off the monitors and heading out the door. When he pulled up in front of a row of townhouses in another part of Ravenwood, he was met by Dr. Lee. The doctor, wrapped in a thick robe, hurried out, a look of concern etched on his face. ¡°Jason, what brings you here at this hour?¡± he asked. Cutting straight to the chase, Jason asked, ¡°Dr. Lee, when you examined Estrest time, was she already pregnant?¡±N?velDrama.Org content. Chapter 186 As Jason posed his question, the doctor¡¯splexion shifted in the blink of an eye. Jason trusted Dr. Lee and brought Estre to seek his help, only to find out that he had been deceived. With a sheepish look at Jason, Dr. Lee said, ¡°Look, Jason, your dad and I go way back, but I owed Estre a favor. She got to me first, and I couldn¡¯t put her off. Besides, this sort of thing can¡¯t stay under wraps for long, so I agreed to help her out.¡± He paused, then added with sincerity, ¡°Estre is indeed pregnant.¡± He hadn¡¯t wanted to say yes to Estre. Dr. Lee had been torn about it, and he¡¯d heard rumors of trouble between her and Jason. Thinking she wanted to protect the baby, he¡¯d eventually caved. After all, what mother wouldn¡¯t fight tooth and nail for her child, especially one she¡¯d tried so hard to Conceive? N?velDrama.Org content. Acknowledging that Estre had beaten him to the punch, Jason shoved his hands into his pockets and turned away, too fuming mad to find the words. He¡¯d been outsmarted by Estre. She had everything prepared from the moment she knew she was pregnant, and had all her bases covered with the hospitals. No wonder she was so adamant about getting a divorce. If he¡¯d known about the pregnancy sooner, he wouldn¡¯t have agreed to her business trip, or stood her up that day. Jason¡¯s eyes reddened, and without a word, he got into his car and drove away. Subsequently, he pulled out his phone and called Drew, ¡°Drew, find out which hospital Estre¡¯s at.¡± ¡°Ms. Estre¡¯s in the hospital?¡± Drew sounded shocked on the other end, then quickly added, ¡°Right away, Mr. Jason, I¡¯m on it.¡± After tossing his phone aside with a sigh, Jason gripped the steering wheel, his eyes still red. He couldn¡¯t bear to think about Estre losing the baby, but considering her fall, he consoled himself-they were young, there¡¯d be more chances. But the guilt of not being there for Estre when she needed him most, especially when he was with Holly, gnawed at him. And what suffocated him was the thought that for a whole week, Estre hadn¡¯t said a word to him, nor had he sought her out. Without even seeing her face, he knew she must despise him. He was failing miserably as a husband. Soon after, Drew sent over the hospital and room number, and Jason was on his way. He arrived at the hospital room in a hurry, hand poised to push the door open, then 08:34 hesitated. Finally, with a furrowed brow, he entered, only to find the room empty and the bed neatly made-no sign of Estre. Turning on his heel, he approached the nurse¡¯s station and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the patient from Room 16?¡± ¡°The patient, Estre, was discharged this morning,¡± the nurse informed him. Without another word, Jason was back in his car, heading for the Dorvold family estate. When he arrived at the Dorvold family home, it was eleven at night. Autumn, seeing Jason rushing over in the middle of the night, hurriedly came downstairs in her pajamas with disheveled hair. ¡°Jason, what brings you here at this hour?¡± Caught off guard, Jason cut to the chase, ¡°Is Estre here?¡± ¡°No!¡± Autumn¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°She hasn¡¯te back.¡± Before Jason could reply, Autumn added, ¡°Did you two have a fight? Did Estre run off?¡± Autumn¡¯s line of questioning only deepened Jason¡¯s frown. It seemed Autumn was oblivious to Estre¡¯s pregnancy, or she¡¯d be in pieces by now. And she wouldn¡¯t be soposed at the sight of him. managed, ¡°No, she might have gone to Waterfall With a sinking feeling in his gut, Jason managed, ¡°No, Acres. I¡¯ll check there.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother yourself thiste, Jason,¡± Autumn said while reaching for her phone. ¡°I¡¯ll call Estre, and tell her toe back.¡± As Autumn was about to dial, Cole came downstairs, greeting, ¡°Jason.¡± Autumn turned to Cole, ¡°Did Estre get in touch with you? What¡¯s she up to sote?¡± Cole just looked at Jason and calmly said, ¡°No need to go to Waterfall Acres. Come to the study with me.¡± Jason, picking up on Cole¡¯s tone, followed him upstairs, knowing he must be in the loop about Estre¡¯s pregnancy and possibly her whereabouts. In the study, Cole and Jason sat opposite each other, and Cole spoke gravely, ¡°Autumn doesn¡¯t know about Estre being pregnant. Otherwise, she¡¯d have already cried her eyes out.¡± Realizing Jason had come to the Dorvold family home in full knowledge of the situation, Cole didn¡¯t beat around the bush. Jason remained silent as Cole continued, ¡°Estre checked herself out of the hospital this morning.¡± He paused, a weight in his voice, before adding, ¡°The baby¡¯s gone, and she¡¯s not in a good ce right now. Wanted some alone time, so she¡¯s gone off to clear her head somewhere.¡± At the mention of the baby, Jason was wracked with guilt. ¡°I really dropped the ball on this one. I should¡¯ve taken better care of Estre.¡± 08:34 Cole offered nofor* TikTok Tiktok Streaming ka Super hack chahiyay? ignoring her. You didn¡¯t even know your own wife was in the hospital. Jason didn¡¯t counter Cole¡¯s reproach. Cole sighed in resignation. ¡°Well, what¡¯s done is done. ming you now won¡¯t change anything. But as Este¡¯s father, it¡¯s crystal clear to me that Estre just isn¡¯t in your heart. If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m not going to force you to stay with her. I won¡¯t put you in that position. Besides, it¡¯s apparent you two weren¡¯t meant to be.¡± They finally got a kid, only for their rtionship to be more strained. Life is too long to be spent in constant conflict. Were they supposed to argue for a lifetime and create a never-ending cycle of strife? Maybe it was better to ept the situation and let go. Chapter 187 ¡°So, Jason, you¡¯ve got to sign the divorce papers. Once you do, you can live your life however you want. No one¡¯s gonna meddle or try to stop you. Let Estre go and give yourself a break, too!¡± For years, Cole had seen everything between the young couple, and he¡¯d lost all hope for their marriage. He even regretted listening to Landon back then, pushing for this union. His words left Jason feeling like he¡¯d been dressed down without a corner to hide in. Everyone kept saying he should let Estre go, and let himself go, but when he and Estre got married, not one person stood up to object. Well, except for Bryce. Jason kept his silence as Cole went on, his voice heavy with emotion. ¡°Look, Jason, if there¡¯s gotta be a right or wrong in this mess, it¡¯s on me. I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to this marriage in the first ce, and I shouldn¡¯t have let you two get together.¡± ¡°I just thought that you two have known ch other since you were kids, got along fine. Figured you¡¯d work things out. But I never thought it¡¯de to this. If there¡¯s no love lost between you two, then it¡¯s best to part on good terms.¡± Cole¡¯s words would have been easier to take if he¡¯d just yelled or med Jason, but instead, he took all the me on the Dorvold family, and that made Jason¡¯s face burn with shame even more. After all, it was Landon who brought in the fortune teller and came to the Dorvold family to ask for Estre¡¯s hand. Estre was right about one thing: she didn¡¯t beg to marry him. Even if Jason had doubts about Landon¡¯s motives, even if he knew it was deliberate, the marriage was something he¡¯d agreed to in the end. 3 S Noticing the worry in Cole¡¯s furrowed brow, Jason stood up from his chair. ¡°I¡¯ll discuss things with Estre when I see her.¡± But Cole insisted, ¡°Sign the papers, Jason. It¡¯s for the best.¡± The sooner he signed, the sooner his daughter would be free. Without a word, Jason left the study. In his Maybach, Jason didn¡¯t drive off immediately but just pulled over to the side of the road. Leaning his head back against the seat, he feltpletely hollow inside. He hadn¡¯t asked about Estre¡¯s whereabouts because he could tell Cole wouldn¡¯t disclose them. It was clear to him now that his marriage to Estre was no longer supported by anyone. With his eyes closed, all he could see was Estre, tumbling in the yard, full of helplessness and despair. He¡¯d known her for 23 years and had never seen her so 08:34 vulnerable. And it was all because of him. Should he sign the divorce papers Estre left for him? Having sat on the roadside for who knows how long, Jason still hadn¡¯te to terms with the situation. He started the car and headed back to Sandalwood Oasis. At this moment, what he regretted and felt sorry about was that, after Estre came back from her business trip, he hadn¡¯t gone to see her and hadn¡¯t contacted her all this time. He thought that not contacting her, keeping distance was their unspoken understanding. It was, indeed, an understanding so profound that Estre¡¯s life no longer seemed to need him. He had be superfluous, a burden to her. He realized it had been over half a month since he hadst seen Estre. Thest time was before her business trip when she tried calling him and he didn¡¯t answer. It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d been hospitalized without him by her side. When she had that car ident the previous year, he didn¡¯t even find out until muchter. Those who are loved take it for granted. He thought Estre would for a divorce. ever leave him, or ask Memories flooded back, and Jason¡¯s heart ached. He longed to see Estre and tell her he was wrong. But since then, Estre had been absent from Ravenwood for a long time, vanishing overnight from their lives. Internationally, however, she slowly rose to prominence as a renowned attorney known for her expertise and formidable presence-a legend in the legal world. Every case that passed through her hands was a victory, a testament to fairness and justice. ¡ª Three yearster. At the Ravenwood Superior Court, Estre wrapped up another triumphant case. The opposing counsel and the judge both came over to greet her. ¡°Ms. Estre, I learned quite a bit from you today.¡± ¡°Ms. Estre, wee back. Someone with your talent should serve their hometown and country, not stay abroad.¡± ¡°Ms, Estre, do you n to leave again?¡± asked a young judge. After exchanging pleasantries, Estre warmly smiled and said, ¡°There¡¯s still an environmental pollution case that needs attention. I¡¯ll make further ns once it¡¯s resolved.¡± ¡°Ms. Estre, Ravenwood is in dire need of talents like you. We hope you¡¯ll choose to stay.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll certainly give it a thoughtful consideration,¡± Estre responded with a cheerful smile. 08.31 She then headed to the parking lot and drove back to the Dorvold family home. As soon as she stepped inside, Isaac ran to her with open arms, ¡°Mommy, mommy!¡± Estre¡¯s face broke into a smile, and she scooped him up, ¡°What tasty treat did my little baby have? Your face is all messy.¡± ¡°Strawberries,¡± Isaac murmured, then added with a smile, ¡°Sweet.¡± 1 Estreughed, hugging Isaac tightly and showering him with kisses. Then, Autumn emerged from the kitchen, beaming. ¡°Estre, Isaac is the spitting image of Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. you as a child-not just in looks, but even the way he eats.¡± Autumn then inquired about the morning¡¯s case, ¡°Did you win today?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Estre confirmed. Isaac wrapped his little arms around Estre¡¯s neck and gave her a thumbs-up, ¡°Mommy, great.¡± year-old. He spoke Isaac, with his soft, rosy cheeks and sweet voice, was just about slowly, still learning to string words together, hisplex thoughts often reduced to single or double sybles. ¡°My babyis great, too,¡± Estre said before nting another affectionate kiss on Isaac¡¯s cheek. Ever since Estre became a mom, she turned into a baby-loving maniac. Her own child was her delight. No matter how many times she looked at Isaac, she could never get enough. She¡¯d smother her little Isaac with kisses, hundreds a day, and just the sight of him would make Estre¡¯s heart burst with joy. Isaac was her entire world of happiness and contentment. No matter how exhausting her day was, the moment she walked through the door and eyes on Isaac, it was as if Estre had hit the refresh button on her life. Before motherhood, Estre wasn¡¯t the type to fuss over kids, but having Isaac changed everything. Despite her young age, her eyes brimmed with the purest maternal love. Autumn, witnessing this unbreakable bond, couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of jealousy. ¡°Isaac, you¡¯re always cuddling up with Mommy¡± she said with a yful pout. ¡°Your grandma loves you too, you know. Don¡¯t you want to give grandma some love?¡± Isaac clung to Estre even tighter, as if to show where his loyaltiesy. From the moment Isaac was born, he was enveloped in Estre¡¯s world. The mother and son had been inseparable, not spending a single day apart. Chapter 188 ¡°Once upon a time, in and far away, there lived a kindly old man and an equally sweet olddy¡­¡± Estre gently read stories to Isaac, and when she saw Isaac close his eyes and fall asleep, she set down the book in her hand, leaned down, and kissed his forehead. Her child was truly adorable, even when asleep. The soft and tender appearance made you want to give him a kiss. After bestowing a few more kisses, Estre noted the early hour and decided to use the time wisely. She tucked Isaac in snugly and made her way to the desk to sift through case files. During her years away from Ravenwood, life had revolved around Isaac, work, and study. Her return was spurred by her parents¡¯ gentle prodding, suggesting that bringing Isaac back would mean family support for them both. Unable to resist her folks¡¯ persuasion and with work coincidentally bringing her back, she had acquiesced. As for the future, that was a bridge she¡¯d cross when she came to it. Because of her work, Estre and Isaac didn¡¯t stay at Waterfall Acres but took up residence in the expansive Dorvold family estate. It was convenient, and her mother could lend a hand with Isaac during the busy weekdays. ¡°Estre, is Isaac tucked in for the night?¡± Autumn¡¯s voice broke the silence as she nudged the door open. Estre nced up from her papers, replying in a hushed tone, ¡°He¡¯s asleep.¡± ¡°How about I take him to my room, then? That way, you can get a full night¡¯s rest, and be sharper for work tomorrow,¡± suggested Autumn. ¡°It¡¯s fine, really. Isaac sleeps through the night without a fuss,¡± Estre reassured her. ¡°I just want to bond a little with pumpkin,¡± Autumn confessed, with a hint of sadness in her voice. Estre had been home for three days, and despite Autumn¡¯s attempts, Isaac remained shy around her. Observing her mother¡¯s subtle craving for closeness with Isaac, Estre couldn¡¯t suppress a smile. ¡°Go ahead, Mom. If Isaac wakes up and gets fussy, you can always bring him back to me.¡± With Estre¡¯s approval, Autumn beamed, scooping Isaac up in her arms with a whisper of joy, ¡°Oh, Isaac darling, you¡¯ll bunk with grandma tonight! Such a sweetheart.¡± Cradling her rosy-cheeked grandchild, Autumn¡¯s smile was a thin crescent of contentment. All the years of waiting had paid off. Her daughter was finally a mother. And those fortune-tellers? What did they know, iming her daughter was destined for no one but Jason? With Isaac now in Autumn¡¯s care, Estre returned to her work, her life a simple tapestry. woven with threads of Isaac and her career. It was uplicated, yet fulfilling. As for the events of three years ago, her marriage with Jason, and the many years they had known each other, Estre felt like it was a dream, something that happened in a previous life. It felt so distant that she almost couldn¡¯t remember it. Her life was cleaved into two distinct chapters: before and after going abroad. The former chapter was one she was increasingly reluctant to revisit. The following morning, Estre emerged from her room to find Isaac sitting on the floor, clutching his feet and gazing intently at the door. At first startled, Estre knelt beside her child, ¡°Sweetie, why are you on the floor?¡± Autumn¡¯s voice floated over, tinged with helplessness, ¡°He¡¯s been so glum since he woke up. Won¡¯t eat or drink her milk.¡± Isaac¡¯s eyes fixed on Estre, his voice a intive whisper, ¡°Mommy, no.¡± Understanding dawned on Estre, her arms enveloping Isaac as she lifted him from the floor. ¡°Isaac, you¡¯re my most precious treasure Mommy will always want you. Grandma just loves spending time with you, so you stayed with her for a bit. Let¡¯s not be upset, okay?¡± With Estre¡¯s reassurance, Isaac wrapped his arms around his mother¡¯s neck, resting a cheek on her shoulder, big eyes brimming with tears. Though a boy, Isaac had delicate features reminiscent of Estre¡¯s own childhood, not nearly as talkative or as quick to smile, but with the same rare, heartfelt joy when truly happy. Kinda like a certain someone. Holding Isaac close until his mood lightened, Estre felt at peace knowing her child now understood Autumn¡¯s affection. After breakfast, Estre headed to the courthouse. Over the next few days, life settled into a rhythm of work and family, punctuated by visits from Bryce and Jesse to the Dorvold estate, eager to spend time with Estre and her little one. While Estre had been away, Bryce had struck out on his own, founding apany with -ventures in technology, media, and entertainment, now thriving with his own social circle. Jesse, armed with the shares inherited from her mother, had made it into Manning International¡¯s management, no longer the target of Damita and Melinda¡¯s scorn. Word of Estre¡¯s return soon buzzed through the legalmunity, prompting Logan to insist on a wee-back party. Overwhelmed by the warmth of her colleagues at the gathering, she promised to consider a return to Justice Guardians LLP amidst their eager invitations. 08:34 ¡°Estre, you¡¯re back for good, aren¡¯t you? Come back to Justice Guardians LLP. Let¡¯s be colleagues again.¡± ¡°Estre, you¡¯re our think tank. Remember how you always had that knack for cutting through our confusions?¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Look, everyone¡¯s excited about your return. Give it some thought, will you?¡± urged Logan. Touched by their enthusiasm, Estre¡¯s response was nomittal yet open, ¡°I¡¯ll give it some careful consideration.¡± Reunited with her colleagues from Justice Guardians LLP, Estre felt as though the days of old weren¡¯t as distant as they once seemed. They were all deep in conversation,ughter sprinkled throughout the air, when Estre¡¯s phone suddenly rang. She excused herself and stepped outside to take the call. It was Jesse on the line, inquiring when Estre would return, saying that she was over at the Dorvold family residence, and that she had brought along Estre¡¯s favorite snacks. Estre assured Jesse she¡¯d head back once the dinner wrapped up, and after a bit more small talk, the call ended. This time around, there was a newfound steadiness in Estre, ¨¢ maturity mirrored in Jesse as well. Slipping her phone back into her pocket, Estre turned to rejoin her friends in the private dining room. However, her steps halted abruptly as she caught sight of a tall figure approaching from the opposite direction. At a distance, the man ended his own call and looked up to find Estre unexpectedly standing before him. He was momentarily frozen in ce. His feet instinctively stopped moving, and he found himself unable to take his eyes off d Estre. Three years. Three whole years had passed, and now she was finally willing to show up ande back home. Chapter 189 Jason couldn¡¯t peel his eyes away from Estre, his gaze glued to her as if his life. depended on it. It felt like centuries had passed since theyst saw each other, not just a few years. At the other end of the hallway, Estre noticed Jason frozen in his tracks, his face a canvas of surprise. She quicklyposed herself and walked towards him at a measured pace. When she stopped in front of him, she greeted him with ease, ¡°Long time no see, Jason.¡± Long time, indeed. It had been so long that she had nearly forgotten him, unable to recall his features in her mind. Right after she left Ravenwood, Jason had tried to reach out to her, but she had dodged him at every turn. Eventually, he stopped trying and that was the end of their encounters until this unexpected moment. The surprise meeting only confirmed to Estre that she had moved on from the past. Seeing Jason again stirred no emotions within her. After all, she had a son now. What did it matter what had happened before? Jason finally snapped out of his daze at Estre¡¯s greeting, ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± he asked, quickly adding, ¡°When did you get back?¡± ¡°A few days ago,¡± she replied. Jason knew without asking that everyone probably knew of her return except for him, much like when she was pregnant and everyone knew but him. ¡°And you¡¯re out for dinner with friends?¡± he inquired further. ¡°Yeah, just catching up with some old colleagues from the firm,¡± Estre answered. As Jason was about to say something else, Estre cut in, ¡°I should get back to the private room. Don¡¯t let me keep you.¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. With Estre saying that, Jason could only respond with a reluctant ¡®okay.¡¯ As Estre brushed past him, Jason turned around and watched her leave. Even after Estre¡¯s figure disappeared from his sight, Jason¡¯s gaze lingered, still fixed on the corridor. He had imagined countless scenarios of their reunion, how Estre might resent him, me him, or settle old scores. Yet, when they actually met, she brought up none of it¡ªit was as if nothing had ever happened between them. But then again, when had Estre ever made a big deal out of anything with him? It was always trivial to her. Otherwise, why would she disappear for three years without a word? With a self-mocking smile, he returned to his private room. 08:36 Meanwhile, at the door of another suite, Estre was about to enter when Logan appeared, pulling her aside. ¡°Estre, perfect timing. I wanted to discuss something with you,¡± Logan said, stopping her in her tracks. ¡°Estre, don¡¯t take our earlier conversation as a joke. We¡¯ve worked together for two years, and we know you¡¯re not one for small talk and prefer to bury yourself in cases. Opening your own firm could be overwhelming. If you¡¯re staying, considering back to Justice Guardians LLP, not just as an attorney but as a partner.¡± ¡°Your return would boost the reputation of Justice Guardians LLP, which is why we¡¯re extending the partnership offer. We wouldn¡¯t shortchange you,¡± Logan assured her earnestly. ¡°I¡¯ll give it serious thought, Logan,¡± Estre promised, moved by Logan¡¯s sincerity. A partnership was a goal manywyers worked years to achieve, and Logan was offering it generously. It was a fitting role if she decided to stay in Ravenwood, and after all, she had started her career at Justice Guardians LLP. After Estre agreed to consider the offer, they returned to the private room, and soon the dinner was over. Standing outside the hotel, waiting for Arden to pick her up, a cold breeze made Estre pull her cor tighter around her neck. ¡°Let me give you a lift,¡± Jason¡¯s voice came from beside her. Estre, arms crossed over her chest, nced at the sleek ck car that had rolled up, its passenger window down, with Jason looking at her nonchntly. Estre said, under Jason¡¯s unwavering gaze. ¡°My colleague is on his way.¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened slightly, but he persisted, ¡°Estre, I won¡¯t do anything. After all, we¡¯ve known each other since we were kids. It¡¯s only right for me to offer you a ride.¡± His car was blocking the hotel¡¯s entrance and, knowing Jason¡¯s relentless nature, Estre sighed and reluctantly sat in the passenger seat. She knew him for over twenty years. He was the kind who wouldn¡¯t rest until he got what he wanted, so she saw no point in arguing over such a trivial matter. Once inside, she called Arden, telling him she ran into an old friend and would catch a ride with them. Beside her, Jason noticed the chill that had apanied Estre into the car and turned up the heat. With the call finished, Estre busied herself with her phone, treating the ride as if she were in a cab, while Jason drove through the night, both enveloped in the silence that had settled between them. Despite three years apart, the past disappointment of being stood up, the fall at Sandalwood Oasis, and the week-long hospital stay without a visit from Jason, Estre¡¯s 08:36 3 emotions remained stable when she met him again. She refrained from bringing up the past with Jason. Gripping the steering wheel, Jason nced at Estre, noticing her attention was fixed on her smartphone. A pang of something hit him. He remembered a time when they were close, so close that there was never a shortage of conversation, when she¡¯d report every little thing that happened to her. Turning his gaze back to Estre, Jason asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were pregnant?¡± Chapter 190 Jason suddenly brought up the past, leaving Estre rubbing her temples, at a loss for words. She hadn¡¯t epted a ride from Jason earlier precisely to avoid being alone with him and dredging up old memories. After all, it was all water under the bridge now. Releasing her temple, Estre nced at Jason and said nonchntly, ¡°Why did I have to tell you? Maybe I just fancy ying the solo parent, you know.¡± Even after three years, Estre hadn¡¯t changed. She wasid-back, never sweating the small stuff with anyone or anything-except, of course, when it came to her child and her career. Her candor left Jason speechless. Three years had nearly erased his memory of how Estre never minced her words, never giving you the satisfaction of hearing what you wanted. Jason shot her an indifferent look before asking, ¡°Don¡¯t you have any questions for me? Nothing you want to say?¡± He figured she must have a lot to get off her chest, maybe even anger and reproach. The hotel lobby wasn¡¯t the ce for it, but now he was giving her the opportunity to vent. led Hearing his words, Estre just and replied, ¡°That¡¯s all ancient history. I¡¯ve forgotten all about it.¡± Then, looking directly at Jason, she added coolly, ¡°Jason, you should forget it too.¡± Why bring up unhappy memories? Besides, after such a long time apart, there was no need to revisit the past. Estre¡¯s dismissive attitude stuck in Jason¡¯s craw. He had waited for her at the hotel entrance for a long time, hoping for a serious conversation and to apologize for past wrongs. It was his fault he hadn¡¯t shown up at the airport as promised, and it was his fault they hadn¡¯t talked as he said they would. He hadn¡¯t known she was hospitalized after a miscarriage; missing that had been his mistake too. But Estre wouldn¡¯t mention the past and seemed impatient whenever he brought it up. Suddenly, Jason found himself at a loss for words, his apologies lodged in his throat, unspoken. She didn¡¯t care for his mea culpas. They say adult rtionships are simple-just speak your mind. But with Estre, she wouldn¡¯t waste her breath on those she didn¡¯t care about. She didn¡¯t want to hear his exnations because she was utterly disappointed, beyond hoping for anything. In her heart, if someone truly mattered, they would never let her down time and again, and leave her out in the cold. The only reason she had endured so much was that Jason had never truly cared. At her suggestion to forget the past, Jason went silent. It wasn¡¯t until they pulled up in front of the Dorvold family estate and Estre said ¡°Thanks¡± and reached for the car door that Jason suddenly grasped her arm. Turning to face him, Estre asked, ¡°Something else?¡± Jason let go of her arm at her detached tone and look. Estre withdrew her gaze and stepped out of the car without looking back. He watched Estre walk away, a torrent of emotions swirling inside him. Resting his hands on the steering wheel, he stared at the grand Dorvold residence until her figure vanished from sight. Only then did he start the car and drive away. Inside the house, Estre was greeted by Isaac, who had his face smeared with frosting, running up to her and eximing, ¡°Mommy, mommy!¡± Estre knelt and scooped up Isaac, wiping his mouth, ¡°My little munchkin, always feasting, aren¡¯t you?¡± No matter when Estre returned, Isaac was always snacking on something decadently oversized. Isaac blushed and giggled, burying his face in Estre¡¯s shoulder. Autumn chimed in, teasing, ¡°Like mother, like son. You¡¯ve been a grazer since you got teeth-never stopped eating, not even on the john.¡¯ ¡°Mom,¡± Estre protested with a sheepish grin. Jesse strolled over with a slice of strawberry cheesecake, remarking as she ate, ¡°No wonder you grew so tall.¡± Estre, standing at a tall 5¡¯9¡å, was considered quite statuesque among women. Bryce approached and took Estre¡¯s bag to set it aside. Since starting his own co he had be more mature and was even more handsome and kinder to Estre t before. As Estre handed Isaac another slice of cake, Bryce yfully pinched Isaac¡¯s chin, ¡°S ¡®Daddy.¡±¡± Isaac looked up at Bryce with his big, adorable eyes and cooed, ¡°Daddy.¡± At Isaac¡¯s call, Bryce beamed, dabbing a dollop of frosting on his cheek, ¡°That¡¯s my boy, Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. So sweet.¡± Estre, at a loss for words, watched as Jesse instructed Isaac, ¡°Say ¡®Daddy.¡± Isaac, with frosting on his face, repeated obediently, ¡°Daddy!¡± To Isaac, it seemed anyone could be Daddy, but there was only one Mommy-Estre. He wouldn¡¯t even call Jesse a ¡®god mommy¡¯, but when Jesse asked for a ¡®Daddy, Isaac 08:36 From the moment Estre brought Isaac into the world, the child had acquired countless ¡®daddies.¡¯ When Bryce smeared frosting on Isaac, Estre kicked him gently, ¡°Having fun, huh? Go have your own kid to y with.¡± Unfazed, Bryce dusted off his pants, ¡°Aren¡¯t your kids practically mine, too?¡± Estre scoffed at his remark. Isaac, delighted by the yfulness,ughed and encouraged, ¡°Daddy, fight.¡± Bryce was amused, lifting Isaac into his arms, ¡°E, my son is too cute.¡± He then added, ¡°I need to earn more, leave something for my boy. Wouldn¡¯t be fair otherwise, after all the times he¡¯s called me ¡®Daddy.¡±¡± Over the years, Bryce had shouldered nearly all of Isaac¡¯s expenses, leaving Estre and Jesse little chance to chip in. To outsiders, and even to Isaac, Bryce was as good as his biological father. Autumn watched the scene with a smile, ¡°Isaac¡¯s lucky to have all these daddies.¡± When Bryce had to take a call for work, Estre stood up to see him out. Strolling leisurely into the yard, Brycemented, ¡°You¡¯ve been back for a few days now, reckon my Jason¡¯s bound to catch wind of it soon, ?? Estre, hands nonchntly buried in her pockets, shed an indifferent smile and said, ¡°Already ran into him tonight.¡± At her words, Bryce¡¯s stride halted abruptly, and he turned around to face her. It was clear from the sudden shift in his expression that this news didn¡¯t sit well with him: Chapter 191 Estre couldn¡¯t help but let out a wry chuckle, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve got a son now, I¡¯m not going to do anything foolish. Plus, I¡¯ve got more self-respect than that.¡± Even if she had once thrown caution to the wind where Jason was concerned, those days were well behind her. It was during that fall at Sandalwood Oasis that she felt as though years of feelings for Jason had been wiped clean. After Estre¡¯s reassurance, Bryce eased up a bit. ¡°d to hear you¡¯ve got some sense of self- respect.¡± Estre shot him a re, which he met with augh while ruffling her hair. ¡°I¡¯m off then. You should head inside.¡± ¡°Sure thing,¡± Estre agreed, but she lingered outside until Bryce started his car and waved for her to go in. Then, hands buried in her jacket pockets, she ambled back to the house at a leisurely pace. During her three years abroad, especially when Isaac was born, she was deeply grateful for Bryce¡¯s tireless support. By the time Estre returned to the vi, Isaac had already fallen asleep on Jesse¡¯s shoulder. Isaac was asleep, Estre was back, and Jesse, after spending a while with the Dorvold family, headed home as well. Fresh from the shower, Estre found Autumn still keeping watch by Isaac¡¯s bedside. As Estre joined her, the conversation naturally turned to Jesse. They both agreed that Jesse was of an age to settle down, and Estre mentioned that finding the right person could happen in the blink of an eye. Over the years, she and Bryce had introduced Jesse to plenty of potential suitors, Jesse had always been reluctant, likely due to some deep-seated issues from her N?velDrama.Org content. childhood: Estre simply hoped that Jesse would soon meet the right person and experience the joys of family life. After discussing Jesse, Autumn looked affectionately at the sleeping Isaac and remarked ¡°Estre, Isaac is the spitting image of you. If you two were out and about, people might mistake her for a little lady.¡± Estre smiled and gently stroked Isaac¡¯s forehead, ¡°I just hope he gets a bit taller.¡± Isaac had always been a picky eater, which meant he was a bit shorter than other kids his age, and he was ate talker, too. Estre had lost count of the number of doctor¡¯s visits they¡¯d had because of it. But Isaac¡¯s appetite had improved dramatically in thest three 08:36 months. He was eating non-stop every day. If not for his recent growth spurt, he would look even smaller than he did now. ¡°Kids grow at their own pace,¡± Autumn murmured. ¡°Isaac has been doing well during this period. He will only continue to grow better in the future. You see, during this time, other kids have been taking turns getting sick, but Isaac hasn¡¯t been affected.¡± Estre, gently touching Isaac¡¯s forehead, whispered, ¡°I hope so.¡± After talking about Isaac, Autumn lowered her voice, ¡°Estre, I heard from Bryce that you¡¯re considering leaving after wrapping up your cases.¡± 201 Estre replied, ¡°I haven¡¯t made up my mind yet.¡± Autumn¡¯s emotions began to surge. ¡°Estre, your father and I only have one daughter. Are you truly nning to abandon us here?¡± Mixe ¡°Besides, what¡¯s so great about living abroad? You¡¯d be all alone with no familiar faces around. Why are you so keen on leaving? Even if you¡¯re not considering¡­¡± Breaking down into tears mid-sentence, Autumn caused Estre to feel an oing headache. She quickly signaled for her mother to pause, ¡°Mom, Mom, take a moment, please.¡± Their eyes locked, and Estre said helplessly, I won¡¯t go, okay? Let¡¯s not make a mountain out of a molehill.¡± Autumn had a way of bringing up grievances from as far back as her first birthday and could carry on until the next morning. Estre was genuinely intimidated by Autumn¡¯s theatrics and quickly tried to shut it down. Since Estre promised to stay, Autumn¡¯s demeanor shifted back to normal as if the tears had never happened. Tucking Isaac in, Autumn advised, ¡°Then you should get all the necessary paperwor sorted out tomorrow. It¡¯ll make things easier for Isaac.¡± ¡°Will do,¡± Estre agreed. 100 ¡°The father of the child? We¡¯ll need his information to process these documents. Please bring all the required paperwork next time,¡± a clerk said to Estre the next day as she tried to get Isaac¡¯s documents in order. Estre replied, ¡°I¡¯m a single mother, divorced.¡± The clerk frowned, ¡°Divorced? Our records show you¡¯re still married.¡± Chapter 192 Before Estre could even utter a word, the clerk, obviously impatient, snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t you know about these stuff? Get your divorce finalized before youe back here.¡± With that, they briskly summoned the next person, ¡°Next.¡± Gripping the documents that had been dismissively returned to her, Estre could feel her temperature rising. Three years, and Jason still hadn¡¯t sorted it out? He hadn¡¯t mentioned a thing when she bumped into him yesterday. He didn¡¯t say anything about the paperwork being iplete. Clutching the papers, Estre stormed out of the city hall, fuming over Jason¡¯s apparentx approach to handling their divorce. So, she hopped into her car and drove straight to Nelson International. Jason had just returned to the office from a meeting when he noticed a sleek white BMW parked outside thepany entrance. Although he couldn¡¯t see who was inside, his curiosity was instantly piqued.. Drew, trailing behind Jason, frowned at the sight of the BMW blocking the entrance. Then, his eyes widened in recognition, ¡°Mr. Jason, looks like that¡¯s Ms. Estre¡¯s ride.¡± Estre had only just returned to town, but after Jason had mentioned her that morning, Drew had made a point of digging up everything he could about her ¨C where she lived, what she drove, and what she was up to all crystal clear. Jason nodded, ¡°You head up, Drew. Take the lead on the next meeting.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Mr. Jason,¡± Drew replied, before heading inside. In the car, Estre was about to hand over her keys to the valet when someone rapp sharply on her window. She turned to see Jason, bending down to peer in. She rolled down the window without a word. ¡°You here for me?¡± Jason inquired. ¡°Get in. We need to talk,¡± Estre said tersely, Taking her cue, Jason circled the car, slid into the passenger seat, and Estre drove off, pulling up along the curb just outside thepany. It was somewhat surprising yet expected for Estre to seek him out. Once parked, she turned to Jason, ¡°You haven¡¯t filed the paperwork yet?¡± She hadn¡¯t nned on confronting Jason, and dredging up the past was thest thing she wanted. However, his failure to finalize their divorce wasplicating both her career and their son Isaac¡¯s documents. 08:36 Jason responded with unnerving calm, ¡°Haven¡¯t had the time.¡± Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh bitterly, ¡°No time?¡± It had been three years since she left, and before she departed, she had already arranged for someone at the town hall. As long as Jason signed the documents, they wouldn¡¯t even need to be there in person. Was he really so busy that he couldn¡¯t spare a moment to sign his name in three years? Half amused, half infuriated, Estre challenged him, ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m that naive, Jason? And for such an opportunity staring you in the face would you not drop everything to get it done?¡± ¨C But Jason didn¡¯t like her insinuation. His temper red, ¡°Since when is divorce something to celebrate?¡± He had made it clear three years ago ¨C she should forget about it. ¡ª Estre, frustrated and not wanting to rake up old grievances ¨C after all, it had been three years ¨C took a deep breath to calm herself. ¡°Let¡¯s cut the banter. Just get it done this afternoon, okay?¡± She had promised Autumn she would stay, so saac¡¯s documents had to be in order. Otherwise, it would be inconvenient if something came up. Jason, fishing out a cigarette and lighter from his pocket, lit up and exhaled a perfect smoke ring. ¡°Estre, like I said before, forget about it. Her insistence on the paperwork irked Jason, though not as much as three years prior. After all, he wasn¡¯t entirely meless for her departure. The more she pushed for the divorce, the more he resisted. They had been apart for three years, but the thought of splitting up for good hadn¡¯t crossed his mind. They had known each other for too long, and he believed there was nothing they couldn¡¯t talk through or resolve. But Estre¡¯s patience was waning. She shot back, ¡°Fine. But I¡¯m taking this to cour it¡¯s a sure thing.¡± After all, they had been separated for over two years, and she waswyer, having built her career on divorce cases. She had stayed away for an extra year, just in case the court didn¡¯t count the time Jaso had looked for her, ensuring their time apart exceeded the two-year mark. Jason¡¯s displeasure was evident as he crushed his cigarette beneath his shoe and challenged her, ¡°Go ahead and sue. But let¡¯s see who dares to take your case, and grant you that divorce.¡± Estre¡¯s face turned cold. Three years had passed, but Jason was still the same domineering figure, so arrogantly sure of himself. Biting back her anger, she said through clenched teeth, ¡°Get out.¡± She couldn¡¯t continue this conversation, fearing her next words might ignite her fury. If he wouldn¡¯t cooperate with the paperwork, she would find another way. 08:36 Jason¡¯s demeanor softened. He tried to reason with her, ¡°Estre, you just got back, and you¡¯re already stirring up divorce talk. Are you so eager to sign me off, and never see me again?¡± She had avoided him in the days following her departure from Ravenwood, and Jason had sought her out ¨C to no avail. His gentle approach eased her anger, as she knew Jason was more susceptible to a softer touch. Calmly, she exined, ¡°I¡¯ve got a lot to take care of since getting back. Without your signature, my documents aren¡¯tplete.¡± Jason offered, ¡°You need my paperwork? Just tell me what you need, or if you need me in person, that¡¯s fine too.¡± Estre turned to him, her irritation mixed with disdain, ¡°You don¡¯t have time to sign a paper, but you have time for this?¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Before Jason could respond, Estre pressed on, ¡°Just get it done, Jason. It¡¯ll save us both future hassles.¡± Estre had a secret she was keeping from Jason. Even if he was willing to cooperate with her to get the paperwork done, there was no way she could let him go through with it. She couldn¡¯t risk him finding out about Isaac. It would turn their world upside down, making it impossible to get the divorce she desperately needed. She couldn¡¯t let the cat out of the bag until the divorce was finalized. Estre kept nagging him about getting the paperwork done, Jason, who had just managed to get his emotions under control, felt a dark cloud looming over him again. He confronted her, ¡°Estre, the moment you are back, you¡¯re on my case about the paperwork. Do you have someone else on the side?¡± Why else would she be in such a rush to untie the knot? Sure, he had made mistakes three years ago, but the fact that Estre was only re out for the paperwork now was a bitter pill to swallow. He had made his fair share blunders in their marriage, but he had never once brought up the idea of divorce. Chapter 193 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.¡± 213 Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. 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. 213 Chapter 194 Immediately, she approached and steadied his arm. Jason instinctively pulled his arm away and looked over at Drew, who immediately shot him an innocent look, signaling that he hadn¡¯t been the one to tell Holly. Drew was clueless as to why Holly was even there. Seeing their exchange, Holly chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t be mad at Drew. It wasn¡¯t him who told me. A friend mentioned seeing you around, so I decided toe over.¡± She then offered, ¡°Let me drive you home.¡± Without waiting for a response, Holly helped Jason into the car. The vehicle started up, and Holly, gripping the steering wheel, turned to Jason and asked softly, ¡°Feeling down?¡± Over the past few years, Nelson International had been thriving, and Jason had earned the title of Outstanding Young Professional several times. Everyone was aware of his capabilities; he shouldn¡¯t be in this state. At Holly¡¯s question, Jason nced at her and said tly, ¡°Estre¡¯s back.¡± Hearing this, Holly¡¯s grip on the wheel faltered for a moment. That exined it. She hade to pick him up, and he had agreed without hesitation, all because he wanted to tell her Estre was back. After a moment of reflection, Holly smiled and said, ¡°Estre¡¯s back, huh? Then why aren¡¯t you happy?¡± Jason remained silent. He had been happy at first, but Estre¡¯s behavior earlier had dashed any joy he might have felt. The rest of the drive passed in silence. Holly dropped Jason off at Sandalwood Oasis without another word exchanged. He didn¡¯t speak again until he was safely inside his home. Watching Jason disappear into the house, Holly suddenly felt a sense of loss, as if the little that she had managed to hold on to was no longer hers. In the past, Jason rarely came home, but since Estre left, he had started to return every night. Holly lingered outside Sandalwood Oasis for a long time, until the light in the master bedroom on the second floor turned on. With a resigned smile, she finally started up her car and drove away. After years of recuperation, Holly¡¯s health had improved significantly. She could now travel and drive independently. Upstairs in the master bedroom, Jason looked through the bookshelf, desperately searching for any trace of the life he and Estre had shared. However, after a long search, he found nothing. No wedding photos, not even any of Estre¡¯s personal belongings. When she had left Sandalwood Oasis, she had taken everything with her. 08:2 Sitting at the desk Estre often worked atte into the night, Jason opened a few drawers and eventually found their marriage certificate tucked away in the corner of the second drawer. He dusted it off, remembering how he had carelessly tossed it in there when they first got it. Staring at the registration photo brought a flood of memories. It wasn¡¯t until Marie knocked on the door to offer ate-night snack that Jason put the certificate away. Despite his attempt to hide it, Marie noticed the marriage certificate in his hand and said, ¡°Mr. Jason, you must be missing Ms. Estre. Why don¡¯t you go see her? Spouses shouldn¡¯t stay mad at each other. You and Ms. Estre even grew up together.¡± Jason didn¡¯t mention Estre¡¯s return. He simply declined the snack and told Marie to rest. The next morning, Jason arrived at thepany with a hangover. Soon after, Drew knocked and entered Jason¡¯s office, though he looked uneasy. Seeing Drew¡¯s pale face, Jason said curtly, ¡°Get to the point.¡± HDrew cautiously approached and handed him a document, whispering, ¡°Ms. Estre has filed for divorce. This is the court summons.¡± After Drew finished reporting, Jason angrily threw the papers across the room. Estre was indeed in a hurry. She had failed yesterday, and now she had gone straight to filing for divorce. Drew shivered at Jason¡¯s rage. Both of these figures were intimidating, and neither was easy to deal with. Swallowing nervously, he asked, ¡°Mr. Jason, what should we do now? Ms. Estre¡­¡± Before he could finish, Jason snapped, ¡°What to do? Tell the court to leave her petition hanging. Just ignore it.¡± Although he could dy the process, Estre¡¯s ruthless petition weighed heavily on Jason¡¯s mind. After 26 years of knowing each other, she wanted to take it to court? To make it public? While Jason resented Estre¡¯sck of consideration, he never considered the times she had tried to please him, and how rarely he had reciprocated. ¡°I understand, Mr. Jason,¡± Although Drew promised Jason, he felt that Estre would have her own way of handling things. Moreover, after being away for three years, she must have thought her decision through. ng! After Drew gently closed the door and departed, Jason rubbed his temples, his frustration evident. His gaze shifted from the door to the summons on his desk. His hangover headache intensified. When Estre was away, he longed for her return. Now that she was back, it was nothing but a headache. In any case, she was never easy to handle, always the one who drained his energy and stirred his emotions the most. After staring at the summons for a while, Jason tore it up and threw it in the trash. He hadn¡¯t divorced her three years ago, and he wasn¡¯t about to now. Still, there were times when he wanted to do something for Estre, only to find he was powerless. That afternoon, as Estre left the courthouse, she found Jason¡¯s car had firmly blocked hers. Estre casually stuffed her hands into the pockets of her sleek trousers, her eyes locked on Jason with an unwavering gaze. Jason, upon noticing her stance, climbed out of the car with an icy expression and said coolly, ¡°We bumped into each other the day before yesterday, and today, the subpoena arrives at my office. Estre, you sure know how to get things done swiftly and efficiently.¡± He was still trying to wrap his head around the whirlwind of events from their recent encounter. One moment she was talking about divorce and the next, the subpoena was delivered straight to his workce. The whole situation sat with Jason like a rock in his shoe. Estre let out a light chuckle, ¡°Thanks for thepliment.¡± She knew his sarcasm all too well and couldn¡¯t be bothered to engage in a war of words. He had the nerve to use her of being heartless. Where was hispassion when he left her in a loveless marriage? When he dismissed her, never giving her the respect she deserved, did he ever consider his own coldness? But all that was water under the bridge. Estre refused to stoop to bringing up the past, lest he think she hadn¡¯t moved on. Her indifferent attitude only served to infuriate Jason. In a swift motion, his hand shot out, gripping the back of her neck and yanking her towards him with such force that it N?velDrama.Org content. bordered on the edge of roughness. Chapter 195 It had been three years since theyst saw each other, yet she had somehow grown even more stunning, her presence moremanding. Their eyes met, and with a hint of a smirk, Estre looked up at Jason. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t bear to be without me after three years of not seeing me?¡± Her casual words hung in the air as Jason tightened his hold on her waist, pulling her closer. He had missed her, that much was clear. Jason was staring at her without saying anything, so Estre ced her hands against his chest and pushed him gently but firmly. ¡°What exactly are you nning to do in broad daylight, right outside the courthouse? Save whatever you want to say for inside the courtroom.¡± With her push, Jason only wrapped his arms around her tighter. Estre wasn¡¯t having any of it, her voice turning icy. ¡°Jason, don¡¯t presume I¡¯ll keep humoring you with a good temper.¡± Her patience and tolerance for Jason had been exhausted three years ago. Back then, she had indulged him because she wanted to start a family, but now that her goal was achieved, there was no reason to coddle him any longer. ¡°Ms. Estre, you¡¯re still here.¡± A voice called out from behind them, and as they turned to look, Estre finally managed to step back from his embrace. ¡°Ms. Estre, is this gentleman a friend of yours? He looks familiar.¡± ¡°Yes, an old friend,¡± Estre responded with a smile. Once the person had left, Jason¡¯s hand moved to the nape of Estre¡¯s neck, guiding her into the passenger seat. After a moment, Jason got into the car himself and said coldly, ¡°Drop the divorce suit.¡± Estre replied without a hint of emotion, ¡°Not happening.¡± Her outright refusal had him resting his arm along the window, frowning in silence. In the past, Jason thought Estre was quite easy tomunicate with, that they could discuss everything calmly. Now, there wasn¡¯t even room for discussion. As Jason remained silent, Estre spoke again with calm authority, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m getting out.¡± He didn¡¯t open the door for her but instead started the car with a frosty demeanor. Half an hourter, they arrived at the Dorvold family estate. Estre tried to open the door, and when she turned to look at Jason, he said tly, ¡°Estre, it doesn¡¯t matter who you talk to. I won¡¯t agree to this, and that¡¯s final.¡± Without a word, Estre stared at him until he unlocked the door. She stepped out and 08:22. watched as Jason drove away without a second nce, the heavy sound of his car¡¯s eleration hinting at his foul mood. As she watched his car disappear, Estre took out her phone and called Drew, asking him to prepare Jason¡¯s files for her to pick up the next morning. Meanwhile, at the beauty salon. Kristin¡¯s brows knitted tightly as she listened to Autumn¡¯s words. Kristin had been nning to invite Estre over for dinner, but it seemed the Dorvold family had beaten her to it. After a thoughtful silence, Kristin asked, ¡°Is Estre set on divorcing?¡± With a helpless sigh, Autumn replied, ¡°She¡¯s pretty adamant this time. They haven¡¯t seen each other for years, and while they did try to make it work before, they never really clicked. I think it¡¯s best if we don¡¯t force the issue on the kids.¡± Kristin frowned, ¡°Autumn, you know I can¡¯t control Jason or his father, but I will pass along your concerns. Ultimately, it¡¯s up to him.¡± Autumn cleverly added, ¡°It¡¯s not about putting pressure on Jason. I just thought I¡¯d mention it since we¡¯re talking. The kids aren¡¯t getting any younger. Jason¡¯s turning 30 soon, and Keith and Amber are surely hoping for great-grandchildren. I just think maybe Jason is being stubborn because it¡¯s Estre who mentioned the divorce first and he felt miffed. The mention of Keith and Amber¡¯s hopes made Kristin¡¯s frown deepen. It wasn¡¯t just them; she too longed to hold a grandchild. If only her son had been more cooperative, she¡¯d already have a grandchild by now. When Kristin found Jason home, she got straight to the point. ¡°I ran into Estre¡¯s mother. She says Estre is back and doesn¡¯t want to continue with you.¡± Jason¡¯s mood, which wasn¡¯t great to begin with, soured further. Why did this topic follow him everywhere? Kristin suggested, ¡°Maybe you should just listen to Estre. Let her go, Jason.¡± With his hands in his pockets, Jason looked at Kristin as if to say, ¡®Are you even on my side anymore?¡¯ Kristin sighed, ¡°It¡¯s been six years, Jason. You¡¯re not young anymore, and Estre¡¯s 26. A woman¡¯s youth is fleeting. Don¡¯t waste hers.¡± Kristin had always advocated for reconciliation, but looking back at the hardships Estre endured, and her son¡¯s dalliances with Serene, then Holly, she was having second thoughts. Especially since Holly¡¯s miraculous ¡®return from the dead, Jason had avoided any 08:22 scandals. Kristin couldn¡¯t help but suspect his change was for Holly. Had she notid down thew, stating Holly would never be weed, Jason might have been with Holly already. Kristin stood there, utterly perplexed, staring at Jason. Kristin had intended to agree, to say yes to him and Holly being together, but the thought of Holly¡¯s delicate condition, coupled with the fact that both Estre and Holly knew each other, made Kristin swallow her words. Kristin just couldn¡¯t bring herself to wee Holly into her home, even if it meant giving Estre her freedom. The truth was, Kristin simply didn¡¯t like the girl and didn¡¯t want her as a daughter-inw. Frustrated and at a loss, Kristin expressed her reluctance, but Jason didn¡¯t utter a word in response. He just picked up his jacket and left the house. Kristin got up and hurried after him. Jay not to fight with Estre anymore, okay?¡± please think about what I just said. And try Jason didn¡¯t respond, just started the car and drove away. Before long, as the sky turned pitch dark, Jason found himself parked outside the Dorvolds¡¯ residence, almost without realizing it. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. He didn¡¯t call Estre, nor did he go inside to look for her. He just sat there in his car, quietly watching the Dorvolds¡¯ household. Before ¡®that incident,¡¯ he used to visit the Dorvolds often. After ¡®that incident,¡¯ they had be strangers to one another. As memories of the past resurfaced, Jason suddenly felt that the things he once cared so deeply about seemed insignificant now. Looking back, none of it seemed to matter anymore. It was a sad truth that although they could let go of the past, they could never return to th way things once were. Nothingsts forever. Inside the house, Estre was helping Isaac with his reading and writing when Autumn approached her quietly and murmured, ¡°Estre, I think Jason¡¯s outside. He¡¯s been out there for a while now.¡± Chapter 196 Cradling Isaac in her arms, Estre paused as she listened to Autumn¡¯s words. After a moment, she said, ¡°He¡¯ll be leaving soon.¡± Then Estre returned to teaching Isaac letters. ¡°Sweetheart, how do we read these two words?¡± Autumn watched the mother and son for a while before getting back to her own business. Outside in the yard, Jason had no idea how long he¡¯d been watching from afar, but as the darkness deepened, he started up his car and headed back to the office. The image of Estre tumbling in the yard weighed heavily on his mind. He knew she was ming him for something. At his desk, Jason could only immerse himself in work to escape the troubles of life. After signing off on the financial documents that had been left for him, he was about to call it a day when his office door burst open. Looking up, he saw Serene walk in. ¡°Jason, still burning the midnight oil, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah. Haven¡¯t you headed out yet?¡± Jason realized it had been a while since he¡¯dst seen Serene. ¡°Audit¡¯s short-staffed. They bumped me up recently. Just finished up and saw your light on, so I thought I¡¯d drop by.¡± Three years ago, right after Estre had left Ravenwood, Serene was reassigned to the administrative office downstairs. It was this move that fueled rumors Jason had a thing for Holly, assuming he was keeping himself on the straight and narrow for her. In truth, it was all Holly¡¯s doing behind the scenes. If Drew hadn¡¯t clued him in, Jason might still be in the dark. When Holly pulled strings to get Serene reassigned, Serene didn¡¯t say a word, just silently epted it. Serene, seeing Jason¡¯s silent gaze, quickly exined with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m doing fine, really. Holly¡¯s been very generous with me.¡± She paused before adding, ¡°Actually, Holly even gifted me a house. Vincent and I moved inst month.¡± When Serene mentioned Holly¡¯s kindness, she knew all too well that it was just Holly¡¯s way of keeping her away from Jason. Back then, entrusting her to Jason, Holly had her own little scheme. From start to finish, Serene was a pawn in their game, but if she were honest, Serene preferred Estre for her forthrightness and strength of character. ¡°You and Vincent deserved a better ce,¡± Jason said. He had offered Serene a new ce before Holly¡¯s return, but Serene had declined. It seemed thatmunication indeed 08:22 seemed easier among women. At his words, Serene suddenly remembered something. ¡°Holly¡¯s been asking me about that fire from years ago. She¡¯s been digging for details. Do you have any leads?¡± At the mention of the fire, Jason cut the conversation short. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I¡¯ll drive you home.¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Surprised at first, Serene blushed and nodded, ¡°Okay, thank you, Jason.¡± The drive was silent. After Holly returned, she took over all the responsibilities of taking care of Serene. Jason had a lot less to worry about on his end, and he no longer had to visit Serene¡¯s ce, sparing even Drew the trouble. Jason said nothing more, and Serene stayed quiet as well. As they approached her new neighborhood, she finally turned to Jason. ¡°I heard Estre is back.¡¯ ¡°Yeah, she is.¡± After a long look at Jason, Serene added, ¡°Between you and me, I¡¯d rather see you with Estre than Holly.¡± Afraid she might be overstepping, she quickly rified, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to pry. It¡¯s just that you and Estre seem right for each other. Everyone says you¡¯re into Holly, but I think you prefer Estre. Life¡¯s too short not to spend it with the one you love.¡± Holding the steering wheel, Jason nced at Serene. The whole world might think he loved Holly. Serene might be the only one who saw things differently. Reading his look, Serene hesitantly began, ¡°Although I¡­¡± She trailed off before adding, ¡°I just hope you find happiness.¡± As they arrived at her building, Jason said, ¡°Here we are.¡± ¡°Jason, thanks for the ride,¡± Serene said as she unbuckled her seatbelt. After she stepped out, Jason told her, ¡°If you need help, go straight to Drew. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Holly was back in the picture, but Serene had once saved his life. With a firm nod, Serene replied, ¡°Will do.¡± As Jason¡¯s car slowly disappeared from view, Serene continued to stand there, the cold wind chilling her face. She knew in her heart that no matter if Holly was truly dead or only pretending, Holly¡¯s decision to entrust Jason with herself was merely a plot to antagonize Estre. It was all just so that Jason would never forget Holly, especially because she had some resemnce to Holly. However, Serene would rather look like Estre than Holly. Holly was kind to Serene, gifting her with belongings and houses, all calcted moves to 08:22 % keep her at bay from Jason. Holly was grossly overestimating her. Given Serene¡¯s background, a rtionship with Jason was merely a pipe dream. She was nowhere near as clever as Estre andcked the emotional depth to match. She once harbored a fleeting dream, but¡­ It took a gust of cold wind and a phone call from Vincent, asking when she was nning on returning home, for Serene to finally snap back to reality, retreating her gaze and thoughts as she ascended the stairs to go inside. She preferred her old ce, full of family memories and the scent of home. But Holly¡¯s presence was too overwhelming, leaving no room for dissent, despite her seemingly gentle demeanor. After Autumn and Kristin talked, Estre managed to get her hands on some of Jason¡¯s documents from Drew, and after pulling a few strings, she got Isaac¡¯s paperwork and insurance all sorted out. With that done, she didn¡¯t feel the need to confront Jason anymore. Seeking a divorce every other day was bing a tiresome affair for her. Now that Isaac¡¯s issues were resolved, Estre acted as if her marriage was already a thing of the past. After all, she had lived as though it was over during her three years abroad. Estre was adamant about the divorce, and Jason too dreaded meeting her, fearing they¡¯d end up in another argument with no end in sight. After three years apart, it was better for both to keep a peaceful distance and avoid further turmoil. However, Jason had asked Drew to keep a close eye on Holly. He wanted to know how much she knew about the fire that had happened years ago, or if it was just her using Serene to mention that to him on purpose. That morning, just after Estre had left the courthouse, she bumped into Thomas in the parking lot. ¡°Estre, working on a case, huh?¡± Thomas called out cheerfully from a distance as he approached. Spotting him, Estre responded with a smile, ¡°What brings you here, Thomas? Got yourself into some hot water?¡± ¨C Thomas shrugged nonchntly, hands in his pockets, ¡°Business is business, you know how it is always a little drama.¡± Then his tone shifted, ¡°But Estre, seems like you¡¯ve been swamped since you got back. We¡¯ve been wanting to throw you a wee-back bash, but you¡¯re always tied up.¡± Estre nced at the courthouse. ¡°I guess you can see for yourself how busy I am.¡± 08:22 ¡°Oh, by the way, Estre, did you hear that Jason¡¯s in the hospital?¡± Thomas added, changing the subject. Chapter 197 Estre sighed, ¡°I have no idea, Thomas. And honestly, it¡¯s not my circus, not my monkeys.¡± She had been a bit under the weather a few days back with a mild cold, but it had been over two weeks since shest saw Jason. If he had caught something, it certainly wasn¡¯t from her. Thomas chuckled, teasing her, ¡°Who¡¯s pinning anything on you, Estre? I¡¯m just saying, our boy Jason here is sick with longing for you. Ever since you dropped the divorce bomb, he¡¯s been down for the count with a fever hitting the high 104s. The docs at the hospital are stumped-his fever just won¡¯t break. If he keeps going like this, he¡¯s gonna be toast.¡± Hearing Thomas¡¯ over-the-top story, Estreughed, ¡°A fever that high? He wouldn¡¯t need cremation at that point.¡± Estre, seeing she had rendered Thomas mute, yfully smacked his head with the stack of papers she was holding, ¡°You should be on aedy stage.¡± If someone had a fever that high for days, they¡¯d be a goner, not waiting around till now. ¡°Estre, you messed up my hair,¡± Thomas said, smoothing back his locks before adding, ¡°No joke, I¡¯m dead serious about Jason. If you don¡¯t believe me, go see him at the hospital. He¡¯s burning up with no sign of cooling down.¡± ¡°Enough, Thomas. I¡¯ve got better things to do than trade barbs with you all day.¡± Estre straightened his rumpled cor with a pat and turned, heading for the parking lot. Thomas called after her retreating figure, ¡°If you can find the time, maybe drop by the hospital to see Jason. Otherwise, you might miss your chance to see him for thest time.¡± Without turning back, Estre waved dismissively at Thomas, slid into her car, and drove off. Thomas¡¯ words were like ate-night infomercial-more fiction than fact. Even if Jason was genuinely sick, there wasn¡¯t a snowball¡¯s chance in hell she¡¯d visit him. The next day, after wrapping up a meeting about an environmental case with the authorities at the governmental facility, Estre was all set to head back when she spotted Jason walking towards her, with Drew in tow. Jason appeared as if nothing was wrong, and Estre was even more convinced that Thomas was full of hot air. As they approached, Drew hurriedly greeted her, ¡°Ms. Estre.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Estre responded, then turned to Jason, ¡°Thomas ims you¡¯re hospitalized with a raging fever.¡± Drew, eager to rify, said, ¡°Ms. Estre, Mr. Jason was indeed sick this morning, spiked a 102, but he insisted on attending a meeting here; we couldn¡¯t talk him out of it.¡± With a pitiful look, Drew finished his exnation. Estre nced at Jason and saw hisckluster eyes and evident exhaustion. Without delving into Jason¡¯s illness, Estre simply said, ¡°You two take care.¡± As she walked away, Jason turned and kept his eyes on her. He had been surprised to run into Estre just now. The one silver lining for him was that during their brief exchange, she hadn¡¯t brought up the divorce. That would¡¯ve really chilled him to the bone. ¡°Mr. Jason, Ms. Estre¡¯s long gone,¡± Drew murmured, noting Jason¡¯s lingering gaze. Jason, after a moment, finally turned away. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Beside him, Drew sighed resignedly, wishing Jason had been more attentive earlier. He sneaked a nce at Jason¡¯s forlorn expression, understanding the guilt Jason felt for past mistakes-broken promises, ignorance of her miscarriage. After crossing paths with Jason, Estre went straight home to be with her kid. Nowadays, her life revolved around work and spending time with Isaac. She had ns in the pipeline. Once the environmental case was settled, she¡¯d be joining the team at Justice Guardians LLP. Later that afternoon, after tucking Isaac in for his nap and returning to her study to sort through case files, Thomas¡¯ call came through ¡°Estre, Jason¡¯s in bad shape. You shoulde to the hospital.¡± Estre was tempted to throw her phone against the wall. ¡°Estre, it¡¯s serious. The doctors are all doom and gloom, saying it might be some sort of mental problem,¡± Thomas went on. Estre replied coolly, ¡°I ran into him at the governmental facility this morning. Next time, try to make your act more convincing.¡± With that, she hung up. Did they think she was born yesterday? ying these childish games with her? In the hospital room, Thomas stared dumbfounded at his phone as Jason, irritated, tossed a pillow at him. ¡°Do I look like I was at death¡¯s door to you?¡± Thomas, using one hand to shield his face and the other to catch the pillow, protested, ¡°No, Jason, Estre said she saw you at the facility this morning.¡± Drew chimed in, ¡°She did, indeed.¡± Thomas sighed, ¡°Jason, if you¡¯re sick, make it believable. Why were you out and about, making me look like a fool in front of her?¡± Jason simply shot him ¨¤ withering look. He really was ill, and he had gone to the meeting, but returned to continue his treatment. Thomas just underestimated Estre, thinking a bit of sympathy would soften her up. Besides, what was Jason¡¯s feverpared to the pain she endured during her miscarriage? Back at her desk, Estre switched her phone to vibrate and refocused on her work. However, as she immersed herself in the files, her head began to feel heavy, and her energy waned. A deep difort settled in her spine and shoulders, a burdensome weight that seemed to grow by the minute. Juggling a stack of documents in one hand and pressing the other to her forehead, Estre was taken aback by the heat emanating from her skin. ¡°Why am I burning up?¡± she wondered. Realizing that something was off with her health, Estre grabbed the thermometer and took her temperature. She wished she hadn¡¯t-39 degrees Celsius was ring back at her. Staring at the reading, Estre swiftly pulled out a face mask and put it on, then she packed up the case files on her desk and went looking for her mother. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve got a fever. I¡¯m going to check it out at the hospital. Can you keep an eye on Isaac for me? Maybe take his temperature too. I¡¯m afraid he might¡¯ve caught it from me.¡± She had intended to check on Isaac a moment ago, but with the fever raging, she decided against going near him. Autumn, hearing Estre¡¯s words, quickly asked, ¡°Can you manage on your own at the hospital? I¡¯ll get your dad toe home and apany you.¡± In Autumn¡¯s eyes, Estre, even as a mother, was still her child, her ever-growing daughter. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Estre replied, slipping on her shoes. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of fevers going aroundtely, I¡¯d better not stick too close to you guys. I¡¯ll head to the hospital and get a blood test done first.¡± With that, Estre grabbed her cellphone and car keys and headed out the door. If she lived alone, without a child, she wouldn¡¯t be so worried. But now as a mother, she had to be cautious. Firstly, to prevent passing anything to Isaac, and secondly, to ensure she could take care of him. Autumn watched Estre drive away before going upstairs to check Isaac¡¯s temperature. Estre had come back home, more mature and sensible than she had been three years ago. That¡¯s the strength of motherhood. At the hospital, after registering, Estre waited for her blood test results when a young nurse approached her. ¡°Estre, we¡¯ve got a couple of rooms avable upstairs. Do you want to get admitted now? Otherwise, if your fever doesn¡¯t subside, we might run out of roomster. We¡¯ve been swamped with patientstely.¡± 08:22 Chapter 198 The nurse¡¯s words had Estre rising from the bench, ¡°Alright, you get the admission paperwork started. I¡¯ll go handle the payment.¡± ¡°Sure thing,¡± the nurse replied. ¡°I¡¯ll have the doctor prepare the paperwork, and you can head over to the billing department.¡± Estre had heard that there was a spike in fever cases recently, and after her visit to the hospital, she was reluctant to return home, fearing she might pass something on to little Isaac. After all, Isaac was just over a year old, with a fragile immune system. Once the admission was sorted, the doctor informed Estre that because she had a cold a few days ago, her high fever now required an injection. Trusting the doctor¡¯s judgment, Estre rolled up her sleeve for the shot. Sitting on the couch beside the hospital bed, Estre couldn¡¯t help butment how she for seemed to have lost her immunity to her hometown¡¯s environment after being away three years. She had only been back for a short while and had already fallen ill twice. They say having a child takes a toll on a woman¡¯s health, and Estre was starting to believe it. She remembered how, before getting married, she had hardly ever been sick. As she was getting her injection and half-watching TV, the door to the room suddenly swung open. Estre turned to see Bryce strolling in with a bag full of her personal items. ¡°Thank you, Bryce.¡± ¡°No worries.¡± Bryce said, setting down the bag and then cing several containers of food on the table. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s eat.¡± Bryce had called her earlier to ask where she was, and upon hearing she was at the hospital, Bryce had dropped everything toe over. As Bryceid out the meal, Estre shuffled closer, her heart warming at his thoughtfulness. ¡°You always take such good care of everything.¡± Bryce was a natural at looking after others. Whoever ended up as his wife would be living a charmed life. Sitting down at the table, Bryce gently pushed a stray lock of hair from Estre¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t just focus on work. Your health is your capital.¡± ¡°I know, I know,¡± Estre reassured him. Bryce promised, ¡°Once you¡¯re better, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re well-nourished.¡± He had wanted to ask Estre if having Isaac without telling anyone was worth it, but every time he saw how much Isaac resembled her and how adorably Isaac called him ¡®Daddy,¡¯ Bryce swallowed his questions. With her left hand still attached to the IV, Estre took up her fork with her right and looked up at Bryce. ¡°Stop worrying about me. You should find yourself a wife. Your mom 08:22 # ran into me the other day and went on about it, telling me to nudge you in that direction.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even go there,¡± Bryce groaned. ¡°I¡¯m not rushing to dig my own grave just yet.¡± Hearing his response, Estre yfully tapped his head with her fork. Bryce straightened his hair, feigning annoyance. ¡°Where do you get the strength to hit people when you¡¯re sick? Focus on eating.¡± Later, after Estre finished her meal and Bryce had tidied up the room and assured the Dorvold family that all was well, he stayed with her until past nine in the evening before he finally got up to leave. Estre had insisted several times that he should go home early to avoid catching her illness, but Bryce, worried she might feel lonely, didn¡¯t leave until she was almost ready to rest. After escorting Bryce to the elevator and watching him step in, Estre turned to head back to her room; hands in her pockets. That was when she spotted Jason, dressed in a sleek charcoal-gray leisure suit, approaching her with Thomas chattering away at his side about some work issue. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The moment Jason saw Estre, his pace slowed noticeably. It¡¯s either you don¡¯t run into someone at all, or you bump into them several times in one day. Thomas, noticing Jason¡¯s sudden change of pace, followed his gaze and brightened up when he saw Estre walking towards them. Chapter 199 ¡°Estre.¡± Thomas strutted over, arching his brows smugly as he said, ¡°Estre, I told you Jason was in the hospital, didn¡¯t I? I wasn¡¯t fibbing.¡± Before Estre could even get a word in, Thomas was already chuckling. ¡°You¡¯re here to see Jason, aren¡¯t you? Well, I won¡¯t intrude on you lovebirds. I¡¯m heading back.¡± With that, he shoved his hands in his pockets and continued on his way. As he passed by Estre, he gave her a sly eyebrow raise, as if to say, I knew you couldn¡¯t stay away from my pal Jason; I knew you¡¯de to see him. Estre, hands plunged into her jacket pockets, didn¡¯t miss a beat andnded a swift kick on his leg. ¡°Estre, no need to y shy,¡± teased Thomas. Then, whistling a tune, he strolled off. Just then, Jason quietly approached Estre. Noticing the pallor of her face and that she wasn¡¯t dressed for going out, he asked, ¡°Are you sick too?¡± With her hands still in her pockets, Estre murmured a soft ¡°Yeah.¡± After a yawn, she added, ¡°I¡¯m heading back to my room.¡± As she brushed past Jason, he reached out and caught her arm. Estre came to a halt, turning to look at him. Their eyes locked, and Jason loosened his grip slightly but didn¡¯t let go entirely. ¡°No one¡¯s looking after you?¡± he inquired. Struggling free, Estre tucked her hands back into her pockets. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. The hospital¡¯s got doctors and nurses, and Bryce will swing by.¡± At the mention of Bryce, Jason¡¯s expression visibly darkened. He used to be indifferent when Bryce hung around Estre, buttely, Bryce had all but sworn off girls, sticking only with Estre and Jesse, and that irked Jason. ¡°Estre,¡± Jason called out emotionlessly, prompting a slight furrow in Estre¡¯s brow. ¡°Jason, I¡¯ve got a headache. Whatever it is, can it wait?¡± They were both hospitalized, and whatever he wanted to talk about definitely wasn¡¯t about splitting up. And if it wasn¡¯t about that, they had nothing urgent to discuss. Jason didn¡¯t press further and let her walk away. He watched Estre return to her room, her silhouette disappearing from view without a backward nce. Jason lingered in the hallway for a moment before heading back to his own room. A few doors down, Estre, having taken a shower, was back at work despite feeling under the weather. However, fatigue soon overcame her, and she couldn¡¯t keep her eyes open. She tucked away her paperwork andy down on the bed, oblivious to Jason watching her from just outside her door. In the dead of night, as the hospital settled into silence, Estre woke up feeling terrible. 08:23 Her head throbbed, her throat felt dry and hot, and her neck and shoulders ached fiercely. Grabbing the thermometer by her bed, she measured her temperature: it had spiked to a fever. Slipping her feet into her slippers, Estre grabbed her phone and headed out, aiming to ask the night nurse for some fever-reducing medication. She couldn¡¯t let the fever persist unchecked. Opening her door and stepping into the hallway, Estre realized it was only midnight. She had thought it was muchter. Rubbing her sore shoulders, she was about to make her way to the nurse¡¯s station when she caught sight of Serene, cautiously standing by a nearby room, clutching a thermos. No need to guess-Jason was definitely in that room. Estre watched Serene, who seemed hesitant to enter. As Estre continued on her way, Serene suddenly turned and caught sight of her. 08:23Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 200 Serene froze for a moment when she saw Estre in her loungewear, but quickly moved towards her. ¡°Estre,¡± she called out, then added, ¡°Estre, are you sick too?¡± Estre hummed in response, ncing briefly at Jason¡¯s hospital room. ¡°Why are you standing at the door without going in?¡± Serene¡¯s face turned a shade of pink. She opened her mouth to say something but found herself at a loss for words, so she turned to look at the rooms down the hall. ¡°Estre, which room are you staying in?¡± Estre looked back at her own room and pointed. ¡°That one over there.¡± ¡°No one is here with you? Why are you out and about in the middle of the night instead of resting?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a fever, just heading to the nurse¡¯s station for some meds.¡± ¡°You should go back to your room. I can get them for you.¡± ¡°The nurses don¡¯t know you. They won¡¯t give you the meds,¡± Estre said, continuing her walk to the nurse¡¯s station with Serene following. As they passed Jason¡¯s room, Estre peeked inside and saw Holly sitting beside the bed, Estre understood the situation instantly. There was clearly someone important inside, and Serene can¡¯t get in. After ncing at Serene, Estre felt a tinge of sympathy. Despite spending so many years by Jason¡¯s side, Serene ended up with nothing. Serene, holding her thermos even tighter and her ears now a fiery red, was the picture of awkwardness. Serene had brought Jason some homemade soup to the hospital, having heard he had been on IVs for days, but with Holly inside, she was left standing foolishly at the door. When Estre returned from the nurse with fever medicine, Serene followed her back to the room. After taking the medicine, Estre looked at Serene. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going home?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep youpany for a bit,¡± Serene offered. Estre eyed the thermos and teased, ¡°Can I have some of that soup?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Serene replied, quickly cing the thermos on the table and pouring out the soup. Estre sat at the table and offhandedly remarked, ¡°Jason¡¯s missing out.¡± Serene just watched her, saying nothing. 09.15 After making sure Estre finished her soup, Serene was quick to serve her another bowl, her caring nature shining through. ¡°So, didn¡¯t your mome to stay with you?¡± Serene finally asked.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. She remembered how Autumn treated Estre as if she were more precious than life itself. Surely, Autumn would havee if Estre was sick. Estre said, ¡°There have been a lot of colds and fevers recently. I don¡¯t want to pass it on to her. You should go back early too.¡± Autumn was nning toe and apany her, but Estre suggested that the hospital had a lot of germs, so she should stay home and take care of Isaac instead. Worried about Isaac, her mom hadn¡¯t come. ¡°I have a strong immune system; it¡¯s fine,¡± Serene insisted. Estre chuckled. ¡°You could pass for a national sweetheart.¡± Holly was with Jason, so Serene quietly waited outside, and now she was staying with a sick Estre. Serene was the epitome of a gentle, obedient sweetheart. Estre¡¯sment left Serene both amused and embarrassed. ¡°Estre, you¡¯re the one with a big heart.¡± Estreughed. ¡°Not a big heart, just no choice.¡± With Jason not on her side, what could she do? Cling and fight desperately? How undignified! ¡°And you and Holly,¡± Estre continued, ¡°I¡¯ve been gone for three years, and neither of your has managed to get Jason to sign those divorce papers. Your efficiency iscking.¡± Serene just stared at her. As she said, Estre¡¯s perspective was something she couldn¡¯ match. After a pause, Serene said, ¡°Estre, Jason likes you, that¡¯s why he hasn¡¯t signed the papers. He can¡¯t bear to divorce you.¡± Estre smiled. ¡°You think I can outmaneuver Holly for you? Look, I couldn¡¯t even get y out of the secretary¡¯s office back then. Do you really think I can win against Holly?¡± Serene sighed. ¡°You didn¡¯t care to move me from the secretary¡¯s office. You just didn¡¯t consider me worth the effort.¡± After a deep breath, Serene continued, ¡°I admit, I¡¯ve had a crush on Jason for years, but I know where I stand. Even though I yed some games back then, it was all because I understood Jason¡¯s intentions. He wanted me to do that.¡± After a moment¡¯s pause, Serene continued, ¡°Let me get it clear. Whether it¡¯s Holly entrusting me to Jason or Jason insisting that I stay in the secretarial office, I¡¯m merely a 08:45 pawn in their game.¡± ¡°Holly is scared of being forgotten by Jason, and Jason¡­ he¡¯s just using me to get a rise out of you. What¡¯s driving Jason to rile you up is his desire to grab your attention. I can sense that he has feelings for you, not me. Trust me, my intuition is spot on.¡± Serene spoke from the heart, and Estre simply watched her. There was a knowing look between them, and Serene, with a small smile, said, ¡°I hope you and Jason end up together because he loves you. And if you¡¯re with him, maybe there¡¯s still a ce for me. If it were Holly, I wouldn¡¯t even see Jason¡¯s face.¡± Estreughed again. ¡°You¡¯re telling the truth. So, your intuition is sharp. What does it say about when Jason and I will end our marriage?¡± Serene frowned slightly. ¡°Jason won¡¯t divorce easily unless something major happens. But whether you two can be together, that¡¯s up to you, Estre.¡± Estre leaned back in her chair, the corner of her mouth lifting in a half-smirk. ¡°You know Jason inside out. Help me get this divorce, and I¡¯ll help you get him.¡± The words had barely escaped Estre¡¯s lips when Serene, who had been sipping her water, nearly sprayed it across the room. ¡°Estre, you had a thing for Jason once. Since he¡¯s so against this divorce, why don¡¯t you give him another shot?¡± Estre¡¯s face hardened. ¡°Not happening.¡± She didn¡¯t want to dredge up the past, but that tumble she took at Sandalwood Oasis had severed whatever tie she had to Jason forever. Serene leaned forward, her hands wrapped around her mug. ¡°If you¡¯re dead set on this divorce, I¡¯m on board. But you have to agree to one condition.¡± Estre raised an eyebrow. ¡°Out with it.¡± After Serene revealed her terms, Estre¡¯sugh was bright and unexpected. ¡°Yo yourself a deal.¡± The two chatted alsaacbly, and Estre¡¯s fever gradually subsided. Noticing Estre looking a bit better, Serene suddenly remembered something. ¡°Estre, do you kn about that big fire back in the day? Holly¡¯s been digging around about ittely.¡± Chapter 201 ¡°I¡¯ve heard about it. Jason still hasn¡¯t uncovered the truth? That¡¯s unlike his usual efficiency.¡± Estre said. Serene sighed, with a hint of frustration in her voice. ¡°In all the years I shadowed Jason, he never brought it up. Even when I spoke to him recently about Holly asking me about the fire, he didn¡¯t say much. You¡¯re awyer. Can you dig into it?¡± Before Estre could respond, Serene¡¯s brows furrowed with indignation. ¡°After all, that fire did a number on me.¡± Estre smirked. ¡°Looking for representation?¡± Serene grimaced. ¡°I can¡¯t afford awyer¡¯s fees.¡± With a chuckle, Estre nced at the clock on the table. ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, and my fever¡¯s subsided. I¡¯ll call my driver to take you home.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I drove myself,¡± Serene said, rising leisurely from her chair. As Estre crossed her arms and sized Serene up, augh escaped Serene¡¯s lips. ¡°The car is not expensive. I bought it myself. The house was a gift from Holly, and I couldn¡¯t turn it down even if I wanted to.¡± After Serene finished, Estre handed her the thermos. ¡°Thanks for the soup.¡± ¡°Get some rest and beat that fever,¡± Serene said, heading for the elevator. ¡°Mhm,¡± Estre murmured, apanying her to the elevator bay. With her hands still tucked in her pockets, Estre watched the elevator descend before turning back to her hospital room. She never expected that one day, she and Serene coul have a calm chat. The enemy of my enemy is indeed a friend. The hospital was eerily quiet at midnight, the silence almost suffocating. When Estre passed by Jason¡¯s room, she noticed Holly was already asleep on his be Shaking her head, Estre wrapped her coat tighter and retreated to her own room. The next morning, as Estre¡¯s eyes fluttered open, Bryce was peeling an orange on the sofa beside her. Noticing she was awake, Bryce popped a couple of orange slices into his mouth. ¡°Run into Jason last night? Any arguments?¡± Slipping her feet into slippers, Estre responded nonchntly, ¡°After you left, Serene dropped by.¡± ¡°Serene?¡± Bryce paused mid-peel. 0.0.15 hog Estre stretched her neck. ¡°She came to check on Jason. Holly was there, so she stopped by here.¡± After her exnation, Bryce finally stuffed the rest of the orange into his mouth. ¡°Three years and he¡¯s still restless. Might need to send him some libido tonics.¡± ¡°Well, go ahead.¡± Estre quickly changed the subject. ¡°What¡¯s up with you? nning on joining the sick bay?¡± Bryce crammed the remaining orange slice into his mouth. ¡°Woke up with a fever this morning. Got the room next to yours.¡± Estre shot Bryce a disdainful look. ¡°Happy now?¡± She had urged him multiple times to head home earlyst night, but he refused. Now look where it got him. ¡°Could be worse,¡± Bryce replied with a shrug. As Estre kicked his leg lightly and instructed him to carry her IV bag to the restroom, Bryce followed her orders withoutint. ¡°Mouthwash.¡± ¡°Toothpaste.¡± ¡°Face cloth.¡± Bryce handed her each item as she requested. Despite hispliance, Estre shot him a re. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have waited for me to wake up before hooking up the IV? Can¡¯t even apply my moisturizer now.¡± After Estre finishedining, Bryce picked up the skincare products and applied them to Estre¡¯s face following the correct steps. Estre eyed him suspiciously, and Bryce quipped, ¡°I may not have used it, but how many times have I watched you and Jesse go through this?¡± As they emerged from the restroom, Jason suddenly burst into the room. At the restroom doorway, Estre and Bryce came to a halt, not expecting his visit. Jason¡¯s expression darkened upon seeing them together. Well, they really were thick as thieves, not even avoiding each other in the washroom. The standoff ended when Bryce greeted him with a casual smile. ¡°Early bird, huh?¡± Jason nced at Bryce, holding Estre¡¯s IV bag, then silently approached, hung the bag on the hook, and showed Bryce the door. ¡°Jason, what are you doing? Estre¡¯s in the middle of treatment,¡± Bryce protested, gripping the doorknob, unwilling to leave her side. What was with Jason? Just the night before, he and Holly were cozy, and now he was irked by Bryce and Estre? Unbelievable. 08.15 ¡°Jason, you¡¯re out of line! That¡¯s no way to treat people.¡± ¡°Jason!¡± ¡°Jason!¡± Despite Bryce¡¯s banging and shouting, Jason ignored him. Hands in his pockets, he faced Estre with a cold voice. ¡°You really don¡¯t hold back, do you?¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Estre chuckled at Jason¡¯s sarcasm. ¡°Afraid of being cuckolded? If you¡¯re so scared, why not just file the paperwork?¡± As soon as Estre finished, Jason shot back. ¡°Aside from this, don¡¯t you have anything else on your mind?¡± 1 Jason was genuinely frightened of Estre bringing up the topic it seemed she could provoke an illness from nothing. After a long stare, Estre nonchntly pulled up a chair with her uninjured hand and sat. ¡°If we don¡¯t talk about this, what? Should we discuss poetry and romance?¡± She hadn¡¯t nned to bring up their paperwork. It was he who hade to her, so she had to find something to talk about. Estre¡¯s attitude wasid-back, and Jason couldn¡¯t muster any anger. He had lost much of his confidence around her. Still with his hands in his pockets, he said, ¡°I know you¡¯re close to Bryce, but remember, there¡¯s a line between men and women. Jason¡¯s reminder had barely settled in the air when Estre, who had just taken her seat, popped right back up. She said nonchntly, ¡°And what exactly gives you the right to boss me around now? Besides, you¡¯re one to talk-don¡¯t dish out what you can¡¯t take.¡± Oh, and wasn¡¯t it convenient how Holly had spent the night in his hospital room, and yed the fool? Before Estre could get another word in, Jason¡¯s expression darkened. He strode forward, took her chin in his hand, and forced her to meet his gaze. ¡°What do you me Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Oh,e on. Holly was in your room all night, and yo still got the nerve to lecture me about keeping my distance from guys?¡± After flicking his hand away from her chin, she turned to leave, but Jason was quick to catch her by the wrist-the one without the IV. She spun back around, facing him in silent defiance, wondering just how shameless he could be. Their eyes locked, and Jason offered an exnation, ¡°Holly only came after I was asleep. I wouldn¡¯t have let her stay otherwise.¡± Estre was taken aback by his voluntary disclosure. The thing was, she hadn¡¯t even 214 08:45 nned to bring up Holly. It was just that Jason¡¯s hypocrisy was too tant and shameless. After staring at him for a moment, Estre decided not to let him think he had the upper hand. She began to say, ¡°Holly-¡± Chapter 202 Estre was about to speak when Jason, seemingly exhausted, rested his head on her shoulder. She turned to look at him as he said, ¡°The end of the year is crazy with meetings, and none of them can be pushed aside. It¡¯s been a week of either rushing from a shot to a meeting or from a meeting to get another shot, and I¡¯ve had this persistent fever. The doc says there¡¯s a shadow on my lung.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to call you, but every time I thought about how you¡¯d want to discuss divorce as soon as we met, I¡¯d put my phone away. And there¡¯s nothing between me and Holly. Nothing now, and there won¡¯t be in the future.¡± If he had wanted something with Holly, he¡¯d have signed the divorce papers long ago. Estre was about to push him away, but her hands just hovered in the air, frozen by his words. She knew Jason too well after all these years. He was not the type to show weakness, and yet here he was, ying the sympathy card. She stared at him sideways and asked with a touch of sarcasm, ¡°What¡¯s this? ying the sad puppy?¡± Jason furrowed his brow. ¡°For God¡¯s sake, I¡¯m thirty. What am I supposed to be whining about?¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Well, then get up if you¡¯re not tired,¡± challenged Estre. ¡°I¡¯m just a bit weary. Let me lean on you.¡± ¡°Jason, I¡¯m not falling for this.¡± Despite her words, Jason didn¡¯t move his head from her shoulder but didn¡¯t press any further. ¡°You know I don¡¯t respond well to pressure. If you talked to me nicely, maybe I wouldn¡¯t make the divorce so difficult.¡± Just as Estre was about to interject, Jason continued. ¡°Things have been hectic, so let talk about this after the New Year. You¡¯ll need my information and my presence to handle the paperwork, so I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°That sounds even more painful than getting a divorce certificate,¡± she quipped. ¡°Divorce is something to consider seriously, to be epted internally. We¡¯ll talk after the New Year.¡± ¡°You¡¯re stalling with me now?¡± Jason replied, ¡°We¡¯ve been at this for six years and a few more months won¡¯t make a difference. If you don¡¯t make a fuss during this time, you might just get a surprise.¡± ¡°A surprise?¡± Estreughed. ¡°Are you going to split your fortune with me?¡± During their time together, he had never spent much on her Would he be generous in a divorce? 08:45 ¡°I might.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tease. Get up now.¡± ¡°My head hurts.¡± ¡°Jason, I¡¯m not joking with you. The IV¡¯s backflowing.¡± Jason instantly lifted his head from her shoulder and checked her IV, indeed seeing the blood had returned. Quickly, he opened the door and bellowed for a nurse. Soon enough, a nurse arrived, and Estre felt a wave of embarrassment because the blood had already retreated from the syringe. ¡°It¡¯s fine now. Just stay still during the IV, and you¡¯ll be okay.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± After the nurse left, Estre told Jason, ¡°I definitely can¡¯t agree to your post-New Year n, but I won¡¯t bother you while you¡¯re sick. You should head back now.¡± The nurse, recognizing Jason as the patient from bed 18, scolded him, ¡°You need to stop wandering around and go back to your room. And you still haven¡¯t had your shot today. If you keep this up, who knows when you¡¯ll be discharged.¡± With those words, the plump nurse ushered Jason out of Estre¡¯s room. No sooner had Jason left than Bryce sauntered in. He plopped down onto a chair beside Estre and asked, ¡°What did Jason just say to you?¡± Bryce had tried eavesdropping from the next room but hadn¡¯t caught a thing. Estre casually said, ¡°He said we¡¯ll talk about the divorce after the New Year.¡± Skeptical, Bryce stared at her until she threw a pillow at him. ¡°Bryce, what¡¯s with that look?¡± Unconvinced, Bryce held her gaze until she said to him, ¡°I didn¡¯t agree, okay? I didn¡¯t sa yes to him.¡± Only then did Bryce¡¯s expression soften, and he tossed the pillow back onto the bed. ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± If Jason knew that after three years, Bryce was still tirelessly persuading Estre to divorce, he¡¯d probably be livid. Afterward, Bryce stayed with Estre until her IV was done. He checked her forehead to ensure she didn¡¯t have a fever again before he could rx. Bryce decided to stick around in Estre¡¯s room, video chatting with Isaac or ying two-handed card games with Estre to pass the time. Jason popped in a few times, sometimes bringing fruit, other times soup. Seeing Bryce glued to Estre¡¯s side made Jason¡¯s blood boil, so he stayed as well, and the three of 08:45 them yed cards together. The next day, neither Jason nor Bryce showed up. Estre was video chatting with Isaac, seizing the chance for some mother-son bonding. ¡°Sweetheart, listen to grandma at home. Mommy wille back to you as soon as I feel better.¡± ¡°Honey, why the tears? Don¡¯t be sad. We¡¯re strong.¡± Estre¡¯s heart ached seeing Isaac pouting with red-rimmed eyes. It had been over two years since Estre spent a night away from her son. When they were abroad, Estre usually avoided business trips to take care of Isaac, and on the rare asions she did travel, she took the nanny and Isaac with her. Tears welled up in Estre¡¯s eyes as she watched Isaac clutching his hands tightly, tears streaming down his cheeks. Isaac¡¯s pout grew more pronounced, and he became even more resolute in his silence. As Isaac¡¯s emotions ran high, Estre found herself struggling to keep it together. She wiped at her own eyes and said, ¡°Mom, why don¡¯t you just take Isaac out for some fun? I can¡¯t bear to see him so distressed.¡± Autumn, witnessing the scene, felt a mix of helplessness and frustration. ¡°This child is too attached to you. He can¡¯t stand being apart from you for even a moment. He was so downst night when you didn¡¯te home, he wouldn¡¯t eat, drink, or speak. It took all my tricks just to get him to drink his milk before bed.¡± At her mother¡¯s words, Estre felt her eyes sting even more, but she tried to hide her emotions and responded, ¡°Isaac has never been away from me since he was born. He¡¯s just not used to it.¡± In truth, she wasn¡¯t used to it either. ¡°Mommy.¡± Hearing Estre¡¯s voice, Isaac called out to her with a whine that conveyed al his hurt feelings. Isaac¡¯s call of ¡°Mommy¡± sent a rush of emotions through Estre¡¯s heart, but she quickly regained her composure, her expression softening as she started chatting with Isaac. That was until the door to the hospital room was suddenly pushed open and Jason walked in. Estre quickly wrapped up the conversation and ended the video call. At the doorway, Jason noticed how abruptly Estre hung up the phone, and his senses immediately sharpened with suspicion. Chapter 203 She didn¡¯t seem to avoid suspicion even when she was close to Bryce, so why was she so secretive about making a phone call now? Shoving his hands deep into his pockets, he watched her with a leery gaze. approached, he reached out and snatched the phone from her gras Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. grasp. As he Estre stood up quickly, reiming her phone with a huff. ¡°Cut it out, Jason! With the way things are between us now, you¡¯ve got no right to snoop through my phone.¡± Back when she hadn¡¯t left Ravenwood, and before the talk of divorce had even started, she used to find his jealousy somewhat endearing, a reason to tease him and flirt back. But times had changed. She was a mother now, and ying these games with him. thest thing she wanted. 1 was ¡°Not worthy, huh?¡± Jason¡¯s mood soured instantly. He grabbed her face in his hand and pulled her close. ¡°We¡¯re still married, Estre.¡± Stumbling into his chest, Estre shrugged it off. ¡°For now, but not for much longer.¡± Her indifference was like a punch to the gut. He hade here out of concern, and she repaid him with frustration. Releasing her face with a mix of anger and restraint, Jason warned, ¡°You better hope I don¡¯t find anything.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡± Estre shot back defiantly. ¡°I was talking to my man. Why don¡¯t you just throw me out the window if you¡¯re so tough, huh?¡± Her words stung less than he expected. Maybe she was just trying to get a rise out of him. He studied her for a moment, then reached out to brush a stray lock of hair from her forehead. ¡°You just can¡¯t stand it if you¡¯re not getting under my skin, can you?¡± No sooner had he spoken than his own phone began to ring from his pocket. Pulling it out, he recognized a work-rted number. He answered and spoke briefly before stepping out to return to his own room, leaving Estre alone. As Jason left, Estre exhaled a silent sigh of relief. Thest thing she needed was for him to discover Isaac¡¯s existence-that would onlyplicate matters further. Meanwhile, Jason, having finished his call, was about to head back to Estre¡¯s room when he was struck by herughter with someone else and her eagerness for a divorce. His steps halted. ¡°Drew, look into who Estre¡¯s been in touch with these past years.¡± In the end, Jason couldn¡¯t resist. He had to know. If he found out Estre had a lover, Jason wouldn¡¯t rest until he¡¯d made the guy pay. After hanging up with Drew, Jason¡¯s phone rang again with more work calls. By the time. he finished, it was already past ten in the evening. He headed straight for Estre¡¯s room, not even pausing to think. Inside, Estre was asleep, with Bryce keeping watch beside her. After adjusting her nket and checking her forehead, Bryce tenderly held her hand before cing it back. under the covers and standing up. Jason, witnessing Bryce¡¯s attentiveness from the doorway, couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He knocked loudly on the door. Beside the hospital bed, Bryce nced back. Seeing Jason approaching, he quickly stood up from the chair. The two stepped out to the corridor¡¯s end, where a small balcony served. as a smoking area. Jason nced at Bryce through the dissipating smoke, seeing clearly that Bryce¡¯s feelings for Estre had transcended mere friendship. Jason knew that look-it was the way a man looks at a woman he desires. a Taking a deep drag on his cigarette, Jason broke the silence. ¡°You¡¯ve fallen for her, haven¡¯t you?¡± Estre was smart, beautiful, and had a great personality. It was no wonder she drew people in, especially someone like Bryce, who spent so much time with her. Bryce exhaled a stream of smoke, dismissing the idea with a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s not the kind of liking you¡¯re thinking about.¡± He paused, then continued, ¡°It¡¯s more pity and guilt. your behalf, Jason. I feel bad for Estre; she¡¯s had it tough being married to you. Guilt on As Bryce leveled his gentle usation, Jason remained silent, continuing to smoke. Bryce turned to look at Jason. ¡°You were pretty hard on Estre three years ago, ming her for the pregnancy she didn¡¯t tell you about, and for losing the baby, weren¡¯t you?¡± Before Jason could respond, Bryce added, ¡°She didn¡¯t tell you back then because she knew Holly was back. If you had chosen her, not Holly, things wouldn¡¯t havee to this point.¡± Jason listened, his expression unreadable as he smoked. Finally, Bryce said, ¡°I¡¯m telling you this to make you feel bad and guilty. Don¡¯t treat Estre like she¡¯s a fool. It¡¯s your fault, Jason. It¡¯s your fault the baby didn¡¯t make it.¡± The usation deepened the shadows on Jason¡¯s face. He remembered Estre¡¯s question from three years ago, about what he would do if she were pregn pregnant. After snuffing out his cigarette, Jason faced Bryce squarely. ¡°I care about Estre, and I won¡¯t divorce her. You handle your own feelings, Bryce.¡± With that, he returned to the hospital room, leaving Bryce alone on the balcony. Everyone thought he didn¡¯t like Estre, even hated her. But Jason knew better. Why would he marry someone he didn¡¯t love? Why would he let Landon threaten him? His choices had always been his own, made willingly, happily. Yet, often, fate had other ns. Now, 08:03 even if he confessed his feelings to Estre, she wouldn¡¯t believe him. As for Bryce, he had matured. The time for sibling rivalry had passed. No more fights, no more feuds. Only the unspoken truths of the heart remained. Bryce stood on the small balcony, his gaze lingering on Jason¡¯s retreating form until he disappeared into Estre¡¯s hospital room. Jason stepped inside, and Bryce knew he wouldn¡¯t get in. It was a familiar feeling, a bitter echo from six years prior when he had failed to confess his feelings to Estre and watched helplessly as she obtained her marriage certificate, sealing his fate to the sidelines. Inside the sterile room, Jason¡¯s expression darkened upon noticing Estre had kicked off her nkets ¨C some habits die hard, he mused. Jason remembered that when they used to sleep together, he would always get kicked a few times during the night. There were a few times when she even kicked him off the bed. Approaching the bed, Jason bent over and tenderly tucked Estre back in. He then took a seat in the same chair Bryce had just vacated. Jason¡¯s presence dered an unspoken message: what belonged to him ¨C his ce and his woman ¨C was his alone to im. As he watched Estre sleep, her hands soon emerged from the sanctuary of the nkets. Jason stood up and gently guided her hand back under the covers, but as soon as her right hand was secured, her left hand surfaced. He promptly tucked it back in, only for the right hand to reappear. With his patience waning, Jason leaned over Estre to restrain both hands at once. But as he did so, Estre¡¯s eyes flickered open, abruptly awake. 08.03 Chapter 204 Their eyes locked, and Estre, groggy with sleep, stared at Jason for a long moment before closing her eyes again, convinced she was dreaming. But the pressure on her wrist felt too real, too heavy. When she opened her eyes again and saw Jason still in front of her, Estre¡¯s displeasure showed. With a frown, she said, ¡°Jason, for crying out loud, I¡¯m sick here. Have you no shame?¡± At Estre¡¯s words, Jason was also unwell?¡± displeased. ¡°Oh, you think you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s Estre struggled to free her wrists andmanded, ¡°Get your hands off me.¡± Jason did not remove his hands but instead looked into her eyes and asked, ¡°Estre, I I what if I told you I like you, and I don¡¯t want a divorce? Can we start over?¡± Bryce¡¯s attentiveness to Estre earlier that evening had sent Jason into a tizzy. Whether it was Korey or Bryce, he was actually quite bothered by them. Estre was his, and his alone. That¡¯s how people can be sometimes they just can¡¯t stand the thought of someone else coveting what¡¯s theirs. After staring unblinkingly at Jason for a long spell and seeing that he hadn¡¯t disappeared, Estre felt a headacheing on and turned her head away. Jason¡¯s sudden seriousness was more than she could bear. She must be hallucinating from the fever to be witnessing this scene. When Jason saw Estre turn away, he gently took her chin to direct her gaze him. ¡°Estre.¡± back to Still, Estre refused to open her eyes to look at Jason. In the dead of night, he was up not sleeping but acting crazy with her. It was just because he saw her getting cozy with Brycetely, and she had a video chat during the day that made him jealous. Him saying he liked her didn¡¯t mean squat unless he could do something wild like break a boulder on his chest or swallow a sword ande out unscathed ¨C only then might she believe him. ¡°Estre.¡± After calling her name again and seeing that Estre kept pretending to be asleep, Jason leaned in to kiss her. Estre, in turn, quickly twisted her neck to avoid him. The next second, there was a crack in her neck, and Estre¡¯s eyes flew open, furious. ¡°Jason, when will you ever stop? Damn it, my neck!¡± She took a deep breath from the pain. 08:03 Jason wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. He reached for his phone to call a doctor, but Estre stopped him, ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss in the middle of the night. Go back to your room. I¡¯ll be fine after some sleep.¡± Ignoring her, Jason gently prodded her neck. ¡°Can you move your neck?¡± ¡°Ouch, ouch, it hurts!¡± Estre cried out, and Jason quickly withdrew his hand. ¡°Is it the bone that hurts, or the muscle?¡± ¡°Both,¡± Estre whimpered. Jason reached for the phone again. Estre stopped him once more. ¡°I¡¯ll feel better once you leave.¡± He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she was just trying to get rid of him. After locking eyes for a moment, Estre realized Jason had seen through her, so she nonchntly turned over andy face down on the bed. Jason raised his right hand and began to massage her neck in sync with her movements. ¡°It hurts, be gentle.¡± ¡°Jason, are you taking revenge or what?¡± ¡°It hurts.¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Estre, if you keep yelling, I¡¯m going to get hard.¡± Estre¡¯s left leg emerged from the covers and she kicked him, not too gently. The night was deep, and at this moment, the tension between them wasn¡¯t as stiff as during their previous encounters. Estre didn¡¯t bring up divorce, either. She had promised not to mention it during his hospital stay, and she intended to keep her word. As Jason massaged the back of her neck, he asked, ¡°Who were you video chatting with at lunch today?¡± Lyingzily on the bed, Estre teased, ¡°My man.¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened, and his grip tightened, eliciting another cry from Estre. Jason continued, ¡°About what I said earlier¡­ Estre cut him off. ¡°How about you smash a boulder on your chest, and then I¡¯ll consider whether to believe you.¡± The pressure increased once more from Jason¡¯s hands. Estre cried out again, ¡°Go back to your own damn room!¡± Later, she couldn¡¯t recall when she had fallen asleep. The following morning, when she awoke, Jason had already changed into his clothes and 08:03 was taking a work call by the window. Shielding her eyes with her arm, Estre finally understood why he couldn¡¯t get better. He wasn¡¯t taking his shots properly, wasn¡¯t taking his medication, and wasn¡¯t resting on schedule. How could he possibly recover? ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± After resting her eyes for a bit Jason¡¯s voice suddenly sounded very close. Estre removed her arm to see that he had approached. ¡°Mom was here earlier,¡± Jason said. ¡°She saw you sleeping deeply and didn¡¯t wake you. Breakfast is on the table.¡± ¡°Your mom or my mom?¡± Estre asked. If it was Autumn, she would be upset because she had told her repeatedly to stay home. with Isaac and note to the hospital. Noting how Estre distinguished between the two, Jason casually said, ¡°My mom.¡± Relieved, Estre got out of bed. As she got up, Jason pinched the back of her neck. ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine now,¡± Estre replied. ¡°I¡¯ve got a meeting. I¡¯m heading to the office. Call me if you need anything,¡± Jason said, as, if there had been no friction or three years of separation between them. Estre hummed nomittally and stretched her way to the bathroom. Looking at herself in the mirror, she remembered the scene from the night before, when Jason aske if they could start over, and she felt it was all so unrealistic. Jason must have gone mad. After spitting the foam into the sink, she continued to rinse her mouth. Downstairs, as soon as Jason got into the car, Drew asked with concern, ¡°Mr. Jason, did have a feverst night? Maybe we should rest for a couple of days?¡± you ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Jason replied. Last night, after Estre had drifted into dreams, he couldn¡¯t shake the fever that clung to him like an unwee shadow. Estre had promised that there would be no talk of divorce while he was in his hospital bed. Now, it looked like he might be shackled to that bed for the remainder of the year. The engine of the car hummed to life, and Drew, gripping the steering wheel with both hands, nced back at Jason and said, ¡°You know, Mr. Jason, about that big fire seven years back, I¡¯d wager that Ms. Holly has got her hands on every scrap of evidence and 08:03 clue that we have.¡± As Drew finished, Jason lifted his hand to rub his temples, a headache blooming behind his eyes. Drew continued his update, ¡°Mr. Jason, it¡¯ll likely take a few more days to get the full picture on Ms. Estre¡¯s situation. After all, she spent three years abroad, and digging up information isn¡¯t going to be a walk in the park!¡± ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Jason responded in a nomittal murmur. Deep down, Jason had a feeling that someone important, someone whom Estre valued highly, had appeared by her side. However, there was no way that he would let her be with someone else. In the afternoon, when Jason finished work and returned to the hospital to Estre¡¯s room, she was no longer there. The hospital bed was neatly made, and Estre¡¯s personal items from the past few days were gone. As Jason turned to leave, he saw a passing nurse and inquired about Estre. The nurse replied, ¡°Estre¡¯s fever broke today. She¡¯s been discharged. She¡¯ll just need toe back. to the infusion room for her IV treatment for a couple more days.¡± Estre had left? A cold sensation seeped into Jason¡¯s heart. It seemed his confession the night before had been in vain.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Chapter 205 ¡°Sweetheart!¡± Estre entered the house with a mask on, and in a split second, the previously gloomy Isaac was buzzing with energy like a bee on a sugar rush. Scrambling up from the floor, he charged towards Estre with his little legs pumping. ¡°Mommy, Mommy!¡± ¡°Mama!¡± As Isaac flung himself into Estre¡¯s arms, you¡¯d think he hadn¡¯t seen her in centuries. Lifting Isaac up from the floor, Estre showed no signs of illness. Her entire demeanor was lively and energetic. Fearful of bringing home any germs, she had stopped by Waterfall Acres for a thorough scrub-down and donned her most airtight mask before entering the house. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Autumn couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the sight of Estre all bundled up. ¡°The doctors said you¡¯re clear, honey. You¡¯re gonna be just fine. Aren¡¯t you getting a bit ustrophobic in there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Estre¡¯s voice was muffled but firm. When Isaac reached for Estre¡¯s mask, trying to peel away the barrier, Estre quickly stopped him, ¡°Sweetie, mommy¡¯s been sick, we can¡¯t take off the mask.¡± Estre had always been a force to be reckoned with, but ever since Isaac came into her life, all her softness was reserved for her child. Isaac, heeding Estre¡¯s warning, cautiously retreated. As they settled in the living room, Isaac flipped through a book, proudly showing off his learning achievements to Estre. When he ced the shcards spelling ¡®Daddy¡¯ in fron of Estre, his eyes carried the weight of his longing for his father. Catching the cue, Estre nced at Autumn, ¡°Mom, what have you been telling Isaac?¡± Autumn, caught off-guard but trying to maintain herposure, insisted, ¡°Nothing at all. I¡¯ve just been teaching him to read.¡± Estre looked up at her mother, skeptical. Why would Isaac be spelling out ¡®Daddy¡¯ in front of he for no reason? ¡°Daddy,¡± Isaac repeated, his voice tinged with a touch of sadness, ¡°Baby, Daddy.¡± Isaac then meticulously searched through the pile of shcards, eventually arranging the words ¡®Baby wants Daddy.¡± Estre rubbed her temples, feeling overwhelmed. To appease Isaac, she said, ¡°Bryce and Jesse are daddies. My baby has lots of daddies.¡± But Isaac shook his head, indicating they weren¡¯t his real father. Seeing Isaac¡¯s disbelief, Estre called out, ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°Estre, I swear I didn¡¯t spill the beans. I just asked Isaac if he knew who his daddy was,¡± Autumn confessed, ¡°Sweetie, speaking of which, who exactly is Isaac¡¯s father?¡± Estre replied, ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you? Isaac is the result of science and technology.¡± Then she added, ¡°Mom, do me a favor and save me the trouble, don¡¯t bring up ¡®daddy¡¯ around Isaac.¡± Though Isaac didn¡¯t have a father in the conventional sense, Estre¡¯s love was more than enough. And with Bryce around, Isaac hardly felt different from other kids who had fathers at their side. Unfortunately, it only took a few days back home for Autumn to stir the topic, and now Isaac was asking for his dad. up ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m prying for no reason. I¡¯m just curious because Isaac¡¯s got good genes. He knows so many words for his age,¡± Autumn tried to justify. ¡°Don¡¯t be. Less curiosity might be better for everyone,¡± Estre shot back. Her curiosity. could lead to questions Estre wasn¡¯t ready to answer. Seeing Estre¡¯s stern face, Autumn mimed zipping her lips and dropped the subject. Over the next few days, after wrapping up her cases, Estre went to handle her onboarding at Justice Guardians LLP. She had justpleted her paperwork when al honk from a sleek ck Rolls Royce caught her attention. It was Landon¡¯s car. The driver stepped out and respectfully opened the door, ¡°Ms. Estre.¡± Estre looked at Landon sitting in the backseat and eventually got in. ¡°Hi¡± she greeted as the door softly clicked shut behind her. ¡°Mhm!¡± Landon grunted in acknowledgment, then asked, ¡°Been back for a few days, righ Your mom said you¡¯ve been under the weather.¡± ¡°Just a fever for a couple of days. I¡¯m fine now! Landon turned to Estre, noting how much moreposed she seemed after years apart. After studying her for a moment, Landon broached the subject, ¡°Kristin mentioned you¡¯re still set on divorcing Jason?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Estre replied crisply. Landon¡¯s brow furrowed in thought before he asked, ¡°Estre, if I asked you not to go through with this divorce, would you consider it?¡± Estre had always known Landon to be decisive and intolerant of dissent. Jason was much the same. She never expected Landon to intervene about her marriage to Jason, much less ask her to reconsider the divorce. MChapter 205 After a long stare, Estre exhaled and said, ¡°Dad, Jason and I, we really tried.¡± She paused before adding, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back to how things were three years ago. I want. a fresh start.¡± ¡°And besides, Jason and I¡­ we can¡¯t go back.¡± She avoided listing Jason¡¯s faults, instead focusing on their mutual efforts. Estre had always been like that, taking responsibility and not shifting me onto others. Landon listened, his gaze fixed on her, waiting for her to continue. Estre, realizing this, added, ¡°I had a child while I was abroad. He¡¯s nearly two now, Jason surely can¡¯t ept this part of me, or my child.¡± Estre knew it was time to have a heart-to-heart with Landon. The Nelsons were practically itching for grandkids, and Jason, with his stubborn single-mindedness, was at loggerheads with her. She figured if sheid it all out for Landon, he¡¯d surely put the screws on Jason to sign those divorce papers. When Estre spilled the beans, Landon¡¯s face went through a kaleidoscope of emotions. With a smile, Estre remarked, ¡°Everything in this world is prone to change, especially the human heart.¡± Despite having harbored feelings for Jason once upon a time, even daydreaming about starting a family with him, Estre¡¯s heart had taken a new direction. The bombshell of Estre¡¯s child left Landon speechless, choking on his words for what seemed like an eternity. Estre had a child¡­ Landon was at his wit¡¯s end. Noticing Landon¡¯s silence, Estre fixed him with a serious gaze and asked, ¡°About tho fortune tellers back in the day, did you set that up on purpose?¡± After marrying Jason, Estre had her suspicions about those soothsayers, and Landon motives. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Landon had orchestrated her match with Jason, bringing in those fortune tellers as part of his n. If it was intentional, why? Why was it so crucial for her to stay with Jason, to the point where Landon himself woulde and plead with her not to go through with the divorce? This wasn¡¯t like Landon, not with his typicallymanding presence. So now, with Isaac¡¯s secret out in the open, it was the perfect time to corner him and get some answers. Chapter 206 Landon didn¡¯t respond to Estre¡¯s skepticism. Instead he simply stated, ¡°Estre, if you really don¡¯t want to stay with Jason, I won¡¯t force you. But joining the Nelson family wasn¡¯t for nothing. We won¡¯t let you walk away empty-handed.¡± ¡°If you and Jason divorce, you¡¯ll get half of the Nelson family¡¯s fortune and shares in Nelson International.¡± Estre dismissed the offer with a wave of her hand. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡± Half of the Nelson fortune was at stake. Would Jason even consider letting her go then? Forget it. She would rather forgo that little advantage than stay tied to a marriage she wanted out of. The ¡°little advantage¡± Estre was dismissing was worth at least several billion, if not upwards of ten billion. Any other girl would probably faint at the thought. Landon was firm. ¡°It¡¯s what you deserve.¡± Estre replied, ¡°If you can convince Jason, I have no problem with it.¡± If Landon insisted on giving her the money, she might as well ept it. Landon suggested, ¡°Estre, you¡¯re nning to head back, right? I¡¯ll have you driven home.¡± ¡°I drove here myself. It¡¯ll be easier for me to drive back.¡± Estre wished to return on her own, and Landon didn¡¯t press further. When Estre got out of the car and the driver got in, Landon gazed at Estre with a touch of mncholy for a while before instructing the driver to start the car and leave Watching Landon drive away, Estre¡¯s doubts only grew. Landon hadn¡¯t just avoided answering her probing; he was even ready to give her half of the Nelson estate. No mat how generous he was, that was half of what the Nelsons had built over generations. Even though Jason hadn¡¯t been a great husband during their time together, Landon surely wouldn¡¯t need to give up so much of his fortune. It was as if she were his own flesh and blood. It wasn¡¯t until the ck Rolls Royce vanished from sight that Estre returned to her BMW and drove off. Back at the Nelson family mansion, Kristin learned that Landon hadn¡¯t convinced Estre and had even promised to give her half of the estate. She immediately called Jason. Upon hearing Kristin¡¯s report, Jason chuckled, ¡®Mom, tell Estre that if she won¡¯t divorce, I¡¯ll give her all of Nelson International.¡± Although he appeared calm on the surface, Jason was far from pleased inside. What kind 09-03- of father was this? Instead of encouraging reconciliation, he was offering Estre a fortune just to leave. Most parents would y matchmaker, yet his seemed to be doing the opposite. Kristin was stunned by Jason¡¯s words. After a long pause, she asked incredulously, ¡°Son, you¡¯re not just saying that out of anger, are you?¡± She had expected Jason to be furious with Landon, but instead, he was not only. unbothered but also willing to give Estre everything if she chose not to leave. It seemed he truly didn¡¯t want the divorce. On the other end of the line, Jason calmly stated, ¡°That¡¯s the truth.¡± For years, he hadn¡¯t spent money on Estre, because her family was rich, and unting wealth in front of her was like performing monkey tricks. No matter if it was millions or billions, Estre wouldn¡¯t bat an eyelid. To sway her, he would have to offer his entire fortune. And what she desired was something far more valuable than money. Kristin shared sympathetically, ¡°But Jason, even if you¡¯re sincere, it¡¯s useless now. Estre has already said that she fears you won¡¯t agree to split the money, so she won¡¯t take a cent. She just wants the divorce.¡± Jason nearly choked on those words. He had known it. Trying to impress Estre with wealth was like ying circus tricks in front of her. After being stumped by Kristin¡¯sment, Jason hung up the phone with a scowl. At the Nelson family mansion, Kristin sighed helplessly as Jason hung up the phone. had always told him to be nicer to Estre, warning that once a woman¡¯s heart was broken, no words or actions could mend it. Now her words hade true. Estre was adamant about the divorce. After hanging up, Jason, riddled with dejection grabbed a cigarette and lighter from the side table and lit up. Damn it, she was bing colder by the minute. Even his father¡¯s intervention couldn¡¯t sway her. Jason felt better today and was at the hospital for a follow-up injection. Sitting on the hospital room¡¯s couch, Jason browsed through documents with one hand while the other received the IV drip. Every time he thought of Estre, his expression darkened. The more she pushed for divorce, the less he wanted to let her go. Landon had never mentioned a word about Isaac, not even to Kristin. When two bags of IV fluids were almost finished, the door to Jason¡¯s hospital room. suddenly swung open. Jason looked up, only to see Holly standing in front of him. He seemed a bit disappointed. ¡°Jason,¡± Holly greeted with a smile, walking towards him. As she sat down, Jason said dispassionately, ¡°I¡¯m fine, Holly. You don¡¯t need toe anymore.¡± He had told Holly numerous times that she didn¡¯t need to visit him, but she refused to listen. Hearing Jason¡¯s words, a chuckle escaping her lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t have anything pressing, so I thought I¡¯d just swing by.¡± Jason responded with nonchnce, ¡°Estre might not take kindly to that.¡± The mention of Estre caused a visible shift in Holly¡¯s demeanor, and it was clear she grasped his implication. He was wary of Estre getting the wrong idea. As Jason flipped through some documents, he caught Holly¡¯s silent gaze from the corner of his eye. ¡°I care a lot about what Estre thinks of me,¡± he admitted, not wanting to foster any misunderstandings. Setting aside the paperwork, Jason locked eyes with Holly, his expression resolute. Indeed, when Holly had just returned, out of old times¡¯ sake, he¡¯d met up with her a few times. But those encounters were strictly tonic, and both he and Holly had made their boundaries clear. However, Holly seemed to y the fool, clinging to some unfounded hope. In that moment of candor, Holly¡¯s lips curved into a slow smile before she spoke. ¡°Ja you and Estre have known each other for over two decades. Haven¡¯t we had the sa amount of time together? Just because you¡¯re with Estre now, does that mean you have to ditch the rest of the friends you¡¯ve grown up with?¡± Since the day Estre was born, she had known Jason, and wasn¡¯t that the same for Holly? Holly indeed had nearly three decades of acquaintance with Jason and had known Estre for 26 years. Holly remembered the day Estre was brought home from the hospital. Her mother had taken her to visit the Dorvold family that very day. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Serene had grown up alongside them as well, though her father¡¯s job as a chauffeur meant she wasn¡¯t fully woven into the fabric of their lives. As a child, Holly had harbored some resentment towards Estre. Estre¡¯s agreeable nature always seemed to make her the more popr one. So, Holly wasn¡¯t particrly close to Estre. Instead, Holly had bonded more with the daughters of a few other families in their circle, while Estre had always been closest with Jesse and Bryce. Chapter 207 In response to Holly¡¯s questioning, Jason remained calm andposed as he said, ¡°I can give up anything Estre doesn¡¯t like.¡± She had never realized that Jason, of all people, had this sentimental side to him. Staring at him for a long moment, Holly finally spoke up, ¡°Jason, don¡¯t forget, Estre once wanted you six feet under.¡± With an unnerving calm, Jason replied, ¡°I can forgive and forget.¡± Even if it bothered him deeply, he wouldn¡¯t give Holly the satisfaction of seeing it. He didn¡¯t want her to exploit his vulnerability. Looking at Holly again, he continued, ¡°Holly, the reason I was able to marry Estre and to get this point with her is that I care about her. You should know that better than anyone. So, please don¡¯t do things I don¡¯t like.¡± Despite knowing that Estre had previously harbored lethal intentions towards him, he still yearned to be with her and opted for marriage. In Jason¡¯s mind, he had already lost in the game of love. Their rtionship had been a mix of passion and pain, marked by his harshness towards Estre, and the hurt they had inflicted upon each other. But despite it all, he couldn¡¯t let her go.. Those years of love-hate were far from easy on him. ¡°You¡¯re insane, Jason,pletely insane,¡± Holly dered, standing up from her chair in disbelief. ¡°You must be out of your mind.¡± She didn¡¯t wait for a response. ¡°You¡¯ve been sicktely, and Estre¡¯s juste back thoughts might be all over the ce, not fully baked. Just cool off for a while. I¡¯m ou here.¡± With that, Holly grabbed her purse and hurried out. Jason had indeed lost it, speaking words that were tantamount to madness, but deep down, she understood that he was simply trying to distance himself from her, hoping si would back off on her own ord. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. If Holly hadn¡¯t been injured in that big fire, if she were healthy, perhaps everything would have a different oue. Jason wouldn¡¯t have too many concerns, and the Nelsont family wouldn¡¯t be worried about her health. Estre, it always came back to Estre. Holly entered the elevator, deeply perturbed by Jason¡¯s words. Back in the hospital room, once Holly had left, Jason sighed with relief. If Holly had never confessed her feelings, and they were only friends, he wouldn¡¯t have needed to say what he did. After all, they had known each other for decades. ncing up at the IV bag, which had just run empty, Jason didn¡¯t call for a nurse. Instead, he removed the needle himself, pressed a cotton swab to the spot, grabbed his car keys and phone, and left. There was no point in staying. Estre had already been discharged. The discharge process would likely be a bit of a wait. After Estre had left without a word, Jason had stopped by the Dorvold family¡¯s ce a few times but never went in. He was wary of her stubborn streak. Estre had enjoyed a few days of peace and had just started her job at Justice Guardians LLP, taking on a criminal case. On Saturday, her day off, after organizing her case files, Estre took Isaac to the department store. ¡°Wow, wow!¡± ¡°So pretty, wow!¡± Isaac couldn¡¯t stop eximing at everything he saw, leaving Estre. amused. Estre sent a video to Jesse and Bryce, who teased that Isaac was like a country mouse in the big city, utterly wide-eyed. Estre hated to admit it but when she turned to look at Isaac, he was indeed seriously observing the outside world, still eximing in wonder. Once at the department store, Isaac was even more excited by the bustle, at one point. screaming in delight and attracting stares from passersby. Some people, charmed by Isaac¡¯s cuteness and Estre¡¯s beauty, started surreptitiously filming them. Even Estre, usually so shameless, was embarrassed by Isaac¡¯s antics. Jesse and Bryce, upon hearing the story,ughed so hard they ached, calling her scene-stealer. While, Jesse was already on her way to join them. As Estre and Isaac rode the miniature train, Isaac mimicked the sounds non-sto leaving Estre with mixed feelings, realizing that perhaps he had been too secluded since returning home. Isaac¡¯s vivacity and charm suddenly reminded Estre of someone. He had always bee more reserved and quiet as a child, unlike Isaac. When Estre shared Isaac¡¯s video with Autumn, sheughed, saying Isaac was just like her as a child, always the center of attention. Estre had to face that, after all her denials, Isaac was very much like her. ¡°Daddy.¡± ¡°Daddy.¡± Seeing other kids with their fathers, Isaac approached a man and looked up at him, calling. him daddy. The manughed heartily, while Estre was mortified, her face red with embarrassment. She quickly scooped up Isaac and apologized, ¡°Sorry about that. My kid¡¯s just copying yours.¡± Isaac, with his arms around Estre¡¯s neck, stared at her seriously, ¡°Daddy, daddy.¡± Estre was at a loss. Her child was asking for a father again. Before, Isaac hadn¡¯t fully grasped what a father was, but a few months back, he had started to notice his absence, especially since they hade back home. He frequently muttered about wanting a dad, even whispering for him before falling asleep. Isaac¡¯s calls for a father left Estre with a mix of emotions. Sitting with Isaac at a nearby rest area, Estre exined gently, ¡°Sweetheart, daddy¡¯s gone to work far, far away. He¡¯lle back when you¡¯re bigger.¡± ¡°Daddy back.¡± Estre stroked his hair. ¡°Yes, honey. Daddy wille back.¡± If only she knew where to find him a father. Before bing a mother, Estre always thought that if she loved her child enough, that love would make up for the absence of a father. Now she hade to realize that no matter how hard she tried, or how well she took care of Isaac, she could never fill the void that a father would leave in a child¡¯s heart. Gently stroking Isaac¡¯s hair, Estre said with a tinge of guilt, ¡°Sweetheart, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t give you the kind of dad you deserve.¡± Sensing Estre suddenly look so downcast, Isaac slid off her chair in a sh, walke to Estre, and stood on tiptoe. His small hands tenderly patted Estre¡¯s arm, and w wisdom beyond his years, he said, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re amazing.¡± He had intended to pat Estre on the head, but even on tiptoes and with all his might, couldn¡¯t reach her. So, he settled for aforting pat on the arm instead. Isaac furrowed his brow, the picture of mature reassurance, and Estre couldn¡¯t help buugh. ¡°Estre.¡± Just as Estre¡¯sughter faded, someone called her name. Estre looked up to see Kristin walking towards her. In the next second, Estre¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Oh no, the secret was out. Chapter 208 Their gazes locked, and as Kristin approached Estre, she seemed oblivious to Isaac¡¯s presence, her eyes filled with only her daughter-inw. With a radiant smile, Kristin reached Estre and called out her name again. Estre stood up from her chair and said, ¡°Hi Kristin.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been back for a while, haven¡¯t you? I¡¯ve been meaning to invite you over for dinner but just couldn¡¯t find the right moment. When you were ill, I visited you twice at the hospital. You were sleeping both times. By the time I went again, you had already been. discharged.¡± Kristin then asked, ¡°By the way, are you feeling better now? No more difort? There¡¯s been a nasty flu going aroundtely.¡± ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m all better. You and Landon should take care of yourselves,¡± Estre advised, her concern genuine. Kristin¡¯s grip on Estre¡¯s hand tightened with emotion. Kristin knew, deep down, that her son hadn¡¯t treated Estre right over the years. At this point, neither Kristin nor Landon knew about Estre¡¯s pregnancy three years ago or that she had taken a fall at Sandalwood Oasis while waiting for Jason to return. If they had, Jason would have had some serious exining to do. Not even Autumn knew about it, or else she would have been devastated. Holding onto Estre¡¯s hand, Kristin studied her favorite daughter-inw, and she remained blissfully unaware of Isaac standing quietly beside them. Obligingly, Isaac stayed by Estre¡¯s side, silently clutching her leg as she and Kristin chatted. His big eyes were fixed on the two of them, a picture of obdience. Perhaps it was the absence of a father figure that made Isaac so well-behaved from a young age. Whenever Estre took him out or engaged in conversation, he¡¯d wait silently by her side. If Estre gave him something to eat, he¡¯d eat quietly. If she didn¡¯t, he¡¯d just watch her, never fussing or causing any disturbance. ¡°Estre, Jason has actually been waiting for you all these years. That¡¯s why he¡¯s been reluctant to finalize any paperwork. Maybe you could give him another chance? I¡¯m sure he¡¯d cherish it.¡± Before Estre could respond, Kristin continued, ¡°Oh, and Jason mentioned that as long. as you don¡¯t divorce, he¡¯s willing to give you all of the Nelson family¡¯s assets and shares. Estre, I can tell that Jason still has feelings for you. I promise you, during the years you were away, Jason didn¡¯t have any rtionship with either Holly or Serene. Can¡¯t you trust me on this, just once?¡± Kristin had been fretting over Estre and Jason¡¯s marriage since before their wedding day. She couldn¡¯t understand it. Jason had grown up with several girls in their circle, and countless eligible youngdies longed to marry him. But it was Estre who had caught Kristin¡¯s eye since she was a child. Although Estre seemed carefree, she was actually clear-headed and wise beyond her years. Now, Estre was a renowned internationalwyer who had made her way without relying on her family. She had even be a pir of support for Cole. Kristin¡¯s affection for her only deepened. So when Kristin encountered Estre, she didn¡¯t beat around the bush and went straight to the point. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. As Kristin made her case, Estre gently loosened her grip on Kristin¡¯s hand, ¡°Jason and I¡­ we can¡¯t go back.¡± ¡°Nothing is irreversible in life, except death, Estre. As long as we¡¯re within thew and haven¡¯t committed any crimes, we can always start over. You must have had feelings for Jason once, and¡­¡± Before Kristin could finish, Isaac, clinging to Estre¡¯s leg, let out a tender ¡°Mommy.¡± Hearing this, Kristin turned to look beside her, feeling that the voice didn¡¯te from around them. Only then did she lower her gaze to the child at Estre¡¯s feet. Isaac looked up at Estre and called out ¡°Mommy¡± again. In the next moment, Kristin¡¯s mind went nk, her breath nearly caught in her throat. A child calling Estre ¡®Mommy¡¯? Could Isaac be Estre¡¯s child? The thought nearly caused her to faint.. How could Estre have a child? And one this big? Moreover, he bore a striking resemnce to Estre as a child. In just a few seconds, Kristin¡¯s mind raced with melodramatic scenarios. Then swiftly. regaining her composure, she stared intently at Isaac, wondering if he could be Jason¡¯s child. Estre, hearing Isaac¡¯s call, bent down and scooped him into her arms. Isaac. c wrapped his little arms tightly around her neck and called out ¡°Mommy¡± once more. With each cry of ¡®Mommy, Kristin didn¡¯t know whether to be overjoyed or heartbroken. Just as Estre was about to speak, Kristin cut in, ¡°Estre, is this Jason¡¯s¡­¡± Estre interrupted her, ¡°Mom, Isaac has nothing to do with Jason. I left Ravenwood three years ago, and Isaac is only one year and ten months old.¡± Isaac¡¯s delicate features and slightly smaller staturepared to other children his age made Estre¡¯s im usible, and anyone could see he was barely two years old. Estre¡¯s words struck Kristin like a de to the heart. She reached up to press a hand against her forehead and copsed into a nearby chair. Kristin had pieced it together now. The reason Estre had said that they couldn¡¯t go back was that she already had a child of her own. And looking at the little one, it was clear as day he was Estre¡¯s flesh and blood ¨C the spitting image of her at that age. But if the child wasn¡¯t Jason¡¯s, what about all those fortune tellers¡¯ predictions? Where on earth did Landon dig up that chatan? Damn it, Kristin swore that she was going to get her money back from that so-called psychic. Noticing Kristin¡¯s distress as she sank into the chair, Estre asked with concern, are you alright?¡± Kristin frowned deeply, ¡°Do I look alright to you? My life¡¯s just been cut in half.¡± ¡°Kristin, Estre tried to reassure her, ¡°Don¡¯t take it so hard. No matter how many grandkids you want, Jason can make it happen.¡± Kristin lifted her head to gaze at Estre. ¡°Then I want you and Jason to have them. Would you?¡± Estre replied, resigned, ¡°It¡¯s just not in the cards for us.¡± Estre had wanted children with all her heart back in the day, but Jason had been against it. Kristin¡¯s brow was furrowed as she gazed at Estre and Isaac, her heart aching. Estre turned to Isaac and said, ¡°Isaac, say ¡®grandma¡±.¡± Chapter 209 Isaac listened intently to Estre¡¯s instructions, his eyes fixed seriously on Kristin as he mustered all his strength to call out ¡°Grandma. His voice rang out clear and strong, as if he¡¯s afraid that it might not reach Kristin¡¯s ears, At the sound of ¡°Grandma,¡± Kristin clutched her chest as if struck by an arrow. ¡°Oh please, Estre, make him stop. That¡¯s not calling for Grandma. That¡¯s stabbing me right in the heart. I swear, I¡¯m going to keel over because of you two today.¡± The title of Grandma was too much for Kristin to bear; Kristin feared that a few more calls from Isaac would shave years off her life. Estre barely held back herughter at Kristin¡¯s melodramatic reaction. When Isaac saw Kristin gasping for breath, clutching her chest, he hugged Estre¡¯s neck tighter and cooed again, ¡°Grandma.¡± Kristin felt a pang in her heart at the sound, and watching Estre with her kid was almost enough to bring her to tears. Estre was her daughter-inw, but Estre¡¯s kid wasn¡¯t her grand-son. With one hand carrying Isaac, Estre tried to offer somefort, ¡°Kristin, Jason is still young, and when he gets married in the future. Kristin abruptly stopped her, ¡°Estre, yourforts are like a dagger in my side. Spare. me, or you¡¯ll find me dead right here.¡± Struggling to contain her mirth, Estre covered Isaac¡¯s mouth gently when he tried to ¡°Grandma¡± again, shushing him softly. Estre was genuinely a bit worried at Kristin¡¯s current state, fearing Kristin might faint from anger. Seeing Estre covering her mouth and gesturing for silence, Isaac immediately raised h hand, signaling to keep quiet. Kristin looked up at the mother and son in front of her, observing their hushing gestures. Her heart ached at the sight. When Isaac solemnly shushed her, cing his tiny hand to his lips, Kristin¡¯s heart ached even more,menting, ¡°He should have been my grandson, and now I¡¯ve lost that.¡± Adopting Kristin¡¯s mannerisms, Isaac also clutched his chest and cried out in mimicry, ¡°Oh my!¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Kristin, feeling mocked, turned to Estre in a mix of frustration and amusement, ¡°Estre, do you see? He¡¯sughing at me.¡± Estre tried to exin, ¡°Isaac¡¯s notughing at you. He adores you.¡± na na ¡°That makes it even worse,¡± Kristin protested, feeling the emotional weight of her attachment to Isaac. ¡°Kristin, are you shopping alone?¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡± The maid had juste over from the bathroom side as Estre finished speaking. Seeing Estre here, cradling a child, the maid greeted her in surprise, ¡°Ms. Estre!¡± Estre nodded in acknowledgement and then turned her gaze back to Kristin. At this point, Kristin, looking utterly drained, had managed to stand up from her seat. She addressed Estre saying, ¡°Estre, about your situation with Jason, you need to discuss it with him yourself!¡± Estre simply nodded again, and they chatted for a bit. Finally, an evidently disgruntled Kristin made her exit. As Estre watched Kristin trudge away, she let out a gentle sigh, resuming her ytime with Mia. It wasn¡¯t long before Jesse arrived. That evening, at the Nelson family estate, Jason was summoned home by Kristin. Upon entering, he found her brooding and rubbing her chest in the living room. With a casual stance, hands in his pockets, Jason asked nonchntly, ¡°You wanted to see me, Mom?¡± Kristin turned to face him with a solemn expression and dropped a bombshell, ¡°Jason think you should call it quits with Estre.¡± Jason¡¯sposure shifted at her unexpected suggestion. He moved closer, took a sea on the couch next to her, and asked with a cool rity, ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± Kristin had always been a champion of his marriage to Estre, encouraging him to hold fast even when times were tough. Her sudden change of heart was rming. When Jason settled onto a nearby couch, Kristin averted her gaze, ¡°I bumped into Estre at the department store today.¡± Jason simply looked at Kristin, waiting until she had finished speaking before he asked, ¡°And then what happened?¡± I Prompted by Jason¡¯s query, Kristin continued, I feel you and Estre might not be the best match. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be in this rut for so many years without any notable progress. Maybe it¡¯s time to let go. After all, Estre isn¡¯t getting any younger.¡± Thest time Autumn had approached her, Kristin had attempted to persuade Jason, but he hadn¡¯t capitted. Ironically, she found herself siding with her son, despite her objections. However, seeing Estre and her child today, reality hit Kristin hard. It cracked her resolve and left her feeling vulnerable. Maybe they were just not meant to be. Nheless, out of deference for Jason¡¯s dignity as a man, Kristin refrained from mentioning the child. In her heart, Kristin suspected that Landon was likely aware of the child¡¯s existence, but chose to remain silent. However, Jason, ever the picture of calm, nonchntly replied, ¡°Good thingse to those who wait.¡± Kristin stood a little taller, her spine straightening with resolve as she listened to his obstinance. ¡°Jason, Estre made it clear. If you get the paperwork done before the end of the year, she won¡¯t touch a dime of the Nelson family fortune. She won¡¯t ask for anything from you.¡± Jason let out a wry chuckle. ¡°So, Mom, you think my hesitation to sign the divorce papers is because I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll take half of my assets?¡± He continued, with a yful edge to his voice, ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, then let¡¯s go with that. I don¡¯t want a divorce because I don¡¯t want to split my wealth.¡± He had been at a loss for excuses to hold on, but Landon¡¯s meddling had inadvertently handed him one. Sensing Jason¡¯s stubborn refusal to see reason, Kristin¡¯s brows knotted in frustration. Finally, she burst out in exasperation, ¡°What¡¯s it going to take to get through to you, kid? Why are you so set on butting your head against a brick wall? Do I need to spell it out for you? Estre has a child now. She¡¯s moved on with her life. Is that what it takes for you to let go?¡± She hadn¡¯t wanted to bring up the child, but her son was just too headstrong. Hearing that Estre had a child, and she had started a new chapter in her life, Jason¡¯s expression shifted dramatically. He stared at Kristin, his gaze piercing, for a long mo before finally asking, ¡°Mom, what did you just say?¡± na-na Chapter 210 Kristin spoke with caution, ¡°I saw Estre at the department store this afternoon with her little boy. He¡¯s not even two, and he calls her ¡®mom¡¯. He¡¯s the spitting image of her.¡± Throughout Kristin¡¯s report, Jason just stared at her wordlessly. Feeling his intense gaze, Kristin continued, ¡°At first, I thought I might be mistaken, or that Estre was pulling some kind of trick. But I watched them a little longer, and I swear, that child is a carbon copy of Estre as a little girl. ¡°They say sons often resemble their mothers, and Estre¡¯s boy is living proof,¡± she added. ¡°Later, I confronted Estre about it, asking if the child was yours. She insisted he had nothing to do with you. She said she¡¯s been gone from Ravenwood for three. years, hasn¡¯t seen you in all that time, and the kid¡¯s not even two. I¡¯ve seen him too. He couldn¡¯t be more than two at the most. So Jason, maybe it¡¯s time to let go. Let Estre go and free yourself too. It looks like you two just weren¡¯t meant to be.¡± Kristin had to admit, albeit reluctantly, that perhaps Estre and Jason weren¡¯t destined to be together. Her words left Jason in a long, deep silence, his emotions indescribable, as if a thousand knives were taking turns stabbing at his heart, almost suffocating him. Seeing Jason silent like this, with his hands trembling on hisp and even his hair shaking, Kristin¡¯s heart ached. No matter what a jerk he was, he was still the son she had raised for 29 years. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Gently taking Jason¡¯s hand, Kristin said, ¡°Jason, maybe it¡¯s time to move on. There¡¯ll b someone out there for you.¡± Jason ignored Kristin¡¯s advice and stood up from the couch. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going to head c You should get some rest.¡± Kristin rose with him, ¡°It¡¯s almost nine. Where could you be going now? Stay home tonight.¡± But Jason didn¡¯t respond and continued towards the door. Kristin followed and grabbed him at the doorway, ¡°Jason, are you off to see Estre? Don¡¯t fight with her. It¡¯s over. The constant arguing has driven her away. It¡¯s time to part on good terms, considering how close our families have been and how long you¡¯ve known each other.¡± Jason gently withdrew his hand from Kristin¡¯s, only asking her to rest early. Then, he drove away f from the Nelson family¡¯s mansion. Gripping the steering wheel, Jason¡¯s entire body shook as he drove, the car trembling along with him. Estre had a child. She had really moved on. The distance that usually felt so short now seemed endless. He wanted to be with Estre in an instant, but the car seemed to crawl along the road. Finally, past nine, Jason¡¯s car stopped in front of the Dorvold family¡¯s gate. He pulled out his phone and called Estre. In a cold, clear voice, he said, ¡°I¡¯m at your front door.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± came Estre¡¯sposed reply from the other end. After hanging up, Estre rubbed Isaac¡¯s hair, slipped on her jacket from the couch, and went outside. Estre knew without asking that Jason was aware of Isaac¡¯s existence and hade to confront her, likely about a divorce. So when he called, she came out. Otherwise, given his temper, her family wouldn¡¯t have peace tonight. say it.¡± Hands in her coat pockets, Estre had just reached the gate when she saw Jason. standing beside a sleek ck Bentley. Approaching him, she said, ¡°What is it? Just say. Without a word, Jason grabbed her arm and thrust her into the passenger seat. Estre snapped, ¡°Jason.¡± ¡°You sure you want to talk about this on your doorstep?¡± Jason retorted. With that, Estre fell silent. After Jason got into the car, he nced at Estre icily and reminded her, ¡°Buckle up.¡± Normally, he would¡¯ve leaned over and fastened it for her, but today, he was in no mo The drive was silent. asionally, Estre nced at Jason, whose face was very somber. Twenty nty minutester, they arrived at a fancy residentialplex and entered an apartment. Jason mmed the door behind them and went straight to the point, ¡°Is tha kid really yours?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Estre confirmed. ¡°And is he mine?¡± Jason pressed. ¡°He has nothing to do with you. If you don¡¯t believe me, get a test,¡± Estre replied. him. Without another word, Jason snatched her phone. Estre didn¡¯t stop Jason bypassed the contacts and messages, heading straight to the photo album. The sight nearly stopped his heart. Estre¡¯s phone was filled with pictures of the child: ying, eating, sleeping, even toilet-training photos. The newest ones from that afternoon confirmed the child was indeed under two. Jason¡¯s thumb flipped through the images, veins on the back of his hand protruding. His eves reddened silently. After reaching thest photo, he quietly tossed the phone onto the nearby coffee table. Jason¡¯s anger was barely contained, yet Estre¡¯sposure was unshaken. She had anticipated this confrontation since deciding to return to Ravenwood. Without retrieving her phone, she simply looked up at Jason and said, ¡°Well, what do you¡­¡± Estre¡¯s words hung in the air, unfinished, as Jason suddenly seized her by the throat. His grip was vice-like, and he shoved her backward with such force that she stumbled several times before her back mmed against the wall with a thud that echoed through the room. Only then did he stop, his right hand still gripping her neck, his eyes zing with a feral crimson fury. ¡°Estre,¡± he snarled, his voice barely controlled, ¡°you¡¯ve got some nerve. Always using me of ying the field, when I haven¡¯tid a finger on another woman. And here you are, bearing another man¡¯s child.¡± Chapter 211 Jason¡¯s sudden rage, coupled with the hard impact against the wall, left Estre feeling like her chest was caving in, her breath nearly knocked out of her. She gripped Jason¡¯s wrists tightly, her face turning a shade of crimson as she struggled and gasped, ¡°Jason, let go of me.¡± Despite her usual toughness, when Jason got this fierce, Estre knew she was outmatched. The disparity in strength between men and women was just too great. ring at Estre, Jason didn¡¯t release her. Instead, his grip on her neck tightened. Estre¡¯s oxygen was running out, and even Jason¡¯s form became blurry before her eyes. Her hands remained clutched to Jason¡¯s wrists, Estre tried to speak but couldn¡¯t. Her limbs grew weaker. Isaac, Isaac¡­ Estre thought of Isaac, realizing Isaac had no father, and might not have a mother in the future. Tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down. Enraged and tightening his hold on Estre¡¯s neck, Jason suddenly noticed that she no longer spoke and tears were slipping down her face. He realized what he was doing. Estre was close to passing out, and in a moment of shock, he let her go. Gasping for fresh air, Estre copsed to the ground, clutching her chest as she coughed violently. Looking down at Estre, weakly seated on the floor and thinking of her mysterious s Jason felt a surge of emotion that reddened his eyes. How could Estre be so cruel? How could she have a child withContent is ? by N?velDrama.Org. another man? The tightness in his chest was overwhelming. He felt as if he were the one who had be choked. Turning away, Jason walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the beautiful night view and lit himself a cigarette, seeking some sce. Back at the foyer, Estre, still pressing on her chest, was catching her breath. After finishing his cigarette, Jason stubbed it out and turned back to Estre. Just as he called her name, Estre picked up a decorative vase and hurled it at him. Jason, caught off guard, didn¡¯t dodge. He took the full impact on his forehead. A secondter, the vase shattered on the floor, blood quickly trickling down Jason¡¯s face, dripping onto the ground. Standing up with effort, Estre said firmly, ¡°Jason, I owe nothing to your family, and certainly nothing to you. My body, my womb belongs to me. It¡¯s my right to choose if I want children and whose children I want to have. You, Jason, have no say in it, and you are not entitled to demand anything from me.¡± Her deration was calm and assertive, which only intensified Jason¡¯s emotion. He stood motionless, looking into her eyes filled with disdain, and asked, ¡°Who¡¯s the father of the child?¡± He couldn¡¯t bring himself to harm Estre or the child, but the man involved, he wouldn¡¯t let him go. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± replied Estre. ¡°Estre, you think I can¡¯t find out if you don¡¯t tell me?¡± Jason pressed. Estre retorted with sarcasm, ¡°Go ahead and investigate. The man¡¯s already dead. You¡¯ve missed your chance for revenge, so you¡¯ll just have to swallow your pride.¡± ¡°You think I¡¯ll believe that?¡± Jason challenged. Estre stared at him for a moment and then said, ¡°Jason, since things havee to¡­¡± Jason cut her off, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about divorce. Even if we torment each other to death, I won¡¯t let you be with someone else.¡± He had made it clear before. Even if he no longer wanted something, he wouldn¡¯t let anyone else have it. Their eyes locked, Estre scoffed coldly and said, ¡°Jason, I already have a son. Do you think I¡¯m afraid to fight this out with you? Bring it on.¡± With that, she stormed out, mming the door behind her. Just as Estre left, Jason turned towards the window, hands shoved into his pockets. The thought of Estre having a child and contemting leaving him made his c eyes a fiery red. Tears streamed down his face, and his nose reddened. In his 29 years, he had never shed tears for anyone. But today, he felt as if his heart was being torn apart, so pained that he wished Estre had stabbed him in the heart instead of throwing a vase at his head. Jason took off his sses, pinched the bridge of his nose, and his sleeves and hand were instantly stained with blood. The wound on his head was still bleeding, but Jason seemed to have forgotten about his injury. They had li lived in each other¡¯s memories for as long as they could remember. Why did Estre always have to hit him where it hurt the most, pushing him to the edge? He was in the wrong three years ago, but no matter how upset she was, she shouldn¡¯t have gone to this extent. After calming himself slightly, Jason walked to the bar in the living room and without choosing, opened a bottle and started drinking. Today¡¯s events were too much, but he wouldn¡¯t turn to Grayson or anyone else forfort, He couldn¡¯t admit he had been cuckolded, and Estre had a son who wasn¡¯t his. After gulping down half the bottle, Jason choked, coughing more violently than Estre had earlier. Estre, damn her ruthlessness. With his mind consumed by thoughts of Estre, Jason felt as if he had lost his soul. His life seemed meaningless without her. When Bryce pulled up in his car and saw Estre¡¯s pale face and the bruises on her neck, his expression darkened instantly. ¡°Did Jason justy hands on you?¡± Without waiting for an answer, Bryce stormed toward the building. Estre hurried out of the car, grabbing Bryce, ¡°I fought back. He¡¯s got a head wound. Plus, he¡¯s still fuming. Don¡¯t go up there and be his punching bag.¡± Jason was fuming tonight, and Estre could tell just by looking at him. She reached out. and grabbed Bryce by the arm to stop him. This was a matter between her and Jason, and she didn¡¯t want to drag Bryce, Jason¡¯s own cousin, into their personal affairs. Three years ago, when Estre had left, Bryce and Jason hade to blows, although Estre herself was none the wiser at the time. Feeling Estre¡¯s grip on his arm, Bryce turned to face her. ¡°I¡¯m beat, Bryce,¡± Estre said with a hint of exhaustion in her voice. She had spent the whole day with Isaac, and after themotion earlier, she feltpletely drained and had no intention of ying peacemaker anymore. Besides, she knew Bryce was no match for Jason. If it had been otherwise, she might have let Bryce take a swing at him Noticing the fatigue in her eyes, Bryce finally focused on her and asked, ¡°You sure you a few good hits in earlier?¡± Estre just smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s definitely going to need a hospital visit.¡± At that, Bryce couldn¡¯t help butugh. Ever since she became a mother, he¡¯d almost forgotten that Estre had never been the type to be trifled with. She certainly wasn¡¯t going to let herself be on the losing end of any confrontation. Relieved to see Bryce¡¯s mood lighten, Estre pulled him back towards the car. Upstairs, Jason was still nursing his drink, stewing over the words Estre had hurled at him and thinking about her son. ¡°Jason, what happened to you? Why are you covered in blood?¡± Kristin had hurriedly followed him after he stormed out of the Nelson family¡¯s old mansion. She had raced from Sandalwood Oasis to several other properties, finally ng-na tracking him down. Her concern was etched across her face as she confronted the damaged, brooding man before her. Chapter 212 Watching Jason sprawled across the table, unconscious and covered in blood, Kristin panicked. With shaking hands, she fumbled for her cell phone from her pocket and dialed 911. Before long, the ambnce arrived, and Kristin followed it to the hospital. He had just recovered from a high fever two days ago, and now he was back in the hospital. This kid had always been healthy as a horse. What kind of bad luck had he stumbled upontely? When the doctor wheeled Jason out of the ER, he pulled down his mask and told Kristin, ¡°The injury on his head is superficial. It looks worse than it is. He¡¯ll be fine once he wakes up, though he should really cut back on the booze.¡± Kristin nodded in agreement to the doctor, and together with him and the nurses, back to the hospital room. she went ¡°If you Beside Jason¡¯s bed, who still hadn¡¯t regained consciousness, Kristinmented, couldn¡¯t get Estre out of your mind, why didn¡¯t you cherish her when you had the chance? Why did you even start things with Holly in the first ce?¡± The incident Kristin referred to happened seven years ago. It was when Jason and Estre had a heated argument that ended with Jason pping Estre. It had caused quite a stir. ¡°I always told you, you can¡¯t hurt a woman¡¯s heart. Once it¡¯s broken, it¡¯s hard to mend.¡± Though it pained her to see Estre go, Kristin felt helpless. In Jason and Estre¡¯s marriage, Kristin had done all she could as a mother and mother-inw. She couldn¡¯t have their children for them, though she would if she could, just to help them get through life. ¡°Jason, you¡¯re awake. Do you feel pain anywhere else? And what happened to your head? How did you get such a nasty cut? There was so much blood,¡± Kristin bombarded him with questions the next morning as soon as Jason opened his ey eyes. Jason, already nursing a headache, rubbed his temples and winced, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m okay.¡± Kristin¡¯s voice escted, ¡°Okay? When I found youst night, you were out cold and had alcohol poisoning. Call that okay? Why can¡¯t you take better care of yourself? Even if you¡¯re facing big problems, you need to be in good health to solve them.¡± Jason just rubbed his temples, not responding He knew the logic, but not everyone can maintain absolute rationality. Kristin sighed, ¡°Alright, alright, if you don¡¯t want to talk, I won¡¯t push you. Just promise me you¡¯ll cut down on the drinking.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Jason muttered nomittally, brushing off the night as just another episode of getting stered. After pulling himself together, Jason received a work call and went to the office despite Kristin¡¯s objections. Kristin couldn¡¯t hold him back and watched him go with a heavy heart. Why couldn¡¯t these kids appreciate the good life they had? §Ñ Downstairs in the hospital, Drew came to pick up Jason, expecting him to show up for al routine check- in, but was surprised to see a bandage across his forehead. ¡°Mr. Jason, your head¡­¡± Drew started. Before he could finish, Jason opened the passenger door and climbed into the car. Drew hurried around to the driver¡¯s side and started the car. He gripped the steering wheel with. both hands, and when he sneakily nced at Jason, he heard Jason ask him, im ¡°Did you find out anything about Estre?¡± 1 ¡°Yeah, Mr. Jason, I found something.¡± Drew replied cautiously, ¡°Not long after Ms Estre went abroad, she had a boyfriend.¡± Drew¡¯s voice grew softer as he talked about Estre¡¯s boyfriend. Jason, adjusting his cufflinks, gave Drew a look that prompted him to continue carefully, ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ the guy had a car ident not long after they started dating and didn¡¯t make it.¡± At this point, Drew fell silent. Jason just stared at Drew until he finally asked in a cool. tone, ¡°Estre¡¯s son, is he that man¡¯s?¡± Upon hearing Jason bring up Estre¡¯s son, Drew¡¯s eyes widened in shock. How on ea did Mr. Jason find out when he himself hadn¡¯t even reported back yet? It was the that Estre had a son abroad that had kept Drew from telling Jason this. very Suddenly, their car swerved dangerously close to the neighbouring vehicle, and Drew swiftly righted the steering wheel. It was clear to Drew that Jason¡¯s injury and the hospital visit were somehow connected the child. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. With his hands tightly on the wheel, Drew nodded, ¡°Yes, he is that man¡¯s child, Mr. Jason. Ms. Estre, she might have¡­¡± Drew wanted to offer some words offort, but found himself at a loss. Nothing her could say would make the situation better. Jason unbuttoned his shirt cor, his eyebrows knitting together even more tightly. Estre hadn¡¯t lied. The man was indeed dead. He felt a surge of frustration with nowhere to vent it. Sneaking a nce at Jason¡¯s grim face, Drew kept quiet, not daring to breathe too loudly. Mrs. Estre was tough. She walked away without looking back, started a life with another man and had a child without a second thought for Mr. Jason. Meanwhile, at the Dorvold family home. Estre got herself ready, greeted her mom and Isaac, and headed out the door. As she stepped outside, Bryce¡¯s car was already waiting, honking for her. Estre climbed into Bryce¡¯s car. ¡°Hey,¡± she greeted as Bryce handed her breakfast. Estre smiled, ¡°You¡¯re getting more thoughtful every day.¡± Bryce started the car and nced at Estre, asking, ¡°You feeling better now?¡± Estre opened the breakfast bag, pulled out a pack of soy milk, and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m not as fragile as you think.¡± Thankfully, recent weather had brought a wee chill, making Estre¡¯s choice to wrap a scarf around her neck less conspicuous. It conveniently hid the red marks Jason had left the previous evening. Bryce¡¯s voice broke through her thoughts. ¡°So, Jason is still refusing to sign the divorce papers?¡± Every time Bryce mentioned Jason, Estre felt a headacheing on. She replied with a weary sigh, ¡°When has he ever done the right thing? When has he ever made things easy for anyone?¡± These days, Bryce was at a loss for words when it came to insulting Jason. Jason had never done a single good deed. If Jason would just consent to the divorce with Estre, then, at least, Bryce could chall up one good act in Jason¡¯s life. Bryce¡¯s silence was palpable. Estre, attempting to lighten the mood, said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. If he wants to drag his feet, let him. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m in a hurry to get hitched to someone else.¡± Bryce shot her a look and said. ¡°Easy for you to say.¡± Estre hadn¡¯t managed to get her divorce finalized, and Bryce seemed even more anxious about it than she was. After another ten minutes or so, the car pulled up in front of thew firm. Bryce watched Estre ascend the steps into the building before he started the engine and drove away. Since the altercationst night, Jason had note looking for Estre. She was grateful for the brief respite-a few days of much-needed peace. Chapter 213 That evening, Keith remarked that it had been ages since the family hadst gathered at home, so Kristin was roped in to round everyone up. Jason had no desire to return, but Kristin yed the guilt card, reminding him that Keith and Amber weren¡¯t getting any younger, and that each visit could very well be thest. Reluctantly, Jason made his way back. With a nomittal grunt, Jason acknowledged the group, his response as muted as his enthusiasm for the reunion. The looks he received made him ufortable. Past or present, he never took kindly to pity, and it was abundantly clear that the news about Estre¡¯s child had already made the rounds within the family. ¡°Jason, if things are truly unbearable, just get a divorce,¡± his aunt blurted out. ¡°Exactly, there are plenty of fish in the sea. Why fixate on one?¡± another chimed in. else. It¡¯s Estre should have at least finalized things before moving on with c downright disrespectful to sneak off, have a kid abroad, and drag the Nelson family name through the mud,¡± a cousin added indignantly. ¡°I used to like your wife, but she really crossed the line this time, bro. Let her go. Besides, there¡¯s no way you can swallow your pride after this.¡± Jason had specifically avoideding home to sidestep these very confrontations, y here he was, unable to escape. Surrounded by rtives quick to fault Estre, Jason sounded cold as he interjected, issues between Estre and me are my own fault. She¡¯s done nothing wrong, and I¡¯d appreciate it if you all stayed out of it.¡±. His deration didn¡¯t sit well with his aunt. ¡°Even if you were at fault before, it¡¯s not like youmitted murder or anything. You haven¡¯t brought the child home. Look what Estre has done now.¡± Estre had always been a family favorite until she returned with a child, tarnishing the family¡¯s reputation in everyone¡¯s eyes. They thought she went too far, even if she was having a disagreement with Jason. Seeing the tide turn against Jason, his uncle offered, ¡°Why are you being so stubborn, Jason? Mr. Young¡¯s daughter has taken quite a liking to you. She¡¯s a decent girl, quiet and demure. It would be good for you-and thepany-if you were with her.¡± ¡°You and Estre just aren¡¯t right for each other. It¡¯s time to let go.¡± ¡°And besides, you two haven¡¯t had kids after all these years. It¡¯ll be a clean break.¡± The sound of Jason mming his cutlery on the table echoed through the room. ¡°I don¡¯t need your advice on my rtionship. Nobody knows better than I do what went wrong between Estre and me. And for the record, she¡¯s only ever responded to the way I¡¯ve treated her.¡± ¡°Jason, my boy, why won¡¯t you listen? Do you think we¡¯re out to hurt you?¡± a rtive. pleaded. ¡°That¡¯s right, and since there¡¯s no children involved, the divorce will be easier.¡± At that moment, almost everyone in the Nelson family was on one side, overwhelmingly not supporting Jason and Estre being together. They were all advising them to separate. Kristin, watching the unfolding drama, felt her eyes welling up. She had never imagined it woulde to this. However, she couldn¡¯t stand to hear them badmouth Estre and said, ¡°Enough, guys. I know more about Jason and Estre¡¯s life together than any of you. ¡°Estre was pushed to the brink, her heart broken, and that¡¯s why she retaliated against Jason. As a woman, I understand her. Estre has been more than enough all these years, and it¡¯s Jason who failed to cherish her. We simply don¡¯t deserve her.¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Kristin, too, was a woman and she understood Estre¡¯s pain, as well as the ire of Jason¡¯s aunts after all, Jason was their beloved nephew. But in this world, not all is ck and white. Many things are not a matter of right or wrong. The marriage between Estre and Jason was a matter of ipatibility more than anything else they simply weren¡¯t suited to be husband and wife. ¡°Why are you defending her¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re usually so sensible, how can you¡­¡± Bryce had been silent since stepping into the yard, and his parents were the only elders who hadn¡¯t commented, knowing well of Bryces close rtionship with Estre and not wishing to cause their son pain. Moreover, they were privy to more details about Estre and Jason¡¯s situation than the others, as Bryce would sometimes share bits and pieces-like the times Jason stood tre up, or that he was oblivious to her hospital stay. In all honesty, had it been their daughter in Estre¡¯s ce, they would have demanded a divorce long ago and sought a better match without hesitation. As the family¡¯s remarks grew more oundish, even using the fact that Estre hadn¡¯t given the Nelson family an heir as a pretext, Bryce¡¯s patience snapped. He mmed his cutlery down, ¡°Will you all just stop?¡± His sudden outburst startled everyone into silence, their eyes collectively turning to him. What had gotten into him? Bryce, typically meek andpliant with the family elders, was 08.04 now making a scene in front of everyone. In their eyes, Bryce was still the same clueless kid who had lucked into sess, riding on the coattails of the Nelson family¡¯s good fortune. Faced with their stares, Bryce smirked bitterly. ¡°So Estre had a child. So what? She is a person. Who among you raised her? Who¡¯s to say that she has to give birth to Jason¡¯s child?¡± he shot back. ¡°It¡¯s her body, her choice.¡± As Bryce spoke, his aunts retorted, ¡°No one¡¯s saying her child has to bear the Nelson. name, or that it must be Jason¡¯s. But she should¡¯ve gotten divorced first instead of carrying on with someone else while she is still married.¡± ¡°Bryce, your aunt wasn¡¯t wrong. Back in the old days, Estre¡¯s antics would¡¯vended her in the stocks.¡± Bryce found his aunts¡¯ words amusing. Then, with a swift turn of his head, Bryce set his gaze on Jason, his voiceden with usation, ¡°Jason, are you telling me Estre never gave you a chance? She never carried your child?¡± Bryce¡¯s words hung in the air, and the room fell into a stunned silence. Everyone exchanged bewildered nces, utterly lost. Kristin¡¯s eyes widened, fixated on Bryce as she asked. ¡°Bryce, what on earth are you talking about? Spit it out!¡± Ignoring Kristin¡¯s probing, Bryce continued his interrogation, his eyes never leaving Jason. ¡°Jason, put your hand on your heart and tell everyone here, do you deserve to have Estre bear your child? Are you worthy of being the father of Estre¡¯s kids?¡± ¡°In the years you¡¯ve been married to Estre, have you ever lived up to the role of a husband? Have you ever truly treated Estre as your wife?¡± Chapter 214 At this point, Bryce¡¯s mother also became anxious. She turned to him and asked, ¡°Son, is there something you haven¡¯t told me?¡± Bryce looked at his mother¡¯s hand grasping for answers, gently patted it, and stood up. ¡°Since everyone here is so eager to settle scores with Estre, I¡¯lly it all out for you.¡± ¡°Jason, during those years you were married to Estre, you know damn well how seldom you came home. Did Estre everin? I won¡¯t even start on those scandals you had on the side. And then there was the car ident. Remember when Estre called you from the hospital, needing your signature, and you just hung up on her? ¡°Let¡¯s not dig too far into the past. Let¡¯s talk about three years ago when Estre was traveling for work. You promised to pick her up at the airport, but instead, you stood her to be with Holly. Estre was pregnant at the time, waiting for you at Sandalwood Oasis, only to be knocked over by a stray cat, resulting in a miscarriage. That security footage from your ce should still be around right? up ¡°Estre was hospitalized for a week after losing the baby. Did you even call her once? Visit her even once? Hell, you didn¡¯t even see her once before she left Ravenwood. ¡°It¡¯s not that Estre couldn¡¯t bear children or give birth to a Nelson heir. It¡¯s that the Nelson family doesn¡¯t deserve her. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Now I¡¯ve got to ask you all, what gives Jason the right to expect Estre to remain pure for him? Why shouldn¡¯t Estre be with someone else? Besides, Estre tried to hand Jason divorce papers more than once. He just wouldn¡¯t sign them.¡± Bryce kept referring to ¡®you Nelsons¡¯ as if he wasn¡¯t one of them. By the time Bryce finished speaking, Kristin¡¯s eyes were brimming with tears. She turned Jason and demanded, ¡°Jason, is it true what Bryce is saying? Did Estre have a child three years ago, and the child was lost at Sandalwood Oasis?¡± Jason¡¯s face flushed with shame at the mention of the child. He swallowed hard and remained silent. Kristin pped him hard across the face, demanding, ¡°Jason, talk to me! Is what Bryce is saying true? Did you stand Estre up? Did she lose the baby?¡± As Kristin¡¯s ps and punchesnded on him, Jason finally snapped back to reality, his voice choked as he admitted, ¡°Estre was indeed pregnant back then, and it was my mistake.¡± At Jason¡¯s admission, Kristin burst into inconsble tears. Her grandchild, her first grandchild, was gone lost because of her son¡¯s foolishness over Holly. Suddenly, the once proud Nelsons fell silent. 08:04 1 As Jason stood up, hands in his pockets, Landon delivered a fierce p across his face. Jason had been a fool, neglecting Estre time and again for others. Jason¡¯s cheek quickly reddened with the imprint of Landon¡¯s fingers. He tasted blood in his mouth and managed a bitter, self-deprecating smile, saying nothing. What was this ppared to Estre¡¯s loss? Bryce couldn¡¯t help feeling vindicated. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t stop now. Keep pushing for that divorce. On behalf of my E, I thank you. And when that divorce paper is in hand, I¡¯ll make sure you get a fat check as a token of appreciation.¡± A divorce could happen, but no one had the right to speak ill of Estre, who was faultless in this crumbling marriage. Bryce¡¯s defiance was clear, but his aunts, reminded of Jason¡¯s past actions, had nothing. more to say. If this was the truth, then Estre had every right to hold her head high, for Jason was the one in debt to her from the start. With the family silenced, Bryce grabbed his jacket from the chair and left without looking back. ¡°Oh, the tragedy!¡± Amber cried out upon learning of her great-grandchild¡¯s fate, her sobs echoing through the house. As Keith attempted to discipline Jason with his cane, he copsed, his vision going dark. ¡°Dad! Dad!¡± For a moment, the Nelson family mansion became chaotic. Past 2 a.m., Keith emerged from the emergency room with a furrowed brow, his anger peaking at the sight of Jason. Keith called Jason a bastard, and he regretted ever agreeing to the marriage with Estre. Noticing Keith¡¯s disdain for Jason, Kristin sent her son away. In the hallway, Jason leaned against the wall, defeated, and lit a cigarette. His figure was lonely silhouette in the smoke-filled corridor. Kristin, emerging from the room and seeing Jason¡¯s troubled state, couldn¡¯t muster any anger. ¡°Mom,¡± said Jason, stubbing out his cigarette as Kristin approached. He straightened his back, ready to face her. With a sigh, Kristin told him, ¡°Your grandfather is still furious. Go home and get some rest.¡± Jason remained silent. Looking up at him, Kristin added, ¡°I know losing the baby with Estre was hard on you, ¦°¦¡¦°¦¡ and that¡¯s why you¡¯ve been resisting the divorce. But thank goodness Estre has a child now, or she¡¯d never have peace.¡± At this point, Kristin paused, searching for the right words to convey the gravity of her thoughts. She then continued, ¡°Jason, honey, what I¡¯m trying to say is, if your decision to stay married is because you can¡¯t bear to part with Estre, you want to make things right with her, and you¡¯remitted to treating her well from here on out, then I¡¯m behind your one hundred percent. I¡¯ll love Estre¡¯s child as if they were my own flesh and blood.¡± ¡°But if you¡¯re just holding on out of spite, because you can¡¯t stand the thought of her having someone else¡¯s child, then maybe it¡¯s time to let go. There¡¯s no point in dragging each other through the mud. ¡°And another thing, if you do choose to stick it out with Estre, I hope you¡¯ll take a long hard look at your own behavior, son. You¡¯ve always had this lone-wolf streak, always been a bit too headstrong and domineering. Plus, you¡¯re not exactly the poster boy for sharing your feelings. Everything gets bottled up inside. If you really want to make it work with Estre, you¡¯re going to have to work on those things.¡± ¦°¦¡¦°¦¡ Chapter 215 Listening to Kristin¡¯s words, Jason slid off his wire-rimmed sses and massaged his temples. Kristin added, ¡°Take some time to think about it. If you want to be with Estre, you need to have a serious talk with her. But you must let go of the pastpletely, and truly ept her child as your own.¡± Jason remained silent for a long moment before giving a nomittal ¡®hmm¡¯ in response. Kristin, despite her tough love, felt a pang of remorse. It was her son, after all, and her maternal instincts tugged at her heartstrings. She patted Jason on the shoulder reassuringly and said, ¡°Go home, son. Your Aunts and I have things covered here.¡± With Kristin¡¯s insistence, Jason finally agreed to leave. Watching his retreating figure, Kristin called out, ¡°Think it over when you get home.¡± Jason waved without turning around and headed toward the elevator. Alone in the hallway, Kristin sighed helplessly. She didn¡¯t push Jason towards or away from divorce because she knew her son better than anyone else. His determination and choices were his own, and as his mother, all she could do was gently guide him on Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. critical matters. It wasn¡¯t until Jason¡¯s silhouette had long disappeared from sight that Kristin turned to the hospital room. Jason, hands in his pockets, stepped into the elevator without a word. He had ep Bryce¡¯s ount of events without question, not bothering to exin his side or spea how he nearly lost his life because of Estre. The next day, when Estre heard that Keith from the Nelson family had been hospitaliz her thoughts immediately went to Jason and Bryce. In the dining room, Estre looked at Bryce and asked, ¡°Is this about you or Jason?¡± Jesse sat across from Estre, feeding Isaac and keeping him entertained. Bryce replied nonchntly, ¡°I just told them what happened three years ago. The responsibility lies with Jason.¡± ¡°Smart move,¡± Jesse said, giving Bryce a thumbs-up. ¡°It¡¯s important to set the record straight, so they don¡¯t me Estre for having a child without considering what Jason did.¡± While Jesse spoke, Estre covered Isaac¡¯s ears with her hands. 08:04 Isaac, ever the obedient child, didn¡¯t try to remove Estre¡¯s hands and simply watched Bryce and Jesse with a smile that crinkled his eyes into slits. Jesse melted at the sight. ¡°Estre, your kid is too cute. Human toddlers are so much fun.¡± Estre teased back, ¡°Well, don¡¯t just envy. Get a move on.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind. After the New Year, I¡¯ll have a bunch myself,¡± Jesse dered. Estre nearly spit out her soup at Jesse¡¯s remark, while Bryce raised his thumb in admiration, ¡°You¡¯ve got guts.¡± These women, each more capable of stirring up a storm than thest. After praising Jesse, Bryce added, ¡°I think Jason might be starting to waver. I¡¯ll add a little more fuel to the fire, and soon, Estre, you¡¯ll be free.¡± Estre smiled serenely, sensing that resolution was near. After the meal, as Estre drove home with Isaac, she spotted Kristin standing on the roadside not far from the Dorvolds¡¯ ce, beside a white Porsche, apparently waiting for her. Slowing down, Estre pulled over and got out. She asked in surprise. ¡°Kristin, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I was waiting for you,¡± Kristin said, her voice heavy with emotion. ¡°Yesterday, I heard. some things from Bryce. I feel too ashamed to set foot in the Dorvold family to your parents.¡± As Kristin finished speaking, Isaac opened the car window from the back seat and cheerfully called out, ¡°Grandma.¡± Isaac¡¯s warmth and generosity matched Estre¡¯s perfectly. At Isaac¡¯s call, Kristin¡¯s eyes welled up, and she responded with a firm ¡°Hello!¡± Kristin¡¯s acknowledgment brought a smile to Estre¡¯s face. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Estre asked. Kristin sighed and said, ¡°Keith was hospitalizedst night. He wants to see you and apologize on behalf of the Nelson family.¡± ¡°Tell Grandpa it¡¯s not necessary. Besides, this is between Jason and me. We shouldn¡¯t involve the rest of you.¡± ¡°The hurt you¡¯ve suffered because of Jason is our fault for not raising him right. Estre, could you please visit Grandpa? He might not make it through the year,¡± Kristin pleaded. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t pressure you about anything with Jason. We¡¯ll stay out of it and respect your wishes.¡± With no room left to refuse, especially given her long-standing rtionship with the non Nelsons, Estre agreed to visit Keith. Setting aside theplicated rtionship between her and Jason, it was only right for her to visit Keith when he was ill. Exhaling softly, Estre said, ¡°Mom, Isaac¡¯s still in the car. I¡¯lle by tomorrow, okay?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Just drop by whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± After finalizing their ns, Estre said goodbye to Kristin, and as she got back into the car, Isaac waved and said, ¡°Bye-bye, Grandma. Kristin watched them drive away, feeling a bittersweet ache in her heart. How wonderful it would be if Isaac were her grandson.. It wasn¡¯t until Estre¡¯s car vanished from view that Kristin got into her Porsche and drove away. True to her word, Estre visited Keith the following afternoon after work. In the hospital room, when Keith saw Estre, he kept apologizing. He said that the Nelson family didn¡¯t educate Jason well, leading her to suffer so much. He also mentioned that once he was discharged, he would personallye to apologize. Estre, listening to this, quickly interjected, ¡°Grandpa, my mom doesn¡¯t know about this, and besides, it¡¯s in the past. There¡¯s no need to bring it up again.¡± She knew her mother, Autumn, would go ballistic if she found out about that ident all those years ago. Estre had made up her mind to leave Jason, and she didn¡¯t see the point in causing a big scene. Better to keep things quiet than to stir up more trouble and idle chatter. Hearing Estre¡¯s unfazed response, and realising they¡¯d only heard about the incident from Bryce, Keith sighed appreciatively, ¡°Estre, you really are the considerate one here Estre chatted with Keith for a while. As she was about to say her goodbyes, Keith spok up, ¡°Estre, Jason feels terribly guilty about the child, and regarding your wish for a divorce, just give him some time toe to terms with it. He¡¯ll see reason.¡± Their families had been close for so many years, and Keith truly didn¡¯t want to see the bond shatter. ¡°I understand, Grandpa,¡± Estre replied. At this point, there was no use arguing with Jason anymore. She would just wait for him toe around, which she felt was going to be soon. Jason wasn¡¯t the kind of man who could let things slide or wear the cuckold¡¯s horns without protest. Just as Estre had finished her promise, the door to the hospital room swung open once more. She turned to look toward the entrance and saw Jason walking in.. Ta: ¡ª Chapter 216 Kristin and Keith didn¡¯t expect Jason toe at this time. For a moment, Kristin felt awkward. When Kristin looked at Estre, Kristin used her eyes to exin that she didn¡¯t call Jason, and she didn¡¯t know why he came. Keith, sensing the tension, turned to Jason and said with a casual smile, ¡°Jason, timing couldn¡¯t be better. It happens to be dinner time. Why don¡¯t you take Estre out for a bite? I owe her a formal meal and an apology once I¡¯m out of this hospital bed.¡± Jason acknowledged with a nonchnt ¡®hm¡¯ and agreed to the n. Fearing Estre might decline the offer, Kristin quickly chimed in, ¡°Estre, it¡¯s about that time for dinner anyway. Why not grab something to eat with Jason before heading back?¡± ¡°Sure, why not.¡± Estre wasn¡¯t one to make a fuss. Agreeing with Kristin and Keith didn¡¯t. mean she was bound to follow through, so after bidding them farewell, she left the hospital room with Jason. The ward was quiet, with few patients around, and silence filled the corridors as they made their way to the elevator. Jason reached out and pressed the button. Soon, they were in the parking lot, where Estre turned to Jason and said, ¡°You go on with your business. I¡¯ll head back now.¡± Jason simply replied, ¡°I¡¯ll drive you home.¡± She nced at her watch, and Jason added, ¡°Just to drop you off.¡± He knew that Estre had only agreed earlier to appease his mother and grandfather, ap since she now had a child who was probably eager for her return, Jason tactfully avoid bringing up the dinner invitation again. Earlier that afternoon, Estre had gone to the government offices with Logan, who had given her a lift to the hospital. When Jason offered to drive her home, Estre didn¡¯t put on airs. She opened the passenger door and got into the car without a fuss. After all, they had known each other for decades. It would be petty to argue over such a trivial matter. They both understood, deep down, that their paths were diverging. It was only a matter of waiting for the right moment to have that final, definitive talk The car started, and they drove in afortable silence, so profound that it felt like they were alone, yet acutely aware of each other¡¯s presence. Eventually, the car pulled up to the Dorvold family¡¯s residence. From a distance, Estre could see the Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. nanny waiting outside with Isaad, her heart instantly lighting up at the sight of her child. Seeing Isaac at the end of the day was her happiest, most rxing moment. Although Jason hadn¡¯t been watching Estre intently, he caught her reaction in the corner of his eye. Following her gaze to the front gate, where the nanny stood holding her son, Jason¡¯s heart clenched painfully. It felt as though someone had taken a knife and diced his heart into pieces. As Estre got out of the car, Jason did the same. ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°Mommy!¡± Isaac¡¯s voice sang out, stretching his arms wide for an embrace. Estre, beaming with joy, scooped Isaac into her arms, and Isaac buried his head in his mother¡¯s neck, breathing in her familiar scent. The nanny greeted him with a respectful, ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± It was only then that Estre realized Jason had followed her out of the car. Holding Isaac, she turned to Jason, who was still watching Isaac, and said, ¡°Thanks for the ride.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± Jason replied, his gaze shifting from Isaac back to Estre. As he observed the striking resemnce between Estre and the child-who looked to be no more than two at most-he felt an overwhelming urge to reach out and touch Isaac. But as his hand hovered just above Isaac¡¯s head, a tremor ran through his fingers, and he hesitated. This child was his symbol of betrayal, and Jason couldn¡¯t bring himself to make contact. Unfazed by Jason¡¯s pause, Estre simply said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should head Snapping out of his momentary trance, Jason pocketed his hand and nodded in agreement. Estre told Isaac to say goodbye to Jason, and in his sweet, childlike Isaac managed a timid ¡°Bye, mister.¡± After their brief exchange, Estre carried Isaac back inside, leaving Jason standing entrance of the Dorvold estate, watching them disappear into the house. There was a time when he almost came to the Dorvold family daily. However,ter, wh he became the son-inw of the Dorvold family, he stoppinging around anymore. Now, when he wanted to go in again, he found an unbridgeable gap between himself and that gate. They could never go back to the way things were. It was a long while after Estre¡¯s figure had vanished from sight that Jason, without a word, climbed into his car. He sat there silently for an age before finally starting the engine and driving away. In the following days, every time he thought of Isaac, his heart ached terribly, especially at the thought that the child was the legacy of another man. That realization left him feeling. hopelessly choked up. 08.04 For all these years, he might have seemed a free spirit, but in truth, he had. her, never been unfaithful to their marriage. Neither physically nor emotionally. I never betrayed The thought that he and she could never return to what they were, and their next meeting might be at the registrar¡¯s office, made Jason¡¯s heart cling to reluctance. After Jason calmed down, Estre didn¡¯t bother with him. That morning, she returned from the courthouse, and her phone, lying on the table, suddenly rang. Estre picked it up and nced at the screen, then stepped outside to take the call. Chapter 217 The call was from Serene. Estre walked to the stairwell at the safe exit and answered the phone. After wrapping up the conversation, Estre returned to her desk, immersing herself once again in the sea of paperwork that awaited her It wasn¡¯t until Friday, apanying Logan to aworking event, that Estre found herself in the same orbit as Jason. ¡°Mr. Jason,¡± Logan greeted with a smile bright as the spring sun, reaching out for a handshake as they bumped into Jason. Despite Estre¡¯s departure from Ravenwood and Justice Guardians LLP, Nelson International¡¯s legal affairs were still tethered to her former firm. ¡°Logan, Jason returned the handshake with polite detachment. His gaze then settled on Estre, and with a mild, ¡°How¡¯s it going,¡± he acknowledged her presence. In that moment, Jason seemed to have come to terms with the fact that Estre was no longer his alone, and she was now a mother. ¡°Yeah,¡± Estre replied, her voice steady andposed. Logan told Jason about the work. Only when Logan saw Jason raise his hand to check his watch did Logan leave. While riding the elevator with Estre, Logan noticed her expressionless face, and thoug of her calm demeanor when she encountered Jason just now. He couldn¡¯t help but feel emotional. Three years ago, the couple had seemed so connected. ¡°Life sure is unpredictable,¡± he thought to himself. He wanted to ask Estre about it, but instead, he simply remarked, ¡°Jason¡¯s a decent guy.¡± Estre just smiled, saying nothing. Perhaps Jason was decent to everyone but her. The official meeting was the following day, and Estre, once back in her room, didn¡¯t venture out again, not even for dinner. In the evening, when Drew arranged a dinner gathering, Jason realized that Serene had alsoe. She didn¡¯t sit next to him, but it was clear she was still attentive to Jason, noticing the subtle shift in his demeanor over the years-a shift towards a colder aloofness. Halfway through the meal, Jason stepped out to take a call, and Serene followed. When Jason turned to head back, he caught sight of Serene approaching. With a frown, he dug out a cigarette and lighter from his pocket and lit up. Serene approached, exining, ¡°The admin office has been swamped, so Mr. Howard asked me to join the trip.¡± Jason flicked the ash from his cigarette, uninterested. Her presence had never been the root of the problems between him and Estre They talked some more, and when Serene exined that she had already cleared up the reasons for the trip with Estre that afternoon, Jason remained silent. After finishing his cigarette, he returned to the private dining room. Past nine, as the dinner came to a close, Jason had a bit of wine, and Serene insisted on escorting an inebriated Jason to his room. *Jason, let me brew you some coffee to sober up,¡± Serene offered as she helped him to the couch and set her bag on the coffee table before heading to the kitchte. Leaning back, Jason felt a heavy throbbing in his head, a strange restlessness bubbling within b ¡°Jason, are you feeling alright?¡± Serene returned with the coffee, noticing the crease of difort on his forehead. She knelt beside the couch, reaching out to check his temperature. Her fingers barely brushed his skin when she felt an overwhelming tension, yet she asked, ¡°Is it your stomach? Should I call a doctor?¡± Jason, his eyes still closed, didn¡¯t respond, but Serene grew bolder at his silence, her hand tracing a path from his forehead to his cheek, then to his adam¡¯s apple, her fingers trembling. After years of knowing him and longing for him, she was closer than ev before but dared not hope for more. When Jason still hadn¡¯t opened his eyes, Serene whispered, ¡°You must be tired, Jas Holly¡¯s passing, the rtionship between him and Estre, Holly¡¯s return, and Estrell return ¨C this situation would be stressful for anyone involved. There¡¯s still no response from Jason. Taking a deep breath, she leaned in closer, just wanting to offer him a moment off but as she was about to kiss him, Jason¡¯s eyes snapped open, and his hand shot out, stopping her in her tracks. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Jason¡¯s sudden movement startled Serene as she fell back onto the sofa. ¡°Jason,¡± she uttered, her voice trembling. Without a word, Jason pushed her onto the adjacent sofa. Her eyes reddened instantly. ¡°I don¡¯t expect anything from you, Jason. I just want you to be a little happier, and let go of some of that repression,¡± she pleaded, looking utterly pitiable. Serene had cherished her affection for Jason since her heart first fluttered for him, no no despite knowing it was a dead end. Jason¡¯s gaze was ice as he said, ¡°Serene, you are not usually this bold.¡± ¡°Jason, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand,¡± Serene replied, her face paling as she sat up, ¡°I was just ¡± Before she could finish, Jason coldly lifted her purse from the coffee table, extracting a miniature camera and mming it onto her face. ¡°Drugging me, nting a camera¡­ Have I been too polite to you?¡± The camera ttered against her, and Serene froze, her face draining of color, leaving her speechless before Jason¡¯s unflinching stare. As Serene stared at him without speaking, Jason coldly said, ¡°Serene, I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t want me to use the same tactics on you that I reserve for others.¡± The implication was clear-if she didn¡¯te clean with her motives, the conspirators behind her, and her reasons, he wouldn¡¯t consider the fact that she had once saved him. She shouldn¡¯t test his patience. At Jason¡¯s threat, Serene¡¯s face drained of color. Swallowing hard, she stared at Jason. motionless for a long while before finally speaking up. ¡°Estre¡­ it was Estre who gave me the pills. She said if I could help her get evidence of your infidelity, it would aid her in getting a divorce, and in return, she would help me get together with you.¡± Before Jason could respond, Serene continued, ¡°Jason, I never dared to hope for anything between us, but you know what Estre is like. If I hadn¡¯t helped her, she would never have let me off the hook.¡± ¡°I was never a match for any of you. From the beginning to the end, I was just a a pa you and Estre. I never had a choice.¡± As she spoke, Serene¡¯s eyes reddened, and clutched at Jason¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Jason, I know I made a mistake, but I was desperate.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t fire me, and don¡¯t make me leave thepany, okay? I still need to sup my mom and my little brother. Give me one more chance, will you? I promise I won¡¯t s out of line again. And since I failed to produce the evidence this time, Estre surely we looking for me anymore.¡± Jason looked down at Serene, learning that the pills came from Estre, and it was Estre who wanted her to fabricate evidence of his cheating. In that moment, it felt as though a bucket of ice water had been poured over him, chilling him to the core. The drug Serene had slipped him had no effect. He felt no warmth, only a cold anger at Estre¡¯s ruthlessness. ¡°Sorry, Jason!¡± He shook off Serene¡¯s grasp, repressed the fury in his heart, and stormed out of the room, heading straight for Estre¡¯s quarters. Chapter 218 Bang! Bang! Bang! The pounding on the door jolted Estre awake just as she had closed her eyes for the night. ¡°Who the hell is it?¡± Estre grumbled, her irritation clear as her desire for sleep battled with the persistent knocking. No sooner had her voice faded than the knocking resumed with renewed vigor. Estre sighed, pushed herself out of bed, and without even bothering with shoes, went to answer the door. The moment Estre swung the door open and locked eyes with Jason, any trace of drowsiness evaporated, reced by a cool, distant facade. Before she could get a word out, Jason cut to the chase, ¡°You got Serene to drug me? You want to set me up with that cheating scandal?¡± Originally filled with anger, he wanted tosh out at her, question her, but seeing her standing in front of him like this, thinking about the fall she took three years ago, and realizing that he and she could never go back, Jason suddenly couldn¡¯t muster the He just calmly sought confirmation from her. anger. Estre met his gaze, and with a dismissive tone, she said, ¡°Yeah, that happened.¡± Her blunt admission sent a stab of pain through Jason¡¯s heart. He had clung to a sliver of hope that perhaps Serene was meddling, but Estre¡¯s acknowledgment dashed it all. Jason, hands still casually in his pockets, stared at Estre for a long moment, turned away in silence, and then faced her again. Unlike in the past when he would vent his anger on her, argue about right and wrong, or me her for going too far, Jason just looked at her and said, ¡°I promise you, when we go back, I¡¯ll go through the formalities with you. Whether it was out of spite or sheer exhaustion, Jason was tired of holding on. Even when he had discovered Estre was pregnant, he hadn¡¯t thought of giving up. He¡¯d always made excuses for her in his mind, telling himself she was just being obstinate because she was angry with him for past neglects, just like that fire seven years ago. But Jason couldn¡¯t stomach the thought of her pushing him into the arms of another woman, and he couldn¡¯t ept that she had Serene drug him. In that moment, he felt a chill of disillusionment and an acute sense of loss, realizing how much Estre despised him, and how desperately she wanted to be free of their rtionship. Estre, he knew, was beyond his reach. She always told him to let her go, and this time. he would. 08-04 Estre was momentarily taken aback, then offered him a smile and a casual ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Estre,¡± himself son called out her name. She looked at him, expecting more, but he found himself at a loss for words and simply added, Have a good night.¡± ¡°You too,¡± she replied. Watching his retreating figure, Estre felt a sudden pang of empathy for his seeming solitude and destion. As Jason rounded the corner and vanished from sight, she closed her door and leaned against it, exhaling deeply. She gazed out the suite¡¯s floor-to-ceiling windows, her thoughts drifting to the phone call she had received from Serene just days before. On Monday, Serene had called her and said, ¡°Estre, are you sure you want to divorce Jason? Do you really want me to help you?¡± Estre had replied, ¡°If you can help, I won¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll help you,¡± Serene had said, then added, ¡°If you really want a divorce, when Jasones to have anypassion left, don¡¯t want to be falsely used, and don¡¯t want to disappoint Jason, you can deny everything. I¡¯ll take the fall.¡± e you, just admit to whatever he asks. But if you w ¡°But Estre, if you deny it, then never bring up divorce again. Stay with Jason, live your lives together, because deep down you still love him, and you don¡¯t want to be N?velDrama.Org is the owner. misunderstood.¡± And so, she had agreed to Serene¡¯s proposal. Now, with a chuckle, Estre acknowledged that she hadn¡¯t misjudged Serene. She wa indeed the cleverest, most adept at maniption, and it had taken just one move to shatter Jason¡¯s resolve and anger. Estre couldn¡¯t deny that Serene had also given her a chance to choose again. She cou have denied everything when confronted by Jason, possibly leading to a different oue. But in that moment, seeing Jason, she had chosen not to forgive. She had chosen to persist with the divorce. She couldn¡¯t forget the past, couldn¡¯t bear the thought of him with someone else, and most crucially, she had long since stopped liking Jason. It was over. Everything was finally over. Meanwhile, Jason didn¡¯t return to his own suite. Instead, he found himself on the hotel rooftop, alone with his thoughts and a cigarette. was The wind was fierce, tousling his hair, but his demeanor eerily calm, as if he were a 08:04 man without a soul. He and Estre were finally to part ways. He once thought that as long as they obtained the marriage certificate, whether they loved or fought with each other, they would never be apart in this lifetime. As thest drag of his cigarette burnt his fingers, Jason flinched, then snuffed out the butt beside him. Three dayster, as life resumed in the city center after the meeting, a call from Drew came through. ¡°Ms. Estre, Mr. Jason is already at the registry office,¡± Drew¡¯s voice informed her through the phone. Without hesitation, Estre replied, ¡°Tell him to wait. I¡¯ll be there in 20 minutes.¡± Meals could be skipped, sleep could be missed, but a divorce was not to be dyed. Back in her office, after hanging up with Drew, Estre nodded to Logan and dashed out to her car, speeding toward the registry office. ¡°Ms. Estre,¡± Drew called out as she stepped out into the open air of the registry¡¯s parking lot. Estre turned and saw Jason¡¯s car parked not far off. The end of their shared story was waiting just a few steps away. Estre felt a twinge of gratitude that he had agreed toe to the city hall, and rea end their marriage. So, when she heard Drew¡¯s voice, she couldn¡¯t help but approach ¡°Ms Estre.¡± As Estre walked up to the sleek ck Maybach, Drew hurriedly ope the passenger door for her. ncing inside, Estre saw Jason, still d in his customary suit, his nose adorned his signature gold-rimmed sses. ¡°Get in,¡± came Jason¡¯s cool voice, prompting Estre to bend down and slide into the cal Drew ge gently closed the door behind her, and Jason reached for a thick stack of documents resting nearby. ¡°These shares are from my stake in Nelson International, this is a list of my fixed assets, and these agreements,¡± he said, motioning to the papers, ¡°wille into effect once you sign them.¡± Estre remained silent as she looked over the documents Jason handed her. Facing her reticence, Jason calmly assured her, ¡°This is what you¡¯re entitled to.¡± He had divided the shares and assets, giving Estre her fair share. Throughout their years of marriage, Jason had never been one to spend money on Estre. Now that they had reached this juncture, he was not stingy in the least. Chapter 219 Watching Jason extend an offer that amounted to a fortune fit for the Forbes list, it was only Estre¡¯s weathered heart and the icy resolve born from a myriad of trials that kept her from faltering. Had this been a few years earlier, she might have wavered, and brazenly suggested they give it another try. She took a deep breath, not epting the share transfer documents and portfolio Jason pushed towards her. ¡°Jason, I don¡¯t take what isn¡¯t mine. What we had, it was never about money.¡± As he began to protest, she cut in, ¡°Just get the papers signed, that¡¯s all.¡± Jason, ever the businessman, reminded her, ¡°Estre, you may not fully grasp the worth of Nelson International these days. The shares alone are valued at over three hundred billion. Are you sure you want to walk away?¡± Nelson International was a titan of industry with a valuation in the trillions. Jason and his father, Landon, held a sixty-one percent majority, with the remainder spread between various stakeholders and public shares. This divorce wasn¡¯t a petty squabble over chump change. It was a genuine division of wealth. At Jason¡¯s prod, Estre chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t take what isn¡¯t mine.¡± Before he could say anything more, she nced at her watch, ¡°I¡¯ve got someone to meet. Let¡¯s get this done.¡± Reluctantly, Jason left the paperwork on the table. He¡¯d hoped she would ept it all, but Estre didn¡¯t give him the chance. The legal formalities were swift, a mere ten-minute affair, and they emerged into the bright day, each with their own decree of independence. At the courthouse steps, Jason, hands buried in his jeans pockets in a familiar gesture, turned to Estre. She, hands tucked in her charcoal cashmere coat, met hist gaze and slowed her pace. Jason halted, looking down at her, ¡°If you need anything in the future, I hope you¡¯lle to me.¡± They had known each other for twenty-six years, beyond the scope of their failed marriage. Once, they had been so close. With her hands still in her pockets, Estre simply smiled, ¡°Sure.¡± Sensing his hesitation, she nced at her watch again, ¡°I¡¯ve really got to go.¡± With a soft grunt of acknowledgment from Jason, Estre offered a generous smile and strode toward the parking lot. As Estre drove off, Jason, who had intended to apologize for past wrongs and offer constion, found his intent moot in the face of her indifference. ¡°Ms. Estre,¡± Drew called out as she approached. Estre gave aforting pat on his arm. Her gesture nearly brought Drew to tears, ironic given that she was the one who had just been divorced. ¡°Ms. Estre,¡± he whimpered, his voiceden with a mix of sorrow and admiration. With augh, she replied, ¡°I¡¯ve got things to do, Drew. Can¡¯t coddle you all day.¡± She climbed into her car and, seeing Drew¡¯s forlorn figure in the rearview mirror, waved before speeding off. Jason arrived just in time to overhear Drew¡¯s wistful remark about Estre¡¯s grace in letting go. A cold nce from Jason was enough to silence him, who hurriedly opened the car door. Estre didn¡¯t immediately share the news of her divorce with family or friends like Bryce and Jesse. It wasn¡¯t until a weekter, during a family dinner when Autumn inquired about her and Jason, that Estre nonchntly revealed that the divorce was finalized. Autumn, taken aback, eventually sighed, ¡°It¡¯s good the paperwork¡¯s done.¡± Yet the thought of the years Estre and Jason had known each other, and the hope that they could have worked things out, left hermenting, ¡°It would have been nice if you two could have had a happy ending.¡± Everyone had believed that the bond forged over two decades would see them through any conflict, but fate had other ns. Estre sensed her mother¡¯s mncholy and reassured her, ¡°Mom, Isaac¡¯s here, and that was my goal all along.¡± ¡°Isaac isn¡¯t Jason¡¯s child,¡± Autumn retorted, then added, ¡°Estre, you should at least find a father for Isaac. It¡¯s not right. No one even knows who her dad is.¡± Isaac watched at Estre and babbled, ¡°Daddy, daddy.¡± Estre assured, ¡°Isaac will have a daddy when she¡¯s older.¡± She turned to Autumn, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Isaac¡¯s got good genes.¡± Estre¡¯s nonchnce left Autumn at a loss. Estre had known Jason since they were children, and they had even shared meals and clothes. The thought of the awkward encounters thaty ahead, and the nostalgia of Estre and Jason¡¯s past closeness, weighed heavily on Autumn¡¯s heart. Fate is beyond our control, indeed. Autumn¡¯s eyes, misty with the onset of tears, nearly caused Estre to drop the bowl she was holding. In a quick effort to forestall a breakdown, Estre blurted out, ¡°Mom, cut it 08:05 out. Isaac¡¯s right here. Don¡¯t start crying. If he picks up that trick from you, I¡¯ll be run ragged.¡± Estre had always dreaded seeing her mother cry. Once Autumn started, like a faucet that couldn¡¯t be turned off. Estre still recalled how, as a little girl, she had quickly learned to hand her mother tissues to dab away the tears. One crybaby in the house was quite enough. There was no need for a second, Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°Grandma, be good,¡± Isaac coaxed. Autumn saw Isaac staring at her without blinking, behaving obediently, and she forcefully held back the tears that were about to fall. ¡°And so, in a time long, long ago, there was an old man and an old woman¡­¡± After dinner, having bathed Isaac, Estre settled into their bedtime routine, reading a story to lull him to sleep. It wasn¡¯t long before Isaac¡¯s breathing evened out, signaling he had drifted off. Estre ced the book on the nightstand and tenderly kissed Isaac¡¯s chubby cheek, her heart aching a bit as she remembered Isaac¡¯s earlier question about his father. ¡°Sweetie, I¡¯m sorry. Mommy didn¡¯t think everything through,¡± she whispered, stroking Isaac¡¯s hair. Just then, Estre¡¯s phone buzzed on the nightstand, drawing her attention. As she picked it up, her expression shifted subtly. Chapter 220 ¡°Hey, Grayson,¡± Estre answered the phone with familiar ease, knowing it was Grayson on the other end. Grayson¡¯s voice came through, tinged with concern, ¡°You and Jason finalized the divorce?¡± News like that has a way of spreading even if Estre and Jason hadn¡¯t made a public affair of it. Their circle of friends, including Grayson, had caught wind of it. Estre chuckled lightly, ¡°Word travels fast, huh?¡± There was a pause before Grayson replied, his voice steady but gentle, ¡°Look, just because you¡¯re not husband and wife anymore doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t be friends. We¡¯ve all known each other for over two decades, Estre. Don¡¯t stress yourself out.¡± ¡°I know, Grayson,¡± she reassured him. Grayson switched gears, ¡°By the way, the legal contract with my Corp is up for renewal. I was wondering if you¡¯re up for taking on thepany¡¯s representation again?¡± ¡°Of course, I am. I¡¯ll swing by tomorrow to discuss it with you,¡± Estre replied eagerly. ¡°Sounds good.¡± After a bit more shop talk, they ended the call. Estre ced her phone down and gazed at little Isaac, dozing peacefully beside her. Her spirits lifted even more at the sight. She couldn¡¯t resist leaning over and nting a gentle kiss on her son¡¯s chubby cheeks. The most gratifying part was seeing how well Isaac wa thriving sinceing back home. As her hand brushed Isaac¡¯s forehead, he mumbled in his sleep, ¡°Daddy.¡± The word hit Estre hard. No matter how much she did, she could never fill that particr role. No matter how capable she was, she couldn¡¯t transform into a man. Watching Isaac murmur again, she yfully pinched his cheek, half-jokingly scolding, ¡°You little brat, your mama went through hell to bring you into this world, and all you can think about is daddy?¡± Isaac murmured ¡°Daddy¡± once more in his sleep. That kid sure knew how to twist the knife. Estre turned off the room¡¯s main light, huffing as she settled onto therge bed next to his crib. All her efforts seemed in vain when even in his dreams, Isaac didn¡¯t call for her. The next evening, when Estre had dinner with Isaac, Bryce, and Jesse, Jesse exploded upon hearing that Estre had refused the shares Jason offered. ¡°For god¡¯s sake, do you have any idea what Nelson International is worth? After all those years of Jason being tight-fisted, he finally opens his wallet during the divorce, and you won¡¯t take advantage of it?¡± Usually level-headed, Jesse was now practically on the verge of pulling her hair out. ¡°Drop it,¡± Estre sighed. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch. I take those shares, and who knows what stringse attached?¡± ¡°How is this a free lunch?¡± Jesse protested. ¡°This is the reward for all the years you¡¯ve endured. Plus for Isaac¡­¡± Jesse¡¯s voice softened, but she quickly added, Anyway, you¡¯re entitled to it.¡± While Jesse wasmenting Estre¡¯s refusal of the shares, Bryce nced at her and said, ¡°My E just wants to cut ties clean. If she wanted money, she could make her own, plenty of it.¡± Jesse gave Bryce a look and said, ¡°Your E? Estre is no longer part of the Nelson family, in case you forgot.¡± Bryce rolled his eyes with a hint of arrogance, ¡°Even if I cut ties with the Nelsons, wouldn¡¯t cut ties with E.¡± Bryce¡¯s resolve earned him a thumbs-up from Jesse. ¡°Impressive.¡± Jesse mused how one could forsake even their family, but not Estre. Clearly, Estre was, without a doubt, the cornerstone of Bryce¡¯s world. Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Bryce, you¡¯re about to make my son cry with all this sentimentality.¡± Bryce teased back, ¡°I thought you¡¯d be so moved you¡¯d throw yourself at me.¡± Estre shot back, ¡°I¡¯d be willing, but the real question is, would you be up for the challenge?¡± Their yful banter had Jesse in stitches. The conversation reminded them of a time Bryce imed he couldn¡¯t be attracted to Estre even if she stripped naked, which had even made Jasonugh. Bryson was exasperated, ¡°Come on, you are a mom already. And this little guy is right here.¡± ¡°Bryce,¡± Estre chided while peeling shrimp for Isaac and cing them in his bowl, ¡°your think the little guy understands any of this?¡± Bryce just shook his head, but seeing Estre¡¯s lively spirit reassured him. He had worried the divorce might have been a facade of indifference, but it was clear she remained as strong as ever. He watched Isaac grab a shrimp with his tiny hands and pop it in his mouth, his eyes no-no. crinkling with joy. Bryce couldn¡¯t help but beam with pride. ¡°Hey, Jesse, swap seats with me. I want to sit next to my boy.¡± Jesse retorted, ¡°Dream on. I¡¯m not moving.¡± Despite Jesse¡¯s refusal, Bryce ended up cing Isaac in a high chair next to him, peeling another shrimp and offering it to his son. ¡°Say daddy, kiddo.¡± ¡°Daddy,¡± Isaac¡¯s voice was sweet as he looked up at Bryce with round, happy eyes. His endearing mannerisms were a carbon copy of Estre¡¯s as a child. When Jesse yfully prompted Isaac to call her ¡®daddy,¡¯ the little boy shook his head. resolutely, having been taught by Autumn that Jesse was like his mom, ady, and it would be silly to call her ¡®daddy.¡± Isaac¡¯s refusal left Jesse asking, ¡°What will you call me then if not ¡®daddy¡±?¡± Expecting a sweet ¡®mommy¡¯ in return, they were all caught off guard when Isaac earnestly replied, ¡°Jesse.¡± Isaac¡¯s response sent Estre and Bryce into fits ofughter. The kid had Estre¡¯s spunky spirit through and through. Jesse, on the other hand, was mortified. As Isaac giggled along with Estre, the warmth of family and friendship enveloped the table, any tensions from the past dissolving into theughter of the present. In no time at all, Estre and Bryce wrapped up their work chat. When Estre, on behalf of Bryce¡¯s mom, nudged him toward the idea of going on a blind date, Bryce mmed u Estre mmed her fork down with a tter. ¡°Bryce, I¡¯m talking to you. You gone deaf something?¡± Bryce deflected with a nonchnt air, ¡°Don¡¯t sweat my business. Maybe worry about your own for a change.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Estre crossed her arms and fixed Bryce with a stare. ¡°Oh, so me talking to you doesn¡¯t do squat anymore, huh?¡± At Estre¡¯s fierceness, Isaac became alert. He carefully patted Bryce on the back and then reached for the pitcher to pour Bryce some water. Bryce chuckled, ¡°Look at my boy, knows how tofort people already, even pouring water for his old man.¡± He picked up the ss that Isaac had filled for him. Just as he was about to take a sip, Isaac clinked his sippy cup against Bryce¡¯s ss in a mock-toast, putting on airs that made Jesse burst intoughter, holding her stomach. Bryce couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°You little brat, can¡¯t even talk straight yet, and you¡¯re acting like you know all about toasting?¡± Despite his words, Bryce was touched seeing Isaac lift his sippy cup as if to drown his sorrows with him and Bryce downed the water Isaac poured in one gulp. Then he turned to Estre, a light in his eyes, ¡°Ever since Isaac came back, he¡¯s gotten a lot cheerier, and he¡¯s shot up in height too. Seems like, you know, maybe there¡¯s just something about the home turf that does a body good.¡± 08.05 Chapter 221 Estre watched with a smile as Isaac affectionately called Bryce ¡°Dad¡± across the table. Her heart felt a touch of sce. Bryce¡¯s care had indeed given Isaac the fatherly love he deserved. At her side, Jesse turned to Estre and said, ¡°Bryce has truly earned the title ¡®Dad¡¯ with the attention he¡¯s given Isaac.¡± ¡°Yeah, Bryce has been a blessing these past few years,¡± Estre agreed. ¡°If Jason had been half the man Bryce is, things might not havee to this point between you two,¡± Jesse remarked. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Estre chuckled lightly. ¡°The past is the past. I hardly remember it now.¡± The greatest punishment for someone or something isn¡¯t criticism. It¡¯s being forgotten. Jesse was impressed at Estre¡¯s casual dismissal. ¡°You really know how to let things go.¡± Estre patted her friend¡¯s back. ¡°People have to look forward. If Bryce and I can do it, so can you. Estre knew the fa?ade Jesse maintained had hidden deep psychological scars from an event over a decade past, shadows that still lingered. ¡°I¡¯m learning from you,¡± Jesse said with a smile. Estre¡¯s own smile brightened when her gaze returned to the two friends at the table. Since her divorce from Jason, Estre had felt lighter in spirit, thriving in her work more than ever. That afternoon, fresh from court and back at herw firm, a call came through from Serene, inviting Estre for a lunchtime rendezvous. Estre agreed, grateful for Serene¡¯s help in smoothing the way to a sessful divorce. In the cozy booth of a garden caf¨¦, they sat opposite each other. Serene poured water with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if ¡®congrattions¡¯ is the right word.¡± Before Estre could respond, Serene set the teapot aside and said gently, ¡°I thought you might deny it, clinging to the years you¡¯ve had with Jason. But it seems I¡¯ve underestimated you. You¡¯re more free- spirited than I imagined.¡± Serene knew she couldn¡¯t do the same. She would likely have used the opportunity to try and mend the broken rtionship. Perhaps it was because Serenecked the confidence to leave that she had never been looked upon highly by others. Estre picked at her light lunch with fork. ¡°Life¡¯s about more than just romance. Even if love is important, there¡¯s no need to hang onto a failing branch.¡± 08:02 It was advice for Serene as much as a reminder to herself. After so many years, Serene still lingered by Jason¡¯s side. It was exhausting just to watch. ¡°I wish I could let go as easily as you,¡± Serene said with a rueful smile, then asked, ¡°Estre, do you think you¡¯ll ever regret it?¡± Estreughed, ¡°I have my career and my son. There¡¯s nothing to regret. Besides, if there¡¯s one thing this world has plenty of, it¡¯s men.¡± There¡¯s always another one around the corner. Seeing Estre¡¯s indifference towards Jason, Serene added, ¡°Jason must be kicking himself now. I used to think Jason had a strained rtionship with you because he couldn¡¯t let go of Holly. Now it seems that¡¯s not the case.¡± If Jason had truly cared about Holly, he would have divorced Estre long ago, making Holly his bride. But he hadn¡¯t. Estre looked up at Serene, ¡°What others think doesn¡¯t matter. What¡¯s important is what you want.¡± 1 Estre was clear-headed, and Serene felt inferior inparison. ¡°Estre, you¡¯ve achieved your goal. Will you still honor your promise to me?¡± Serene asked seriously. Their meeting was not just a social call. Serene had a purpose in mind. As Estre set down her fork, she inquired, ¡°Jason and Holly are victims of that fire, but they never cared to uncover the truth. Why is it so important to you?¡± Back in the hospital room, Serene had offered to help Estre get divorced if she would help reveal the truth behind that fire, and to bring the perpetrator to justice. It was not just to help Serene ascend to Mrs. Nelson¡¯s social standing. Serene knew deep down that she would never marry Jason, and never be Mrs. Nelson. Upon hearing Estre¡¯s question, Serene stood up slowly from her chair and moved to the side of the table. As Estre¡¯s gaze followed her, Serene suddenly began to undress. When Serene¡¯s skin was exposed in front of her, Estre¡¯s right hand, holding the cup, couldn¡¯t help but tremble, causing the water in the cup to spill on herself. Chapter 222 Serene had a glowingplexion, and her figure would turn heads, but there was a scar-a burn that covered arge area on the right side of her abdomen and nk, a testament to an injury so severe it couldn¡¯t be mended. Normally, her clothes hid the scar, leaving no trace of the past trauma visible. When Estre identally sshed water tea onto her blouse, Serene¡¯s left hand instinctively covered the scarred area on her right side, and her eyes immediately filled with tears. ¡°This scar,¡± Serene said, her voice breaking, ¡°it¡¯s from when I saved Jason and Holly. It¡¯s for life, beyond repair. And I¡¯ll never be able to have kids of my own, because my skin wouldn¡¯t hold.¡± As Serene spoke, her hand trembled over the scar, and tears sshed onto her forearm and the floor. She looked at Estre with a bittersweet smile. ¡°So, Estre, now you understand why Jason looks out for me, why he never forced a transfer out of the secretary¡¯s office, and why Holly would gift me a house.¡± ¡°But Estre,¡± she continued, ¡°I don¡¯t care about houses or cars. I just want to know who the perpetrator is. I just want to know who did this to me. Even if I have no power to take revenge, I trust thew to punish them.¡± That night at the hospital, Serene¡¯s request to Estre wasn¡¯t about bing Mrs. Nelson. She wanted the truth about the fire from years ago. Serene had kept it from Jason because she didn¡¯t want him to see her as vindictive, nor did she want him to know that her years in the secretary¡¯s office were partly spent awaiting the results of his investigation. However, Jason had suddenly stopped talking about the fire, as if it had never happened. Seeing Serene¡¯s haunting scars, Estre began to understand the difficulty Jason had faced, although it changed nothing. As Serene slowly dressed, Estre asked, ¡°If Jason couldn¡¯t find the truth in all these years, what makes you think I can?¡± Buttoning her coat, Serene replied, ¡°Because you¡¯re an expert in this field, and I believe you¡¯re smarter than most men, on par with Jason and Grayson. I trust you can uncover the truth.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try not to let you down,¡± Estre said. When Estreter recounted her ¡®deal¡¯ with Serene to Bryce, he just stared at her, speechless. He remarked that Jason was a tough nut to crack-how could he suddenly be open to divorce? Apparently, Estre had nudged him toward another woman¡¯s bed, bruising his pride. Jason might have felt betrayed. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. When it came to ruthlessness, Estre had it in spades, teaming up with Serene just to 08.02 secure a divorce. Bryce¡¯s piercing gaze met Estre¡¯s as she yfully tugged on his ear. ¡°Take seriously what I¡¯ve just told you!¡± Estre still picked on him like she did when they were kids, so he grabbed her wrist and sighed, ¡°Estre, I¡¯m twenty-six years old now, not six. Show me a little respect, will you?¡± Estre¡¯s clear eyes met his, and he released her hand, serving her some food. ¡°I¡¯ll take what you said to heart. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Estre had promised to help Serene with the fire, and today¡¯s meeting with Bryce was mainly to ask for his help with some leads. After discussing the case, Bryce mentioned, ¡°I transferred your dividend fromst quarter-added an extra three million for my son¡¯s upkeep.¡± Bryce¡¯s business, which Estre and Jesse had invested in, was now profitable, and Bryce always gave them their dividends on time. He also provided for Isaac, Estre¡¯s son, as if Isaac were his own child. Estre protested, ¡°I already have more than enough from the dividends. Stop sending extra money. I can take care of my own son.¡± Bryce ced some shrimp on her te, insisting, ¡°He¡¯s your son, not someone else¡¯s, and it¡¯s only right for me to help.¡± Bryce had always been close to Estre, and Isaac called him ¡®dad¡¯. He felt obligated. Without further prodding, he asked about her ns post-divorce. Estreughed off the question. ¡°I¡¯ll just live,¡± she said. After six years in a stagnant marriage, she was ready to embrace the freedom of being single, not rush into another romance. She wasn¡¯t the type to depend on a rtionship for fulfillment. Bryce let the topic rest, continuing to peel shrimp for her, a task he¡¯d taken on since they were kids, though Jesse wasn¡¯t there today. In the midst of their meal, Thomas called, inviting Estre to hang out. She rubbed her forehead, feeling overwhelmed. ¡°I¡¯m swamped with cases. Let¡¯s wait until after the holidays.¡± Thomas wouldn¡¯t have it, reminding her on the phone, ¡°Estre, you and Jason may be divorced, but we¡¯ve known each other for over twenty years. You can¡¯t just abandon us because of one rtionship, right?¡± ¡°Look, Jason¡¯s off on a business trip, he won¡¯t being over, so there¡¯s no need for you to avoid him,¡± Thomas reassured Estre. Estre chuckled, ¡°Why would I avoid him?¡± She hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. What was there to hide? 08.02) ¡°Well then, it¡¯s settled,¡± Thomas continued. ¡°You¡¯lle with Bryce and Jesse tonight. We haven¡¯t all hung out in ages.¡± With Thomas putting it that way, Estre feltpelled to agree. But then again, it had indeed been a long time since they met. Since she left Ravenwood, Jason and the others had fewer get-togethers. Grayson had invited her a few times, but due to work and Isaac, she couldn¡¯t find the time to join in. And then there was Jason, who had be as elusive as a ghost. Thomas had tried to catch him at hispany on several asions without any luck. Thomas had thought maybe Jason was shacked up with Holly, but after some sneaky investigating, it turned out Holly hadn¡¯t seen him either. With that in mind, Thomas decided to stop looking for Jason. After all, Jason got a divorce because he was cheated on. Men need to keep up appearances, after all. That evening, as Estre and Bryce made their way to the hotel, Jason was indeed absent as expected. Grayson, Taylor, and the rest of the crew were all present except for Jason. Thomas couldn¡¯t help but gloat a little, hands in his pockets, ¡°See, Estre, I didn¡¯t lie. Told you Jason was away on business.¡± As the night was winding down and the karaoke session was nearing its end, the room¡¯s door suddenly swung open. Spotting the tall figure at the door, Estre¡¯s movements in packing up slowed down. Chapter 223 The lively chatter had ceased momentarily as all eyes turned towards the entrance of the room. When Jason strode in, the air thickened with a silent reverence. It was no secret to the crowd gathered today about theplicated ties between him and Estre. Eventually, Thomas, with a chuckle, broke the awkward silence. ¡°Jason, you¡¯re back, man! Just in time, we haven¡¯t called it a night yet.¡± Jason, hands still buried in his pockets, gave the room a cursory nce, his gaze briefly resting on Estre before retreating with indifference. When Estre¡¯s eyes met Thomas¡¯, he hastily exined, ¡°Estre, when I called Jason, he really was out of town on business. I told him if he could make it back, great; if not, no sweat. And look, here he is¡­¡± Before Thomas could finish, Estre¡¯s attention had already drifted away, uninterested in his exnations. Whether Jason showed up or not wasn¡¯t such a big deal to her. Having not seen him for over twenty days, she noted that Jason looked leaner than when they had signed their divorce papers, his frame more slender than before. Grayson, sensing the need to lighten the mood, chimed in with augh, ¡°Well, just in time to join in on today¡¯s festivities.¡± He then added, ¡°But Jason, your timing could¡¯ve been better-we¡¯re about to wrap up here.¡± Without waiting for Jason¡¯s response, Grayson continued, ¡°You haven¡¯t had a drink, have you? Estre¡¯s mom just called, wants her home pronto. Could you maybe drop her off first?¡± Estre had a child at home, so every time she went out, Autumn would keep calling her. As Grayson finished speaking, Jason¡¯s eyes shifted towards Estre once more. She was wearing a white shirt, ck wide-leg trousers,yered with a light gray cashmere coat. Her hair was tied in a low ponytail at the back of her head. She exuded a mature, steady, and capable demeanor, and her presence was even stronger than before. Jason nced at Estre and calmly said, ¡°Hmm.¡± Estre was about to decline the ride, but Grayson had already spoken. ¡°Estre, let Jason take you home. We¡¯ll catch up another time.¡± With Grayson insisting, Estre found it difficult to refuse and agreed. Bryce, hands in his pockets, looked over at Estre and said, ¡°Drop me a line when you get home, okay?¡± ¡°Will do,¡± Estre replied. Nearly a month had passed without a word between Estre and Jason. Reaching the parking lot, Jason unlocked the passenger door for Estre. As she bent to get in, he instinctively shielded the top edge of the door, careful not to let her bump her head-a protective gesture he¡¯d always made whenever she rode in his car. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. After a short while, the car started, and the inside of the car remained quiet. Halfway through the drive, as Estre flicked through her phone, Jason finally broke the silence. ¡°You let Serene drug me, and used it as evidence of my infidelity. You really went there, Estre.¡± He had been waiting for the right moment to confront her about it. Estre nced at him, her voiceced with casual defiance, ¡°Well, you pushed me into a corner, didn¡¯t you?¡± If only he had divorced her sooner, she wouldn¡¯t have had to go through such an borate ruse, now having to dig into the truth behind a fire from seven years ago. Jason fell silent again, and the quiet returned. At a red light, Jason nced at Estre and calmly said, ¡°I never got together with Holly back then.¡± Estre looked at him but quickly averted her gaze. Jason continued, ¡°The photos were taken out of context by the media, all fabricated stories. I didn¡¯t come forward because Korey had just started his tenure, and the Ledford family didn¡¯t want to be affected.¡± Histe exnation was met with silence from Estre. Even if he hadn¡¯t been with Holly, the fact remained that he had hurt Estre-ignored her calls, left her stranded at the airport for Holly, and hadn¡¯t even known she was hospitalized. These were all undeniable truths. Then Jason added, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have pped you that time. I apologize.¡± He often wondered if things might have been different if he had controlled himself back then, an they had talked things through. Maybe all that followed could have been avoided, and they wouldn¡¯t have reached this point. To Jason¡¯s bted apology, Estre responded with a faint smile, ¡°Those are old stories, long buried. I don¡¯t even remember them anymore.¡± Whether it was the p or any other past scuffle, it was all history to her. She was content with her life now and had no desire to dwell on the past. When Estre imed to have forgotten, Jason remarked, ¡°There isn¡¯t a man in the world as cool as you.¡± ¡°We¡¯re divorced, and what else do you want?¡± Estre retorted. ¡°If you¡¯re after money, I¡¯m telling you, I don¡¯t have any to give.¡± The conversation faltered. Jason¡¯s hands gripped the steering wheel, his eyes asionally drifting to Estre¡¯s face, which remained untroubled by anything he felt or said. His emotions were a tangled mess, beyond words. 09.03 Chapter Chapter 223 Soon, the car pulled up in front of the Dorvold family estate. As Estre unbuckled her seatbelt to leave, Jason¡¯s hand shot out, grasping her wrist. Estre turned to face him, her eyes questioning, ¡°Is there something else?¡± With her gaze fixed on him, Jason confessed, ¡°In ruthlessness, Estre, I admit I¡¯m no match for you.¡± Estre let out a resigned sigh and was about to say something when Jason cut in, ¡°Damn, it really chaps my hide to think about this divorce.¡± A month had passed since the whole ordeal, but every time Jason recalled how Estre and Serene had joined forces against him, a sour feeling gnawed at his insides. Jason grumbled with resentment, and Estre began, ¡°You¡¯re upset about it, but the divorce is still-¡± She never got to finish her sentence. With a sudden tug on her wrist, Jason¡¯s right hand pulled her closer, cutting her off mid-sentence. Estre looked up into his eyes, finding him mere inches away. Chapter 224 Suddenly, the atmosphere became somewhat suggestive. As Jason leaned in, Estre swiftly pushed him away with a casual air, ¡°I¡¯m heading back now, thanks for the ride.¡± Without waiting for a response, she opened the car door and stepped out. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Jason watched Estre disappear into the night, his eyesden with a depth of emotion he couldn¡¯t mask. Jason never imagined that, three yearster, when they met again, they would end their marriage like this. Long after Estre¡¯s figure had vanished, Jason finally started the car and drove away from the Dorvold estate. Back at Sandalwood Oasis, while burning the midnight oil in his study, Jason unintentionally pulled up the surveince footage from three years ago. No matter how many times he watched it, it always cut deep. Unintentionally, Jason opened the evidence rted to the fire seven years ago. He had it examined by experts many times, and all the evidence was proven to be authentic. The conversations between Estre and Jesse were also genuine, with no falsifications. Faced with the incontrovertible evidence, Jason felt a turmoil stirring within him and decided to shut down the encrypted files he was working on. He then browsed through other home security feeds, catching glimpses of himself returning home in the dead of night. In truth, throughout the years of his marriage to Estre, there weren¡¯t that many nights he hadn¡¯te home. It was just that on many asions when he did return, nobody knew about it. Memories flooded back, and Jason, rubbing his temples, lost the will to work. He powere down his computer and retired to the adjacent master bedroom for the night. Without Estre, sleep eluded him, his rest nowhere as peaceful as it once was. After the party ended, everyone went their separate ways. And Estre found herself increasingly upied with her caseload. ¡°How dare you im our factory¡¯s wastewater is polluting? We have state-of-the-art treatment facilities and have never once contaminated the environment,¡± a defiant manager argued. ¡°Folks, whether your factory is polluting the environment or not, let us through to collect some samples for testing, and we¡¯ll have our answer,¡± a calm voice from the environmental agency responded. ¡°You want to pass through? You¡¯re clearly targeting our facility, aiming to sabotage our livelihoods. Over our dead bodies will we let you through,¡± a burly worker shot back. ng Estre, apanying the court officials to collect samples at the site of the environmental case, found their path blocked by local vigers, all factory employees. The vigers were resolute, fearful of being charged with viting the environment and possibly losing their jobs. ¡°Listen, friends, why would we target your factory? The government ismitted to helping you all thrive. We¡¯re here for your health¡­¡± ¡°What health? If our factory shuts down, we won¡¯t even have food on our table, let alone a future. And you¡¯re talking to us about health? Isn¡¯t itughable for you bureaucrats to preach at a time like this?¡± The presiding judge of the case, who hade to collect samples, was cut off mid-sentence by an outspoken middle-aged man leading the blockade. Estre, watching the confrontation unfold, sighed heavily. The protesters were clearly prepared and determined. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? Who gave you permission to cross here? This is our turf! Get lost, all of you!¡± In the ensuing chaos, a young court clerk tried to slip through but was quickly spotted and stopped by the vigers. The situation escted rapidly, with vigers pushing and shoving the court officials, Estre included. Despite her attempts to calm them, the lead instigators easily rekindled the vigers¡¯ anger, sparking further conflict. ¡°Mr. Bryce, it¡¯s urgent. Ms. Estre and the court officials went to¡­¡± Bryce was in his office when his assistant burst in with the news. Upon hearing that Estre was in a conflict while on duty and now in the hospital, Bryce dropped everything. He didn¡¯t even bother to shut down hisputer, just grabbed his phone and keys and rushed out. ¡°Mr. Bryce, I¡­¡± the assistant called after him, offering to drive, but Bryce was already gon Whether in the present or the past, Bryce was always like this-anything concerning Estre was more important to him than his own matters, even more crucial than earning money. Meanwhile, at the airport. Jason had justnded when Drew, after ending a call, turned to him and said, ¡°Mr. Jason, Ms. Estre¡¯s been injured on the job. She¡¯s at the hospital.¡± Jason¡¯s face paled instantly. ¡°How bad is it? Which hospital?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not sure of the details yet. It¡¯s at General Hospital,¡± Drew reported, then hesitated, ¡°Mr. Jason, what about the meeting.¡± ¡°Cancel it,¡± Jasonmanded sharply. They hurried to the car waiting outside. Drew, noting Jason¡¯s anxiety and his decision to 08.02 forgo an important meeting, was struck by a profound realization. Jason had never let go of Estre, not even for a moment. Why then did he agree to a divorce? As Jason attempted to make a call and failed, Drew turned to him, ¡°Mr. Jason, Ms. Serene called me when you didn¡¯t pick up. She said Ms. Estre¡¯s injuries aren¡¯t serious, so you don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡± When Drew mentioned Serene, Jason felt nothing, and he didn¡¯t even realize that Drew had mentioned her. He just asked. ¡°How ¡®not serious¡¯ are her injuries?¡± Actually, for Jason, it didn¡¯t matter what the circumstances were. If Estre was injured and in the hospital, it¡¯s a big deal. Unable to respond, Drew turned his head away looking dejected. After years by Jason¡¯s side, Drew was convinced: Jason still loved Estre, deeply so. Even amidst his anger, it was only Estre who could stir such emotion within him. Before long, the car pulled up outside the hospital, and Jason hopped out, hurrying inside with urgency. ¡°Ms. Estre, Mr. Bryce is really worried about you. The moment he heard you got hurt, he dropped everything and came running,¡± said Bryce¡¯s assistant in the hospital room, filling Estre in on what had just happened. ¡°He didn¡¯t even bother to close the confidential files on hisputer.¡± Bryce, hands tucked casually into his jean pockets, shot a nce at his assistant. ¡°Enough of your chattering. You can go back to work now.¡± At the door of the hospital room, Jason paused, overhearing the conversation inside. Chapter 225 Jason, as Drew turned to look at him, the door to the hospital room suddenly swung open by Bryce¡¯s assistant. At the sight of Jason and Drew just standing at the doorway, the assistant was momentarily taken aback before offering a respectful greeting, ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± Jason gave the assistant a brief nce, nonchnt as he entered the room. Upon Jason¡¯s arrival, Bryce greeted him with aposed nod, ¡°Hey.¡± Bracing herself up in bed with both hands, Estre said, ¡°It¡¯s just a minor fracture. You don¡¯t have to come. You¡¯re making it seem like I¡¯m at death¡¯s door.¡± Drew chimed in carefully, ¡°Ms. Estre, Mr. Jason is really concerned about you. He rushed here right after his flightnded, even canceling a very important meeting.¡± After Drew spoke, Bryce shot him a nce. So, was Drew ying spokesman for Jason? Jason paid no mind to their insinuations, merely walking up to Estre¡¯s bedside, looking down at her, ¡°What happened?¡± Estre looked up at him briefly, ¡°Just work stuff.¡± Ever since that p, Estre rarely confided in Jason as before. She no longer shared everything with him like she used to. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Hands still in his pockets, Jason just stood there, gazing down at Estre. For a moment, the atmosphere in the hospital room grew somber. Estre, noticing the mood, was about to send them both away when the room door was opened again. Inside, the three turned to look as Jesse entered, carrying Isaac in her arms. At the entrance, Jesse¡¯s face, which was full of smiles just a moment ago, suddenly changed when she saw Jason here. With a slicked-back haircut, a few strands falling over her forehead, and Isaac cradled in one arm, Jesse looked cooler than ever. After scanning the room and sensing the subdued atmosphere, Jesse entered with Isaac in her arms and said,¡±Yo! Both Nelsons are here.¡± Then she turned to Estre, ¡°Isaac wanted to see his mom, so I brought him over. As soon as Jesse finished speaking, Isaac beamed at Estre with a bright ¡°Mommy!¡± His eyes squinting with joy, Isaac was the spitting image of Estre as a child. He wore a khaki lightweight puffer jacket and a cute hat with bear ears on top. Seeing Isaac, Estre¡¯s face lit up, ¡°Isaac came to see mommy, huh? I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ll be home in a couple of days to be with you.¡± 09.37 As Estre reached out to embrace Isaac, Bryce intervened. He cautioned, ¡°Mommy¡¯s leg hurts, Isaac, be careful. Don¡¯t hug her.¡± Isaac quickly retracted his arms, his big eyes gazing at Estre with concern. Estre noticed Isaac¡¯s dampened spirits and reassured him, ¡°Sweetie, I¡¯m okay. Just bumped myself.¡± Isaac saw the cast on her leg and leaned forward to tenderly blow on it to soothe the pain. Estre¡¯s heart warmed at his gesture. Her son was truly a blessing. Jason stood aside, watching the maternal love in Estre¡¯s eyes and Isaac¡¯s endearing actions, feeling a sense of warmth himself. He used to never find children adorable, but now, Estre¡¯s son seemed irresistibly cute, making him want to hold the little guy. 1 And looking at Isaac now, he thought the child had grown so much in just a month. Last time the child seemed barely two, and now he looked every bit a toddler over that age. Hands still in his pockets, Jason observed the trio and Isaac, his expression darkening. They seemed to be hiding something significant. Watching Isaac¡¯s enthusiastic blowing, Bryce reached out to scoop him from Jesse¡¯s arms, casually saying, ¡°Son, call daddy.¡± At Bryce¡¯s words, Jason¡¯s expression darkened significantly. Where did Bryce get the nerve to have Estre¡¯s child call him daddy? With a dark look, Jason observed Bryce, convinced that Isaac would likely ignore Bryce, and wouldn¡¯t let Bryce hold him. However, to his surprise, Isaac didn¡¯t just let Bryce hold him. He sweetly called him ¡°Daddy.¡± This endearing address from Isaac caught Jason off guard, almostpelling him to leave the scene. How had this little boy, who had been extremely cautious and terrified thest time he saw him, suddenly be so close to Bryce? Jason was evidently unhappy. And it didn¡¯t matter that Bryce was his cousin. Turning to look at Jason, Bryce felt a surge of enjoyment seeing his bad temper. Jason deserved this for taking Estre for granted in the past. Having toyed with Isaac for a while, Bryce suddenly acknowledged Jason¡¯s presence in the room. Holding Isaac closer, he coaxed him to say ¡°Uncle.¡± Bryce¡¯s words were followed by a bout ofughter from Jesse. On the other side, Jason red icily at Bryce, as if his prating gaze could pierce him. Estre was fed up with their antics and said, ¡°Alright, both of you head back. Jesse¡¯s here to keep me company.¡± Upon hearing Estre¡¯s words, Jesse reached for Isaac, who in his adorable voice managed to say a sweet ¡°uncle¡± to Jason. 08.37 Jesse¡¯s ¡°uncle¡± made Jason¡¯s heart flutter, and a strange pang of sorrow struck him in the chest. He couldn¡¯t quite describe the feeling, and staring at Isaac in front of him, he often found himself reminiscing about the good times he and Estre used to have. Back then, she always had a cheerful expression as she followed him around. Suppressing a breath and swallowing hard, Jason pulled his hand from his pocket and gently ruffled Isaac¡¯s hair. Then Jesse, noticing Isaac¡¯s curiosity, asked, ¡°Isaac, you¡¯ve greeted everyone. What about me?¡± Isaac, with a silly grin, then dered, ¡°Daddy.¡± Isaac¡¯s call of ¡°daddy¡± suddenly smoothed over Jason¡¯s previously deted mood. He then cast a disapproving look at Estre. ¡°The kid really takes after her, just as silly as she was when she was little.¡± Jason thought to himself. Jesse couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Well, look who¡¯s the smart one now. Today you¡¯re not calling me ¡®Jesse,¡¯ are you, Isaac?¡± Isaac tilted his head back, imitating her expression, and burst intoughter. Estre, witnessing the whole scene, turned to Bryce and Jason and said, ¡°Alright, you two go get busy with your things.¡± Bryce turned to Jason with a roguish grin and said, ¡°Mr. Jason, shall we? I¡¯ve got a few things to run by you.¡± Jason¡¯s gaze lingered on Estre and Isaac for a moment before he bid farewell to Estre and then left with Bryce. As the brothers walked side by side down the hallway, immersed in a discussion about work, Jason suddenly turned to Bryce and asked, ¡°Is Isaac my son?¡± Chapter 226 When Estre came back to town, Jason was definitely ticked off about her constant divorce talk, not to mention the out-of-the-blue baby drama and her teaming up with Serene. So when Estre denied Isaac¡¯s identity, Jason didn¡¯t bother to dig deeper. After all, the kid did look barely a year, old, and Drew had dug up some dirt about a past boyfriend. However, after all the dust had settled and Jason¡¯s temper cooled, he couldn¡¯t help but look at Isaac with a new suspicion. Bryceughed out loud when he heard Jason¡¯s probing questions. He stopped in his tracks, turned to Jason and said, ¡°If you¡¯re that curious, why didn¡¯t you just ask Estre?¡± With a pat on Jason¡¯s shoulder, Bryce added, ¡°I¡¯m heading back to the office, bro. You mull it over.¡± With a wave over his shoulder, Bryce left Jason standing there, contemting. Jason didn¡¯t turn back to find Estre. Instead, he made his way to the hospital¡¯s open-air parking lot. Drew opened the back door and reported to him. ¡°Mr. Jason, the person has been taken there.¡± ¡°Take me there,¡± Jason said, his voice detached. Half an hourter, they pulled up in front of an abandoned factory that bore the sign ¡®Nelson International.¡¯ Inside, Drew pointed out ¡°Mr. Jason, this is Gay, the big cheese of Gctic Enterprises.¡± The man appeared to be in his fifties, dressed in a ck suit. His once neatlybed hair was now somewhat disheveled. Both of his hands were tied behind his back, giving him a disheveled and distressed appearance, ¡°Mr. Jason. Drew,¡± the guards and the attendants quickly greeted Jason when they sa him arrive. Gay stood up quickly from his chair when he saw Jason, his voice pleading, ¡°Mr. Jason.¡± Then he stammered out, ¡°Mr. Jason, I¡¯ve been racking my brain since your men grabbed me, and for the life of me, I can¡¯t figure out how I could¡¯ve crossed you.¡± Jason was a big fish, not someone Gay could ever hope to cross. Listening to his plea, Jason began rolling up his shirt sleeves, turned to Drew and asked, ¡°You¡¯re sure about this? No mistakes?¡± ¡°Mr. Jason, we¡¯ve checked everything. ChemiSphere is a subsidiary of Gctic Enterprises, and those vigers were organized. We¡¯ve detained the ringleaders,¡± Drew reported, his tone serious. Gay had a hunch he knew what this was about, but he wasn¡¯t quite sure. He ventured, ¡°Mr. Jason, are you referring to this morning¡¯s incident at Glimmering Lake? There¡¯s been a misunderstanding, I assure you. I had no knowledge of this.¡± 08:37 In truth, Gay was the one who¡¯d ordered the vigers to block the road and obstruct the court¡¯s sampling, but now he couldn¡¯t fathom how this had enraged Jason. As Gay fumbled for an exnation, Jason flexed his neck muscles and said with calm menace, ¡°My wife fractured her left leg. I¡¯d say breaking both of yours is fair y.¡± Gay¡¯s realization hit him like a ton of bricks-the injuredwyer from that morning was Jason¡¯s wife. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. However, Gay hadn¡¯t heard that Jason was married, let alone knowing that thewyer was his wife. Otherwise, Gay would have fiercely protected her, ensuring that no oneid a finger on her. As Gay frantically tried to clear the air, Jason simply picked up a piece of discarded pipe that Drew handed him. Seeing the pipe, Gay¡¯s soul nearly left his body. ¡°Mr. Jason, this isn¡¯t right. You¡¯re crossing a line. Your wife¡¯s awyer, and you should-¡± His babbling was cut short as Jason swung the heavy pipe down onto Gay¡¯s leg. The sound of shattering bone was followed by Gay¡¯s screams of agony. Cradling his injured leg, tears streaming down his face, Gay whimpered, ¡°Mr. Jason, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose, I swear.¡± Jason¡¯s gaze remained icy as he struck again, leaving Gay not knowing which leg to clutch. A cry of pain filled the room as Jason coldly tossed a water pipe on the floor. Gritting his teeth, Gay sternly said, ¡°Jason, you are knowingly breaking thew. I¡­¡± pping the dust off his hands, Jason retorted nonchntly, ¡°And if I did break they so what?¡± Sometimes, you can¡¯t reason with certain people; a straightforward and ruthless method can work better. Doubled over in pain, Gay hadn¡¯t expected Jason, who seemed so sophisticated, to be so brutal in his actions. Jason¡¯s strikes had just resulted in apound fracture for Gay, who wouldn¡¯t be walking properly until at least this time next year. ¡°Jason¡±, Gay hissed, ¡°don¡¯t take advantage of the Nelson family¡¯s high status to act so recklessly. Fortune changes with time, and you too could take a fall one day.¡± Jason¡¯s only response to Gay¡¯s anger and despair was tomand the head bodyguard, ¡°Don¡¯t let him off easy.¡± With that, Jason pocketed his hands and walked away. Jason admitted that he wasn¡¯t a saint. He was domineering, sometimes cruel, but he never targeted the innocent or gambled with others¡¯ lives for profit. Even though the divorce papers with Estre were signed, in Jason¡¯s heart, she was still his wife, and nobody was allowed to mess with her. Since his youth, Jason had fought countless battles and hurt many people for Estre. When she was cornered by some thugs in her sophomore year, Jason had made sure they¡¯d regret it for life. Kristin had shelled out a pretty penny over the whole debacle, yet Jason had kept Estre in the dark about it until now. When Jason returned to the Nelson family estate in the evening, Kristin nced up from her book and greeted him with a casual, ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Without missing a beat, she returned to her reading. Curious, Jason approached and caught a glimpse of the title in Kristin¡¯s hands, his face instantly twisted with disdain. The Strategies of Love? What was she up to, at her age? Sensing a shadow of scrutiny looming overhead, Kristin looked up to meet Jason¡¯s gaze. When their eyes locked, Kristin, noticing theplexity in Jason¡¯s expression, ventured, ¡°I think there¡¯s still a chance to salvage things between you and Estre.¡± Jason had quietly filed for divorce, and Kristin had given him an earful for not consulting the family first. After ruminating for over a month at home, Kristin¡¯s conviction only grew stronger that they should patch things up. After all, the two had known each other since childhood and had been together for so many years. Plus, Estre was the only daughter-inw she ever approved of. Suppressing a yawn, Jason replied, ¡°Well, you mull it over, I¡¯m off to hit the hay.¡± ¡°Hold on, son. Don¡¯t you walk away on me. I need you on board with this n,¡± Kristin protested, trying to keep the conversation going. ¡°And about Estre¡¯s child, you would mind, right? You¡¯d treat him as your own, wouldn¡¯t you? After all, once you two get back together, you¡¯re bound to have more kids.¡± Chapter 227 Jason brushed off the attempt at conversation and headed upstairs without a word. After a quick shower, Jason descended the stairs to find that Kristin was no longer in the living room, but her copy of The Strategies of Love remained on the coffee table. Rubbing his hair dry with a towel, he eyed the book for a moment before tossing the towel aside and picking it up. As he skimmed through the pages, his expression visibly changed. His mom must be losing her marbles. As he flipped through a few more pages, Kristin¡¯s voice suddenly rang out from beside him, ¡°I knew it. Deep down, you¡¯re still hoping to reconcile with Estre. You agreed to a divorce as a strategic retreat, a ssic case of ying hard to get, right?¡± Startled by her sudden appearance, Jason quickly tossed the book back onto the table, replying indifferently, ¡°Mom, you know you are not the sharpest tool in the shed. Maybe take it easy on this stuff.¡± Kristin retorted, ¡°What did you just say? After all the running around I do for you¡­¡± She didn¡¯t get to finish her sentence before Jason, hands back in his pockets, ascended the staircase once again. Once divorced, it was not that easy to go back. Watching his retreating figure, Kristin called after him, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? The least you could do is say something, and make your position clear.¡± The sound of the door mming shut was Jason¡¯s only response. Meanwhile, in the hospital ward. Autumn had just brought Isaac back from the hospital, and Bryce¡¯s call came through Estre answered, cutting straight to the chase, ¡°It¡¯ste, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning to Bryce replied, ¡°Cut it out with the wild guesses. I¡¯m just letting you know Jason suspects Isaac might be his son. He even asked me about it earlier today. Just handle it however you see fit.¡± ¡°Alright, got it,¡± Estre responded before they exchanged a few more words and hung up. The next morning, Jason was still asleep when Kristin woke him. Frowning, he grumbled, ¡°What is it, Mom? Why so early?¡± Without a word, Kristin pped him awake, ¡°Estre¡¯s still in the hospital. How can you sleep at a time like this?¡± She then added, ¡°I¡¯ve made some chicken soup for Estre. Get 08:37 up and take it to her.¡± Jasony in bed for a moment with his eyes closed before suddenly springing to his feet. Since he didn¡¯t object, Kristin sighed with relief, ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± In truth, Jason had already visited the hospital the day hended, but Kristin was unaware. Soon after, Jason came downstairs, and Kristin hurriedly handed him two thermoses, ¡°Hurry up and go, or else Estre might have finished her meal by the time you get Taking the soup his mother had prepared early in the morning, Jason drove to the hospital. there.¡± Half an hourter, when Jason pushed open the door to the same hospital room as the day before, he saw Estre limping over to prepare a bottle of milk for Isaac, who was gazing up at her with earnest eyes. When Jason got in, they both instinctively looked over, and Isaac immediately clung to Estre¡¯s leg. Isaac seemed a bit wary of Jason, but his big eyes couldn¡¯t help but reveal his curiosity as he stared at him. Surprised, Estre asked, ¡°What brings you here so early?¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°I brought the chicken soup my mom made for you,¡± Jason said casually, then turned to Isaac, ¡°Didn¡¯t the little guy go homest night?¡± ¡°My mom brought him back in the middle of the night because he wouldn¡¯t stop crying. She just went back,¡± Estre exined. As Estre finished speaking, Jason set down the breakfast he had brought and took bottle from her hand to check the milk¡¯s temperature. Estre was taken aback by Jason¡¯s familiarity with preparing baby form. Her surpris was met with a nonchnt nce from Jason, who then handed the well-mixed bottle to Isaac. Isaac, looking at the milk Jason offered, let go of Estre¡¯s leg and gratefully epted the bottle, cooing a ¡°Thank you, Sir.¡± Jason ruffled the boy¡¯s hair and helped Estre to sit at the dining table. Grateful for the help, Estre watched Jason and said simply, ¡°Thanks.¡± Jason didn¡¯t respond but began toy out the breakfast in front of her. Estre could tell at a nce that the breakfast was Kristin¡¯s handiwork; Estre had eaten Kristin¡¯s cooking countless times since she was a child. At the sight of the spread on the dining table, Isaac¡¯s eyes lit up, and he stopped drinking his milk. 08:37 As Jason noticed Isaac¡¯s gaze, he watched the boy for a moment. Then Isaac set down his bottle and shed a grin that turned his eyes into slits. That smile softened Jason¡¯s heart. Estre used to look at him just like that when she was a child, asking for treats up until she was five or six. Despite Estre¡¯s insistence that Isaac was not his child, Jason still found himself wanting to linger a little longer. As Isaac stared at her with those sparkling eyes, Estre caved in, ¡°Okay, okay, you can have soup instead of milk, and some food too. With that, she served Isaac some chicken soup and ced a few meatballs in his bowl. Seeing this, Jason took the bowl from Estre¡¯s hands, saying, ¡°You eat. I¡¯ll feed him.¡± Isaac watched as Jason took the bowl, his eyes growing even brighter. He seemed to wonder, who exactly was this man who not only made his milk but was now about to feed him too? Isaac¡¯s shining eyes watched as Jason twirled some pasta with fork and held them to his mouth. Without hesitation, Isaac opened wide and gobbled them down. Seeing that Isaac wasn¡¯t shy around him anymore, Jason¡¯s lips curved into a slight smile. Estre looked up from her own bowl, took in Jason¡¯s faint smile, and couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly herself. After Jason had fed Isaac a modest serving of chicken noodle soup, Isaac¡¯s spirits visibly lifted. His tiny hand found its way to rest on Jason¡¯s thigh, yfully touching him now and then. And Isaac frequently shed Jason bright, cheerful smiles. Noticing that Isaac was nearly finished with his small bowl, Jason turned to Estre a remarked, ¡°Your boy¡¯s got quite the appetite.¡± ¡°Just takes after me.¡± Estre replied with a chuckle. As Jason offered Isaac another spoonful of the warm broth, Isaac gazed up at him with wide, earnest eyes and uttered, ¡°Daddy.¡± Chapter 228 The sound of Isaac calling out ¡°Daddy¡± surprised Jason so much that he spilled the soup he was holding. His ears turned a shade of crimson the next second. After all his years, that was the first time anyone had ever called him ¡®Dad.¡¯ Staring at Isaac, Jason was at a loss for words for a good long while. Estre couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at Jason¡¯s startled look and said to Isaac, ¡°Hey kiddo, don¡¯t go throwing that word around. You¡¯ll give him a heart attack.¡± She then turned to Jason, ¡°Don¡¯t mind him. My boy¡¯s like that. If he takes a shine to someone, he¡¯s quick to call them ¡®Dad.¡± Jason was bbergasted. Estre¡¯s words reminded him of how just yesterday, Isaac was calling Jesse ¡®Dad.¡¯ He gave Estre a look that reeked of judgment and muttered, ¡°He¡¯s starved for affection.¡± Estre sipped her soup nonchntly,. ¡°What can I do? It¡¯s not like I can morph into a dude.¡± At a loss for aeback, Jason just stared at her for a while before continuing to feed Isaac his breakfast. Isaac watched the banter between them, quietly munching on his food without making a peep, not wanting to interrupt their exchange. -Mr. Jason, Ms. Estre did have a boyfriend overseas, but sadly he passed away in a car ident not long after. Remembering what Drew had reported, and the possibility that Isaac might be the child of another man, Jason felt a pang in his heart. The man was gone, yet she chose to bring the child into the world. That kind of devotion was unmatched. Jason fed Isaac a piece of chicken and turned to Estre, asking with a softer tone, ¡°You really liked that guy so much that you¡¯d have his kid even after he was gone?¡± Then looking back at Isaac, Jason felt his question might havecked empathy. The kid looked so much like Estre. Estre smiled, ¡°Yeah, I suppose. Plus, you know I can be a bit superstitious and stubborn when it comes to kids.¡± If it hadn¡¯t been for those fortune-tellers, she might not have married him. Though she spoke tough, deep down Estre knew it clear as day: she had married Jason because of a longstanding affection, their history, and her feelings for him that hadn¡¯tpletely worn off at the time. It was through the disappointments piled up over the years of their marriage that they had 08-28 reached this point. After Estre finished speaking, Jason didn¡¯t say anything more, just gently wiped Isaac¡¯s mouth with a napkin. Estre remarked, surprised by Jason¡¯s attentiveness, ¡°Never thought you¡¯d be good with kids.¡± If she remembered correctly, Jason never really liked kids, and he was never the type to hold someone else¡¯s baby. She recalled a New Year¡¯s party at his ce where a rtive¡¯s child had taken a liking to him. When the kid had lunged for Jason, he had instinctively dodged, and the kid ended up on the floor. And Jason? Not a hint of remorse, didn¡¯t even help the kid up-just skedaddled like he was avoiding the gue. That year, he was 22. To Estre¡¯s words, Jason simply replied, ¡°Because he¡¯s your kid.¡± And because Isaac looked like her. With that, Estre fell silent. ¡¤ While Jason continued to feed Isaac and wiped his little face, there was no additional chatter. He wasn¡¯t like Bryce or Jesse, who had a way with kids. He was more like a robot without feelings, just helping Estre out with a chore. As the quiet settled in, the hospital room door swung open again, and a nurse popped her head in, ¡°Ms. Estre, once you¡¯re done with breakfast,e by for a follow-up.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Estre replied. Soon after she finished her meal, Estre left for her check-up, instructing Jason, ¡°If you¡¯re not too busy, can you keep an eye on Isaac for me? Jesse should be here soon.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯m free,¡± Jason responded. With Estre gone for her check-up, Jason and Isaac were left alone in the room. As Jason began to clear the table, Isaac, eager to help, tossed out the trash and handed him the utensils. Jason couldn¡¯t help but smile at Isaac¡¯s helpfulness-the kid was adorable, just like Estre as a child. Once they had finished tidying up, Isaac cuddled up with his unfinished ss of milk and started sipping again with utmost seriousness Jason was impressed; the kid had an appetite as big as Estre¡¯s. Sitting down beside Isaac, Jason received a pat on the arm from the little guy, ¡°Cool.¡± Isaac was commending Jason on how great he was at helping Estre. With augh, Jason said, ¡°You¡¯re just like your mom.¡±¡± After the chuckle, Jason grew a bit mncholic. Picking up a freshly brewed cup of 08:38 coffee, he mused, ¡°If not for all the twists of fate, you¡¯d probably be my son.¡± Though young, Isaac seemed to grasp Jason¡¯s somber mood instantly. With a concerned little frown, Isaac patted Jason¡¯s back, as if to say, ¡®Don¡¯t sweat it, think positive.¡¯ Jason turned to watch the boy, so young and yet acting beyond his years. Did Isaac really understand what was being said? Meeting Isaac¡¯s gaze, the boy reassured him, ¡°Uncle cool, Uncle¡­¡± He stuttered a bit, then continued, ¡°Not sad.¡± After the meal, it was back to ¡®Uncle,¡¯ not ¡®Dad.¡¯ This little guy was a spitting image of Estre, an upgraded version if anything. As their eyes met, Jason studied Isaac intently, trying to find a trace of himself, but all he could see was Estre. After a moment of silence, Jason calmly asked, ¡°Isaac, right?¡± Isaac nodded emphatically. Jason proposed, ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal. From now on, you only call me ¡®Dad,¡¯ and whatever you want, I¡¯ll give you.¡± Isaac¡¯s eyes sparkled at the offer, and he shouted with enthusiasm, ¡°Daddy!¡± Isaac¡¯s loud promation made Jason a bit bashful as he adjusted his shirt cor. He meant to respond, but his throat felt like it was sealed with cement, and he couldn¡¯t utter a word. So, he just ruffled Isaac¡¯s hair as a sign of acknowledgment. Isaac¡¯s grin in response to Jason¡¯s gentleness was infectious. At first, Isaac couldn¡¯t quite understand his own feelings. When Isaac had firstid eyes on this man, he¡¯d felt a skittish kind of fear. Yet, despite that, he found himself inexplicably drawn to Jason. Later on, Jason engaged Isaac in conversation as if he were a grown-up, and that seemed to bridge the gap between them even further. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. So when Estre came back from her rounds, she was taken aback to find Isaae-giggling away in her hospital room, with Jason coolly andfortably keeping himpany. Estre had half-expected that the two wouldn¡¯t mesh well, so the current scene of camaraderie threw her for a loop. She hadn¡¯t anticipated that Jason would be able to coax such joyousughter from Isaac. ¡°Isaac, what¡¯s got you so tickled?¡± Estre asked with a blend of curiosity and amusement. Quick as a sh, Isaac hid whatever he was holding behind his back and shook his head at Estre, a mischievous glint shing in his eyes. Chapter 229 Estre shot Jason a look of disdain as she noticed his influence over Isaac. It had only been a short while, and Jason had already won Isaac over. Isaac was now keeping secrets from her, avoiding telling the truth. Skeptically, she sized Jason up from head to toe as he rosenguidly from the couch. ¡°I should¡¯ve known you¡¯re not just good at charming women, but you can also sweet-talk kids,¡± she remarked. Isaac was her flesh and blood; no one knew her son better than she did. Sweet as Isaac was, he was not one to easily let people into his heart. Yet, Jason had managed to sway him so effortlessly. Jason bristled at Estre¡¯s words, shooting her a frosty nce. ¡°If I were that persuasive, would you still be hell-bent on divorcing me?¡± After a moment of silence, Estre waved off the verbal sparring. ¡°Cut the chitchat, Jason. Don¡¯t you have to head to the office? You go on.¡± Jason, with his hands buried in his pockets, gazed casually at Estre. Some things never changed. He stared nkly at her for a while before his gaze shifted to Isaac. The more Jason watched Isaac, the more he saw Isaac as a two-year-old toddler, especially after their recent interaction. He found Isaac to be brighter than most kids his age, recognizing many words and reading simple messages on his own. Estre tensed up as Jason fixed his serious gaze on Isaac, a protective instinct kicking in. She crossed her arms and chuckled, ¡°Are you doubting Isaac¡¯s identity? Thinking that he¡¯s your son?¡± Before Jason could respond, Estre plucked two strands of Isaac¡¯s hair and handed them to him. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, go test these yourself.¡± Isaac yelped in pain as his hair was plucked, covering his head with his hands. Jason looked at Estre as if she were a fool, making no move to take the strands of hair from her. As Isaac continued to cry out, Estre¡¯s attention was diverted, and the hairs were whisked away by a gust of wind. Seeing this, Estre sighed. ¡°Honey, the hair blew away. Let me pluck two more for uncle.¡± Isaac, however, retreated several steps, hands still shielding his head, adamantly refusing to let Estre pluck any more. Themotion between mother and child prompted Jason to speak. ¡°Estre, cut it out. Besides, would a hospital test even matter?¡± He remembered taking her to the hospital Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. 08:38 years ago where they failed to detect her pregnancy. A DNA test now seemed just as pointless. Jason¡¯s words left Estre speechless. Looking down at Isaac, she saw her son shaking his head, signaling ¡°No more, mommy.¡± Isaac¡¯s fear of pain tugged at Estre¡¯s heartstrings, and she gently pinched his cheek. ¡°Sweetie, mommy didn¡¯t mean to hurt you. I just wanted to see if this mister could be your daddy.¡± Upon hearing Estre¡¯s words, Isaac firmly stated, ¡°He is.¡± Estre nced up at Jason with a look that med him for enchanting her son. Jason felt his heart warm at Isaac¡¯s affirmation. He reached into his pocket, ruffled Isaac¡¯s hair affectionately, and then turned back to Estre. ¡°Estre, I don¡¯t need any tests. And frankly, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± The child was already born and brought home. Even if Isaac wasn¡¯t his, Jason had epted him. Estre didn¡¯t reply, simply urging, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should go to work.¡± ncing at his watch, Jason said goodbye to Isaac and left. Once he was gone, Estre, limping slightly, sat on the couch and asked Isaac, ¡°What were you and that misterughing about earlier?¡± Isaac was always cheerful but he seldomughed as freely as he had been. He gave a secretive smile. ¡°Mommy.¡± Estre understood he had been talking about her with Jason but didn¡¯t grasp that Jason had shown Isaac photos and videos of her own childhood, which had delighted the child so much. No matter how good others were to him, Isaac¡¯s favorite was always his mother, and he was happiest when he resembled her. Estre pinched his chin, a bit saddened. ¡°Do you really want a daddy that badly?¡± Isaac nodded earnestly, his eyes brimming with hope. Estre¡¯s brow furrowed in thought, then she murmured, ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± For the first time in her tough life, Estre felt at a loss without a solution. Isaac looked at her seriously and said, ¡°He is daddy.¡± Estre shook her head in disapproval. ¡°That won¡¯t do. Mommy doesn¡¯t like that man anymore.¡± Isaac insisted, ¡°Like him.¡± Estre ruffled Isaac¡¯s hair. ¡°What do you know, kiddo? Anyway, I¡¯ll find you the best daddy in the whole world.¡± 08:38 Isaac persisted, ¡°He is good.¡± Estre grumbled under her breath, ¡°What kind of spell have you cast on my son, you snake?¡± Despite her words, Estre knew deep down Isaac was yearning for a father figure. In his Maybach, Jason sneezed out of the blue. Despite that, the memory of the pleasant chat with Isaac brought a smile to his face. Back in the ward, after a heart-to-heart with Isaac, Estre got down to business on herptop. Isaac didn¡¯t disturb her but dutifully peeled an orange, tiptoeing to offer her a slice. When Estre refused more oranges, Isaac cracked nuts to snack on instead. Watching little Isaac pound on the walnuts with her tiny fists, Estre¡¯s heart ached. She quickly set aside her work, grabbed his hand, and gently whispered, ¡°Honey, Mommy is not hungry, okay? You go y or read your book.¡± But Isaac, with a stern look in his eyes, demanded, ¡°Eat.¡± After a brief pause, he added, ¡°Good, fast.¡± Estre¡¯s heart melted. Her son was truly a blessing. She promptly abandoned her tasks to peel the nuts for him. In the midst of their tender care for each other, Jesse arrived, her armsden with all sorts of treats. Upon seeing him, Isaac blurted out, ¡°Jesse.¡± Jesse¡¯s handsome face darkened. ¡°Little brat, not calling me Daddy anymore?¡± Isaac shook his head solemnly, refusing to call Jesse ¡®Daddy.¡¯ Isaac had made a promise to Jason that no one else would hold that title but him. Jesse stepped closer, set down the stuff, and said, ¡°By the way, Estre, did you hear about what happenedst night?¡± Chapter 230 Estre frowned as she looked up from herptop. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Jesse hesitated, sensing that she might have opened a can of worms by bringing up the topic. But Estre was waiting for an answer, so Jesse had no choice but to spill the beans. ¡°Jason got into a fight with Gayst night and shattered both Gay¡¯s legs.¡± Estre¡¯s expression darkened. Just moments ago, Jason was here and didn¡¯t breathe a word about it. Estre¡¯s brow furrowed, and Jesseined, ¡°It¡¯s a bitte to do that, isn¡¯t it?¡± She then nced at Isaac, ¡°Isaac, what¡¯s with you? Why aren¡¯t you calling me ¡®Dad¡¯ anymore? Call me ¡®Dad¡¯, sweetie.¡± Isaac shook his head at her, ¡°It¡¯s not Dad, it¡¯s Jesse.¡± Jesse¡¯s patience wore thin, and she turned to Estre, ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Howe overnight this kid¡¯s whole demeanor has changed?¡± Estre wasn¡¯t pleased either, ¡°Who knows what kind of trick Jason yed on him. They spent some time together, and now the kid¡¯s acting like Jason¡¯s his new dad.¡± Jesse let out a frustrated sigh, ¡°Damn, seems like there¡¯s nopeting with blood ties.¡± Estre retorted, ¡°What blood ties could Isaac possibly share with him? Isaac¡¯s mine and mine alone.¡± Jesse nodded in agreement, ¡°Of course, he¡¯s all yours.¡± Still, the inexplicable closeness between Isaac and Jason left Estre feeling helpless. But with a mountain of work to get through, including helping Serene dig into a seven-year-old fire incident, Estre had no time to dwell on Jason. She took advantage of Jesse entertaining Isaac, and got back to organizing her case files. She was determined to resolve thend and water pollution issue at Glimmering Lake, and to expose theplicit Gctic Enterprises, along with any higher-ups who had been covering for them. It was going to be tough, no question about it. Later that afternoon, not long after Jesse left with Isaac, Bryce showed up. Noticing Isaac wasn¡¯t there, he seemed a bit down, ¡°Has my boy gone home?¡± Estre replied, ¡°Jesse just took him back.¡± Now, Estre had also grown ustomed to Bryce referring to Isaac as his son and Jesse treating Isaac like one. 08:38 As Estre limped over to pour Bryce some water, he quickly stepped in to take the jug from her hands. They sat down on the couch with their water, and Bryce¡¯s expression became somber. Before Estre could ask what was on his mind, Bryce spoke up, ¡°I made a trip to the resort. All surveince footage rted to that fire from years ago has been wiped. I asked the manager, and got the brush-off-too much time has passed, and they don¡¯t remember. They imed it was just an electrical ident. Bryce¡¯s words hung in the air, and Estre¡¯s gaze sharpened, ¡°An ident? Convenient how the surveince is gone too. Too convenient if you ask me.¡± Had the resort¡¯s surveince been intact, their excuse might have held some water. But as it stood, Estre wasn¡¯t buying it. Bryce continued, ¡°They said it was identally deleted by security.¡± He paused, then added, ¡°E, this case might have more to it than meets the eye.¡± Back then, the government chalked it up to an electrical fault, and without further suspicion-after all, even Jason couldn¡¯t find the cause-it seemed likely to be an ident. Revisiting the case now, Bryce could see it was full of holes. Estre probed, ¡°When was the footage deleted? Did the resort give you a specific timeline?¡± Bryce shook his head, ¡°They yed dumb, kept saying they didn¡¯t know.¡± Leaning back against the sofa, Estre let out a slow breath, ¡°It seems there¡¯s something fishy about this. We¡¯ll have to dig deeper.¡± Bryce suggested, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Jason, see if he looked into it back in the day, maybe he¡¯ll have some leads.¡± ¡°That could work,¡± Estre agreed. After discussing the case and Isaac¡¯s situation, Bryce received a work call and had to head back to the office. In the days that followed, Jason dropped by twice a day, Kristin also came to visit several times, and both Serene and Holly made appearances. Since Estre had made a deal with Serene, Serene hardly mentioned Jason in front of her anymore, which was a relief for Estre. Holly remained her usual amiable self, getting along with everyone. Estre, who had suffered a minor fracture, was discharged from the hospital after a week once the swelling in her leg had gone down and the pain had lessened. Logan insisted that, as she was injured in the line of duty, Keegan should be her driver, 00.00 taking her to and from the office every day. Though she was advised to rest more, Estre was reluctant to stay idle, and the office was swamped with cases, especially Estre¡¯s own high-profile ones. Reluctantly, they let her return to work, albeit with her injury. That evening, after a long day, Estre arrived home to find that Autumn had already put Isaac to bed. As Estre moved to head upstairs, Autumn stopped her, ¡°Estre, hold on a minute. There¡¯s something I need to discuss with you.¡± Estre turned and settled back into the living room. The maid brought over a cup of lemonade, and with a grave tone, Autumn broached the subject, ¡°Estre, I¡¯ve heard your current case is quite complex, is that right?¡± She was referring to the environmental pollution case involving Gctic Enterprises at the Glimmering Lake factory. Estre looked up with a smile, ¡°Mom, since when have you taken an interest in my work?¡± Autumn replied, ¡°Estre, I¡¯ve heard that case involves some high-ranking officials, and there¡¯s a lot of pressure from the courts. They say the higher-ups are pushing for a quick resolution to close the case.¡± Before Estre could respond, Autumn continued, ¡°You¡¯ve juste back, and the case is so wide- ranging. Perhaps you could find an excuse to pass it on, or better yet, wrap it up quickly without digging any deeper.¡± That afternoon, while getting facials with a few otherdies, Autumn had learned that the case reached far and wide. Even the judges and jurors responsible for the case were receiving threats. Justst night, a young juror narrowly escaped a hit-and-run. Fearing for her daughter¡¯s safety, Autumn urged Estre to step away from the case. Listening to Autumn¡¯s concerns, Estre chuckled softly, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be fin Even if Autumn didn¡¯t voice her worries, Estre was well aware of the recent buzz, understanding the complexity of the case she was handling. After all, the factory¡¯s inspections and the annual regtory approvals hinted at involvement from various official quarters. Estre had also caught wind of rumors suggesting that she was a fresh returnee looking to cement her position by clinging tenaciously to this case. Estre didn¡¯t take these whispers to heart, confident in her purpose and her actions. The residents of Glimmering Lake were suffering; with pollution causing sickness, developmental issues in children, and even deformities, she couldn¡¯t be swayed by gossip or dissuaded by pressure from the powers that be. ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn, my child. Why won¡¯t you ever listen to me just once?¡± Autumn pleaded, her anxiety evident. 08-28 The orvold family did hold a certain prestige in Ravenwood and had their connections, but when it came to a showdown with the real heavyweights, they didn¡¯t have the clout. All Autumn desired was a quiet life, free from turmoil and entanglements, Chapter 231 Autumn fretted, her maternal worry creasing her brow as Estre offered words of reassurance. ¡°Mom, we can¡¯t shrink away just because things get tough. I mean, look at us-we live a charmed life, surrounded by all thisfort. It¡¯s only right that we give something back to society, don¡¯t you think?¡± Estre had won life¡¯s lottery with parents like hers, but she knew most folks weren¡¯t so lucky. They could toil away their whole lives and never get a sniff of thefort she took for granted. Some didn¡¯t even get a shot at trying. If fortune had smiled on her, then it was only fair she spread some of that goodwill around. Before Autumn could voice her concerns, Estre cut in with a grin. ¡°If everyone had this mindset, fleeing at the sight of adversity or danger, how could our family have such peaceful days for doing business?¡± ¡°The good life we¡¯re living? That¡¯s all thanks to the sacrifices of those who came before us-the ones who fought for it, some with their very lives. So, you see, Mom, with all the privileges we have, it¡¯s even more important that we lend a hand to those less fortunate. To create opportunities for them, to help make their lives a bit better, or at least a bit fairer.¡± Estre had never fancied herself a world-changer, but she always believed in doing her part, whether it was Ryan¡¯s case, Lexi¡¯s, or any of the cases she¡¯d taken on abroad. Her goal was simple: to nudge society a smidge closer to fairness. The pollution issue at Glimmering Lake was a case in point. Herst visit there with Logan had left an indelible mark-sickly children with jaundiced skin, vigers in their forties losing teeth. It was a travesty. What was utterly iprehensible was how Gctic Enterprises could pass inspection after inspection, year after year, and maintain their foothold at Glimmering Lake for over a decade. As Autumn knotted her brows in concern, Estre took her hand gently. ¡°Mom, just picture it-what if we were the ones living in Glimmering Lake? What if Isaac had to grow up there? What would you do then?¡± Estre used Isaac as an example, leaving Autumn at a loss. With a sigh, Autumn said, ¡°I¡¯m just worried about you.¡± Estre squeezed Autumn¡¯s hand reassuringly. ¡°Nothing will happen to me, Mom. I promise. And besides, I¡¯m doing this for Isaac¡¯s future too.¡± When Autumn fell silent, out of arguments, Estre just patted her mother¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m going to go spend some time with Isaac now.¡± Watching Estre climb the stairs, Autumn exhaled a helpless sigh, musing that maybe all 00.30 s those books and lectures on justice weren¡¯t entirely beneficial. The very next day. No sooner had Estre stepped into thew office than Logan approached her with an update. ¡°Estre, word from the top is that if we don¡¯t drum up new evidence or make headway with the Glimmering Lake case soon, we¡¯re going to have to wrap it up. The local council¡¯s itching to close the case too-says it¡¯s putting a strain on themunity¡¯s purse strings.¡± The more pressure they felt from above, the more everyone sensed the need for a thorough investigation-even if it meant working under the weight of that pressure. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. The problem was, too few hade forward as victims. So far, only one household had spoken up. The rest were uncooperative, keeping their distance, seemingly more worried about losing their livelihood if the factory shut down than about the poisons invading their homes. Hearing Logan¡¯s words, Estre said, ¡°Keegan and I will head to Glimmering Lake. Maybe we can get a couple more families to take a stand. That might buy us some time-or turn up something new.¡±. Logan furrowed his brow. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re up to it?¡± Estre nodded. ¡°Keegan can drive. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± With that, Estre grabbed a voice recorder and notebook and set off for Glimmering Lake with Keegan. But door after door mmed in their faces as soon as the factory was mentioned-not a single word before the resounding bang of rejection. Finally, at a dpidated bungalow with a yard, Estre spotted a young girl tending to a toddler with an oversized head and unsteady gait. She walked over. The girl exchanged pleasantries with Estre until the factory came up. Then, clutching her child, the girl made to retreat indoors. Estre, driven by a blend of urgency andpassion, reached out and took the girl¡¯s arm. ¡°Listen, I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want your child to have a life-like yours, or worse, or to grow up nursing a sick body, right?¡± At the mention of her child, the young girl¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears, and she hesitated on the doorstep. Chapter 232 Estre rxed her grip and whispered, ¡°You must have read a few books, I reckon. You know your little one isn¡¯t in the best of health, right?¡± Her words struck a chord, and the girl, sping her child, suddenly burst into tears. Estre quickly handed over a tissue, saying, ¡°Your baby¡¯s still young. Timely medical care and an improved living situation could turn things around. But if things stay as they are, I¡¯m afraid the outlook isn¡¯t too rosy.¡± As Estre spoke, the girl began to sob audibly. ¡°They told me to keep quiet, said it¡¯s normal for kids around here, that they¡¯re all like this.¡± The girl¡¯s confession tugged painfully at Estre¡¯s heart. Indeed, Education is the key to lifting folks out of poverty. ¡°You need to stand up for yourselves if you want to change your situation,¡± Estre consoled her. ¡°If you don¡¯t even dare to acknowledge the problem, who¡¯s going to solve it?¡± I Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. The girl looked up, her eyes brimming with a mix of hope and desperation. ¡°If I tell you, can you help us? Can you make life better for my baby?¡± Estre replied with resolve, ¡°I¡¯ll do everything in my power.¡± Reassured by Estre¡¯s determination, the girl carefully ced her child on the ground, then turned and went inside her house. She came back with a medical file and some test results, handing them to Estre. ¡°We went to the hospital. The doctor said my child¡¯s been poisoned, which is why he¡¯s not developing properly. His head¡¯s toorge, he¡¯s unsteady on his feet, and his bones are brittle from severe calcium deficiency. They sal he¡¯s not absorbing nutrients and might even be deformed.¡± Estre listened intently, her expression growing darker as she realized the child¡¯s symptoms were the same as Alex¡¯s, who was also suffering from fluoride poisoning. Much like Alex, many folks in Glimmering Lake were unbeknownst to themselves suffering various degrees of fluoride poisoning. They were content just having the factory nearby, as long as it provided a paycheck. Estre took photos of the medical records and test results with her phone while the girl stuffed the paperwork into her bag. ¡°If these can help my baby, take them. They¡¯re no use to me here.¡± Estre, a mother herself, felt a lump form in her throat. Swallowing hard, shesaid, ¡°Until we sort this case out, we¡¯ll supply you with clean drinking water and fresh vegetables daily. There¡¯ll also be door-to- door sales of daily necessities and food. Once this case is closed, we¡¯ll resolve all these issues.¡± Chapter 232. After the case was concluded, Glimmering Lake¡¯s drinking water would need to be sourced from elsewhere. Thend would also require testing and restoration to determine its usability. These were substantial projects that couldn¡¯t be easily aplished in the short term. Even if Estre wanted to expedite the process, she¡¯d need the green light from those above once the case was resolved. Tears welled up in the girl¡¯s eyes as she whispered, ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Ms. Estre, what should we do about the water, vegetables, and the food and grocery sales you mentioned earlier?¡± It was already dark as they drove back to town, and Keegan asked with a worried expression. ¡°All those issues are taken care of, starting tomorrow. Right now, our priority is gathering more evidence to prove the vigers have been poisoned with fluoride. We need to wrap this case up tight,¡± For the short-term issues of the vigers¡¯ drinking water and food, she could spend some money to get people to take care of it. As for the future, winning the case was a must. Keegan chimed in, ¡°If we can get the vigers to speak up, we¡¯ll definitely win.¡± Estre gazed out the windshield with a heavy sigh. This time, they were up against not just the factory but two government bodies as well. It was bound to be a tough fight, but she was determined to give it her all. As they discussed the case, Keegan suddenly slowed the car. ¡°Ms. Estre, what¡¯s with all those rocks on the road ahead?¡± Following his gaze, Estre saw a row ofrge stones blocking their path. Keegan slo to a stop and was about to unbuckle his seatbelt when Estre grabbed him, ¡°Hold d Keegan. Don¡¯t get out just yet.¡± It was only a little past eight o¡¯clock, but the sky had darkened, and this stretch of road was deserted. Theirs was the only vehicle in sight. Keegan sat back, sensing the troub as well. They sat silently, observing their surroundings. After Estre made several calls and sent their location to Bryce and the others, four men suddenly emerged from the fields on either side, wielding clubs and knives, and approached their car. ¡°Lock the doors, Keegan,¡± Estre said calmly as she noticed the men. Keegan¡¯s voice shook, ¡°Ms. Estre, the doors are locked tight.¡± As she nced in the rearview mirror, Estre saw four more men advancing from behind. They were now surrounded, and it was clear they were the targets of a nned ambush, likely connected to the Glimmering Lake case. ¡°Get out. Everyone out!¡± As Estre¡¯s gaze returned to the front, she saw the leading man mming a rod on the hood of the car. Keegan jolted in his seat, ¡°Ms. Estre, what should we do now?¡± Chapter 232. ¡°No getting out, we need to buy some time,¡± Estre calmly replied. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me telling you to get out?¡± The leading man, irritated at theirck of a reaction, mmed his club onto the windshield. Estre¡¯s car was well-built. The ss didn¡¯t shatter but cracked in a spiderweb pattern. As Estre and Keegan refused to exit the vehicle, the mob outside grew restless, kicking the car and shouting, ¡°Get out if you don¡¯t want trouble, or you won¡¯t even have a whole corpse left!¡± Frozen with fear, Keegan turned to Estre, ¡°What do we do?¡± The car swayed under the force of the assault. Estre took out a pen and paper, scribbled her phone number, and stuck it to the window, signaling for their leader to call and negotiate. The men outside ignored her, refusing to call her, and continued to vandalize the car, demanding that they get out. As the mob grew increasingly violent, the driver¡¯s side window was moments away from shattering. Estre held her breath, bracing herself to fling the door open when suddenly, a beacon of salvation pierced the darkness: headlights from an approaching vehicle. Estre¡¯s heart leapt at the sight, a lifeline thrown in the midst of chaos. Even though she had no clue who was behind the wheel, it was a relief that it wasn¡¯t just her and Keegan alone on this deste stretch of road anymore. As the ring lights drew closer, Estre shielded her eyes. The thugs outside did the same, cursing impatiently as their rampage was interrupted. Then, she watched as th high beams switched to low, and the car pulled up on the opposite side of the rocky verge. The license te remained a blur, but the make of the vehicle was unmistakable: a Mercedes-Benz SUV of impressive size. And then she saw him-a tall figure emerging from the driver¡¯s side, wielding a baseball bat like a modern-day knight. When her gaze finally settled on the man¡¯s face, Estre¡¯s breath hitched in her throat. Chapter 233 Why was Jason here? Estre had just sent out a notification to everyone but him, and yet he showed up so swiftly. The ringleader cornering Estre spat on the ground with a vicious look and, gripping a metal pipe in hand, started towards the neer. As the ringleader got close to Jason, he brandished the pipe and sneered, ¡°Who the hell are you? I¡¯d advise you to mind your own-¡± Before the man could finish his sentence, Jason raised the baseball bat in his hand and violently smashed it down towards the man¡¯s head. Blood trickled from a gash on the man¡¯s forehead the next second. His cronies were stunned, turning to stare at Jason with bewildered expressions. The leader, brow furrowed and wiping the blood from his head, roared at his men, ¡°What are you morons staring at? Get him!¡± The remaining thugs, riled up by their leader¡¯smand, charged at Jason with their own weapons raised. Inside Estre¡¯s SUV, Keegan noticed their attackers had shifted focus and turned to Estre, ¡°Ms. Estre, that guy looks like Mr. Jason.¡± Estre¡¯s gaze was fixed ahead, ¡°It¡¯s him.¡± With that confirmation, Keegan quickly unlocked the door, ¡°I need to go help Mr. Jason.¡± Estre grabbed Keegan¡¯s arm. Just as Keegan was about to protest, she handed tire iron from beside her seat. ¡°Take this.¡± Ever since Jesse had been cornered by three years ago, they always kept some kind of weapon in their cars. Seeing that Estre was also preparing to exit the vehicle, Keegan held her back, ¡°Ms Estre, your leg¡¯s still healing. I can handle this. Just keep the doors locked.¡± They were up against a group of men, and if things went south, Estre¡¯s safety could bpromised. Keegan¡¯s priority was to ensure her protection, even as fear shook him from head to toe. Summoning his courage, Keegan flung open the door and stepped out. Before closing the door, he reminded Estre to lock it and not to leave the car under any circumstances. Estre heeded his advice, locking the door after Keegan left. Then, Keegan charged towards the group attacking Jason, swinging the tire iron. But he wasn¡¯t cut out for fighting; instead of aiming for heads, he struck backs and arms. From the passenger seat, Estre watched anxiously. At first, Jason held his own, but after a couple of knife shes, his defense weakened, 08.33 and he was pushed back towards Estre¡¯s SUV. Keegan was also taking a brutal beating. ¡°Son of a bitch, you want to split my head open? I¡¯m gonna finish you off today,¡± the leader cursed, shing his knife at Jason. As Jason raised his bat to defend himself, his left arm got shed by someone on the side. Gritting his teeth in pain, he leaned against the hood of Estre¡¯s white car. Estre¡¯s car was white, and when Jason leaned against it, she clearly saw blood on the vehicle. Her heart skipped a beat. Ovee with worry and an urge to help, she reached for the door handle. Noticing Estre opening the door, Jason¡¯s expression changed. He quickly shut it, ordering her sternly, ¡°Lock the door. Don¡¯t get out.¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. For a brief moment, Estre was transported back to their school days when Jason would fearlessly protect her. It was as if all the grudges and grievances were just a bad dream. The door mmed shut, and as the assants closed in with knives and clubs, Jason¡¯s fierce eyes commanded, ¡°Lock it.¡± Estre felt a lump in her throat, but sheplied, locking the door. If her leg had been healed, she would have been out there fighting alongside Jason, but now, she feared she¡¯d only be a hindrance. Watching Jason get hit on the head and Keegan curled up on the ground taking punches, Estre¡¯s heart ached, and tears welled up in her eyes. It was the feeling of being powerless that stung the most. As the assants¡¯ bravado escted, Estre¡¯s resolve to expose those behind the solidified. Just when Jason seemed on the brink of copse, headlights shed in the distanc followed by the wail of police sirens. The gang nced back and, hearing the approaching sirens, scattered up the mountainous path with their weapons in tow. As soon as they fled, Estre hurried out of the car to find Jason slumped against the front tire. Limping over to him, she knelt down and asked with concern, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jason, wincing, held his arm and insisted, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Estre gripped his arm and looked over to Keegan, shouting, ¡°Keegan, how are you?¡± Keegan slowly got to his feet, ¡°Ms. Estre, I¡¯m alright.¡± When Jason and Keegan emerged from surgery, it was past two in the morning. Keegan had three broken ribs and several other injuries. Jason¡¯s face had been cut, his left arm and right bicep shed, with six stab wounds overall and a moderate 213 0833 Chapter 233. Concussion from the blow to his head. ¡°Estre, it¡¯s under control now. I¡¯ll take you home to rest. You have a kid to worry about,¡± Thomas said to Estre as Jason was wheeled back to his room. Thomas had encountered Jason and the police on the way back. Estre nced towards the hospital room and then back at Thomas, ¡°I¡¯ll go back in a bit.¡± Chapter 234 Then, Estre crossed her arms in front of her chest and entered the hospital room. Once inside, Estre¡¯s gaze immediately fell on the bandages covering Jason¡¯s face. If the scars were deep, it would be tough to avoid marks. Noticing Estree in, Jason said, ¡°It¡¯s just a few scratches. Let Thomas drive you home.¡± Estre nodded and said, ¡°Okay.¡± After a quick check on Keegan next door, she left with Thomas. On the drive back, Thomas, gripping the steering wheel, nced at Estre and said, ¡°Jason called us, saying you might be in trouble. He was nearly panicking, his voice trembling. It¡¯s been years since I¡¯ve seen him so anxious.¡± ¡°How did he even know I was at Glimmering Lake?¡± Estre inquired. ¡°No idea,¡± Thomas admitted. ¡°But finding out where you are isn¡¯t hard for him.¡± He then added, ¡°Just a thought, Estre, but are you sure you want to keep digging into the Glimmering Lake case? Maybe we¡¯re dealing with folks who are way out of our league.¡± Estre chuckled. ¡°Out of our league or not, I¡¯m seeing this through.¡± How could she not? If she didn¡¯t unearth the culprits, what would be of the vigers in Glimmering Lake, or the good folks under their jurisdiction? She knew the stakes when she chose to be an attorney. She wouldn¡¯t have picke path if she was afraid, and she certainly didn¡¯t want Jason and Keegan¡¯s injuries vain. Acknowledging Estre¡¯s resolve, Thomas reached out with his right hand and ruf hair. ¡°You go full throttle, Estre. Jason and I will back you every step of the way.¡± As her eyes drifted over, Thomas quickly withdrew his hand. ¡°You¡¯re E, the boss, ou leader.¡± He had meant tofort and encourage her, but she clearly didn¡¯t need it. Twenty minutester, they pulled up to the Dorvold family¡¯s gate. It was toote for pleasantries, and Thomas urged her not to dwell on the night¡¯s events too much before watching her enter the house and then driving off. Inside, Autumn rushed to greet Estre. ¡°Back already? How are Jason and your colleague?¡± Before Estre could respond, Autumn continued, ¡°Your dad¡¯s on a red-eye flight back because of this.¡± Estre sped Autumn¡¯s hand. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s all right. It¡¯ste. You should get some rest.¡± As Autumn was about to caution her daughter against probing too deeply into the case, she noticed Estre¡¯s exhaustion and held back, knowing Estre¡¯s determination was as staunch as her father¡¯s. After reassuring Autumn, Estre retired upstairs. Sitting on the edge of the small bed, she watched Isaac sleep peacefully, feeling a chill of what-ifs run through her. She hadn¡¯t been this nervous at the scene, but her deepest concerns had been for Isaac-what would her son do if something happened to her? After a tender kiss on Isaac¡¯s forehead, Estre lingered by the bed before heading to the bathroom. The next morning, after breakfast with Isaac, Estre briefed Logan at thew firm about the previous night¡¯s events and then headed to the hospital. As for the police, she had given her statement and handed over the dashcam evidence while Jason and Keegan were in surgery the night before. ¡°Estre, you came!¡± Kristin¡¯s spirits lifted at the sight of her. ¡°Hi Kristin,¡± Estre greeted. Kristin pulled a chair up for Estre, whispering that Jason had been in pain all night and had only fallen asleep after giving a two-hour statement to the police that morning. Estre nced at Jason, silently grateful for his timely intervention the night before. Kristin sighed, ¡°He¡¯s been in scraps before, but this is the worst I¡¯ve seen him hurt.¡± Estre replied, acknowledging Jason¡¯s role. ¡°Thanks to his timely rescuest nigh ¡°Whenever you are in trouble, Jason would rush to your aid even if it meant facing danger,¡± Kristin said. ¡°Remember when you were in the eleventh grade and got surrounded by a few thugs? Jason was a step behind Korey that time, but he ended incapacitating those hooligans. I even had to pay a significant amount of money to s the matter, and your father scolded him for hitting those thugs too hard.¡± Kristin exined to Estre that they¡¯d kept the details from her to spare her any trauma adding that while Jason might not be much of a talker, his actions spoke volumes. Estre remained silent, prompting Kristin to press on. ¡°Estre, deep down, you didn¡¯t agree to marry Jason just because of some fortune-teller¡¯s words, right? There must be feelings there. Otherwise, knowing you, you¡¯d never have agreed to the marriage.¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. As Kristin delved into the past, Estre couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been smitten with him since we were kids, so ending up together wasn¡¯t just about the fortune-telling. But, that¡¯s all water under the bridge now. I don¡¯t remember the details all that well anyway. Jason saved my hide this time, and for that, I¡¯m truly grateful. But let¡¯s keep things separate.¡± Admitting in front of Kristin that she married Jason out of affection meant that Estre. Chapter Chapter 234. had truly moved on. Estre might still consider him a friend, but she¡¯d never see him as a lover again. Those feelings were gone. Many things seemed too difficult to discuss or confront at the time, but in retrospect, after m¨¢ny years, they weren¡¯t as earth-shattering as they appeared to be. Having loved, felt heartache, and been hurt ¨C they were all just water under the bridge. Estre¡¯s rity was met with a silent sigh from Kristin. As a woman who had been through the wringer herself, Kristin understood all too well that once a woman bes a mother, nothing else holds the same weight. Her child is her world, her everything. In the hospital room, Jason was still lost in slumber. Kristin and Estre chatted about their childhoods, with Estre joining in theughter, but her heart no longer fluttered. Around noon, noticing Jason hadn¡¯t woken up, Kristin nced at her phone and said, ¡°Estre, I¡¯ve got to run an errand. Could you keep an eye on Jason for me? You know how he is, not keen on strangers hovering around, otherwise I¡¯d just leave it to the nursing staff.¡± ¡°Go ahead. I can keep watch,¡± Estre replied, unable to say no given that Jason had been injured saving her and Keegan. Besides, she had prepared herself to look after him when she came to the hospital. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯m off. Call me if anythinges up here.¡± ¡°Will do.¡± Estre nodded as she walked Kristin to the elevator. Returning to the room, Estre pulled out herptop and began to work. She still h make a couple of trips to Glimmering Lake to gather more evidence from the vig On the hospital bed, Jason, unbeknownst to her, had opened his eyes. He watched Estre engrossed in her work, opting not to disturb her. Instead, hey there quietly gaze fixed on her. Chapter 237 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-t¨¦n, 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¡ª¡± Before she could finish, Jason leaned in once more, parting his lips slightly, and captured her lips with his again. Chapter 238 Estre was on the verge of losing her cool, thanks to Jason¡¯s shameless advances. She struggled, but couldn¡¯t push him away. Jason¡¯s kisses grew deeper, softer, no longer as forceful as before. It had been years since she¡¯d been close to a man, and Jason¡¯s passionate yet gentle kisses were starting to wear her down. It was nothing personal, just a simple physical reaction. Her hands gripped his shirt tightly, no longer trying to push him away, as Jason drew her tender tongue into his mouth. Estre¡¯s breath hitched. After three years, she couldn¡¯t deny that kissing Jason still made. her knees weak and her blood rush. Meeting.no further resistance, Jason grew bolder, his hands slipping under her shirt, caressing her waist. Estre shivered, goosebumps spreading across her skin. At the same time, she snapped back to reality, remembering she was here on serious business. She pushed him away with force, ¡°Enough is enough!¡± Taken aback by Estre¡¯s shove, Jason clutched his chest and staggered back, his brows knitted, ¡°Estre, you hit hard. Don¡¯t you care at all?¡± Estre looked at him with disgust, ¡°Cut the act, you¡¯re not hurt.¡± But when her eyes fell on his arm, she saw the bloodstains on his shirt. Jeez, his mind was clearly clouded with lust, even risking his life. She could guarantee that if she hadn¡¯t pushed him away, he would have gone through with it despite his injuries. If anything happened to him, the me would fall on her, painting her as some kind of slut who wouldn¡¯t let an injured man be. Jason, feigning pain, moved closer, resting his chin on Estre¡¯s shoulder with a weary voice, ¡°Babe, I¡¯m sorry. My bad.¡± Estre scoffed, pushing him off her shoulder, ¡°You¡¯re the big shot here in Ravenwood, the untouchable Jason. How could you ever be wrong? And don¡¯t forget, we¡¯re divorced. I¡¯m not your babe.¡± Jason, undeterred by Estre¡¯s sarcasm, simply held her hand, ¡°Estre, I really am sorry.¡± ¡°No,¡± Estre pulled her hand away, ¡°I¡¯m not the one for you, and stop with the sweet talk.¡± Then she added, ¡°If I remember correctly, you told me just the other night not to feel pressured, and you would¡¯ve done the same with anyone.¡± Jason didn¡¯t let her hand go, holding it firmly, ¡°That has nothing to do with what happened 08:35 the other night. Even without that, I needed to say this today.¡± He then pit¨ªfully ced Estre¡¯s hand against his cheek. Right now, he was speaking the truth. Apologizing to Estre and showing his intentions had nothing to do with saving her; it was about the fire from seven years ago. He didn¡¯t know it was not her fault. Despite the remaining mysteries, Estre¡¯s fiery attitude had him head over heels in love. His Estre was back. Jason yed the sympathy card, but Estre pped his face away, ¡°Don¡¯t try that with me.¡± She demanded the evidence he had about the fire. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll give you everything,¡± Jason agreed. Estre, taken aback by his cooperation, said sharply, ¡°Get ready to send it to my email.¡± With that, she grabbed her purse, too annoyed to stay a second longer, and too frustrated to even look at Jason. What a mess these years had been. Estre was about to leave when Jason reached out to stop her, ¡°Babe, don¡¯t go. We haven¡¯t finished talking.¡± But Estre, ignoring his pleas, walked away without looking back. Back at thew firm, everyone tiptoed around her, too afraid to ask about her sour mood, knowing full well her temper could dismantle the ce. During her early days at the firm, she onceid out a rowdy male client, sending him tumbling out the door. That evening, back at her home, Estre brooded on the couch, still upset about the morning¡¯s events and Jason¡¯s years of silence about the fire. Autumn, noticing her mood, asked with concern, ¡°Estre, what¡¯s up? Why the long face?¡± Seeing Estre¡¯s swollen, pale lips, she pressed, ¡°What happened to your mouth? Why is it all swelled up?¡± ¡°Nothing, I am just a bit upset.¡± Estre muttered. Onlyter back at the firm did Estre realize that Jason had kissed her for nearly an hour, even longer than their argument. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Autumn said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll make you some sweet soup.¡± After saying that, Autumn set down the dinosaur tail she was holding and headed to the kitchen. Meanwhile, little Isaac, clutching his feet, looked up at Estre, and once Autumn finished talking, he climbed onto Estre with a beaming smile, cupping her face and cooing, ¡°Mommy.¡± 08:35 At Isaac¡¯s sweet voice, Estre¡¯s anger melted away, and she opened her arms to embrace him. After teasing and kissing him, Estre had Isaac sit in herp while she scratched his short hair. Meanwhile, Isaac held Estre¡¯s face with his left hand and gently touched Estre¡¯s lips with his right hand, saying slowly ¡°Mommy, your mouth is sick.¡¯ ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Estre agreed, running her fingers through his hair. ¡°Mouths are meant for talking and communicating. If they don¡¯t, they get ¡®sick.¡± Her words were a clear dig at Jason, although he wasn¡¯t there to hear them. Listening to Estre, Isaac cupped her face with both hands and nted a smacker right on her lips. The suddenness of Isaac¡¯s move was just so Jason-like. After his soft little lips had pressed against hers, Isaac tenderly rubbed her mouth and said, ¡°Owie go away.¡± Melted by his concern, Estre¡¯s heart turned to mush as she nuzzled his forehead, ¡°With you here, Mommy will never get sick or hurt.¡± At Estre¡¯s smile, Isaac too burst into a silly grin. As they were getting all cozy in the living room, Estre¡¯s phone rang with Drew¡¯s number on the disy. She answered, ¡°Just email me the evidence.¡± Jason¡¯s voice came through the other end, ¡°This is important. Come down to the hospital, or I can come to you now. It¡¯s better to discuss this in person.¡± Chapter 239 Estre had left the hospital earlier that morning, and since then, Jason had been blowing up her phone with calls and texts. To Estre, it seemed clear that Jason¡¯s persistence was nothing short of harassment, especially since he hadn¡¯t even mentioned the evidence she was waiting for. Fed up, she had blocked him. This left Jason with no choice but to reach out using Drew¡¯s phone. Hearing Jason¡¯s words, Estre replied, ¡°I¡¯m spending time with my son right now. I¡¯lle over once he¡¯s asleep.¡± She definitely wasn¡¯t keen on Jasoning to the Dorvold residence. ¡°You¡¯re still not fully mobile,¡± Jason insisted. ¡°I¡¯ll send Drew to pick you up.¡± Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. Estre didn¡¯t give him the time of day, abruptly ending the call with a click. Later, after ying with Isaac and finishing dinner at home, Estre handed Isaac over to Autumn and stepped out. Sure enough, as soon as she reached the doorway, Drew was already there waiting for her. Throughout the drive to the hospital, Drew didn¡¯t bring up the fire incident. Instead, he poured his energy into telling Estre about how tough the past three years had been for Jason, how much he had missed her, and his unwavering fidelity. Drew assured her that there was never anything romantic between Jason and Holly-it was all just one big misunderstanding. Estre, only half-listening to Drew¡¯s heartfelt defense, casually dug at her ear and said, ¡°Drew, you¡¯re wasted as an assistant. You should be aedian.¡± She had never realized before how skilled Drew was at pleading someone¡¯s case. ¡°Ms. Estre, I just don¡¯t want there to be any misunderstandings between you and Mr. Jason,¡± Drew tried to exin. ¡°There are no misunderstandings between us, Drew-only facts,¡± Estre retorted, leaving Drew speechless. She had a way with words that made it impossible for him to win any argument. Seeing Drew looking pitiful, Estre knew she was finally going to get some quiet time. When Drew attempted to speak again, Estre preemptively cut him off, ¡°Drew, you¡¯ve seen everything that¡¯s happened between Jason and me over the years. He never came home at night. Not only did he refuse to have children, but he also refused to have a wedding banquet, and he even would not acknowledge me as Mrs. Nelson. These are all facts, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a fact that he said he would pick me up at the airport but stood me up? Isn¡¯t it a fact that¡¯I had a miscarriage and was hospitalized at Sandalwood Oasis, and he didn¡¯t even know about it?¡± There were too many other incidents Estre didn¡¯t even care to mention. Drew nodded in reluctant agreement, ¡°Yes, those are facts, but-¡± ¡°Drew, you¡¯re what, two years older than me? Nearly thirty and yet you still can¡¯t see things clearly. Life isn¡¯t filled with ¡®buts¡¯ and ¡®ifs¡¯. Results are what matter, and I¡¯ve always been about the endgame,¡± Estre said. ¡°So stop trying to sell Jason¡¯s sob story to me. I¡¯m only here to find out the truth about what really happened back then.¡± With such a significant issue at hand, who could be bothered with anything else? Clearing her name was what mattered most. Having said her piece, Estre left Drew with no option but to fall silent. Soon they arrived at the hospital¡¯s outdoor parking lot in front of the inpatient building. Estre got out of the car and went straight upstairs. She pushed open the door to Jason¡¯s hospital room to find a desktopputer set up on the desk, surrounded by files and documents. Jason greeted her as Drew escorted her in. After a knowing nce, Drew quickly excused himself, ¡°Mr. Jason, Ms. Estre, you two take your time. I¡¯ll go attend to other matters.¡± It was their chance to be alone, and Drew had no intention of being a third wheel. Drew shut the door behind him, and Jason guided Estre with her hand inside, saying, ¡°All the evidence is right here.¡± Estre nced at him coolly before withdrawing her hand from his. Jason pulled out a chair for her by the desk, ¡°The surveince footage and all other relevant evidence- it¡¯s all here.¡± Upon hearing Jason¡¯s words, Estre first nced at the evidence on the table, then proceeded to open various surveince videos that Jason had prepared in advance. As she watched the footage in the sequence that Jason and Drew had arranged, Estre¡¯s expression darkened. Though she was trained inw, she was no stranger to technology and could tell t surveince hadn¡¯t been tampered with. The person in the videos was undeniably he the fire had been started by her hands. If she weren¡¯t sitting right here, and if she didpletelyck this segment of memory, she would have suspected herself as the culprit. It was past eleven when Estre finished reviewing Jason¡¯s materials, her emotions a tangled mess. In that moment, she understood why Jason had suspected her. -Can¡¯t believe Jason was two-timing. Estre, I¡¯ll fix this mess with the lovebirds for you. -One fire, and it¡¯s all sorted. The night was silent as she sifted through the evidence, Jason not interrupting once, simply standing by her side. Seeing Serene braving the mes to save him and Holly. 08:35 Estre also understood why Jason had been looking out for her. Swallowing hard, Estre said, ¡°My conversation with Jesse is true, but it was just words said in anger. I didn¡¯t set that fire, and neither did Jesse.¡± The questions of why she was at the scene and why all the evidence pointed to her remained a mystery to Estre. Before Jason could respond, Estre continued, ¡°Jason, I¡¯m not trying to weasel out of anything, but I won¡¯t take the fall for something I didn¡¯t do. And I know myself¡ªif I really had it in me to kill, and if I¡¯d actually gone through with it, you and Holly wouldn¡¯t be alive today.¡± With Estre, it was all or nothing. If Estre had been the one to act, they wouldn¡¯t be alive, and she wouldn¡¯t have left such damning evidence for anyone to find. With the evidenceid out before her, Estre couldn¡¯t find a way out of this yet, but she was determined that she would. Estre stood resolute, her determination unwavering. From behind, Jason hunched slightly and wrapped his arms around her in aforting embrace. ¡°I believe you,¡± he murmured into her ear. ¡°If you say you didn¡¯t do it, then you didn¡¯t do it.¡± When Estre came to see him this morning and vented her frustration, Jason was already certain that there was a problem here. They just hadn¡¯t figured out the reason yet. The surprise hug from Jason allowed Estre¡¯s heart, which had been suspended in anxiety, to finally find itsnding. She was so wrapped up in the muddle of evidence that she¡¯d forgotten to push him away. With his chin resting on her shoulder, Jason turned his face toward hers and asked with a hint of yfulness, ¡°Babe, what made you dive into this investigation all of a sudden?¡± After all these years, Estre had never once spoken of the fire that had scarred the past. Jason¡¯s curiosity about her motives was piqued. Chapter 240 Estre nced sideways at him, still unaware of Jason¡¯s arms encircling her, oblivious to his endearments as he called her ¡°babe¡±. She said, ¡°Struck a deal with Serene. She helped me get the divorce papers through, and in return, I¡¯ve agreed to dig up the truth behind that infernal ze, to drag the puppet master out of the shadows.¡± She added, ¡°Guess she¡¯s been shadowing you all these years, hoping you¡¯d make some headway with the case. It must¡¯ve been a letdown how it all fizzled out.¡± At Estre¡¯s exnation, Jason¡¯s expression darkened visibly. Teaming up with Serene to get a divorce, Estre really went through with it, leaving him without a shred of dignity. Estre¡¯s mention of Serene¡¯s vested interest in the case jogged a memory for Jason. Indeed, not long after Serene was discharged and started working at Nelson International, she would often inquire about any leads on the assant. At first, he¡¯d give her updates and share the progress. But after discovering the perpetrator was Estre, he told Serene it was an ident and urged her to forget the whole affair and never bring it up again. Since then, Serene had not approached him with any further questions. It seems she was still concerned about it, which made sense considering the severity of her injuries from the fire, injuries that had robbed her of the chance to bear children. And it was precisely for that reason he had taken care of Serene and her family and kept her at Nelson International. Jason and Estre were able to open up and talk it out this time,rgely thanks to Serene asking Estre to investigate. Otherwise, this incident might never have been brought up. The thought of Estre dealing with Serene just to get divorced from him still stung, prompting him to curse under his breath, ¡°Damn it, all this over some silly misunderstanding.¡± Noticing Jason¡¯s displeasure, Estre snapped back to reality, realizing she was trapped his embrace. In the next heartbeat, her expression turned frosty as she said, ¡°Have you shame? Get your hands off me, and keep your distance.¡± He had kept silent, ming her for so many years, making her suffer. And now, he wante to hug and kiss her just like that? No such luck Instead of releasing her, Jason tightened his grip. ¡°Estre, now that everything¡¯s out in the open, you know it was all a big misunderstanding. Let¡¯s remarry, shall we?¡± he said. Having cleared the air with Estre, and after being so intimate that morning, Jason now was set on remarrying and investigating the past together. Estreughed dryly, standing up from her chair withposure, ¡°Jason, you might be under a misconception about me, but I¡¯m under no illusions about you. And who¡¯s to say I¡¯m not lying? Maybe I did want to burn you alive.¡± 00.25 Her sarcasm made Jason reach for her face, pleading, ¡°Babe, I was wrong. I¡¯ll take any punishment. Just let¡¯s get remarried. Even if you did want to end me, I¡¯d ept it.¡± Jason was relentless, and Estre almost forgot how he used to charm her with his whimsical ways. She once fell for him because he could y the sweetheart better than anyone else, calling her ¡°darling¡± and leaning on her shoulder, feigning exhaustion. But times had changed, and she was no longer the Estre of her youth. 1 Giving Jason a sidelong nce, Estre sne¨¦red. ¡°Really? Any punishment?¡± She walked over to the window, pushed it open, and with her arms crossed over her chest, she challenged, ¡°Then jump. If you survive the fall from the 33rd floor, I¡¯ll remarry you.¡± Damn it! The little devil¡¯s got a heart of stone. Jason watched her for a long moment, her expression one of smug anticipation, before stepping closer, ¡°If it¡¯ll make you forgive me, I¡¯ll jump.¡± True strength isn¡¯t in preserving one¡¯s pride, but in knowing when to cast it aside. Afterying everything out with Estre, Jason realized that clinging to his pride would mean losing his wife forever. Without further ado, he climbed onto the ledge. Seeing him actually perched on the window, half his body dangling outside, Estre quickly yanked him back by the cor of his shirt. If he identally fell, the entire Nelson family would be after her blood. Besides, he was her son¡¯s¡­ Yanked back to safety by Estre, Jason regained his footing and swiftly wrapped her in his arms. ¡°Darling, you can¡¯t bear to let me go, can you?¡± Estre pushed him away with visible disdain, ¡°The truth hasn¡¯t evene to light. How could you die?¡± Jason chuckled at her excuse and pulled her back into his embrace. This time, he h so tightly that all of Estre¡¯s pushing couldn¡¯t break his hold. Looking up at him, she reminded, ¡°You¡¯re nearly thirty, Jason. Show some dignity.¡± His birthday was just three months away, right around the holidays. Jason smiled, ¡°You remember my birthday?¡± Estre rolled her eyes, ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± They had known each other for years, and she used to celebrate his birthday with him every year. How could she forget? They were divorced, not amnesiacs. The more Estre showed her contempt, the warmer Jason felt inside, his smile growing brighter. Even if the full truth was still buried, and there were more hurdles ahead, as long 08:36 as they couldmunicate, and there was a chance for reconciliation, he feared nothing. Holding her closer, h¨¨ nuzzled her cheek with his nose, whispered hot breaths into her ear, ¡°Babe, I made a mistake, a big one. Let¡¯s remarry. From now on, I¡¯ll listen to you. I¡¯ll transfer my shares and properties to you. If I ever upset you again, just send me packing, and let me beg on the streets.¡± When little Estre was just a tot, Jason once took her out to y and identally knocked out one of her teeth. The poor girl wailed so mournfully,menting that without her tooth she couldn¡¯t enjoy her meals. She was so upset; she insisted that Kristin kick Jason out and make him beg for change on the street corners. Jason, wracked with guilt and heartache, silently gathered his things, ready to face the beggar¡¯s life. He was only seven years old at the time. When Estre saw Jason actually clutching a bowl ready to hit the streets, she suddenly changed her mind, pulling him back, confessing that she had just spoken in anger. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Reminiscing about the old times, a wry smile tugged at Estre¡¯s mouth. ¡°ying for sympathy, are we?¡± she thought to herself. Truth be told, Estre barely remembered the incident herself. She was only four back then. It was Kristin who, in jest, had recounted the story to her on several asions, keeping the memory alive. With a cold chuckle, Estre¡¯s reaction was met by Jason pulling her even closer into his embrace, nting a kiss on her cheek. ¡°Babe, just give me a chance,¡± he pleaded. Chapter 241 Estre¡¯s hand shot up to cover his mouth, and with an unexpected shove, she pushed him aw Give him a chance? Hadn¡¯t she given him enough already? Where had he been when it mattered? ¡°Let¡¯s get one thing straight, I¡¯m not entertaining the thought of getting back together,¡± Estre dered, standing up to nonchntly slip into her coat. ¡°As for the fire, I¡¯ll keep digging until I hit the truth.¡± It was so ironic. She had never expected she would be the suspect. The evidence in Jason¡¯s possession was likely mirrored by what Holly had. So, even if she hadn¡¯t struck a deal with Serene this time, the proverbial storm was bound to break sooner orter. The silver lining? Estre held the reins, allowing her to investigate first. Jason, seeing Estre dressing up, grabbed her arm, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going in the dead of night?¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Estreughed helplessly, ¡°Home, of course.¡± At her response, Jason pulled her into his arms with a bit more force, ¡°Still mad? You¡¯re not nning on giving me even a sliver of a chance?¡± Estre looked up at him, ¡°Jason, don¡¯t-¡± Her words were cut short as Jason leaned in and captured her lips in a sudden kiss. As her lips were seized unexpectedly, Estre was about to erupt in anger when Jason sped her wrists and pried her lips apart, slipping his tender tongue into her mouth. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± With her hands held aloft by Jason, Estre let out a muffled moan. It was a moanden with unintended intimacy. Her eyes, not fully closed, watched him kiss her with an intensity as if he were engage some profound act of gravity. His actions made it seem like he wasn¡¯t the one who ha just been acting cute with her. As their lips and tongues entwined, Estre¡¯s struggles weakened, her clenched fists gradually rxed and lost their strength. At this age, controlling one¡¯s physical reactions was bing a challenge. Her eyes slowly closed, savoring Jason¡¯s tenderness, until his hand, moving from her waist to her chest, prompted Estre to open her eyes. She pushed his hand away and then pushed him back a bit, saying, ¡°Getting a bit ahead of ourselves, aren¡¯t we?¡± Jason clutched his chest and staggered back, his eyes a picture of wounded innocence, ¡°You really have no sympathy for me, do you?¡± Estre couldn¡¯t be bothered with him. She straightened her disheveled clothing, ¡°I¡¯m 08:36 heading back. I¡¯ll contact you if I find any leads.¡± As much as they had to discuss other matters, the fire was a topic they couldn¡¯t ignore, especially since he was directly involved. Jason protested, ¡°And who¡¯ll take care of me if you leave?¡± Estre chuckled, ¡°You were about to force yourself on me, and you¡¯re asking for care?¡± Jason felt speechless. When had he ever attempted such a thing? If he truly wanted to force her, she wouldn¡¯t have had a chance to push him away. Watching Estre with aplex expression, Jason pleaded, ¡°Estre, I really do feel unwell. Stay with me for a bit.¡± Estre was unmoved, ¡°Your difort isn¡¯t something I can remedy. I¡¯m not a doctor.¡± Jason tried a different tactic, ¡°Kissing you seems to help.¡± In truth, he was just not satiated, feeling ill at ease in his heart. Jason¡¯s earnest nonsense was met with Estre tossing her shoe at him. Three years had passed, and he had be even more shameless. From about a meter away, Jason caught the flying shoe with ease. Seeing this, Estre approached with a stern face and snatched her shoe back. Seizing the moment, Jason wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. It had been his favorite since her middle school days. He would stand there, chin on the shoulder of Estre, who was a head shorter than him, and either share tidbits about his day or simply rest in silence. Back then, a teenage Estre was hardly immune to Jason¡¯s allure, Years passed, and even though they had once fought, her feelings were more of sorrow than anger. The past mattered, but marriage had slowly eroded those memories. ncing sideways at Jason, Estre asked, ¡°How long are you going to keep this up, Jason?¡± He tightened his embrace, nuzzling her neck, ¡°For a lifetime.¡± Estreughed, poking his forehead, ¡°Dream on and move aside.¡± She had wanted forever before, but he had left her alone, waiting. After being poked away, Jason quickly pulled her back in, his lips teasing her face as he murmured, ¡°Babe, I admit my faults. Can¡¯t you give me another chance?¡± Before Estre could respond, Jason¡¯s wandering hands traced her back, her waist, and then¡­ Nibbling on her ear, he exhaled hot breath and said, ¡°Estre, we haven¡¯t seen each other in three years. Don¡¯t you miss it at all? We¡¯re in sync. We know each other¡¯s desires.¡± Estre¡¯s inner scorn raced like a stampede. Since her outburst yesterday morning, revealing the fire incident, Jason¡¯s mind had been preupied with nothing but their past sex life, disregarding the case entirely. With a wry¡¯smile, she retorted, ¡°I don¡¯t miss it. These past three years, I¡¯ve got lots of men, and their skills all surpassed yours.¡± Jason froze. His heart pierced by her words, his gaze at Estre turned icy. He didn¡¯t believe a word she said, but he still felt hurt by the way she dismissed his skills, especially when his skills were already good enough and the duration was sufficient. He remembered exactly how much she had enjoyed their past lovemaking. His left arm held her close, his right hand caressed her side, and he dered, ¡°Estre, it seems I need to jog your memory properly.¡± With that, he drew her in tightly, their bodies pressed against each other. Estre looked up, ¡°You get hard so fast?¡± Jason ignored the tease, cupping her chin and leaning in for another kiss. Today, he was determined to make Estre beg for mercy. Jason¡¯s kiss was assertive, almost domineering, leaving Estre¡¯s lips aching. Since their passionate encounter the day before, she had felt the soreness ¨C the result of a kiss that lingered too long and fervent, leaving her lips swollen and even peeling slightly. Chapter 242 Staring into Jason¡¯s eyes, Estre saw how wrapped up he was in the moment. Seizing the opportunity, she bit him yfully and then pushed him away with a raised hand. ¡°Getting a little toofortable, aren¡¯t we? Jason, that¡¯s harassment. Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t sue you.¡± Jason raised his hand and gently touched her slightly swollen lips. ¡°Or you could harass me back,¡± he said with a shameless grin. Estre just stared at him, that grin stered across his face. After a moment, she saidnguidly, ¡°Jason, haven¡¯t you been a bit too cheerful these past days? Have you forgotten I cheated on you? That I have a son?¡± The man was too cocky; she needed to douse him with a reality check. Right on cue, Jason winced at the reminder. It wasn¡¯t that Isaac wasn¡¯t adorable, but the thought of Estre with someone else made him green with jealousy. Clearing his throat, he conceded, ¡°I ept it,¡± and added, ¡°I¡¯ll treat Isaac as my own, and protect him as I would myself.¡± Jason had his doubts, but he knew this wasn¡¯t the time to delve into those with Estre. Right now, his priority was to set the right tone to charm Estre and win her back. Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh at his naivety. ¡°Treat him as your own? Dream on, Jason. If you want a son, go have one yourself.¡± With that, she grabbed her purse from the table. Jason quickly reached out to stop her. ¡°Do you really have to go? Can¡¯t you stay a little longer? I promise I won¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°Let go, Jason, or I¡¯ll scream.¡± His promises were empty as far as she was concerned. If she didn¡¯t leave now, she was certain things would escte between them. After all, neither were saints or particrly concerned with maintaining image. With a final warning nce at Jason, Estre shook off his hand and headed for the d ¡°If you pull any more stunts, you can forget about ever seeing me again.¡± Jason muttered under his breath about herck of gratitude, but he followed her out the door nheless. ¡°What do you want now?¡± Estre snapped as they reached the sidewalk. With roguish charm, Jason replied, ¡°I want you Will you let me?¡± Estre spun around and kicked him. ¡°You really felt nothing for me,¡± he gasped, then quickly added, ¡°I¡¯m just walking you out.¡± Once they were downstairs, Drew was waiting by the car, ready to take Estre home. Jason, hands in his pockets, gave Drew a casual nod. ¡°Take her home,¡± and then softly told Estre, ¡°Send me a message when you get there.¡± 08:36 In that moment, Jason was the picture of calm andposure, the golden frame of his sses still perched on his nose, his demeanor still noble, as if the man who had been yfully teasing Estre in the hospital room wasn¡¯t him. Estre didn¡¯t give him another nce as she bent to enter the car. Watching the car drive away, Jason allowed himself a small, sly smile. He was determined to win back Estre, even if it meant risking it all. But then again, Estre¡¯s im that she hadn¡¯t set that fire and that she had no memory of it at all sent Jason back into a contemtive silence. What really happened seven years ago? What about all that damning evidence? It wasn¡¯t until the ck Maybach fadedpletely from view that Jason went back inside. Jason had wanted to drive Estre himself, but her patience seemed to have worn thin for one evening. Any further insistence would likely push her over the edge. He¡¯s dead set on getting her back, but he knew he had to y it smart and not push her too far. On the drive back, noticing Estre¡¯s swollen lips, Drew wisely kept quiet, confident that Mr. Jason would eventually win Ms. Estre back. The next morning, after breakfast with Isaac at home and discussing Isaac¡¯s early education ns with Autumn, Estre prepared to head to work. After hugging and kissing Isaac goodbye, Estre was about to go to the garage when she noticed Jason¡¯s Maybach parked outside her house. Was he here with some crucial clue that he had remembered and sent Drew to report? With a nod to Autumn, Estre headed straight for the Maybach. Drew stepped out to open the car door for her, and there was Jason, as handsome an dignified as ever, even with bandages on his face. Despite her reservations, Estre got into the car. The car started, and Jason handed Estre a stack of documents, pressed her hand into an ink pad, and without any discussion, had her press her fingerprints onto the papers. Jason flipped through the documents so quickly that Estre barely had time to grasp th content before her prints were stamped onto them. She caught glimpses of what seeme like shares and assets in the paperwork. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What¡¯s this? Am I signing my life away?¡± Estre teased. After she had pressed her fingerprints onto thest of the documents, Jason released her hand, took out a pen, and began to sign her name on the papers, mimicking her handwriting. ¡°Darling, with this move, I¡¯ve handed over my entire fortune to you. I¡¯ll be 08:36 depending on you to support me,¡± he said with a cheeky smile. The documents Estre just stamped weren¡¯t just for Jason¡¯s properties and assets, but also included all his shares, funds, stocks, and other rted documents for transfer and eptance. Now truly left with nothing but himself, Jason had made himselfpletely vulnerable to her. Estre looked at Jason with mock disdain. ¡°You can go ahead and y your games; it¡¯s no skin off my back. But fair warning, Jason, once it¡¯s in my pocket, it¡¯s noting out. Don¡¯t expect a dime back.¡± Estre had expected some revtion about the fire, but Jason had surprised her with this early morning stunt instead. There was a silence that stretched on until all the paperwork for Estre was signed and sealed. Jason slid the documents into a briefcase with a flourish and said, ¡°Babe, I¡¯ve really gone the extra mile this time. I promise you, no more antics to tick you off.¡± Estre let out a bemused chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re maxed out on credit with me.¡± || Sensing that she was still holding a grudge, Jason rubbed his temples for a moment before leaning his head on her shoulder in a yful disy of affection. ¡°I¡¯ve been up all night, wracking my brain on how to get back in your good graces, and how to make you smile. I¡¯ve got a headache just thinking about it.¡± Estre just gave him a look. When it came to shamelessness, Jason had nopetition. Drew, gripping the steering wheel with both hands, caught glimpses of the pair¡¯s interaction through the rearview mirror. Watching Jason¡¯s puppy-dog antics with Estre was almost too much. Drew had to stifle hisughter so hard he¡¯s afraid he would burst. Drew was pretty sure he was the only one with theposure to handle this scene. If it had been Lee driving, the man would have been cracking up for sure. Estre pushed Jason¡¯s head gently away from her shoulder and said, ¡°This is what you bring up first thing in the morning?¡± Just as she spoke, they were passing by a high school entrance, and the road ahead wa a bit congested. Vendors lined the street, peddling breakfast items, and right next to thei car, there was a stall selling fresh pancakes. Drew usually didn¡¯t take this route, but today there had been a minor pile-up on their usual way back, so he had detoured. Jason turned to Estre and said earnestly, ¡°Yeah. I rushed over to see you and skipped breakfast. Honey, would you grab me a pancake from that stand?¡± The moment Jason finished his sentence, Drew couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter any Chapter 243 Talk about a man with a n. Mr. Jason was the king of schemes. Estre shot Jason a look that could only be described as pitying the hopelessly clueless. Upon noticing her incredulous expression, Jason leaped at the chance to demonstrate his loyalty. ¡°Babe, I swear on everything that¡¯s holy not a word I just said was a lie. If you don¡¯t believe me, have your colleagues at the office run a check. I¡¯m as broke as a church mouse.¡± Drew, sensing an opportunity to chime in, quickly assured her, ¡°Ms. Estre, I personally put together those documentsst night, and you have my word on that.¡± Before Estre could utter a response, Drew smoothly pulled the car over into a parking space, saying, ¡°Ms. Estre, we¡¯re stuck in traffic anyway. How about we grab something to eat? I¡¯m starving too.¡± The duo¡¯s tag-team act ultimately led Estre to relent and step out of the car. Frankly, Estre couldn¡¯t care less if Jason ate or not, but Drew worked for Jason, and it wasn¡¯t right to drag Drew into their personal affairs. Besides, Drew had been nothing but good to her over the years, so she decided to indulge him this once. ¡°Four orders of pancakes, two coffees, that¡¯ll be $9.50. You can pay by cash or card.¡± As the vendor handed over the pancakes and coffee, Jason turned to Estre, clearly waiting for her to foot the bill. Estre crossed her arms and didn¡¯t show any intention of/ opening her wallet. Meanwhile, Drew was busy devouring the pancakes, not giving a second thought to the matter of payment. ¡°Honey,¡± Jason called out to Estre, signaling for her to pay. Estre nced at Drew, and the moment their eyes met, Drew, who had been obliviously eating, suddenly realized he was expected to pay and took off running without another word. As Drew sprinted away, he called back, ¡°Oh, right, Ms. Estre, I need to take those documents back to the office. I¡¯ll head there now.¡± Drew didn¡¯t even wait for Jason¡¯s approval before he disappeared into the distance. Drew knew that if he solved everything, he¡¯d ruin Jason¡¯s chance with Ms. Estre. He couldn¡¯t mess up Jason¡¯s grand n to y the pitiful, penniless husband. Estre was left speechless by Drew¡¯s hasty retreat. She regretted showing him any pity and letting him get out to buy breakfast. The vendor, seeing one of the trio dine and dash, became wary and asked, ¡°That¡¯ll be $9.50. Who¡¯s paying?¡± 00.36 Jason was visibly embarrassed, turning to Estre to whisper, ¡°I¡¯m honestly broke, not a penny to my name.¡± He then offered her his phone, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check my phone. All my passwords are your birthday¡± Estre rolled her eyes and didn¡¯t bother to take his phone, nor did she seem inclined to pay. Instead, she addressed the vendor, ¡°Do you hire workers here? This gentleman can work off his debt.¡± Jason was stunned. To pay off $9.50, she was willing to sell him out? The vendor scanned Jason up and down, chuckled, and said, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re quite the joker. This man clearly looks too posh for this kind of work.¡± Estre countered, ¡°No worries. Sell a pancake, and let him give a peck on the cheek to ady. I assure you that your business will be booming.¡± Jason¡¯s face was a picture of utter disbelief, and the pancake he was about to eat fell to the ground with a plop. That heartless, wicked woman, she was even more ruthless than he was. The vendor burst intoughter at Estre¡¯s suggestion, but before he could finish his thought, Jason mmed the pancakes and coffee on the counter, snatched Estre¡¯s purse, took out her wallet and handed the vendor a twenty, ¡°Keep the change.¡± After paying, he grabbed the remaining pancakes and coffee, and dragged Estre back to the car. Once they settled back into the Maybach, Jason said with a stern face, ¡°Sell a pancake for a kiss, huh? You okay with that, Estre?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there for me to mind?¡± Estre retorted, ¡°Isn¡¯t spreading rumors your favorite hobby? I¡¯m letting you have a field day.¡± Jason clenched his teeth in frustration. When had he ever indulged in scandalous affairs Those were all fabrications by others. Except for her, he had never been involved with another woman. After staring at Estre for a long moment, Jason dered, ¡°One peck for a pancake, right? Well, we had four orders, so that makes for 4 kisses.¡± Before Estre could react, Jason cupped the back of her head and pulled her close, pressing his lips firmly against hers. Estre couldn¡¯t push him away due to his assertiveness. So, when Jason finally released her, Estre smacked him several times in frustration, eximing, ¡°Enough, Jason. Don¡¯t push your luck.¡± Wincing from the blows to his already sore spots, Jason gasped, ¡°3 more to go.¡± Estre was beyond arguing. She threw her phone at him and took a swig of the coffee. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. The traffic ahead began to clear, and Estre started the car. As they approached the school, the road was free of congestion, and the earlier multiple-car pileup had been cleared. Holding the steering wheel, Estre nced at Jason and asked, ¡°Can you drive? If you can, I¡¯ll head straight to the office, and you can take the car to the hospital.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t drive,¡± Jason replied tly. Jason¡¯s refusal to drive meant Estre was left with no choice but to take him to the hospital herself. For now, she wouldn¡¯t bicker with Jason. They could discuss the fire incident, but as for remarrying, not a chance. In no time, the car stopped at the entrance of the hospital. When Estre turned to look at Jason, he asked, ¡°Why do you stop here?¡± ¡°Get out. I need to get back to the office,¡± she urged. ¡°You¡¯re already at the hospital. Aren¡¯t you going to stay with me?¡± Jason replied, not waiting for her to answer, ¡°I reviewed the surveince footage fromst night several times and noticed some discrepancies. I also remembered some details from the incident.¡± As a person directly involved, when Jason brought up the matter of the big fire, Estre couldn¡¯t avoid discussing it. It wasn¡¯t just for the deal with Serene; she also needed to clear her name. But why, Estre pondered, did she find his words so hard to trust? Her skeptical gaze didn¡¯t go unnoticed. Jason, with a wry smile, said, ¡°Look at me, all bandaged up. What could I possibly do to you? Besides, I didn¡¯t do anything the other day, did I?¡± Sure, there were hugs and kisses, but nothing else happened. Estre¡¯s eyes drifted away from Jason, her foot pressing the gas pedal, driving off to the parking lot. Momentster, they were back in the hospital room. No sooner had Estre set her bag down than Jason embraced her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder and nting a kiss on her cheek. ¡°Haven¡¯t slept a wink thesest two nights,¡± he murmured, ¡°I¡¯m exhausted.¡± Estre¡¯s expression darkened, and she remained silent. As she turned around, giving Jason an icy stare, he paid no attention and bent down, kissing her without a care. Chapter 244 Though weary, he relished thefort in the tenderness of the moment. This time, Estre didn¡¯t resist. She simply watched him, letting him kiss her, showing no reaction. They had argued and hurled insults. What Jason was doing made her feel very weary. Without resistance from Estre, Jason felt a sudden pang of anxiety, and his passionate kissing slowed down. Once Jason had satisfied his hunger, his right hand gently stroked her face, his gaze filled with profound affection. It was only after that, Estre began to speak. ¡°Jason,¡± she said, ¡°if you keep this up, it¡¯s just going to get old.¡± She had gone upstairs with him out of trust, and yet, he still tried to take advantage of her. Estre couldn¡¯t even be bothered to get angry. Estre¡¯s calmness sent Jason into a panic. Her yelling and screaming meant that at least then she felt something for him. But her indifference now? That was something Jason couldn¡¯t handle. His hand gently stroked her cheek, thumb brushing back and forth, as he said, ¡°Are you still mad about what happened back then?¡± Estre remained silent, staring at him. Jason exined, ¡°Holly and I never got together, and those photos were just sensationalism. The Ledford family was worried about Korey¡¯s career and came to me. Out of old ties to Korey, I stayed silent then.¡± ¡°As for ourst quarrel, it¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t exin things to you in time. I was stubborn and petnt. I acted out of frustration, and I shouldn¡¯t have pushed you or pped you.¡± Then he added, ¡°Estre, I overthought, I misunderstood you. I apologize. You can punish me however you want, but please don¡¯t ignore me.¡± At this point, Jason grabbed Estre¡¯s hand, asking her to hit back, but Estre didn¡¯t hit him. ¡°Jason, it¡¯s been so many years, I neither remember nor wish to dwell on the past.¡± Jason suggested, ¡°They weren¡¯t particrly joyful memories anyway, so it¡¯s fine if they¡¯re forgotten. How about we start anew?¡± Estre met his gaze, her response firm. ¡°No.¡± The rejection struck Jason like a blow, reducing him to silence as he continued to watch Estre. His hand was still sping hers, but rather than pull away, Estre merely gazed back at him. ¡°Jason, all these years have passed¡­and when I made the decision to leave then, I didn¡¯t consider a future with you again. ¡°Besides clearing my name, I don¡¯t want to bring up the past anymore. Moreover, I have a son now. No offense, but marriage means 08 nothing to me. I¡¯ve already fallen into that trap once. I won¡¯t make the same mistake twice, especially not the same trap.¡± Even though they had cleared the air and she now knew that Jason¡¯s past behavior was based on a misunderstanding, why should she bear the consequences for his mistaken beliefs? Why should she forgive and forget the pain she once endured? Even knowing his reasons, knowing he wasn¡¯t with Holly and thatter encounters were meant to protect her, to keep Holly from digging into the fire incident, the hurt she suffered was real. Putting everything else aside, there was the time of the car ident when he ignored her call while she was in the hospital, the time he failed to keep his promise to pick her up from the airport, leaving her waiting at Sandalwood Oasis for what felt like forever. Even when she took a fall and ended up in the hospital, he never showed up. These were barriers in her heart that she simply couldn¡¯t ovee. What was the point of a rtionship that only thrived in good times but couldn¡¯t withstand any real test? She was grateful he saved her this time, but that was just gratitude. As for him offering his entire fortune, Jason should understand that money was never what she valued. Jason stroked her face and said, ¡°I¡¯ll change for the better. Whenever you need me, I¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°Jason, let¡¯s just end it here. I¡¯m not in the mood for romance,¡± Estre replied. Between the Glimmering Lake case, investigating the fire from seven years ago, and caring for Isaac, she didn¡¯t have the energy to deal with him. Estre¡¯s resolve darkened Jason¡¯s expression, ¡°I don¡¯t ept this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not up to you. We¡¯re already divorced,¡± Estre countered. As soon as the words left her lips, Jason caressed her face and leaned in to kiss her lips. Estre¡¯s brow furrowed in annoyance. This man was impossible, impervious to reason. In that moment, Estre¡¯s frustration red. After pushing him away with all her might, she said, ¡°Jason, you¡¯re the CEO of Nelson International. Can¡¯t you find something more productive to do?¡± Whether it was night or day, he seemed to be in a constant state of arousal, even early in the morning. His persistence was so shameless. Estre was at her wit¡¯s end. ¡°For me, you are the most important thing,¡± Jason replied. Seeing no point in arguing with someone so stubborn, Estre said, ¡°I¡¯ve said all I had to say. Think it over and rest up. I¡¯m heading back to the office.¡± With that, she turned and headed for the door. Jason reached out to stop her, but Estre deftly avoided his grasp. ¡°You should rest. 213 00.41 Don¡¯t bother seeing me out.¡± With those words, she opened the door and left. In the hospital room, Jason watched her leave, hands in his pockets, sinking into gloom. Still, he knew that six years of injustice couldn¡¯t be wiped away in just a few days. Back at thew firm, Estre cast aside all the mess and focused solely on the Glimmering Lake case. Around eleven, some colleagues went to Glimmering Lake, still aiming to gather evidence of ChemiSphere¡¯s pollution. Just after six in the evening, upon returning from Glimmering Lake, Estre received a call from Jason. Seeing his number made her head ache, but she answered anyway, not wanting him to think she was deliberately avoiding him. Upon connecting, Jason¡¯s voice came through calmly, ¡°Isaac is with me.¡± ¡°Why on earth is Isaac in the hospital?¡± Estre muttered in surprise, her brows arching. Then, without missing a beat, she added, ¡°I¡¯m heading over to pick him up right now.¡± After hanging up the phone, Estre hastily gathered her things and set out for the hospital. Why did Isaac create chaos for her at that time? What was he doing at the hospital with Jason for no reason? Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Within fifteen minutes, Estre¡¯s car screeched to a halt in front of the hospital¡¯s main entrance. She burst through the doors of the ward like a force of nature, only to find Isaac and Jason cozily seated on the hospital bed, engrossed in building a LEGO castle, with Isaac nestled snugly in Jason¡¯sp. Isaac seemed to be quite familiar with Jason now. Chapter 245 Estre looked around the ward, noticing many fresh fruits and snacks beside the cab. She had a rough idea of what was going on. Estre walked calmly into the ward, and Jason looked up, greeting her with a ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± In his arms, Isaac seemed oblivious to Estre¡¯s arrival,pletely engrossed in ying with his Lego bricks. Estre let out a nomittal ¡®hmm¡¯ in response to Jason just as her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was a call from Autumn. ¡°Mom,¡± Estre called out, and Autumn¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Estre, I took Isaac to see Jason at the hospital this afternoon and twisted my ankle. Isaac refused to leave, so after getting it treated, I headed back home. If you¡¯reing back from Glimmering Lake, could you pick Isaac up on your way?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already here, I¡¯ll take Isaac home soon,¡± Estre replied after ending the call. She noticed Isaac still hadn¡¯t realized her presence, his attention fully captured by the Lego set. Estre¡¯s face was a picture of exasperation. Pocketing her phone, Estre moved closer to the bedside and ruffled Isaac¡¯s hair, ¡°Jeez, kid, you¡¯ve got toys and you wouldn¡¯t even notice your mother.¡± Jason chuckled as he got out of bed, ¡°He¡¯s really focused, smart kid. And Isaac has grown so much lately, looks more like a two-and-a-half-year-old than under two.¡± Jason¡¯s roundabout hints made Estre give him a look before casually remarking, ¡°My mom knows how to feed him well.¡± It was only then that Isaac slightly snapped out of his Lego world, looking up at Estre and cheerfully calling out, ¡°Mommy!¡± Estre tousled his hair again, ¡°Time to head home, kiddo. It¡¯s getting dark.¡± Isaac was still serious about his Lego, ¡°Wait for me, Mommy.¡± Estre was speechless as she observed the unfinished Lego set. How long was this going to take? Jason, noticing Estre¡¯s distaste, tried to smooth things over, ¡°When you¡¯ve got something fun, nothing else matters, not even your ears.¡± When Isaac first arrived at the hospital, he was excitedly calling Jason ¡®Daddy,¡¯ but once the Lego was in Isaac¡¯s hands, the rest of the world ceased to exist for him. No matter how Jason called or spoke to him, Isaac was unresponsive. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Then, turning to Estre, Jason mentioned, ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet, have you? Mom just 08:41 brought some food over.¡± As Jason spoke, he set the food on the table. Kristin was more on the ball than Autumn, noticing Isaac¡¯s visit and Autumn¡¯s twisted ankle, Kristin immediately got Autumn¡¯s foot treated and then sent her home. This allowed Jason the chance to bond with Isaac alone and also to invite Estre over. As Isaac appeared so absorbed with the Lego, Estre didn¡¯t stand on ceremony with Jason. She was feeling hungry herself as well. All dishes Kristin prepared were Estre¡¯s favorites. ¡°Thanks.¡± Taking the cutlery Jason handed her, Estre was quite polite. Jason then turned to Isaac, ¡°Come eat, Isaac.¡± On the bed, Isaac was lost in his Lego, not hearing anyone speaking to him. Estre took a bite of the ribs, ¡°Nothing will disturb him now, not even if the sky falls. You eat. We¡¯ll save some for him.¡± Jason pulled up a chair and sat down, ¡°Such focus when he¡¯s serious. I wonder if he takes after you or me.¡± Estre paused mid-bite, then looked up at him. Staring at Jason for a while, she said with amusement, ¡°How does he suddenly look like you?¡± Before Jason could respond, she continued, ¡°Jason, if you¡¯re having doubts, the kid is with you. You can get a DNA test anytime.¡± Since entering the room, Jason had been probing her twice, probably because Isaac had spent some time with him today, and Jason had grown suspicious. Estre, poised and calm, took a chicken leg Jason offered. Then Jason said indifferently, ¡°Can¡¯t he resemble me without that connection?¡± Estre continued eating, and when she finished and tried to clear the table, Jason wouldn¡¯t let her. So, she didn¡¯t insist and settled onto the couch with a cushion, resting while watching Isaac with the Lego. For a two-year-old, he was incredibly skilled at something meant for older kids, a sure sign of a nimble mind. Watching Isaac, and noticing it was now 8:40 PM, Estre yawned, ¡°Buddy, how about we take the Lego home to y?¡± After several nights of poor sleep and a full day¡¯s work, Estre was struggling to stay awake. Isaac, focused on the Lego, said in his childish voice, ¡°Wait for me, Mommy.¡± Estre sighed. This kid was so patient for his age. Who did he take after? 08:4 ¡°Then eat before you y,¡± she told Isaac, who chose to ignore her and didn¡¯t reply. Estre didn¡¯t bother hurrying him and yawned, leaning back on the couch to rest her eyes. Jason had just finished a work call and, seeing Estre asleep on the couch, walked over, draped a nket gently over her. He softly brushed her forehead, moving stray hairs aside. Then he picked up a book and started reading by her side, the hospital room filled with an almost domestic warmth. ¡°Mommy, the ne is done.¡± It was past eleven when Isaac finally finished his airne model, excitedly jumping on the bed. Jason hushed him softly, ¡°Isaac, Mommy¡¯s tired and asleep. Let¡¯s show her when she wakes up.¡± Isaac nced at the sleeping Estre, put his finger to his lips, and nodded, understanding the need to be quiet. Barefoot, he hopped out of bed and eagerly presented his airne model to Jason. ¡°You¡¯re awesome, bud,¡± Jason praised Isaac, lifting him from the floor and gently patting his tiny feet. ¡°No more running around without shoes, okay? If you catch a cold, Estre is going to be super worried.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The little guy nodded vigorously, then made the airne take a loop-de-loop in front of Jason¡¯s eyes. Jason chuckled, then negotiated, ¡°Isaac, it¡¯s already pitch-dark outside, and mom¡¯s knocked out from exhaustion. How about you two crash here tonight and head back home in the morning? Sound good?¡± Isaac bobbed his head enthusiastically. ¡°Good¡± Home was wherever Estre was. If Estre had fallen asleep there, then that was home for tonight. Jason ruffled his hair, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll carry mom to bed.¡± At that, Isaac rolled up his sleeves and dered, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Chapter 246 Isaac struggled with all his might for several attempts, but Estre remained as still as a statue, not budging an inch from Isaac¡¯s embrace. Looking down at Isaac, Jason couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Seeing Isaac huffing and puffing from the effort, he said, ¡°Let me handle this. You¡¯ve got a good ten years before you can try again.¡± In ten years, Isaac might still not be able to lift his mom himself. Unable to move Estre, Isaac reluctantly stepped aside to let Jason take over. Watching Jason lift Estre with ease, Isaac couldn¡¯t hide his envy. Jason tiptoed toy Estre on the bed, and as he pulled the covers over her, he instinctively nted a kiss on her lips. Isaac, standing beside Jason, was taken aback at the sight of Jason kissing Estre¡¯s mouth. The next second, Isaac¡¯s little arms shoved Jason forcefully to the side, forbidding him from touching Estre again. Isaac had sort of liked Jason before, and he was even considering letting Jason be his dad. But now this guy was trying to steal his mom, kissing his Estre. Isaac couldn¡¯t swallow this affront. For a moment, Jason was dumbfounded. What triggered this sudden outburst? His hand resting on Isaac¡¯s head, Jason asked, ¡°Isaac, we¡¯re all men here. If you¡¯ve got something to say, just spit it out.¡± Despite Jason¡¯s words, Isaac was still seething, balling his little fists and pacing around the room in a huff. Jason muttered to himself. Whose hot temper did this kid inherit? What kind of guy did Estre find out there that they ended up with such a fiery little one? Now, Jason was really seeing what Isaac was made of. On reflection, the kid was damn like Estre. Jason stared at Isaac, bewildered, slowly piecing together the clues. ¡°You¡¯re mad because I shouldn¡¯t have kissed your mom?¡± he ventured. Isaac, finally seeing that Jason got the point, crossed his arms over his chest and nodded seriously, ¡°Hmm.¡± Jason couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Kid, we need to talk. She¡¯s my wife, and it¡¯s legal for me to kiss her.¡± At this moment, Jason shamelessly took advantage of Isaac¡¯sck of understanding of thew and the fact that he didn¡¯t know they were divorced. As Jason finished speaking, Isaac crossed his arms even tighter, the scowl on his face intensifying. Estre was his, all his. 08-41 Fuming at Jason, Isaac had made up his mind. He didn¡¯t want this dad anymore. He would find a new dad, one who wouldn¡¯tpete with him for Estre¡¯s affection. If Isaac knew that all dads needed their wife¡¯s love, he might swear off the idea of having a dad forever. Isaac¡¯s pouty demeanor amused Jason. Howe the kid¡¯s jealousy reminded him so much of himself? He never expected such a small person to be so fiercely jealous. As their eyes met, Jason saw the hostility in Isaac¡¯s gaze and said, ¡°Alright, when you grow up, I¡¯ll find you a girlfriend.¡± After saying this, he turned to look at Estre in the hospital bed, only to see Isaac dash over and cover her mouth, afraid Jason would kiss her again. Jason burst intoughter, feeling all the more that Isaac¡¯s antics were just like his own. After a good bit ofmotion, and a promise from Jason not to steal any more kisses from Estre, Isaac finally calmed down. The next morning, when Estre opened her eyes, the atmosphere in the hospital room. was tense. Isaac and Jason were each seated on a sofa, hostility and defiance still evident in Isaac¡¯s eyes. Estre propped herself up in bed, too exhausted the night before to remember falling asleep. Luckily Isaac was here; who knows what might have happened otherwise. But what was with Isaac¡¯s look? Didn¡¯t he like Jason before, even wanting him for a dad? And Jason, with that innocent face-what was that about? Yawning, Estre asked, bewildered, ¡°What happenedst night?¡± Right now, Estre was certain something serious had transpired between the two men after she had fallen asleep. Isaac, arms crossed over his chest, turned to Jason and let out a defiant huff. After ncing at Isaac and then at Jason, Estre inquired, ¡°Jason, my son¡¯s usually such a good-natured kid. What did you do to tick him off?¡± Jason remained silent, and Isaac huffed even louder than before. Jason turned to Estre and said, ¡°Estre, why don¡¯t you ask your son what his deal is?¡± When Estre looked at Isaac, he pouted and huffed. Estre tranted, ¡°He said he wants to cut ties with you, never to cross paths again. And don¡¯t even think about ying dad anymore.¡± Jason looked disgusted. ¡°Estre, he just huffed. That¡¯s all.¡± He wasn¡¯t clueless; he just didn¡¯t get Isaac¡¯s point. And the kid, how much could he really mean? It was probably Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. 08:41 Estre stirring the pot. Estre got out of bed, embraced Isaac in her arms, and nted a kiss on his cheek, ¡°Sweetheart, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you so upset? Did something happen between you and him?¡± Despite the issues between her and Jason, she wouldn¡¯t deliberately involve her child or teach Isaac to hate. She hoped her child would always be kind and only encounter kindness in the future. Comforted by Estre, Isaac wrapped his arms around her neck, his little face nuzzling against her shoulder, the picture of grievance. The sight was all too reminiscent of Jason. Estre, holding him with one arm and soothing his back with the other, consoled him, ¡°Honey, didn¡¯t you like Uncle Jason before? He even brought you that Lego set yesterday. Let¡¯s talk about what¡¯s bothering you, okay? Don¡¯t keep it bottled up inside and hurt yourself.¡± Estre¡¯s soothing words seemed to work magic on Isaac. When Isaac lifted his gaze to Jason, the animosity that had once clouded Isaac¡¯s eyes had dissipated, reced by a newfound softness. Right after that, Isaac turned to look at Estre. When his little hand pinched Estre¡¯s mouth, Estre instantly understood. She turned to Jason and said, ¡°You stole a kiss from mest night, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Isaac¡¯s got quite the jealous streak,¡± Estre exined with a knowing smile. ¡°He¡¯s so tight with Bryce, but a casual pat on my shoulder from Bryce is off-limits. And now, you¡¯ve gone and made an enemy of him for sure.¡± With Estre¡¯s words painting the picture, Jason found himself looking at Isaac and, much to his surprise, seeing a reflection of himself. Chapter 247 Before, Jason only thought that Isaac¡¯s personality was a bit like his, but now Jason felt like even Isaac¡¯s features resembled his own. Although, overall, Isaac still looked like Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Estre. After wrapping up a conversation with Jason, Estre turned her attention to Isaac, who needed some comforting. ¡°Sweetie, Mommy already had a word with Uncle Jason. He won¡¯t do that again. I¡¯m all yours, and no one is going to take me away.¡± Isaac¡¯s mood seemed to brighten at her words, and he stuttered out, ¡°I don¡¯t need Daddy anymore.¡± If Daddy was here topete for Mommy¡¯s affection, then as far as he was concerned, he could do without a daddy from now on. At Estre¡¯s side, Jason¡¯s expression darkened, Pinching Isaac¡¯s chin gently, he asked, ¡°If I can¡¯t be your daddy, then what should I be?¡± Since Jason kissed Estrest night, Isaac had stopped calling him ¡®Daddy¡¯. Now Isaac did not seem to be interested in the presence of Jason at all. Upon hearing Jason¡¯s question, Isaac turned his head and stared at Estre with expressive eyes and lively expressions. Jason turned to Estre and said, ¡°Trante for me.¡± Estre held Isaac close and said nonchntly, ¡°My son says that the whole being-your-dad ship has sailed. But he¡¯s open to the idea of brotherhood.¡± As soon as the words left Estre¡¯s lips, Jason reached out and held her chin, ¡°Estre, do you really get a kick out of these little victories?¡± The moment Jason¡¯s fingers grazed her skin, Isaac¡¯s eyes widened in rm, and he instinctively pushed Jason away. Frustrated yet amused by Isaac¡¯s protective stance, Jason withdrew his hand and eximed, ¡°Damn it, can¡¯t I even touch my own wife?¡± Isaac wrapped his tiny arms around Estre¡¯s neck, puffing up like a little peacock to dere his territory, signaling that his mother belonged to him. Jason scooped Isaac into his arms, ¡°Quit clinging to your mom. Let her freshen up. She¡¯s got work, and we need to get you two home.¡± Once he had Isaac in his arms, the little boy didn¡¯t resist. He just pinched Jason¡¯s mouth shut to prevent any further kisses. Holding Isaac with one arm, Jason looked at Estre and said, ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on Isaac. You go get ready.¡± Since Jason was quite skilled with kids, Estre went about my morning routine. What she didn¡¯t know was that three years earlier, when Marie had been so certain about 08:21 her pregnancy, Jason had studied up on all kinds of childcare material. Now, his preparations were paying off. In no time, when Estre came out of the bathroom, she saw Jason patiently feeding Isaac breakfast. Not only did he put on a bib for Isaac, but he also held a wet tissue in his right hand, ready to wipe Isaac¡¯s mouth at any moment. Leaning against the doorway, Estre watched them. Jason¡¯s knack for parenting surprised her, especially since he was so caring toward Isaac, even knowing Isaac wasn¡¯t his. Isaac was a perceptive child. He could tell who genuinely cared for him, and he reciprocated that affection. If it wasn¡¯t real, he wouldn¡¯t let you near him, let alone feed him. So far, aside from Bryce and Jesse, Jason was the only other person Isaac was willing to warm up to. Despite the previous night¡¯s argument, Isaac seemed willing to forgive Jason. ¡°Mama.¡± It was only when Isaac called out to Estre that Jason realized she was there. He turned and said, ¡°The housekeeper brought breakfast. There¡¯s your favorite soup. We¡¯ll head home after you eat.¡± Jason served the hot soup into a bowl before continuing to feed Isaac. Estre took her time walking over to the dining table. Sitting down, she addressed Jason, ¡°Jason, Isaac isn¡¯t your son. Don¡¯t hold on to false hopes, or you¡¯ll end up disappointed.¡± Jason chuckled, ¡°Estre, you think I¡¯m looking after him because I suspect he¡¯s my son?¡± He added, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whose child he is. He¡¯s yours, and that¡¯s all that matters.¡± After finishing his words, Jason went back to feeding Isaac soup, which Isaac enjoyed, even giving Jason a thumbs up in approval as Jason wiped his mouth. When breakfast was over and Jason was changing, Estre told him, ¡°I can take Isaac back myself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m heading to the office anyway. It¡¯s on the way,¡± he replied. Soon they were all in the car, where Estre noticed Jason had installed a child safety seat in the back, and there were toys scattered around. Jason¡¯s attention to detail didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Estre. Isaac yed contentedly, having forgotten the earlier squabbles with Jason, although Isaac no longer called him ¡®Daddy¡¯. When ytime exhausted him, Isaac fell asleep clutching a toy. Estre draped a light nket over him, and Jason nced at them through the rearview mirror. ¡°Isaac seems a bit shy. He doesn¡¯t talk much except to people he likes.¡± Yesterday, while ying in the hospital room, he wouldn¡¯t give anyone but Jason the time of day, ignoring doctors and nurses, sticking close to Jason¡¯s side. 08:21 Estre exined, ¡°He had a rough time in my womb and wasn¡¯t easy to care for after he was born. He spent a long time in an incubator only improving in thest few months. He¡¯s still bit introverted, so I¡¯ve discussed with my mom about sending him to early education to socialize with kids his age.¡± Jason¡¯s heart clenched hearing about Isaac¡¯s tough start. Gripping the steering wheel tightly, he said, ¡°You kept things pretty tight-lipped.¡± When Estre left, Jason had tried to find her numerous times, but she refused to see him, and he couldn¡¯t even dig up any information about her life until recently, after much effort. Jason let the silence linger for a moment before pressing on. ¡°What about Isaac¡¯s grandparents? You haven¡¯t filled them in either, have you?¡± Chapter 248 Estre coolly stated, ¡°Why would I do that? Thest thing I need is a custody battle with them.¡± Jason didn¡¯t respond. This was typical Estre always poised, always in control. When the car pulled up outside the Dorvold residence, Autumn was already waiting for them, her left ankle wrapped in a bandage. Two servants were by her side for support. As Estre got out of the car and was about to lift Isaac out of the safety seat, Jason opened the car door a step ahead of her. He bent down and lifted Isaac out first, then carefully wrapped him in a thin nket. Autumn, hobbling closer, said with a hint of embarrassment, ¡°Jason, I¡¯m so sorry. Here you are, having just rescued Estre, and now you¡¯re taking care of Isaac.¡± She then asked with concern, ¡°How are your injuries? You¡¯re not straining yourself, are you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Jason replied. Autumn quickly instructed one of the servants, ¡°Martha, take Isaac inside right away. Mr. Jason is injured. We can¡¯t keep imposing on him.¡± Autumn¡¯s words,ced with concern for Jason created a subtle distance. Now, Autumn¡¯s demeanor towards Jasoncked the usual warmth, but she didn¡¯t feel awkward about it. She had done her fair share of advising and had pressed Estre when needed. As far as Autumn was concerned, this marriage had run its course, and she harbored no regrets. The servant rushed to take Isaac, ¡°I¡¯ll take Isaac inside so you can rest, Mr. Jason.¡± Jason was prepared for Autumn¡¯s attitude, and he had already noticed it yesterday at the hospital. Although Autumn came to see him, things indeed felt different. After exchanging a few words with mother and daughter, Jason got back into the car and drove away. Watching Jason¡¯s car disappear into the distance, Autumn turned to Estre and asked, ¡°Estre, there isn¡¯t something going on between you and Jason again, is there?¡± Estre had note home the night before, and when Autumn tried to call, it was Jason who had answered. Estre reassured her, ¡°Mom, you¡¯re overthinking it. Besides, Isaac was with us. What could possibly happen?¡± 1 Over the next few days, Autumn visited Jason in the hospital daily, while Estre was less frequent, pouring her energy into the Glimmering Lake case instead. The second court date, set by the judiciary, was fast approaching. Estre had managed to gather medical reports from nine families in the vige, all with children, who hade forward after the mothers had convinced their families. 08:21 Estre had also obtained reports proving the soil and water of Glimmering Lake were contaminated, but the source of the pollution remained unverified. One morning, after an early breakfast with Isaac, Estre drove to the courthouse. ChemiSphere had enlisted a well-known, highlypetent attorney to represent them-a man in his forties, far more experienced than Estre, with a legacy of numerous sessful cases. ¡°Ms. Estre, a pleasure to meet you.¡± ¡°I look forward to learning from you today,¡± Estre said politely, remembering his lectures from her college days. ¡°Let¡¯s learn from each other.¡± Outside the courtroom, they shook hands and entered. ¡°intiff, do you have any new evidence in the case of the environmental contamination of Glimmering Lake?¡± the judge asked. Estre stood up, holding the new evidence, and addressed the court, ¡°Your Honor, regarding the contamination of Glimmering Lake, we¡¯ve received health reports from nine vige families.¡± ¡°Every member of these families is suffering from calcium depletion, malformation of bones, tooth loss, and abnormal development in children, consistent with fluoride poisoning. Independent testing has revealed significant fluoride contamination of the soil and water in Glimmering Lake. ¡°The primaryponent of ChemiSphere¡¯s wastewater is fluoride. Therefore, we suspe that Chemisphere is responsible for the pollution of Glimmering Lake and requestpensation for the vigers¡¯ poisoning, as well as medical ountability, and demand that Chemisphere withdraw from the area.¡± Estre presented her case and evidence with confidence, but the opposing attorney remained composed. After reviewing the new evidence, the judge turned to ChemiSphere¡¯s counsel and asked, ¡°Defendant, do you have anything to say?¡± Thewyer, calm and collected, stood up and responded, ¡°We acknowledge and respect the intiff¡¯s presentation of the vigers¡¯ health reports and hospital records. We admit that the people of Glimmering Lake have been affected by fluoride pollution and that it has had significant health impacts. We sympathize deeply with the vigers of Glimmering Lake and understand the intiff¡¯s desire to find someone to hold ountable.¡± As the defense attorney concluded, a shadow passed over Estre¡¯s face. What did he mean by ¡®finding someone to hold ountable? Anyone with eyes could see the link 08:21 between the pollution in Glimmering Lake and Chemisphere. The opposing attorney¡¯s gaze drifted away from Estre as he continued, ¡°What I don¡¯t get is how the fluoride contamination in Glimmering Lake has anything to do with ChemiSphere. My investigation has shown that ever since ChemiSphere set up shop by theke, all of its wastewater has been treated with state-of-the-art equipment before being discharged.¡± ¡°Furthermore, ChemiSphere¡¯s environmental and emissions inspections have always been up to code each year, and the soil and water quality around the facility have shown no signs of pollution. So I must ask, why didn¡¯t you ept the reports from the relevant authorities and instead insisted on third-party testing?¡± After the attorney finished, a viger sitting next to Estre shot up from his chair with indignation. ¡°Our vige has only one factory, and that¡¯s yours, and it¡¯s the only ce where the wastewater has fluoride in it. If it wasn¡¯t your factory polluting ournd and water, then who on earth could it be?¡± The attorney looked at the angry viger and replied with a smirk, ¡°The burden of proof lies with the user. If you suspect Chemisphere of contaminating the soil and water of -Glimmering Lake, then please present concrete evidence linking us to the contamination.¡± ¡°You-you¡¯re being unreasonable. You¡¯re bullying us,¡± the viger who apanied Estre stammered, his face pale with anger. The lot of them were just twisting words and shirking responsibility. ¡°Order in the court,¡± the judge said sharply, giving his gavel a firm rap. He turned to Estre and asked, ¡°Counsel for the intiff, do you have evidence of ChemiSphere¡¯s pollution?¡± Estre replied with a steady voice, ¡°Not at this time.¡± She added, ¡°We will present evidence of the source of contamination at the next hearing.¡± Today¡¯s oue was expected by Estre, so she didn¡¯t bbor the point, merely requesting a continuation of the trial. ¡°Very well, court is adjourned for today. Please present your evidence at the next session,¡± the judge granted Estre¡¯s request to reconvene, and ChemiSphere¡¯s hope for an immediate closure was silently quashed. As the session concluded, the judge reminded Estre to bring new evidence next time. Estre knew all too well that without concrete proof linking Chemisphere to the pollution, the case might as well be closed. Outside the courtroom, several vigers from Glimmering Lake clustered around Estre, worry etched on their faces. ¡°Ms. Estre, are we going to lose? Are we going to continue suffering at the hands of ChemiSphere, maybe even getting sicker?¡± ¡°These people are just vile, with wastewater clearlying from their facility, yet they have the gall to deny it.¡± 08-21 Chapter 248 Chapter ¡°Ms. Estre, please, you have to help us bring them to justice. Without that, we won¡¯t have a leg to stand on Initially, the vigers were hesitant to cooperate with Estre, worried about losing jobs and ie if ChemiSphere left their vige. But after doing the math, they realized that their wages had gone straight to medical bills and even into debt, while their health had deteriorated. Rather than continue living a life marred by illness and constant trips to the hospital, they would prefer to rely on their own crops and sell grain to make a living. After ChemiSphere¡¯s earlier insistence on self-incrimination, the vigers were even more outraged. Estre listened to their concerns and reassured them, ¡°We haven¡¯t reached the end just yet. As long as a verdict hasn¡¯t been handed down, there¡¯s still a chance. I¡¯ll do everything in my power to find the evidence.¡± Her determination gave the vigers a glimmer of hope. At this moment, they had no other option but to ce their faith in Estre. ¡°Ms. Estre.¡± ¡±? ¡°Professor.¡± Estre addressed the opposing attorney with a polite nod, despite his role. The man nced at the vigers encircling Estre and said with a patronizing smile, ¡°I truly sympathize with the people of Glimmering Lake. Even if you lose this round, we¡¯ll still offer $20,000 in constion to each household with a hospitalized family member. Consider it Shawn doing good deeds for his own karma.¡± He then turned to the vigers and added, ¡°If you drop thewsuit, even if no one in your family is hospitalized, we¡¯ll give you $20,000 as a goodwill gesture.¡± The opposingwyer¡¯s speech nearly made Estre burst intoughter. It was evident that he was, in front of her, enticing the vigers with interests to persuade them to withdraw theirwsuit. This would just make it easier for ChemiSphere to y the victim and paint themselves as the injured party. Damn it, how can someone with such ack of conscience manage to run apany and make money? The vigers exploded in anger, one young woman snapping back at the opposingwyer while her husband, barely restrained by the older vigers, was ready to throw a punch. Several people stopped them before things could escte. ChemiSphere was known for not letting go easily; any confrontation could lead to more trouble. Estre stepped in front of them, facing down the opposingwyer Leo. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, professor. We¡¯ll find the evidence we need. You might want to tell your clients to enjoy their peaceful nights while they still can.¡± 08-21 The man¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Estre, in our line of work, it¡¯s wise to always have a backup n.¡± Estre shed a defiant smile. ¡°I¡¯ve always been one to ze new trails.¡± The man left without another word, casting a cold look at the vigers before turning on his heel. As Leo¡¯s silhouette faded, Estre¡¯s gaze returned to the present. After calming the vigers who had come to the courthouse, she had them driven back to the vige. The case needed a breakthrough, and fast. Chemisphere¡¯s defenses were tight, and the vigers still working there hadn¡¯t realized the gravity of the situation and weren¡¯t willing to cooperate. As the business van disappeared into the distance, Estre¡¯s phone buzzed-it was Bryce. She answered the call. ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°On my way to the airport,¡± Bryce¡¯s voice came through the phone. ¡°ne takes off in forty minutes. I¡¯ll come to you as soon as Ind.¡± Estre sighed, a sound heavy with unspoken troubles. Bryce, ever theforting presence, said, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be such a downer, big boss. I¡¯ve got faith in you. There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t handle.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll head back to the office. We¡¯ll touch base once you¡¯re on the ground,¡± Estre replied, her voice void of its usual vigor. ¡°Alright then,¡± Bryce said. Hanging up the phone and putting the mobile back into her pocket, Estre suddenly saw a sleek ck Maybach pulling up in front of her. She lowered her gaze, and the window of the car slowly opened, revealing Jason¡¯s face. Get in,¡± he said, his voice a mix ofmand and concern. Estre hesitated, hands buried in her pockets as she studied Jason for a moment longer. Eventually, she relented and climbed into the car. As they drove off, silence hung between them until Jason broke it. ¡°You were all fire and brimstone during our divorce, pulling every trick in the book. Now, just after the second hearing, you¡¯re deted?¡± Estre¡¯s recent court battle had not gone unnoticed by Jason, who had sat silently at the back of the courtroom. So engrossed had Estre been in her case that his presence had gone undetected. Resting her right hand against her forehead, she massaged her temples. ¡°Can¡¯t get into ChemiSphere, and none of the workers are willing to cooperate. Plus, they¡¯ve had plenty of time to cover up the pollution source. It¡¯s a real headache this time.¡± Estre used to share everything with Jason. Now, with Bryce and Jesse absent, she 08:21 found herself opening up to him, if only a little. Jason reached over, his hand gently kneading the tense muscles of her neck. ¡°There¡¯s always a way through if the problem exists. Just rx a bit, don¡¯t stress yourself out.¡± ¡°The higher-ups are pressuring for a quick resolution, and without solid evidence of the pollution source, this case might just end up going nowhere.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get some food first, then we can figure it out,¡± Jason suggested, steering the conversation away from work. He drove them to a quaint diner, and it wasn¡¯t until they were seated at a table, with Jason carefully cing fish fillets onto her te, that Estre snapped back to the present. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at the hospital today?¡± ¡°Had a meeting this morning. Wrapped that up and came straight here,¡± Jason answered,dling some hearty soup into her bowl. For the rest of the meal, Jason said little, content to simply sit with Estre, offering silent support in the way he used to. The familiarity of his calm presence wasforting. Estre found herself watching him, lost in memories from years gone by.Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Chapter 249 Jason sat there, calm as a summer breeze, while Estre remained frozen in her gaze upon him. When their eyes met, Jason cracked a grin and joked, ¡°Think you can get full by staring at me?¡± After he spoke, Estre picked up her utensils and continued her meal. Jason refrained from any mischief, and Estre stayed quiet as well. She had no desire to bicker over trivial matters every time they met. Post-lunch, Jason drove Estre back to thew firm. This time around, he didn¡¯t tease her or try to take advantage of her as he had done before. He could tell Estre was in a sour mood today. He owed her from the past, and he knew he had to start making amends. Pulling up to thew firm, Estre offered a casual thanks before heading inside. Come afternoon, after organizing the morning¡¯s trial documents, she pondered over a breakthrough for the ChemiSphere case. By 5:30 PM, as the firm¡¯s staff began to trickle out, Estre clocked out too. Just as she stepped outside, she noticed Jason¡¯s sleek new Maybach parked below. Hands buried in her coat pockets, she sighed inwardly, What was Jason up to now? Wasn¡¯t she clear enough the other day? Why can¡¯t he take a hint? Why was he here again? As the car window slid down, Jason, ever the picture ofposure, simply stated, ¡°Get in.¡± ¡°Ms. Estre, your boyfriend¡¯s here to pick you up, huh?¡± ¡°Ms. Estre, go rx a bit with your beau.¡± Colleagues passed by, teasing, and Estre¡¯s head throbbed. Logan appeared, patting Estre¡¯s shoulder, ¡°What are you waiting for, Estre? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re heading back up for overtime. You¡¯ve earned an early day. Go get some rest.¡± Logan didn¡¯t mention the tension between her and Jason, preferring to y matchmaker. With more people buzzing around and Logan watching, Estre reluctantly entered the car Logan leaned down and said to Jason with a smile, ¡°Mr. Jason, make sure our Estre unwinds properly, it might just spark some inspiration for the case.¡± Jason¡¯s smile broadened, ¡°Will do, Logan.¡± Estre chimed in, ¡°Logan, we¡¯ll be off then.¡± Logan waved them off, ¡°Get going, you two.¡± The car eased forward, and Jason, gripping the steering wheel, nced at Estre, ¡°Where 0821 do you wanna chill out? How about I find you a couple of good-looking guys to help you rx?¡± Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh out of exasperation. Even after all this time, he still remembered her penchant for hiring male masseurs. ying along, she responded, ¡°Sure. Got any rmendations?¡± Jason rolled his eyes mockingly, ¡°You sure don¡¯t beat around the bush.¡± But before he could continue, Estre¡¯s phone rang. Estre picked up, and a stern voice came through, ¡°Ms. Estre, we¡¯ve got some important matters to report.¡± Recognizing a voice from a someone from Glimmering Lake, Estre straightened up, ahead.¡± After the call, Estre turned to Jason, ¡°Do you have time now? Can we head to Glimmering Lake?¡± ¡°Go ¡°Sure,¡± Jason replied without hesitation, putting aside his ns to revisit their youth over a movie for her work. Over two hourster, when they arrived at Glimmering Lake, the sky was alreadypletely dark. Earlier on the road, Estre had already called Autumn to exin that she would be workingte and had informed Isaac. Jason parked at the vige entrance, where a group of vigers awaited them. Stepping out of the car, Estre and Jason were greeted by the rough vige paths, which were still muddy, a stark contrast to the cement and tarmac closer to the city. ¡°Ms. Estre, we¡¯ve convinced Alex to share some information with you,¡± said one of the vigers. ¡°Let¡¯s talk at Alex¡¯s house,¡± they suggested, and the group made their way there. Alex, a ChemiSphere employee, was central to their investigation. Estre was engrossed in her work, with Jason quietly apanying her by her side. As she perched on an aged chair, he followed suit Unfortunately, the biting cold in the vige was significantly sharper than in the city center. Having surrendered his coat to Estre, Jason, now elegantly draped in a suit, felt the chill even more. Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You probably aren¡¯t used to our chill, Ms. Estre. Why don¡¯t you sit by the fire?¡± Upon noticing their light attire, a neighbor, generously brought over his own charcoal heater. Estre thanked him before diving into some work-rted queries. While this urred, a young girl who had stepped forward before, served them bowls of soup. ¡°Ms. Estre, you¡¯ve probablye straight from work, right? I¡¯m guessing you haven¡¯t even had dinner yet. Why not have some soup? It¡¯ll stave off the hunger, at least for a while.¡± 08:212 Before they could politely decline the offer, the girl quickly ensured them, ¡°Ms. Estre, all these things came from the city. They aren¡¯t from the vige. You have nothing to worry about.¡± The earnest words softened Estre¡¯s heart. Their unsuspecting kindness was overwhelming. They should not have to bear the ruthless brunt of capitalism¡¯s money-making machine or suffer ill health because of it. Jason immediately picked up the bowl and began to eat. Estre caught sight of him, who had been a silent pir of support by her side all through the night, and felt a surge of gratitude. She too picked up the bowl and started eating. The bowl was generously filled with meat, fresh veggies, and two poached eggs. The vigers must have been extravagant while making this since typically, every dime would have been spent on sourcing medication. As she savored the warm soup, Estre¡¯s resolve to win thiswsuit was solidified. Winning was the only option. After finishing her meal, Estre dived back into work without skipping a beat. She consulted with Alex andpiled a list of the vigers working at ChemiSphere. Armed with this list, she began her door- to-door visits, Alex stepping forward was a significant breakthrough, making the subsequent work much easier. Upon leaving Alex¡¯s house, Estre advised Jason, ¡°You can wait for me here. I¡¯ll just make a couple of house calls and be right back.¡± Considering the uneven roads in the vige and the dropping temperature, coupled with his light attire, Estre felt it was unnecessary for Jason to apany her on these visits. Chapter 250 ¡°I¡¯ming with you,¡± Jason insisted. Estre gave up arguing with him, not wanting to waste any more time. She simply let him join her on her rounds. After visiting two homes, the clock was ticking towards midnight. Considering everyone needed their rest, Estre decided not to continue and nned toe back the next day. The girl they visited insisted, ¡°Ms. Estre, it¡¯s sote. Why don¡¯t you stay over at my ce? You can use my room. I¡¯ll put on fresh sheets and everything.¡± Estre, chuckling softly, responded, ¡°I¡¯ve got an early start tomorrow, and I can¡¯t afford to bete for the meeting, but I¡¯ll swing by again after.¡± The girl expressed her gratitude, ¡°Ms. Estre, thank you so much for all you do for us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all part of the job,¡± Estre replied. In reality, Estre¡¯s care for the vigers of Glimmering Lake had long surpassed her official duties. However, she didn¡¯t like to talk about her efforts, fearing that it might create pressure for others. Watching Estre and Jason¡¯s car disappear into the night, the vigers finally headed home. The roads were dark and the night was still. Once inside the car, Estre felt the warmth envelop her. She nced at Jason, who was driving, and said appreciatively, ¡°Thanks fo today, Jason.¡± Jason looked back at her, giving her hand aforting pat, as if to say ¡®don¡¯t mention it.¡¯ Worried about his recent injury, she offered, ¡°Should I drive instead?¡± With a teasing smile, Jason joked, ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± Estre rolled her eyes yfully, ¡°In your dreams.¡± He chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s still a long way back to downtown. Why don¡¯t you rest first?¡± She was indeed tired after a long day, and Jason was too concerned to let her drive. Estre settled back into her seat. While she didn¡¯t want to sleep, preferring to keep himpany or take the wheel if he got tired, the quiet night and his rare silence lulled her. Before she knew it, she¡¯d dozed off. Jason nced at the sleeping Estre, slowed the car, and gently covered her with a nket from the back seat, adjusting her seat to make her morefortable. Halfway home, Estre¡¯s phone rang. It was Bryce. Jason answered reluctantly, his 08.21 expression souring slightly at the sound of Bryce¡¯s voice. Bryce said he was at the airport, ready to pick her up from Glimmering Lake. Jason curtly informed him they were already on their way back. After a brief exchange, Jason hung up, not interested in ate- night rendezvous with Bryce. Jason¡¯s gaze lingered on Estre, admiring her approachability and gentleness, which made him reluctant to look away. He held her hand softly, murmuring, ¡°Darling, share a bit more of your tenderness with me, and give me another chance.¡± This time, he was determined to hold on to her never to let go. An hourter, they arrived at the Dorvold family estate. Estre was still asleep, so Jason let her be. In a Bentley parked behind, Bryce had been waiting for a while. Seeing Jason¡¯s car still running with the passenger seat reclined, he guessed Estre had fallen asleep on the way back and chose not to disturb her. At 2:30 AM, concerned that the car might run out of gas and Estre would get cold, Bryce finally stepped out. He knocked on the driver¡¯s side window, which Jason rolled down slowly. Bryce peered in at Estre, then at Jason, asking, ¡°She hasn¡¯t woken up?¡± Jason replied dryly, ¡°You sure are patient.¡± He had seen Bryce¡¯s car when they first pulled up, but since Bryce hadn¡¯t approached, Jason pretended not to notice him. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. As Estre stirred and woke up, she saw Bryce¡¯s face outside the window and sat up calmly, ¡°Why are you here at Glimmering Lake?¡± Bryce, at a loss for words, replied, ¡°Gosh, we¡¯re at your house.¡± Realizing they had already left Glimmering Lake and were back home, Estre yawned, ¡°Well, I¡¯m heading in. You both should get some rest too.¡± She left the nket on the seat stepped out of the car, and walked towards her house. ¡°Go get some rest, you two.¡± Estre suggested, eyeing Bryce and Jason. What time was it already? Weren¡¯t any of them tired? Well, she was exhausted. The two men, upon hearing this, chimed in unison, ¡°If you n another trip to Glimmering Lake, give me a shout.¡± Estre watched them, amused by their simultaneous response, until she finally said, ¡°Alright.¡± In her mind, though, she had already decided that tomorrow she would bring Keegan along for the adventure. After Estre agreed, Jason and Bryce once again spoke in unison, ¡°You head inside first.¡± Seeing them echo each other, Estre chuckled, ¡°You can really tell you¡¯re from the same n.¡± She added, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯m heading back.¡± 08:21 As Estre turned to leave, Bryce suddenly called out, ¡°Hey, wait up a sec.¡± Estre turned back to look at Bryce, and Jason¡¯s gaze followed suit. Chapter 251 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.¡± Chapter 252 Hearing this, Jason came to a dead halt. He stood still for a moment, then turned to lock eyes with Keith. The look on Jason¡¯s face had definitely lost its earlier warmth, and his gaze towards Keith had frosted over. Keith went for the emotional angle, ¡°You know better than anyone if there¡¯s a future for you and Estre. And,e on, if you were really honest with yourself, could you truly ept her child?¡± ¡°I can,¡± Jason replied tly. In Keith eyes, Jason was always the level-headed one, not someone to be ensnared by emotions. But this time, Jason had gone too far, epting something most men couldn¡¯t stomach. When Jason didn¡¯t rise to the bait about the child, Keith yed the sympathy card, ¡°I¡¯m getting on in years, Jason. Can¡¯t you indulge an old man¡¯sst wishes? Besides, you haven¡¯t even met the girl I¡¯m talking about. How can you be so sure you won¡¯t like her?¡± ¡°Other than Estre, I don¡¯t have eyes for anyone else.¡± Keith¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Are you trying to be the death of me? Do you want me to leave this world without peace?¡± Jason¡¯s retort was nonchnt, ¡°You¡¯ve had a life of smooth sailing, calling the shots. Not many can boast of such glory. So even if this one thing doesn¡¯t go your way, I doubt you¡¯ll have any regrets.¡± That was Jason¡¯s way of saying, deal with it. Keith fumed, ¡°You bastard, you¡¯re going to be the death of me.¡± Jason remained unfazed. ¡°If I am, then so be it. What can I do? Nobody lives forever, and a hundred years from now, we¡¯ll still have to face each other.¡± Kristin, trying not tough at Jason¡¯sebacks, thought to herself that Keith should have kept his nose out of her son¡¯s business. Keith had summoned Jason back for a blind date, and now, after getting an earful, hopefully, Keith would drop this. As Keith was ready to swing his cane at Jason, Kristin stepped in to calm him down, ¡°Please, let it go. Don¡¯t stoop to his level. You¡¯ll only make yourself sick. And you know how stubborn Jason can be. Once he opens his mouth, he can rile up the dead.¡± It might have looked like Kristen was supporting Keith, but in reality, she was preventing Keith from hitting her son. Kristin¡¯s peacemaking didn¡¯t deter Jason from stating, ¡°Grandpa, I won¡¯t trade the rest of my life for your fleeting happiness, nor will I attend any blind dates you arrange. Estre is the only woman for me.¡± With that, Jason didn¡¯t linger and left the house. ¡°What a fool,¡± Keith cursed as Jason walked away. ¡°Let it go. He¡¯s gone. Save your breath,¡± Kristin soothed. Amber, watching the scene with disdain, chimed in, ¡°Did you really think any of your grandchildren would be pushovers? I told you to stay out of their business. Serves you right for not listening.¡± Keith, still irate, dered, ¡°As long as I¡¯m breathing, he won¡¯t be with Estre. The Nelson family will not be raising another man¡¯s child.¡± Amber chuckled. ¡°You think they even want your help?¡± As the elders bickered, Kristin nodded in agreement, thinking to herself how formidable her mother-in- law¡¯s sharp tongue was. But then again, Amber was speaking the hard truth. Leaving the old family estate, Jason felt irked. Not so much at Keith¡¯s pressure, but at the possibility of him getting in touch with Estre. Estre was already reluctant to ept him, and resistant to the idea of getting back together. Keith¡¯s interference would only make things worse. Hands on the steering wheel, he found himself outside the Dorvold residence without even realizing it. Jason got out of the car and leaned against it, gazing up at Estre¡¯s window. It had been three days since he¡¯d seen her, four days since he¡¯d seen Isaac. Pulling out a cigarette and lighter, he lit up and blew out a long smoke ring, which helped ease his mind a little. ¡°What are you doing, lurking outside my house in the dead of night?¡± Estre¡¯s voice suddenly cut through the silence. Jason turned, saw her standing next to him, and hastily stubbed out the cigarette in the nearest bin. Estre eyed the extinguished smoke. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Just came to see how you¡¯re doing,¡± Jason said casually. That was true, though he hadn¡¯t expected to run into her right outside her house. Estre nced at his car. ¡°You¡¯re blocking the¡­¡± Before she could finish, Jason pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. Caught off guard, Estre didn¡¯t react right away. With his chin resting on her shoulder, Jason confessed, ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡± So was she. After all, who wasn¡¯t tired in this world? Without responding to Jason or pushing him away, Estre waited before asking, ¡°Had 08:17 enough yet?¡± Jason shook his head and kissed her cheek. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you.¡± He missed her so much he wanted to hold her forever, to open his eyes each morning and see her. Estre said calmly, ¡°Jason, cut it out. I¡¯m not falling for your act.¡± It had been years, and yet his tactics hadn¡¯t changed. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Jason didn¡¯t reply, just held her in the quiet night. After a moment, he said, ¡°Estre, no matter who comes to you, and no matter what they say, you¡¯ve got to believe in me.¡± Estre guessed from thiste-night visit that something was up. He probably came straight from his family home. She didn¡¯t delve further, simply stating, ¡°You¡¯re heavy.¡± Jason nuzzled into her neck. ¡°Just a little longer.¡± It had only been days since they¡¯dst met, but to Jason, it felt like centuries. Thest outing with her seemed like a past life. Estre eximed, ¡°Damn it, I¡¯m exhausted, and here I amforting you.¡± Jason nted a kiss on her cheek and murmured, ¡°Still fretting over Glimmering Lake?¡± Estre pushed him away with a gentle but firm hand, ¡°I¡¯m on to something.¡± ncing at her wristwatch, she added, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should head back and get some rest.¡± As Estre tried to turn away, Jason caught her arm and reeled her back in, lowering his head to capture her lips in a more intense kiss. At first, Estre tensed, poised to push him away, but the kiss deepened, fierce andpelling. After days of silence, Jason¡¯s passion had reignited, yet there was a tinge of mncholy in his ardor this time, not quite as domineering as before. Just when Estre was getting almost annoyed by the kiss, Jason sensibly released her. He stared at her affectionately and asked, ¡°Estre, what should I do for us to start over?¡± The night was dark, Jason¡¯s voice was soft, and with the evening breeze, the atmosphere became rather sensual. Chapter 253 Estre looked at Jason and just as she was about to speak, the phone in her pocket started to ring. It was Autumn calling. ¡°Estre, you¡¯re not back yet? Isaac insists on waiting up for you. He refuses to go to bed,¡± Autumn¡¯s voice came through the phone. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m already at the doorstep.¡± She hung up, then nced at Jason with a half-smile. ¡°You are in my way.¡± With Autumn¡¯s call, Estre neatly sidestepped Jason¡¯s earlier question. Isaac was waiting at home, and Jason knew it wasn¡¯t his ce to hold Estre back. He gently brushed her cheek with his hand. ¡°How about Saturday? We could take Isaac out for lunch.¡± Estre¡¯s response was nomittal. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll work.¡± Her tone left little room for misinterpretation. ¡°So, we¡¯ll y it by ear this weekend, Jason suggested. After a brief chat, Jason moved his car, allowing Estre to pull her white BMW into the driveway. A momentter, as Estre entered the house, saac ran barefoot towards her and refused to leave her side, clinging to her tightly and refusing to let go. Autumn watched helplessly. ¡°Isaac¡¯s been off these past few days, not talking much or eating well. I don¡¯t know what to do with him.¡± Estre hugged Isaac tight. ¡°I¡¯ll take him to the doctor tomorrow.¡± Isaac nestled into her embrace, unusually quiet and clingy. The next morning, Dr. Lincoln, a middle-aged pediatric psychologist, told them, ¡°The child stillcks a sense of security due to the absence of both parents¡¯panionship, so this state often urs. The ideal would be for him to receive ample love from both a mother and a father. It would do wonders for his development.¡± His implication was clear: Estre should consider creating aplete home for Isaac. ¡°Thanks, Dr. Lincoln. We¡¯ll do our best,¡± Estre replied with gratitude, masking her concern. Dr. Lincoln offered a gentle reminder, ¡°Ms. Estre, you are so young. You should give yourself a chance at happiness too. You don¡¯t have to shoulder everything alone.¡± Estre managed a smile. ¡°I know.¡± After the appointment, as Estre drove with Isaac and Autumn, the weight on her heart grew heavier. Isaac¡¯s wellbeing was herpass, and when Isaac struggled, so did she. 08:17 Autumn broached the sensitive topic. ¡°Estre, maybe it¡¯s time to find a father figure for Isaac?¡± Estre forced a wry smile. ¡°It¡¯s not that easy.¡± ¡°What about Bryce? He¡¯s a good man, genuine to both you and Isaac.¡± That made Estreugh. ¡°Bryce is fine, but what about his mother and the whole Nelson family?¡± Estre knew theplexity of her rtionship with Jason all too well. Moreover, Bryce had never been involved in a serious romance, and here she was, a divorcee with a son. It would be unfair to Bryce if they got married. That kind of moral bankruptcy wasn¡¯t in her ybook. Besides, there were no romantic sparks between them. Hearing Estre¡¯s thoughts, Autumn dropped the subject, muttering about keeping an eye out for someone else. Estre remained silent, and after dropping off Autumn and Isaac, she headed to the office. It was a hard truth to swallow. No matter how much she did for Isaac, she could never rece the role of a father. Her love could only ever be maternal, not paternal. During a staff meeting at the office, Estre¡¯s phone buzzed. It was Jason. Estre took the phone and went to the safe exit to answer it. As soon as the call was connected, Jason¡¯s voice came awkwardly, ¡°Babe, transfer some money to me.¡± She hadn¡¯t heard him use that term of endearment in quite a while, but now, apparently in need of money, he resorted to it again. ¡°What did you say?¡± Estre thought she was hearing things. ¡°I¡¯m at the gas station and I¡¯ve run out of cash, Jason exined. He added, ¡°I gave you everyst dime the other day, not a penny left.¡± Estre could almost feel Jason¡¯s difort through the phone. ¡°I¡¯ll send you two grand for now.¡± ¡°Perfect.¡± After transferring the money, Estre couldn¡¯t help rolling her eyes. Jason was truly something else. That evening, Estre took the bank card and Jason¡¯s forgotten wallet from the agreement envelope and drove to Nelson International. At the entrance of thepany, when Jason came out surrounded by executives from otherpanies and Nelson International, he immediately spotted Estre¡¯s car. 08.17 When Jason¡¯s steps came to a halt, Drew¡¯s eyes lit up, and he said, ¡°Mr. Jason, that seems to be Ms. Estre¡¯s car.¡± As Drew¡¯s voice trailed off, Jason turned to exchange a few words with a bystander, then made his way over to Estre¡¯s side, swung open the passenger door, and climbed into the car. Estre nced over at the crowd gathered by the entrance and remarked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to mingle with them?¡± Jason replied nonchntly, ¡°They¡¯re not as important as you.¡± Estre rolled her eyes. After three years without seeing each other, Jason had be really good at charming women with words. Handing over a briefcase that had been resting beside her, Estre spoke with an impassive expression, ¡°Hold on to your own stuff. Also, transfer the shares and assets back. Once the agreement is ready, I¡¯ll sign it.¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°You¡¯re seriously not giving us another chance?¡± Estre¡¯s response was decisive. ¡°No chance.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Jason set the briefcase aside. ¡°Estre, even if we can¡¯t end up together, what I¡¯ve given away, I won¡¯t take back.¡± you have Estre, hands firmly on the steering wheel, gave Jason a look as if he were a simpleton. ¡°Do you any idea how much all this is worth, Jason?¡± she continued, ¡°And don¡¯t yo know you should keep your card?¡± Chapter 254 Estre eyed Jason coolly, taking her sweet time before responding, ¡°Now you learn how to sweet-talk, where was this charm when I needed it?¡± With that, she tossed the document bag back into hisp, ¡°Take your stuff and get out of the car.¡± Jason set the bag aside, then pulled out her wallet, extracting a few bills and saying nonchntly, ¡°This should cover me.¡± Estre scoffed, ¡°Jason, seriously?¡± Tucking the cash away, Jason inquired, ¡°You seem upset?¡± He had noticed her sour mood as soon as she got into the car. Estre exhaled without a word, and Jason suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s grab some food. I¡¯d like to talk about the fire incident too.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Upon hearing Jason mention the fire seven years ago, Estre gave him a look and started the car. Soon, they pulled up in front of a quaint garden bistro and made their way in together. Once the waiter had poured them some ice water and left the private dining room, Jason said, ¡°I had those videos examined by the expert you mentioned ¨C no signs of tampering.¡± He paused, then added, ¡°Maybe we should consider a medical check-up?¡± If Estre was truly behind the incident, she would remember, but her memory was nk. Jason felt it was time to approach this from a different angle. He didn¡¯t want to dredge up the past, hoping it would fade away, but he knew Estre. Now that she did, she¡¯d unearth the truth, especially since she had promised to help Serene. Estre flipped through the documents Jason passed her, her voice steady, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about that, been looking for the right doctor.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve contacted a renowned professor,¡± Jason offered, ¡°I¡¯ll send his detailster. If he checks out, I¡¯ll have Drew set up a meeting.¡± After reviewing the documents, Estre looked up, ¡°Thanks, Jason.¡± He must have been quite frustrated holding onto that evidence of her setting the fire and being married to her. No wonder he was angry with her for so many years. Still, Estre couldn¡¯t forgive his silence, finding it unforgivable. By eight o¡¯clock, after dinner, Estre was still downcast. In the passenger seat, Jason nced over, ¡°You got something on your mind?¡± When Jason brought up her concerns, Estre sighed, ¡°Isaac¡¯s been quiet again, eating 00:17 2 less. The doctor said it¡¯s insecurity.¡± When Estre mentioned Isaac, Jason understood. For a mother, the child alwayses first. Jason asked, ¡°Ever thought Isaac might be missing a father figure?¡± Estre chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll find someone eventually. If it weren¡¯t for your and Bryce¡¯s rtion, I¡¯d have asked Bryce to step in.¡± ¡°Trying to get a rise out of me?¡± Jason quipped¡­ Estre shot him a cool re, ¡°If I wanted to get a rise out of you, I would¡¯ve done it by now.¡± Jason reached over and ruffled her hair, deciding not to spar with her. Come Saturday morning, as Estrezily answered Jason¡¯s call, he was already at the Dorvold family gates, ready to take Estre and Isaac out for some air. Irritably, Estre responded, ¡°Jason, what are you doing so early? We¡¯re busy, not happening.¡± Jason retorted, ¡°Estre, it¡¯s past ten. Time to wake up from your beauty sleep.¡± He had been waiting since eight but hadn¡¯t called, assuming she was still asleep. Now it seemed like a good time. As Isaac peeked into the bedroom, Estre¡¯s mood lifted instantly. She hung up and got ready. At the gate, Estre let Isaac choose whether to go with Jason. The eager nod from her child made the decision clear. An hourter, at the department store, they headed straight to the kids¡¯ yground on the top floor. Bumper cars, carousel horses, a mini train ¨C the games Estre usually yed with Isaac were now Jason¡¯s territory. As Estre watched them, a soft smile appeared on her face. After a ride on the train, Estre handed Jason a napkin while wiping Isaac¡¯s sweat, ¡°How¡¯s your wound?¡± ¡°Worried?¡± Jason teased. Estre shoved the tissue into his hand and didn¡¯t bother with him anymore. Other parents around them watched enviously, whispering about how good-looking the family was. When Isaac wanted to keep ying, Estre promised more fun after a good lunch. Isaac vowed earnestly to eat well, and at the restaurant, Isaac even offered his little coin purse, pping it down on the table with a proud thud. 55 08:17 Estre and Jason nced at each other as Isaac mmed a small pouch of money onto the table with a thud, instantly drawing their attention. Estre picked up the pouch with a curious smile and eyed Isaac, ¡°Are you treating us to lunch?¡± Isaac¡¯s eyes were wide with enthusiasm as he nodded vigorously, ¡°It¡¯s on me.¡± The generosity from someone so young tickled Estre into a fit of giggles, and even Jason couldn¡¯t help but crack a smile. Isaac was surprisingly liberal with his spending, which hinted that he was in a particrly good mood today. This, in turn, lifted Estre¡¯s spirits. But when Estre loosened the drawstring and spilled the contents of Isaac¡¯s pouch onto the table, her laughter died in her throat. Chapter 255 Inside the small coin purse, besides a few coins that jingled out, the rest were still just coins. With a look of distaste, Estre said to Isaac, ¡°I thought you were hoarding some secret stash behind my back. Turns out it¡¯s just a handful of nickels and dimes. You might as well save them for a kiddie ride.¡± Isaac wasn¡¯t pleased when Estre handed back the purse. He pouted his little lips and pushed the purse back towards Estre, his voice earnest and childishly solemn, ¡°It¡¯s my treat.¡± Across the table, Jason chuckled, ¡°Let the kid show off a bit, will ya?¡± Jason¡¯s words had a yful undertone. Isaac¡¯s stubbornness really did take after him and Estre in that respect. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Estre conceded, unable to resist Isaac¡¯s insistence. ¡°You¡¯re treating.¡± What could that little bit of money treat anyone to, anyway? But not wanting to hurt Isaac¡¯s feelings, Estre pocketed the coins. They had nned to hit the amusement park after lunch, but just as they finished eating and Jason carried Isaac onto the elevator, the child nestled into his arms and fell asleep. The two had no choice but to head home. After the maid took Isaac inside, Jason turned to Estre, ¡°Estre, I think Isaac and I should do a DNA test.¡± Isaac¡¯s affection for him, and his eagerness to y with him ¨C Jason saw it all. As soon as Jason finished speaking, Estre looked up at him, her voiceced with usation, ¡°Jason, I knew it. You¡¯ve never trusted me. No matter what I say, you always doubt me.¡± Without giving Jason a chance to reply, Estre continued, ¡°If you really can¡¯t trust me, then go ahead and test.¡± That struck a nerve in Jason. It was precisely for this reason that he had not pursued the test, choosing instead to believe her. Their eyes met, and Estre saw theplexity in Jason¡¯s gaze, feeling a twinge of guilt. Avoiding his eyes, Estre was about to leave when Jason reached out, tilting her chin up, ¡°Feeling guilty?¡± Estreughed it off, ¡°Guilty of what? I¡¯m going back to my son.¡± She brushed off Jason¡¯s hand and turned to enter the house. Back at the department store, she had considereding clean to Jason. After all, Isaac 09:50 was quite fond of him, and it would be good for Isaac if Jason could spend more time with him. But the thought of Jason getting the better end of the deal, by gaining a son so easily, made Estre feel resentful. Her biggest fear was that if she insisted on not reconciling with Jason, he might fight her for custody of their child. Isaac was her life¡¯s work; no one could take him away from her. Back upstairs, Autumn was by Isaac¡¯s bedside Seeing Estre, shemented, ¡°The kid sure does want a dad. After going out with Jason today, he¡¯s sleeping more peacefully. Look, he didn¡¯t even frown now.¡± Estre smiled, ¡°Yeah, Isaac does like Jason.¡± Outside, Jason lingered below for a while until he saw the curtains of Estre¡¯s bedroom close. Only then did he drive away. The next day, Bryce and Jesse finally returned from their business trip, and the trio that hadn¡¯t been together for a while finally reunited at the Dorvold family estate. After ying with Isaac for half the day and putting him down for his nap, the three settled in the sunroom for tea. Ever since Isaac came into their lives, their gatherings had been at Estre¡¯s ce. Nibbling on snacks, Bryce asked Estre, ¡°E, did you sort out that arson case you were helping Serene with? What did Jason say after?¡± Since then, Bryce had been traveling for work, only meeting Estre a couple of times, but Jason was always around, so they hadn¡¯t spoken in detail. Estre looked at Bryce indifferently. ¡°Maybe started it?¡± ¡°What?¡± Both Bryce and Jesse were stunned. After Estre exined the situation, there was a moment of silence, and then Jesse was the first to speak, ¡°I may have said something to Estre out of anger, but I neverid a finger on anything.¡± Bryce let out augh tinged with exasperation, ¡°Now, I wouldn¡¯t even know how to cuss my brother out.¡± Bryce wasn¡¯t sure what he would¡¯ve done in Jason¡¯s shoes. He might not expose the truth, but whether he could have chosen to marry Estre, he wasn¡¯t certain. Jesse stared at Estre, who appeared calm, and mused, ¡°Serene is almost ruled out, and Holly nearly lost her life. So what¡¯s the story with that fire?¡± Estre replied calmly, ¡°We¡¯ll have to look for a breakthrough with me. Jason and I have both contacted doctors to see if there¡¯s a way to recall the events of that day.¡± 00-50 In recent days, Estre had tried desperately to remember, so much so that she¡¯d had nightmares, but still, she couldn¡¯t recall anything about the fire. Bryce said, ¡°I¡¯ll continue investigating on my end. And E, don¡¯t tell Serene for now, I worry she won¡¯t believe you and might do something rash.¡± Estre nodded in agreement. Jason had taken years without giving an answer, and he wasn¡¯t in a rush to provide one now. He had long suspected that there was more to the story than met the eye. As for the doctors, Jason had already sent their information to Estre, who had agreed to meet them. Drew was arranging the time. Jason had hoped to spend more time with Isaac, but with Bryce and Jesse¡¯s return, he reluctantly shelved the idea. That evening, after finishing work, Jason returned home to find Holly waiting for him. In the living room, Marie hurried to report to Jason, ¡°Mr. Jason, you¡¯re back.¡± and then added, ¡°Ms. Holly is here. She¡¯s been waiting for quite a while.¡±. Acknowledging Marie with a ¡°Noted,¡± Jason dismissed her, his expression somewhat grim. Holly saw Marie leave and turned to Jason with a gentle smile, ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure how you were recovering after the hospital, so I thought I¡¯de over and check on you.¡± Jason lounged on the couch nearby, stretching his legs, and muttered, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Jason wasn¡¯t willing to say much, and his attitude wasn¡¯t warm. Holly¡¯s smile looked a bit awkward on her face. She ventured, ¡°Saw the tabloid frenzy yesterday, made me think it¡¯s been ages since west touched base.¡± The day before, Jason had been snapped hanging out at the amusement park with Estre and Isaac, and the photos ended up stered all over the inte. Estre, though, wasn¡¯t one for the limelight and certainly didn¡¯t want Isaac caught in the media crossfire. So, she quickly made moves to get all the rted snaps and chatter pulled down at a price. Truth be told, gossip or no gossip, Holly was aware that Jason and Estre had been in contact. After a dragging silence, Jason cut to the chase, ¡°You got something on your mind?¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Chapter 256 Since Jason had asked directly, Holly didn¡¯t beat around the bush and stared at Jason as she said. ¡°Jason, are you thinking about remarrying Estre?¡± Jason fixed a cool gaze on her and retorted, ¡°Got a problem with that?¡± He was well aware of Holly¡¯s feelings for him and had made his rejection clear. But Holly had insisted that friendship was enough for her. They had known each other for years, so Jason didn¡¯t further push her away. Jason¡¯s aloof demeanor made Holly frown slightly as she probed further, ¡°Jason, have you forgotten the fire seven years ago? Have you forgotten how Estre once wanted you dead? Have you forgotten she has a son now? Jason¡¯s expression darkened as he shot back icily, ¡°Holly, I don¡¯t need you to worry about my affairs or remind me.¡± He had never liked people meddling in his business or giving unsolicited advice, which was why Holly¡¯s reminder irked him. Jason was refusing to give her any leeway, so Holly mustered her courage and said, ¡°Jason, did you forget that I have a copy of the evidence you have against Estre?¡± After she said that, Jason fell silent. Over the years, he had given Holly some consideration precisely because she held evidence against Estre. He didn¡¯t want to stir up this matter again. After staring at Holly for a long moment, Jason pulled out a cigarette and lighter from his pocket and lit up. Taking a deep drag, he exhaled a thick ring of smoke and asked, ¡°Holly, do you know what you¡¯re saying?¡± Although she hadn¡¯t spelled it out, she was threatening him. Holly watched Jason earnestly, ¡°I know what I¡¯m saying, and, Jason, I¡¯m only reminding you for your own good. Even if I don¡¯t pursue the fire from seven years ago, Estre has a son. You being with her will just invite ridicule.¡± Jason responded indifferently, ¡°That¡¯s my business.¡± Holly immediately objected, ¡°I don¡¯t agree.¡± She continued, ¡°After what Estre has done, why should she get to have you? Why should you still care for her? Jason, I know I¡¯ll never be with you in this lifetime, but I won¡¯t agree to you being with Estre, either.¡± Though Holly was two years older than Estre, people had alwayspared them, with Holly invariablying up short. Even in matters of the heart, they happened to both fall for the same man, which was quite unfortunate. Holly couldn¡¯t bear losing the man she had loved for so many years to Estre. So even if it meant Jason would be upset, she had to speak her mind. Upon hearing Holly¡¯s disagreement, Jason chuckled, and when he did that, he somehow 00.03 Hooked a little bit like Estre.. After stubbing out his cigarette, Jason asked, ¡°And what grounds do you have to disagree?¡± He didn¡¯t even let his family dictate his life, so what was Holly to him? Stung by Jason¡¯s mockery, Holly¡¯s cheeks burned with embarrassment. After a long stare, she said, ¡°I have the evidence of Estre setting the fire.¡± Holly¡¯s deration brought a sharp edge to Jason¡¯s gaze as he looked at her intently. As their eyes locked, Holly, sensing Jason¡¯s displeasure, said, ¡°Jason, I¡¯m not trying to threaten you, but I simply can¡¯t ept someone who wanted me dead being with the man I love. I promise, as long as you don¡¯t get back with Estre, this secret will never reach a third party.¡± Even if she couldn¡¯t have Jason, she wouldn¡¯t consent to him being with Estre. Jasonughed at Holly¡¯s demand. After a long look, his face lost its mocking smile, and he said coldly, ¡°If you were to disappear, then certainly a third person would never know.¡± As Jason¡¯s words fell, Holly¡¯s expression changed instantly, and her gaze towards Jason became incredulous. Holly couldn¡¯t believe that Jason would threaten her like this for the sake of Estre, who wanted him dead. Holly hadn¡¯t anticipated that he would even entertain the idea of silencing her. Holly stared motionless at Jason, unable to discern if this was still the Jason she liked. ¡°Jason, do you realize what you¡¯re saying?¡± Holly asked, her voice trembling after a long silence. Jason replied calmly, ¡°Holly, if you let this slip, you¡¯ll bear the consequences.¡± With a sarcasticugh, Holly challenged, ¡°Jason, are you so sure you can outmaneuver me and the Ledford family, or even my brother?¡± ¡°For Estre, I¡¯ll give it my all,¡± Jason dered. At a loss for words, Holly fell silent. Jason stood up from the sofa when he saw Holly staring at him without saying a word. ¡°Marie, please see Holly out,¡± he said. When Holly returned to Ravenwood, Jason knew deep down that they couldn¡¯t avoid this confrontation today. He had extended courtesy to her before, but he wouldn¡¯t be so amodating in the future. When Holly left Sandalwood Oasis, she was trembling the entire time. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was from anger or fear. When Jason uttered those harsh words to her, Holly was genuinely shocked. They had nearly thirty years of history together too, and his connection wasn¡¯t only with Estre. Inside the car, Korey was resting with his eyes closed when his assistant reported cautiously, ¡°Mr. Korey, Miss Holly just paid a visit to Mr. Jason.¡± Korey¡¯s expression darkened upon hearing this. He had repeatedly warned Holly to stay out of Estre and Jason¡¯s rtionship, yet she had defied him. Heaving a deep sigh, Korey¡¯s countenance grew even more grave. Shortly after arriving home, he saw Holly walking in, listless. He instructed the maid without hesitation, ¡°Keep an eye on Holly. She¡¯s not to leave the house without my permission.¡± Holly was fuming, her brother Korey¡¯smand to the help only stoking the mes of her anger. ¡°What gives you the right to lock me up at home? I¡¯m not some pet that you can keep cooped up. Even pets need to get out and breathe.¡± Korey¡¯s icy gaze met hers. ¡°I told you to stay out of Estre and Jason¡¯s business. Did you listen?¡± Estre. Always Estre. Holly was sick of it. She scoffed at him. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re also itching to y daddy to Estre¡¯s kid on the cheap. What¡¯s with you guys? What¡¯s so special about her? Is it just because she¡¯s got a silver tongue, or because she can handle herself in a¡­¡± Before she could finish, Korey¡¯s hand cracked across her face with a p. The air in the room turned to ice. Holly¡¯s eyes widened in shock st at Korey as if she couldn¡¯t believe he¡¯d hit her. After a stunned silence, she touched her cheek and said, ¡°Korey, you hit me? Over some other woman? Do you even know what kind of person Estre is? Do you have any idea what she did back then?¡± As Holly confronted him, Korey¡¯s right hand clenched into a fist, then slowly rxed. He hadn¡¯t meant to hit Holly, but her words had been too much. Estre¡¯s child was not some cheap child. The kid meant more to Estre than life itself. Korey met Holly¡¯s gaze squarely. ¡°Holly, you¡¯d best know when to quit. Don¡¯t y with fire.¡± His words only twisted Holly¡¯s features in confusion, but she quickly regained herposure. ¡°Do you know, Korey? Seven years ago, that fire, it was Estre¡¯s doing. She wanted to¡­¡± She was cut off as Korey summoned the servants. ¡°Take Miss Holly back to her room. Without my permission, no one opens that door.¡± The servants looked awkwardly at Korey. As they were about to speak, Korey added firmly, ¡°Not even mom and dad.¡± The servants understood. ¡°Miss, please, just go back to your room,¡± they said, circling around Holly. As Korey walked away, Holly¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears. ¡°Korey, why do you get to do this to me? Why hit me? You think this will win Estre over? If you¡¯re so capable, marry her, don¡¯t take it out on me.¡± If her brother had really had an honest conversation with Estre and ended up with her, Holly wouldn¡¯t have minded if he became a stepfather. She wouldn¡¯t have cared if he lost in this marriage. She would have been even willing to foot the bill for his wedding with Estre. But after all these years, he had only harbored a secret crush, never daring to speak his heart to Estre. Meanwhile, at the Dorvold residence. After Bryce and Jesse left, Estre lulled Isaac to sleep with a bedtime story. Kissing Isaac¡¯s forehead, Estre was about to rest when her bedroom door suddenly opened. Autumn peeked in, waving Estre out. ¡°Honey,e here a minute. I got something to say to you.¡± With a mysterious aura, Autumn beckoned Estre out. In the downstairs parlor, Autumn took out a stack of photographs and handed them to Estre. ¡°You¡¯re looking for a father for Isaac, right? These are some candidates I¡¯ve found for you. Take a look, see if anyone catches your eye, and I¡¯ll arrange a meeting.¡± Estre sighed. Estre did not take the photos, so Autumn spread them out one by one in front of her, introducing each one. ¡°This one¡¯s a doctor, your age, from a decent family. Ambitious, with a promising career. A good match for you, I think.¡± ¡°And this one¡¯s awyer, just like you. You¡¯d have plenty inmon.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s a scientist in the military, very distinguished.¡± As Autumn detailed the merits of each man, it seemed like they were all perfect for Estre, all potential fathers for Isaac. Estre rubbed her temples. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m swamped with cases, and the Glimmering Lake matter is still open. I¡¯m in no mood for dating.¡± And the fire from seven years ago still needed investigating. Autumn¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Work is important, but so is life and Isaac¡¯s physical and mental health.¡± When Autumn yed the Isaac card, Estre found herself cornered. Autumn pressed on. ¡°Well? Will you date or not? Do you care about Isaac¡¯s future?¡± 09:51 33 Taking in Autumn¡¯s determined face, Estre knew she wouldn¡¯t get any rest tonight unless she agreed. With a sigh, Estre conceded, ¡°Fine, fine, I¡¯ll date. Are you happy now?¡± It was apromise, just going through the motions to appease her mother. Estre knew Isaac wouldn¡¯t easily ept someone new. His bond with Jason was blood-deep. Estre¡¯s agreement at this moment was a way to calm Autumn down and bring some peace to the household. With Estre¡¯s reluctant agreement, Autumn beamed, picking out her favorite photo. ¡°Let¡¯s start with this professor, just back from studying abroad. Gentle and kind-hearted, he seems.¡± Estre nced at the photo nonchntly. ¡°Mom, you¡¯ve picked someone who looks like Jason.¡± The man in the photo was indeed simr to Jason, right down to the sses perched on his nose. Autumn gasped, tossing the photo aside as if it burned her. She shuffled the photos hastily. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize¡­ Let¡¯s avoid that type, shall we?¡± If the discarded candidate knew he was passed over for resembling Jason, he¡¯d surely be heartbroken. Estre didn¡¯t bother with the selection process. She got up, stretching and yawning, ¡°Mom, you pick. I¡¯m beat, I¡¯m gonna hit the sack.¡¯ As Estre¡¯s figure retreated, Autumn said firmly, ¡°Estre, let¡¯s settle this then. I¡¯ll arrange the date and the guy. No excuses, you¡¯re Mowing up and that¡¯s final.¡± Estre tossed back a half-hearted, ¡°Yeah, yeah, I got it.¡± With that, she turned and went off to bed. True to her word, Autumn was quick to act. By the next day, Autumn had already lined up blind date and set the time for it. Come Saturday, Autumn practically dragged Estre out of bed to get her to the date. Having given her word, Estre couldn¡¯t back out now. So, without much fuss over her looks and barely a swipe of lipstick for makeup, she headed out the door. If Autumn hadn¡¯t reminded her, she would¡¯ve left the house in her slippers. Even without any makeup, Estre¡¯s natural beauty shone through. Her simple appearance exuded a gentle and intellectual aura. Upon arriving at the restaurant, the guy was already there. Autumn had picked out a doctor, reasoning it¡¯d be handy to have a connection in the hospital for future needs. When Estre had first heard this, she simply nodded along. There was no point in arguing logic with Autumn. In the restaurant, after the initial introductions, the guy seemed quite taken with Estre. Despite her being divorced with a son, her qualities were outstanding whenpared to 09:51 her peers. Noticing his interest, Estre inquired, ¡°You do know I¡¯m divorced and have a son, right?¡± The man replied, ¡°Your mother mentioned it, but it doesn¡¯t bother me. If we were to get together, we¡¯d have our own kids in the future anyway.¡± Estre was speechless. Had men be so amodating nowadays? She knew her attributes allowed most men to overlook her past, but Jason¡¯s eptance had nothing to do with that. As Estre pondered what to say next, her phone on the table buzzed. It was Jason calling. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Her expression shifted ever so slightly, but she answered the call. Before Estre could utter a word, Jason¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Where are you?¡± Turning slightly away from her date, she whispered, ¡°Out dining with my son.¡± On the other end, Jason let out a sardonic chuckle before pressing, ¡°Estre, since when did you have a son as old as me?¡± Chapter 257 Jason¡¯s voice was sharp with irritation, Estre cringed under its weight. She had lied simply to avoid Jason¡¯s temper tantrum, not wanting to make a scene. Yet, here he was, well-informed of her whereabouts. Clearing her throat, Estre was about to speak when Jason cut in with a frosty tone, ¡°Estre, if you don¡¯t want me to turn the tables upstairs and want to save dignity for everyone, you¡¯ve got two minutes to get down here.¡± Estre¡¯s face soured. Why, she thought indignantly, should he have any say over her actions? They had already signed the divorce papers; he had no hold over her anymore. Then she nced at the man sitting across from her, who looked honest and reliable but not her type, so she used Jason¡¯s call as an excuse to apologize to her date and slip out of the diner after hastily paying the bill. Soon, she was in the open-air parking lot, Jason¡¯s car already waiting. The anger was palpable even through the open car window. Squinting at him, Estre wondered what right he had to be upset with her. Their eyes locked, and Jason¡¯s re was practically lethal When Estre turned to leave, Jason blocked her path and pushed her into the car. The car door mmed shut, and with a stony face, Jason drove off. Neither spoke. In battles like these, the first to speak usually lost. Estre was under pressure, in a bad mood, and she wasn¡¯t about to back down from a fight. After a tense drive, they reached Jason¡¯s upscale apartmentplex. He dragged her out of the car and into the elevator. Once they reached his duplex penthouse, he pushed her inside. Stumbling, Estre turned and threw her purse at him in frustration, ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± The purse hit him and fell to the floor, where he casually kicked it aside. ¡°Exin yourself, Estre. What were you doing just now?¡± Jason demanded with an air of righteous indignation. Estre chuckled dryly, ¡°What, looking for a father for Isaac is interfering with you now?¡± Her candid response nearly choked Jason. He had been less enraged when he thought she still showed some consideration by lying. Now, her casual admission made him want to kill the man she had been meeting. Jason¡¯s stare was red with fury, and Estre retorted, ¡°I¡¯ve exined myself. Now, I¡¯ll go back to my date.¡± As she headed for the door, Jason couldn¡¯t swallow his pride and grabbed her arm. ¡°Do think you can leave without my permission?¡± He threatened. you 09:41 Estreughed off his threat and reminded him, ¡°Jason, you can¡¯t possibly be this forgetful. We¡¯re no longer husband and wife. We¡¯re divorced.¡± Estre¡¯s words hit Jason like a punch to the gut, leaving him seething with both anger and resentment. Just a few days ago, he¡¯d been threatening Holly not to do anything foolish, vowing to make her pay with her life if she dared. Estre, on the other hand, was seemingly happy to move on and start dating. Frustrated and livid, Jason vented, ¡°Are you taking me for granted, Estre? Is this your way of mocking my feelings?¡± Estre, arms crossed over her chest, responded defiantly, ¡°How am I supposed to feel about you? In what way have I mocked your feelings? After all, we¡¯re both unattached. And it¡¯s only a matter of time before I find a father for Isaac. I even discussed this with you.¡± Estre imed she had given him a heads up about the situation, leaving Jason speechless. He silently drifted towards therge window, lighting up a cigarette for himself. He remembered her talking about finding a father for Isaac, but he¡¯d brushed it off, believing she was trying to rile him up. Or perhaps she was offering him an opportunity, a chance to step up and be Isaac¡¯s father. The thought that she would actually go ahead with dating caught him off guard. It dawned on him that Estre had always been unpredictable. As Jason smoked silently, his back to her, Estre tried to open the room door, but found it was locked from the inside, and only he could unlock it. She had fully nned to have a heated exchange with Jason, even expecting him to lose his temper. But his quiet retreat had taken her by surprise. Before she got in more than a few words, obviously expecting more of a reaction, he¡¯d fallen silent. The unexpected turn left Estre somewhat deted, and she decided to leave. After taking a moment to stare at Jason¡¯s retreating form, she said, ¡°Jason, this isn¡¯t getting us anywhere. Open the door.¡± Jason expelled a puff of smoke and turned to face her, his expression a mixture of resentment and bitterness. ¡°Open the door for what? So you can run off to some date? Go running into the arms of another man?¡± Despite Jason¡¯s harsh words, Estre held her peace. She simply watched him and retorted, ¡°Let¡¯s call it quits, shall we? Neither of us is a saint. I¡¯m not ming you, but you¡¯re no angel yourself.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Estre¡¯s words got under Jason¡¯s skin. She could say whatever she wanted about him, but he drew the line at usations about his character. Previously, he didn¡¯t bother setting the record straight, choosing to let her rant. But now, he refused to allow those misperceptions to persist. When it came to matters of character and rtionships, he prided himself on being above reproach. 213 09:41 With this in mind, he vehemently responded, ¡°Don¡¯t project your guilt onto me. How exactly am I no better?¡± Staring right back at him, Estre chuckled lightly. ¡°Jason, don¡¯t get too cocky. Wasn¡¯t it you who said that everything done in the darkes to light?¡± She let the implication hang in the air before adding, ¡°Holly visited the Sandalwood Oasis just a few days ago, didn¡¯t she? Don¡¯t bother denying it.¡± 09.11 Chapter 258 Estre hadn¡¯t been keeping tabs on Jason¡¯s whereabouts, nor had she been tracking Holly¡¯s movements. It was the night Holly visited the Sandalwood Oasis that Estre received an anonymous email full of photographs documenting Holly¡¯s presence there. Estre nced at the images and dismissed them, well aware someone was deliberately trying to stir up trouble by showing her only the pictures of Holly arriving at the Oasis, not leaving. It was a clear setup for misunderstanding. Truth be told, she couldn¡¯t care less about Jason¡¯s love life. In the days following the receipt of the photos, she hadn¡¯t mentioned a word about it. She knew Jason wouldn¡¯t get involved with Holly at this juncture, seeing as he was investing all his time and energy on matters involving her and Isaac. The only reason she brought it up now was because Jason had just made a sarcastic remark, so she intentionally said that. ¡°Let the furte, then. Who¡¯s afraid of a little pain?¡± she thought defiantly. Sure enough, when Estre mentioned Holly, Jason¡¯splexion changed instantly. He exined, ¡°Sure, Holly went to the Oasis that day, but it¡¯s not what you think between her and me.¡± ¡°Really? You can say that when she was literally in your house? And here I am getting grilled for having a meal in public? You are really being hypocritical. Besides, Jason, I¡¯m not your wife anymore.¡± Estre felt a strange satisfaction seeing Jason¡¯s anger. Maybe it was payback for past grievances. With her sharp wit, Jason was left speechless, thinking that not even a hundred extra mouths could help him win an argument against her. ¡°Damn it, why did she have to studyw? I can¡¯t win a single fight,¡± he cursed internally. At that moment, Jason felt like that he was about to explode out of anger. As he stood red-eyed and frustrated, Estre looked on nonchntly, ¡°Now that it¡¯s all out in the open, since everyone has their¡­¡± 1 She was cut off abruptly as Jason, with bloodshot eyes, interjected, ¡°I saw her, showed her a bit of respect, only because she¡¯s got evidence. What do I like about her? If I did, I would¡¯ve been with her already. Why would I keep entangling myself with you?¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Caught off-guard by his outburst, Estre was momentarily speechless, not expecting him to suddenly articte his frustrations so vividly. Their eyes locked, and as Estre stared at him, Jason spoke again, half angry, half pleading, ¡°Estre, you¡¯re heartless. You always say I misunderstand you. Don¡¯t you have any misconceptions about me? Have you ever trusted mepletely?¡± 00.41 After Jason¡¯s tirade, Estre was about to respond when her phone buzzed in her pocket. Pulling it out, she saw it was a call from Marie. Holding Jason¡¯s gaze, she said, ¡°Hold that thought, let me take this call and then we can continue our little spat.¡± With that, she answered the call with a cheerful, ¡°Hey Marie.¡± Marie¡¯s voice came through the phone, ¡°Ms. Estre,¡± and without wasting any time, she added, ¡°Something happened at the house a few days ago. I¡¯ve been pondering over it and decided it¡¯s best to inform you, so I called.¡± ¡°Go ahead, Marie, I¡¯m listening,¡± Estre replied, her voice steady. Marie quickly ryed, ¡°A few days back, the Ledford family¡¯s Miss Holly came to see Mr. Jason. They ended up in an argument, and from the next room, I overheard Miss Holly im that someone had tried to set a fire to kill Mr. Jason.¡± ¡°Mr. Jason was furious when he heard this and even threatened Miss Holly, saying if she were to disappear, no third party would know about this incident.¡± Marie had heard the entirety of Jason and Holly¡¯s conversation that night. Wisely, she omitted mentioning Holly¡¯s remarks about Estre having a son and how being with her could be embarrassing for Jason. She ryed only the critical parts to Estre. Continuing with evident concern, Marie said, ¡°Ms. Estre, I¡¯ve been scared out of my wits these past few days. I worry that Mr. Jason might do something rash in a moment of anger, and this family would be ruined. So, after much thought, I decided to call you. Maybe you could talk some sense into Mr. Jason. Please tell him not to stoop to Miss Holly¡¯s level and not to do anything foolish that could cost him his future. It wouldn¡¯t be worth it.¡± ¡°And on that note, the Ledford family isn¡¯t one to mess with either. Miss Holly¡¯s brother is¡­¡± Cleverly, Marie left the sentence hanging. Estre appeared calm on the surface, but inside, she was hit by a storm of emotions. So Holly had approached Jason to threaten him to stay away from her, and Jason had retorted with such harsh words. After a thoughtful silence, Estre said, ¡°Marie, I understand. I¡¯ll find a moment to have a serious talk with Jason.¡± Now, Estre had to acknowledge that the people working close to Jason, like Drew, Marie, or his driver, were all shrewd individuals. Marie¡¯s call was clearly an attempt to show Jason¡¯s stance and intentions, making sure Estre knew he was on her side, protecting her. Estre agreed to persuade Jason, and Marie sighed in relief. After a brief chat, Marie ended the call, suggesting Estre shoulde back for a visit when she had time. With a nonchnt click, Estre tossed her phone onto the cab beside her andzily turned to Jason, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s pick up where we left off. Got any more grievances, 09:42 anything else you wanna yell about? Go ahead, your turn.¡± Jason¡¯s gaze locked onto Estre, his mind racing with exasperation. What was the point of venting now? He wasn¡¯t an idiot. After all, Estre had heard every word of Marie¡¯s recent phone call. Yet, he didn¡¯t want Estre to get too cocky, nor did he want her to remain oblivious to his feelings. Without hiding the hurt that had surfaced moments ago, he looked at Estre with feigned anger and burst out, ¡°Estre, you¡¯re just heartless, you know that?¡± He continued, his voice a mix of confession and usation, ¡°I admit I got it all wrong back in the day, and I¡¯m sorry for that. But after I realized my mistake, didn¡¯t I do something about it? Haven¡¯t I been trying to make amends? Here I am, busting my gut trying to win you over, trying to bridge the gap with Isaac, and you just go off on dates with other guys?¡± ¡°Where does that leave my pride? How am I supposed to hold my head up after this? ¡°Sure, we¡¯re divorced, the papers are all signed, and you¡¯re free as a bird now. But after all these years, did you really have to rub it in my face right now? Couldn¡¯t you have given it a little more time? If things still don¡¯t work out, you could go on dates then. Can¡¯t you just wait a bit longer? ¡°Do you really care so little about me? After all these years, do I mean nothing to you? Can¡¯t you spare me some peace of mind?¡± Jason had intended only to y the victim, but as he spoke, his emotions surged genuinely. He felt hurt. Even if he had been at fault in the past, he was sincerely trying to make things right now. He wasn¡¯t demanding an immediate answer, but at least she could grant him some time, some chance to prove himself. Chapter 259 Jason¡¯s heartfelt confession left Estre staring into his eyes, which were rimmed with a persistent redness. His voice had trembled towards the end, a clear sign of his genuine anger-and it wasn¡¯t a fleeting irritation either. Gazing earnestly at Jason, Estre remarked, ¡°You know, in all the years we¡¯ve known each other, I¡¯ve never heard you spill your guts like that. You¡¯ve practically left me speechless.¡± Estre skirted around the serious issues, prompting Jason to shoot her a cool nce before he turned away to light another cigarette. Words had failed him after his emotional outpour. Jason ignored her after his tirade, so Estre edged closer. His eyes were still reddened, veins threaded with frustration as if he¡¯d endured a great injustice at her hands. A chuckle threatened to escape her. Throughout their shared history, she had often been the one to rile him up. Jason¡¯s biggest gripe with her was her carefree nature, her seemingck of concern for anything serious. Standing by his side, she nudged him with her hip and teased, ¡°What¡¯s this? Are tears on the horizon?¡± Jason simply gave her a look and remained silent. Estre had intended to pick a fight, but now it seemed futile. Jason¡¯s air of wounded pride made it difficult to continue their spat. When he continued to ignore her, she prodded, ¡°Giving me the silent treatment now?¡± He just kept on smoking his cigarette, deep in thought. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. With no other options, Estre exined, ¡°I was just humoring my mom, you know? If I didn¡¯t, she¡¯d never stop.¡± Jason still didn¡¯t respond. Estre tried to cajole him further, ¡°Besides, you know me well enough. Sure, I want to find Isaac a father, but he¡¯s got to be someone who outshines you. How else am I going to hold my head high around you? Not to mention your looks-you know what you¡¯ve got. Finding someone who measures up to you? That¡¯s a tall order,¡± Her roundaboutpliment seemed to lift Jason¡¯s spirits, but he didn¡¯t want to show it, maintaining his cool fa?ade. He turned slightly away, allowing himself a moment¡¯s rxation before regaining his composure. Estre noticed Jason¡¯s subtle gestures, including his smile, but she couldn¡¯t be bothered to call him out on it. Taking a couple of steps closer, she asked in mock seriousness, ¡°Jason, do you really want to give us a shot?¡± At her words, hope flickered in Jason¡¯s eyes. He faced her and said pointedly, ¡°Have I not made myself clear enough? Or have I not been obvious enough with how I feel?¡± His intentions had been very obvious since she returned to Ravenwood. Estre backed off a step and proposed, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not dwell on the past. If you can get along with Isaac and make me fall for you again, we can try starting over. If, after six months, I haven¡¯t fallen for you again, we¡¯ll go our separate ways.¡± Jason replied seriously, ¡°If I can¡¯t meet your expectations, I¡¯ll step back, no arguments.¡± If he failed to meet her wishes, he knew he¡¯d have no right to speak of a future with her. Estre had to admit, the earlier call from Marie, and Jason¡¯s own outpouring today, had softened her stance. It seemed only fair to give him a chance. Above all, Isaac needed a father, and Jason was his biological parent. It was his duty to care for Isaac and aid his recovery. As for her own rtionship with Jason, Estre hadn¡¯t given it much thought. She simply wished for a bit of peace without their usual bickering. After all, men were meant to be useful, and in this case, it was for the benefit of her son. With this in mind, she added, ¡°Jason, my parents will never agree to this, so let¡¯s just keep this agreement between us. As for dealing with my folks, we¡¯ll cross that bridge when we Her words were true; Autumn had already pushed her into dating, and her dad, Cole, would be even less agreeable. For now, they would take it one step at a time and see what the future held. Jason put out his cigarette and looked at Estre. No matter how he looked at it, he had the feeling that she was embarrassed to be with him. Jason¡¯s continued gaze prompted her to say, ¡°If you¡¯re not on board with this, then I¡¯m of options. We won¡¯t even have the chance to try.¡± Jason replied coolly, ¡°I agree to your terms.¡± Despite knowing the agreement was lopsided, Jason had no leverage. When Estre le three years ago, he had already lost ground in Cole¡¯s eyes. Estre said, ¡°Great, then you get back to what you were doing. I should head out.¡± As she turned to leave, she paused to add, ¡°One more thing. If my parents push for something and I need to y along, just bear with me, okay? Don¡¯t make a scene.¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened instantly. He felt like he¡¯d been hoodwinked by Estre. All his efforts were meant to prevent her from dating others, yet she still intended to go through the motions. His intense gaze made Estre reassure him, ¡°It¡¯s just for show, like you did back in the day.¡± 09:42 The mention of his past actions struck a nerve. As Jason¡¯s mood soured, Estre patted his shoulder in constion. But as she made to leave, he reached out and pulled her back with a swift tug. In the next moment, he drew her close and kissed her lips. Estre¡¯s hands pressed against his chest, but Jason held her wrists firmly, pushing her back against the wall, trapping her in his embrace. After a heated kiss, Estre¡¯s face turned stern as she said, ¡°Jason, I was only going to give¡­¡± But before she could finish her sentence, Jason¡¯s lips were on hers again. She was back now, and that¡¯s all that mattered? Jason¡¯s kisses were dominant yet tender, and Estre¡¯s hands, pushing against him, gradually lost their strength. When Jason¡¯s lips traveled down to the nape of her neck, then to her corbone, Estre¡¯s breath hitched. The sensation was overwhelming. Jason wasn¡¯t wrong, they knew each other¡¯s bodies and needs very well. 09:42 Chapter 260 By the time Jason slid her blouse aside, Estre finally managed to push him away, straightening her clothes as she said, ¡°Are we officially together now? Do not push your luck.¡± Jason pulled her into an embrace. ¡°Hug.¡± His impromptu act of affection rendered Estre powerless to push him away this time. Atst, after he felt satisfied, he released her and drove her home. When Estre got back, Isaac was already napping. Seeing Estre, Autumn immediately called her over. ¡°Estre, how did the blind date go? That doctor seemed like a catch, didn¡¯t he?¡± Estre stifled a yawn. ¡°Not a good fit.¡± Autumn¡¯s face, previously alight with smile, clouded over with disappointment upon hearing Estre¡¯s verdict. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®hot a good fit¡¯?¡± Before Estre could reply, Autumn pressed on, ¡°I thought he was quite suitable. A man of education and decent job, looks honest and reliable ¨C not the type to flirt around. That¡¯s the kind of man you settle down with.¡± Estre responded, ¡°Just didn¡¯t feel the spark.¡± What Estre didn¡¯t dare tell Autumn was that Jason had whisked her away before she even finished her meal, knowing full well that Autumn would be livid if she found out. With Estre¡¯s nonchnt answer, Autumn¡¯s expression grew even more sour. ¡°So, it¡¯s his looks you¡¯re objecting to? The guy isn¡¯t bad-looking. Don¡¯t be too picky, you know. And let¡¯s face it, there aren¡¯t many out there who can hold a candle to Jason¡¯s looks. If you keep being this selective, you might never tie the knot.¡± Estre quipped, ¡°Guess I¡¯ll just stop judging by looks. But mom, I¡¯m so sleepy I can barely keep my eyes open. I¡¯m going upstairs to rest.¡± She had been married before, after all. What was the rush? Autumn grumbled, ¡°It¡¯s the weekend, and all you do is sleep. You¡¯ve already gone out to eat with the man. Why not catch a movie, and give romance a chance? These things take time, you know. If you gave it a chance, spent some time together, you might just discover something endearing about him.¡± Estre climbed the stairs silently, but Autumn raised her voice, ¡°Estre, I¡¯m talking to you!¡± Estre turned around, ¡°Mom, the Glimmering Lake case is about to go to trial. Please don¡¯tplicate things for me right now.¡± 09:42 ¡°Work, work, work. Is there nothing more to your life than work?¡± Autumn retorted. Estre, seizing the moment to change the subject, threw a curveball. ¡°Mom, what if I told you Isaac might be Ja¡¯son¡¯s son? What then?¡± ¡°What?¡± Autumn was instantly on alert, her eyes widening. ¡°Jason¡¯s child? But I asked you before, and you said no.¡± ¡°Estre, who is Isaac¡¯s father, really?¡± Autumn insisted, then added, ¡°If it turns out to be Jason, I won¡¯t support you two getting back together. He hurt you too much back then.¡± Autumn paused for a moment and then said, ¡°But the timing doesn¡¯t match up.¡± Estre responded, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m just saying ¡®if.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®if¡¯? Who is Isaac¡¯s father, exactly?¡± ¡°A miracle of science and technology.¡± With that, Estre turned and retreated to her room. Her mother had too much time on her hands. When idle, she¡¯d find ways to meddle, matchmaking for Estre or seeking a father for Isaac. So Estre had deliberately made thement to distract her. Now, Autumn was hooked, her matchmaking ns cast aside as her mind became preupied with Isaac¡¯s parentage. If Isaac truly was Jason¡¯s child, Autumn would have to prepare to protect the boy from the Nelsons. But what was Estre thinking? One moment Estre suggested Isaac might be Jason¡¯s, the next she imed Isaac was the product of science. Who was Isaac¡¯s father, really? And Cole was no help either. Despite Autumn¡¯s repeated inquiries about Isaac¡¯s father, he always dodged the question, insisting that no matter who the father was, Isaac was Estre¡¯s child, their beloved grandchild. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°What¡¯s going on in their heads?¡± Autumn fumed quietly. Father and daughter had kept the secret from Autumn because of her frequent interactions with Kristin, not wanting to risk any slip-ups. More importantly, they didn¡¯t want to burden Autumn with the painful details of the past, given her delicate health. Back in her bedroom, watching Isaac snuggle with his toy dinosaur, Estre nted a kiss on him, her heart brimming with contentment. Gently stroking his hair, she whispered, ¡°Buddy today I gave your dad a chance to take care of you,¡± Even if things between Jason and her wereplicated, she still wanted Isaac to feel father¡¯s love and grow up healthy and happy. With Estre¡¯s hand resting on his head, Isaac¡¯s sleep became even more peaceful. After reaching an agreement with Estre, Jason¡¯s visits to the Dorvold household 09:42 became more frequent. He was there for Isaac¡¯s studies, meals, and ytime ¨C whenever Jason had a moment, he¡¯de to pick Isaac up. Yet he still hadn¡¯t been granted ess inside the Dorvold home. Estre didn¡¯t extend an invite, neither did Autumn, and Cole was still in the dark about him. Sometimes when Estre was swamped with work, Jason would take Isaac back to the Nelson residence. Kristin was overjoyed, treating Isaac like her own grandchild, spoiling him rotten. Amber did the same. Keith, although feeling uneasy, still spent some time chatting with Isaac when he arrived. Keith even taught Isaac how to y chess. Stubborn as he was, he wouldn¡¯t let his grievances with the adults spill over onto the child. One evening, as Estre was leaving thew office, the aged butler from the Dorvold estate stopped her. ¡°Ms. Estre.¡± ¡°Hey, how¡¯s it going?¡± Estre eximed in surprise when she spotted the elderly butler at the entrance of thew firm. ¡°Ms. Estre, Mr. Keith hase to see you,¡± the butler whispered. Following the butler¡¯s gaze, Estre noticed a sleek sedan parked nearby. The butler courteously opened the rear door of the car for Estre, who gracefully ducked and slid into the back seat. ¡°You¡¯ve been back a while now, howe you haven¡¯t stopped by for a visit?¡± Keith inquired, his gaze fixed on Estre. ¡°I just didn¡¯t feel right about it,¡± Estre admitted with a hint of embarrassment. At Estre¡¯s response, Keith furrowed his brow seeming at a loss for words. Sensing Keith¡¯s troubled thoughts, Estre didn¡¯t wait for him to break the silence. She shed a disarming smile and said, ¡°Grandpa, you¡¯re here about Jason and me, aren¡¯t you? You want me to leave Jason, right?¡± Seeing Keith¡¯s dilemma, Estre immediately thought of the night when Jason blocked her at the Dorvold family¡¯s door, pleading with her to trust him no matter what anyone else said. So now, it was likely that Keith hade for that very reason. And given Keith¡¯s character, she knew he would never ept Isaac or her now that she had a child. The Nelson family¡¯s reputation was at stake, and Keith¡¯s even more so. Estreid it all bare, and with a heavy sigh, Keith finally said, ¡°Indeed, I came to discuss you and Jason, but it¡¯s not quite what you¡¯re thinking.¡± Chapter 261 It was not quite what she was thinking? Estre just stared at Keith. With her clear-eyed gaze, Keith found himself even more at a loss for how to begin. Ever since Keith had set up Jason with that blind date, Keith¡¯s life at home had be unbearable. Amber always looked at him without contempt, and everything he did seemed wrong to her. Just the other day, Amber actually asked Keith if he had been dreaming of changing wives and, therefore, had ced this great ideal on his grandson, encouraging the grandson to create trouble and seek a divorce. Keith was so taken aback by her usation that he nearly wanted to kill himself to prove his innocence. He didn¡¯t support Jason¡¯s remarriage, and he had his reasons. But how had it turned into him being the one obsessed with divorce? It was just that, now, Amber had him so twisted he didn¡¯t dare bring up the subject of Jason dating again. At home, Keith was walking on eggshells. These past few days, Amber hadn¡¯t scolded or lectured him. Instead, she gave him the silent treatment, not even dignifying him with a nce. She was even hanging out with a few other old timers. Amber said if Keith truly had the heart to rece her, she wouldn¡¯t utter a word of objection. Keith felt utterly speechless. So, after several days of brooding at home, Keith hade to Estre. Unsure where to begin, Estre said, ¡°Grandpa, you watched me grow up. There¡¯s no need to feel embarrassed about anything.¡± In Estre¡¯s eyes, Keith had always been decisive and authoritative. No one in the Nelson family would dare defy him. Well, no one but Grandma, that was. Even as a child, she knew Keith was.henpecked. If Amber showed the slightest displeasure, Keith would turn the world upside down to cheer her up. Fear of the wife was his reputation. With Estre offering an open ear, Keith looked her in the eye and said, ¡°Estre, I came to you hoping you¡¯d give Jason another chance, that the two of you could reconcile your marriage.¡± Before Estre could respond, Keith continued ¡°Sure, Jason wronged you in the past, but 09:42 you grew up together. To say there¡¯s no affection would be a lie. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you to reconsider.¡± Over the past few days, aside from Amber¡¯s cold shoulder, Keith had reflected on Jason¡¯s words from the other night. He had initially opposed their reunion because Estre had a child, fearing it would make Jason-and by extension, the Nelson family-the talk of the town. It was all about caring what others thought. Later, he had figured it out for himself. The most important thing in life was to live for oneself, not for a few words and judgments from others. Otherwise, with so many people in the world, trying to please everyone would have been too exhausting. Estre was stunned by Keith¡¯s words. It was unlike him to say such things, but there he was, pleading on behalf of his grandson. Estre watched Keith incredulously and said, ¡°Grandpa, are you sure about what you¡¯re saying? Besides, you know my situation.¡± Keith responded, ¡°You mean Isaac, right? Jason has brought him home to y. Your grandma, your mom, and I all adore the child.¡± He added, ¡°Jason has waited and been faithful all these years. He truly knows his mistake and will cherish and treat you well from now on. The entire Nelson family will treat Isaac as Jason¡¯s own son, as the eldest grandson. So, please reconsider it. I have put aside my pride toe to you, even if it is for me, please think about this.¡± Keith¡¯s plea touched Estre, to im otherwise would be a lie. As she had gotten into the car, she had prepared for the worst and had thought of how to respond to Keith. But here was Keith, advocating for a reconciliation with Jason. When she had first returned, Landon had also approached her with the same hope. Now, Estre was somewhat moved. After all, for everyone in the Nelson family, Isaac was unrted and could even be seen as an embarrassment. After a thoughtful silence, Estre said, ¡°Grandpa, I will seriously consider what you just said.¡± Keith hade all this way, and the conversation had reached this point. It would be rude not to offer a way forward. Besides, if there were issues between her and Jason, they could address them without involving the family. With Estre¡¯s assurance that she would consider his words, Keith breathed a sigh of relief. They continued to chat, with Keith advising her to influence Bryce when she could, encouraging him to sort out his love life. When the conversation turned to Keith¡¯s recent attempt to get Jason to date again, Keith could only shake his head helplessly. ¡°I¡¯m old, nobody listens to me anymore. I mentioned to Jason the other day that if you truly weren¡¯t willing to consider it, he should go on 09.12 Some dates.¡± ¡°That boy had the nerve to tell me, that even if I die unhappy about it, he won¡¯t go on those dates. He said I¡¯ve had too smooth a life, and if this is the one thing that doesn¡¯t go my way, then so be it.¡± Keith, his brows knitted with frustration, added, ¡°Estre, listen to this-can you believe that kind of talk? Is that the attitude a grandson should have towards his grandpa?¡± As Keith vented about Jason, he didn¡¯t spare Amber and Kristin,menting how they showed him no respect at home. Listening to Keith¡¯s domestic gripes, Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh heartily. She was wondering why Keith suddenly came to advise her to reconcile with Jason, and it seemed like there was amotion at home.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Estre was well aware that Keith had given the matter a lot of thought before he decided toe see her. He wasn¡¯t the type to show up without a good reason. They were in the midst of a lively conversation when Estre¡¯s phone rang. It was a call from one of the locals at Glimmering Lake, eager to update her with thetest news. After hanging up, Keith suggested that Estre join him for dinner back at the family home, but she politely declined, citing unfinished work. As they were saying goodbye, Keith made a point of reminding Estre that if she ever found herself in a bind or needed someone to run errands, she shouldn¡¯t hesitate to call on Jason. Estre agreed. She watched Keith¡¯s car drive away, her mind painting a vivid picture of the potentialmotion Jason and Keith might be stirring up at home. She had thought that by bringing Isaac back, her ties with the Nelson family would be severed cleanly. Contrary to her expectations, the entire Nelson n had weed Isaac with open arms, dering that as long as she and Jason were together, Isaac was Jason¡¯s own flesh and blood, their very own grandson. It wasn¡¯t until Keith¡¯s car was out of sight that Estre finally let her gaze drift away. The warmth of family affection was a powerful balm for the soul. Setting aside whatever Jason¡¯s attitude might be, the kindness shown by Kristin, Landon, and Keith filled Estre¡¯s heart with a comforting warmth. Bearing Isaad had nearly cost her life, but in that moment, it all seemed worth it. 313 09:42 Chapter 262 At the Nelson family¡¯s mansion. Just as Keith entered the room, he saw Amber feeding Isaac beef stew. Spotting Isaac, Keith immediately felt delighted and greeted, ¡°Hey, Isaac.¡± In the living room, Isaac, hearing someone address him, swung his face toward the entrance and sprang from his tiny chair at the sight of Keith. He dashed over, his small feet thudding on the floor, calling out, ¡°Great-Grandpa!¡± Keith¡¯s response boomed through the house. Reaching Keith, Isaac hastily arranged Keith¡¯s slippers in front of him, a gesture of care, ¡°Time to change shoes, Great-Grandpa.¡± Keith¡¯s heart swelled with warmth as Isaac handed him the slippers. Slipping his feet into them, Keith scooped Isaac up, ¡°What a sweet great-grandson I¡¯ve got.¡± Though well into his eighties, and usually attended by household staff, Keith found lifting Isaac effortless, as if Isaac infused him with vitality. Isaac giggled at Keith¡¯s praise, hisughter as natural as if he had never been coached by Estre on how to charm. Holding Isaac close, Keith observed, ¡°This child is so much like Estre, always smiling with such a pleasant disposition.¡± Amber rolled her eyes at Keith and took Isaac into her arms, ¡°If he¡¯s so sweet, why are you pushing Jason to go on those silly dates?¡± Then to Isaac, she said, ¡°Come on, honey, let¡¯s leave him be and go finish our stew with me.¡± Amber, feeling the strain of carrying Isaac, set him down and led him by the hand. Keith muttered aside, ¡°Haven¡¯t I dropped that subject? Didn¡¯t I say it¡¯s up to Jason to decide?¡± He didn¡¯t quite feel right sharing with everyone that he had just been to see Estre. Across the room, Jason gave Keith a knowing look, thinking to himself that the only one who could handle his grandfather was indeed his grandmother. After finishing his stew, Isaac noticed the adults weren¡¯t paying much attention to Keith, so he pulled up a stool next to Keith and began to crack nuts. Once he had a small pile, he ced them, mixed with his saliva, into Keith¡¯s palm, ¡°For you, Great- Grandpa.¡± Keith stared at the nuts in his palm and felt his eyes well up with emotion. Such a young child, and already so sensible. Estre had truly given birth to a treasure, a child endearing to all. Andtely, the more Keith saw of Isaac, the more Keith saw resemnces to Jason in 09:42 Isaac. It seemed that genuine affection was reciprocated with a growing resemnce. ¡°Isaac, that¡¯s plenty for me, don¡¯t hurt your fingers,¡± Keith cautioned gently. ¡°Okay.¡± Isaac agreed, then sat attentively by Keith as he watched his favorite military history program. Keith, seeing how considerate Isaac was, turned to Jason with a hint of pride, ¡°Jason, this kid is more thoughtful than you ever were. He¡¯s cracking nuts for me, and you, you¡¯ve never even poured me a ss of water.¡± Jason, exuding nonchnce, replied, ¡°My kid¡¯s respect is the same as mine.¡± Keith scoffed, ¡°You shameless thing, you¡¯ve indeed found a pair of treasures.¡± The treasures Keith referred to were none other than Estre and Isaac. Fortunately, Isaac was still young, and if Jason treated him well, he would undoubtedlye to see Jason as his real father. Jason just smiled in response. After a while at home, Jason took Isaac back with him. When it was time to leave, Keith and Amber were reluctant to see them go, fussing over Isaac and reminding Jason to bring him over more often. Jason promised he would. Bringing Isaac back was meant to foster a bond between Isaac and his great-grandparents, to help them ept Isaac and Estre. And it seemed Jason¡¯s purpose had been achieved. Half an hourter, Jason picked up Estre from the courthouse. Estre hadn¡¯t nned on stayingte, but after her chat with Keith and a call from Glimmering Lake, she found herself caught up in work again. Once in the car, Estre saw Isaac fast asleep in his car seat, covered with a nket. Jason had proven himself capable and thoughtful in his care for Isaac, who had remained unscathed and healthy even through the peak seasons for colds and flu. Handing her a thermos bag, Jason said, ¡°Isaad is here, and it¡¯s gettingte. I figured you might not want to go to a restaurant, so when passed by earlier, I packed a meal for you.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Estre said, epting the meal. She had been too busy to eat properly at lunch, and now, starting the car, she began to eat. Once satiated, Estre felt a deep sense of contentment. Life was busy, sure, but fulfilling, and with someone to help with Isaac, her spirits were lifted. As the car pulled up to the Dorvold family home, Jason stepped out to dispose of the trash. Estre expected him toe back and help with Isaac, but instead, he sat down beside her. 09:42 ¡°What are you doing sitting here? We¡¯re already at my ce,¡± she asked, turning to face him. Jason closed the car door and casually said, ¡°How many days has it been since you sat with me, since we talked? You¡¯ve been so busy¡± Realizing she had indeed been preupied, Estre admitted, ¡°The case ising up.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Jason whispered. ¡°So just sit with me here, that¡¯s enough.¡± He then took her hand in his, massaging it gently. Estre nced at Jason, noting how time hadn¡¯t left a mark on him, but rather, added to his allure. After a moment, she said, ¡°Thanks for taking care of Isaac these past days.¡± Jason held her hand, his other hand cradling the back of her head, gently pulling her closer until their noses touched, ¡°If you really want to thank me, let me steal a kiss.¡± Estre recoiled, instinctively shoving him back, but Jason leaned in close to her ear and whispered, ¡°Let me have a sniff.¡± With that, he nuzzled into Estre¡¯s hair and took a deep breath. Estre rolled her eyes, ¡°It¡¯s just the smell of dinner, what¡¯s so great about that?¡± Jason¡¯s nose brushed against her ear and down her neck as he murmured, ¡°Babe, you¡¯ve got this special scent about you, it¡¯s really nice¡± Unashamedly, Jason continued to nuzzle her corbone, taking in her scent. He was intoxicated by her aroma, it was addictive to Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. him. ¡°Jason, Isaac¡¯s here, tone it down,¡± cautioned Estre. If Isaac weren¡¯t around, she might have bantered back and forth with him a little. But if Isaac woke up and saw them like this, all hell would break loose. Undeterred, Jason whispered against her neck ¡°Isaac¡¯s out like a light today.¡± No sooner had he spoken than he pressed his lips to Estre¡¯s corbone, his hands sliding up her waist and pushing the fabric of her clothes aside, caressing her skin. 09:42 Chapter 263 Jason¡¯s warm hand snaked in, causing a tingle to dance across Estre¡¯s scalp. As she reached out to push him away, Jason caught her wrist, leaned in close, and nted a kiss on her lips. Isaac was strapped into the booster seat beside them, and there Estre was, sandwiched between the two, the atmosphere charged with an ambiguous blend of warmth and intimacy. After a fervent kiss, Estre¡¯s blouse hade undone, revealing her shoulders. Watching Jason unabashedly take his liberties, Estre, with an icy reminder, said, ¡°Jason, if you wake my son, all your recent efforts will have been for nothing.¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Jason¡¯s hand, which had been roaming her waist, paused. He recalled the time he had stolen a kiss from Estre, the fierce battle Isaac put up, and how the little guy still hadn¡¯t called him ¡®Dad¡¯. Their eyes met, and upon seeing Jason withdraw his hand, Estre couldn¡¯t resist goading him, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. Keep going¡± At Estre¡¯s sarcastic remark, Jason, unhurried, straightened her clothes, ¡°Just looking out for you, to satisfy your needs.¡± Estre snorted. Once Estre was decent again, Jason pulled her into his embrace. He kissed her forehead and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been living quite a full lifetely. Mom and Grandpa, they all ador¨¦ Isaac.¡± Estre softly closed her eyes to rest. She had been running herself ragged between the police station, the courthouse, and Glimmering Lake, slimming down considerably. With her eyes closed and nestled in Jason¡¯s arms, he felt a surge of contentment and began to gently knead her hand, helping her unwind. ncing at Isaac in the booster seat, Jason, stroking her shoulder, whispered, ¡°Back then, I didn¡¯t want to rush into having kids, afraid it¡¯d lead to divorce. Here we are, after everything.¡± What Jason didn¡¯t anticipate was that they would get divorced three years after her return. When Jason mentioned the past, Estre said without opening her eyes, ¡°Once the Glimmering Lake case wraps up, make an appointment with the doctor.¡± She had been so focused on Glimmering Lake recently that the fire incident had been put on hold, and she hadn¡¯t even discussed any progress with Serene. 09.01 ¡°Sure,¡± Jason murmured, continuing his gentle massage. Estre then mentioned, ¡°By the way, your grandfather came to see me today.¡± At the mention of Keith seeking her out, Jason¡¯s expression darkened, his hands ceasing their movement. Then he reached for his phone in his pocket. After that day, he had told Keith to stay away from Estre, insisting it was pointless, yet Keith had still come. Jason¡¯s good mood vanished instantly. Sensing his agitation, Estre opened her eyes As he was about to make a call, visibly upset, Estre stopped him, asking, ¡°What are you doing?¡± and added, ¡°Keith came to plead on your behalf, asking me to give you another chance.¡± At her words, Jason¡¯s scowl softened, and he put his phone aside. Estre gave him a disdainful nce and then leaned back against his shoulder. Taking the initiative, Jason captured her lips once more. This time, he wasn¡¯t so quick to let go, his hands bing bold on her body. Only after Estre shivered and pushed him away did he chuckle and retreat, whispering in her ear, ¡°After the Glimmering Lake case, how about you take Isaac to Sandalwood Oasis for a few days. I will let you rx better.¡± Estre chuckled dismissively, ¡°Keep dreaming.¡± She wasn¡¯t going to fall for his seduction so easily. When Estre didn¡¯t agree, Jason teased, ¡°Don¡¯t you want it, even a little?¡± Estre casually brushed him off, ¡°I never shortchange myself. When I want it, I take care of it.¡± Jason nearly choked, his mood shifting again. But recalling Estre¡¯s response, he perked up, pinching her chin, ¡°You¡¯re something else, always talking big.¡± Estre¡¯s reaction told Jason that she hadn¡¯t slept with anyone in a very long time. And during those years apart, he had seldom thought of such matters. Mostly, he was consumed by guilt when he thought of her. Pushing Jason¡¯s hand away, Estre straightened her clothes, ¡°I need to take Isaac home.¡± Jason got out of the car first, and as Estre followed, her legs nearly buckled. Thankfully, Jason was there to steady her, teasing, ¡°Can¡¯t even stand straight? What if we actually did it?¡± At his smugness, Estre stomped on his foot hard, ¡°Just get Isaac out of the car.¡± After Jason lifted Isaac from the car, Estre reached out to take him, but Jason said, ¡°Let me carry him inside.¡± Estre stared at him for a moment, considering how well he had taken care of Isaac When they arrived home, Autumn sprang up from the sofa upon seeing Estre return with Isaac. Reaching the foyer and seeing Isaac in Jason¡¯s arms, Autumn¡¯s face fell, and her weing smile froze. Autumn, who had been watching the three of them without moving for a while, finally came to her senses and greeted them with a wry smile. ¡°Jason, long time no see.¡± Then she chided, ¡°Look at Estre, making you carry Isaac. We don¡¯t even know if your injury has healed yet.¡± Autumn appreciated Jason for saving Estre, but she was resolutely against them getting back together. In this day and age, no one believed in going back to an old me. Back when they were still hitched, Estre had offered all the olive branches she could muster. With that, Autumn signaled the housekeeper to whisk Isaac away. Jason coolly reassured, ¡°I¡¯m all patched up, no worries.¡± Autumn couldn¡¯t help but bristle, masking her displeasure with a courteous smirk, ¡°Look at the time, Jason. It¡¯s gettingte. I won¡¯t keep you for a chat now. We¡¯ll find another day. for a proper sit-down.¡± With Isaac carried off, Jason slipped his hands back into his pockets, the picture ofposure, ¡°How about this Saturday then? Estre should be free from the Glimmering Lake case by the weekend, so we¡¯ll both have some time.¡± The Glimmering Lake case was set for its third hearing on Friday and was expected to reach a conclusion. Standing opposite him, Autumn found herself at a loss for words. She had merely extended a polite gesture, but he took it quite literally. Chapter 264 Autumn reluctantly agreed to Jason¡¯s proposal for a Saturday get-together with a forced smile, despite her reluctance. ¡°Sure, Saturday it is.¡± And just like that, ns were made. No sooner had Jason left than Estre noted Autumn¡¯s discontent. ¡°I¡¯ve told you before not to make promises you can¡¯t keep. Now you¡¯ve gotten yourself into a pickle.¡± Over the past few weeks, each time Jason dropped them off, Estre never invited him inside, despite his inquiries about when he mighte in for a visit. Estre always deftly changed the subject. It wasn¡¯t the right time. But this time, Autumn had done the inviting herself, and Estre felt it wasn¡¯t her ce toment. She didn¡¯t make the invitation anyway. Hearing Estre¡¯s words, Autumn sulked, ¡°How was I to know Jason would be so presumptuous?¡± Estre replied matter-of-factly, ¡°He¡¯s never been one for pleasantries.¡± With that, Estre retreated to her bedroom. Not long ago, her father had suggested that Isaac should start sleeping in his own room to foster independence and give Estre a break. Estre couldn¡¯t bear the separation, so mother and son continued to share a room. Upon entering, Estre found the nanny had already bathed Isaac and tucked him into bed. The nanny whispered with a smile, ¡°Miss, little saac is such an angel. Slept through his bath just like you used to.¡± ¡°Thanks, Judy,¡± Estre said, approaching the crib and gently stroking Isaac¡¯s peaceful face. After a brief chat with Judy, Estre took her own shower and finished up some work before finally settling into therge bed next to Isaac¡¯s. Come Friday, the day of the third hearing for the Glimmering Lake case, Estre woke up early, had breakfast with Isaac, and then drove to the courthouse. Upon her arrival, Jason was already there. The roadblock incident involving Estre and Keegan, along with the rming number of Glimmering Lake vigers falling ill, had captured public interest, drawing a sizable crowd of onlookers to the courtroom. As Estre stepped out of her car, Jason approached her, tucking away a stray lock of her hair and straightening her coat¡¯s cor. ¡°Just do your best and don¡¯t stress,¡± he encouraged. Estre appreciated his acknowledgment of her hard work. After a brief exchange with Jason, Estre entered the courthouse. Some Glimmering Lake vigers had arrived, and seeing them, Estre¡¯s mind shiftedpletely to her work, pushing thoughts of Jason aside. The hearingmenced shortly after, with the judge and ChemiSphere¡¯s attorneys taking their ces. The vigers seethed with anger at the sight of ChemiSphere¡¯s representatives, especially after thepany¡¯s attempts to pacify them with offers ofpensation. The judge called the session to order and turned to Estre, inquiring about new evidence. Estre stood up from her position representing the intiffs, ¡°Your Honor, in addition to more medical reports of poisoning among the vigers, we¡¯ve secured new evidence from a ChemiSphere employee.¡± The opposing counsel nched at the mention of an employee¡¯s testimony, cursing the failed attempt to silence the workers. With furrowed brows, the judge prompted Estre to present the new evidence, leaving the opposing counsel no choice but to listen. Estre calmlyid out her case, ¡°The new evidence reveals that although ChemiSphere purchased wastewater treatment equipment, it was merely outdated machinery discarded by anotherpany.¡± ¡°Leaving aside the efficiency of this machine in treating sewage for now, from these testimonies and data, it is clear that ChemiSphere has not used or operated the machine for sewage treatment since its purchase. The high operational costs meant that Chemisphere only acquired this outdated device as a facade forpliance.¡± The opposing counsel rose to rebut, ¡°Your Honor, while it¡¯s true that the equipment was acquired from anotherpany, it¡¯s not the obsolete product the intiff suggests.¡± ¡°This wastewater treatment device, purchased from a sisterpany within our conglomerate, is nearly new and fully meets national emission standards. It has been operational since acquisition, and we wee any inspection by the court.¡± Estre countered, ¡°ChemiSphere was established a decade ago, but this wastewater processor is a 20-year-old model, long outdated by current standards. As for your im of its near-new condition, one must question whether it was ever properly utilized by its previous owner, or was it merely a showpiece like at ChemiSphere?¡± The opposing counsel¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Ms. Estre, your assumptions are baseless and nderous towards otherpanies.¡± Estre responded, ¡°Let¡¯s not specte on the history of the equipment. Surely, counsel, you¡¯re well aware of the operational costs and consumption of using such a machine.¡± Estre rifled through her briefcase and pulled out a set of graphs and charts, which illustrated the power consumption history of ChemiSphere. With the confidence of a 00:01 seasoned attorney, she addressed the presiding judge, ¡°Your Honor, ording to our extensive research, it¡¯s evident that ChemiSphere¡¯s power usage doesn¡¯t evene close to half of what¡¯s typical for factories of its size and industry.¡± ¡°The energy consumption data for ChemiSphere simply cannot support the operation of that wastewater processor, let alone the entire factory¡¯s activities, as well as the processor itself. If there¡¯s any doubt about this assertion, we couldpare it with the recent energy figures from Big Breeze¡¯s new wastewater treatment facility.¡± As it turned out, the machine in question was a relic from years past-an antiquated behemoth that was not only costly to run but also incrediblyplex. Because of this, ChemiSphere never once put it to use. Estre noticed the opposing counsel¡¯s expression sour and continued her assault, ¡°Your Honor, beyond these findings, we also discovered that after we initiated thewsuit against ChemiSphere, they swiftly and surreptitiously filled their wastewater discharge channels with concrete grout, hastily constructing an alternate channel. This new channel supposedly leads from the treatment nt, but whether the water it processes meets regtory standards remains to be seen.¡± ¡°The concrete used to seal the old discharge channel has been analyzed, and the report confirms it¡¯s fresh grout, poured in thest two months. Excluding the sealed segment, the pollution levels in the essible parts of the channel are consistent with one another. ¡°We can now state with certainty that for the past decade, ChemiSphere has been discharging untreated wastewater directly into Glimmering Lake, leading to varying degrees of fluoride poisoning among the residents and rendering countless acres of farnd and the water supply utterly unusable. ¡°Your Honor, these are photographs documenting ChemiSphere¡¯s workers filling in the discharge channel overnight. There are even vigers who¡¯ve been hospitalized due to severe poisoning. We implore the court to deliver justice for the people of Glimmering Lake.¡± As the judge took the new evidence from Estre, a murmur arose from the gallery. A viger stood up, his voice breaking through the courtroom¡¯s tense silence, ¡°I was one of the workers ChemiSphere hired to plug the old channel and dig the new one. I can attest that everything being said here is the truth.¡± ¡°I can also confirm that the machines at Chem Sphere were never operational.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Estre had made countless trips to Glimmering Lake, and she had even taken the initiative to ensure the vigers had ess to clean water and food. Her dedication andpassion had won over the hearts of themunity, and those who were once hesitant now stood ready to bear witness. The judge, listening to the vigers¡¯ testimony, struck his gavel, bringing a semnce of order, ¡°Please, everyone remain calm. We will call upon witnesses as necessary.¡± With the TLLE 09:01 judge¡¯s words, a hush fell over the crowd. After reviewing Estre¡¯s additional evidence, the judge and the jury conferred briefly before delivering the verdict, ¡°Pursuant to Article 338 of our Penal Code, ChemiSphere is found guilty of environmental contamination. Given the severity of the offense, including the loss of fertilend and the pollution of a vital waterway, we hereby sentence the legal representative of ChemiSphere, Jace, to 10 years of imprisonment. Additionally, Jace is to cover medical expenses of 600,000 yuan per viger severely afflicted by the contamination, with additionalpensation of 60,000 yuan per viger affected by fluoride poisoning, amounting to a total of 46.82 million yuan.¡± Hearing the sentence and the staggering fines, Jace¡¯s legs buckled beneath him. He turned to his lawyer in a panic, ¡°Say something! Aren¡¯t you supposed to be the best? How could you let us lose to this young woman? I can¡¯t go to jail. I have a family to take care of!¡± The vigers of Glimmering Lake, who filled the gallery, voiced their indignation, ¡°Your family¡¯s lives matter, but what about ours? Don¡¯t we count for anything?¡± Jace, too distraught to register their anger, clung to hiswyer, ¡°Do something! What good is hiring you if you can¡¯t fix this?¡± The attorney first stared at Estre for a while and then turned to Jace, saying, ¡°Jace, I¡¯ve done my best.¡± Despite his best efforts, the attorney had to admit defeat. The misdeeds of the past could not be erased, and ChemiSphere¡¯s actions had left far too telling a trail. After the judge dered the case closed, noting Estre¡¯s further requests, he advised, ¡°Counsel for the intiff, regarding the quality inspection of ChemiSphere¡¯s discharges and other rted issues, you may file a separate case for investigation.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Honor,¡± Estre replied. The trial hade to an end, and Glimmering Lake had won. As the courtroom emptied, the vigers surrounded Estre, shaking her hand and offering heartfelt thanks, ¡°Ms. Estre, we can¡¯t thank you enough.¡± Estre, returning their handshakes with a warm smile, reassured them, ¡°It¡¯s all part of the job. Now that the case is over, the water utility will soon extend new pipelines to your vige, addressing the drinking water crisis.¡± ¡°As for thend, the authorities will conduct tests to determine which areas can still be cultivated. Rest assured, every issue will be addressed. Concerning employment, I¡¯ve already discussed with the local leaders setting up some workshops in the area to help with livelihoods.¡± Having been proactive in addressing the vigers¡¯ post-trial concerns, it was no surprise that Estre had lost a few pounds from the stress and hard work. ¡°Ms. Estre, you¡¯ve been our guardian angel, the savior of our children,¡± said a group of 09:01 women, attempting to kneel in gratitude. Estre quickly steadied them, ¡°Please, don¡¯t do that. If you keep this up, I¡¯ll be too embarrassed to ever visit Glimmering Lake again.¡± ¡°Ms. Estre,¡± the first viger who had dared toe forward clutched her hand, tears streaming down her face. She had seen firsthand all that Estre had done for them, and the weight of their collective gratitude was palpable. Estre soothed everyone present with a gentle smile, ¡°I can¡¯t take credit for all this. It¡¯s the robust framework of ourws and the soundness of our policies that deserve the praise. I¡¯m just a bit luckier than others, having had the chance to learn about these matters. So, in truth, I¡¯m just leveraging that fortune to act as a conduit between you all and thews and policies of our country, ensuring everyone knows that each citizen is equal and protected under thew.¡± Her humility didn¡¯t go unnoticed. A young juror, gathering his papers to leave, whispered, ¡°Miss Estre sure is a ss act, as sweet-tempered as theye.¡± The judge, moved by the scene, expressed a wish aloud, ¡°If only there were morewyers like her.¡± In the back of the spectator seats, Jason watched Estre being surrounded by a throng of grateful vigers. He didn¡¯t approach to interrupt; he simply admired her from a distance, his Estre who sparked with an inner light. This was his Estre, the one he took immense pride in, and the one he held up with the highest esteem. Jason¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t waver from Estre, his eyes gleaming with admiration and affection. Suddenly, Grayson appeared beside him, a smirk ying on his lips. ¡°Such an amazing Estre,¡± he teased, ¡°Got any regrets about not cherishing her when you had the chance?¡± Jason replied with unwavering confidence, ¡°She¡¯s mine, always has been, always will be.¡± Hearing this, Grayson¡¯s smile grew wider. Chapter 265 Half an hourter, when the vigers of Glimmering Lake took the minibus back, Estre could finally consider her work temporarily done. She watched the bus disappear into the distance, feeling the weight in her heart lift with it. Justice had been served for the people of Glimmering Lake, and the threat of fluoride contamination was now a thing of the past. ¡°Estre,¡± Grayson¡¯s voice called from behind, snapping her out of her reverie. She turned with a smile and walked over to him. ¡°You did great, Estre,¡± Graysonplimented her. With a yful grin, she teased, ¡°Ah, what an honor to be praised by you, Grayson.¡± Grayson¡¯sughter brightened, and he reached out to ruffle her hair affectionately. Estreughed as well. Each time she concluded a case, she experienced significant growth and a newfound rity in her perspective. Herughter caught Jason¡¯s attention, and he gently cupped her face with his right hand. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Others saw her triumphs and des, but Jason saw her dedication and effort. His tenderness warmed her, and she replied, ¡°You¡¯ve had your hands full too during this time.¡± Jason had been taking care of Isaac while Estre was swamped with work. Isaac hadn¡¯t retreated into himself due to Estre¡¯s absence, and for that, Estre was profoundly grateful. Ignoring the audience, Jason pulled her into an embrace, his actions speaking louder than words. Estre was taken aback by this sudden hug. She hadn¡¯t even been this emotional after winning the case, yet here he was, ovee with excitement. She rested her hands lightly on his waist, teasing, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Got your own grievances? Need me to represent you in a case?¡± Grayson, standing nearby, couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the scene. Unfazed by Estre¡¯s yful jab, Jason just nuzzled into her neck and murmured, ¡°Let me hold you.¡± Estre gently chided, tugging at his shirt, ¡°Grayson is still here, you know.¡± But Jason didn¡¯t care. And he kissed her cheek! Grayson was speechless. Was this the same Jason he knew? Jason just couldn¡¯t help it. His feelings for Estre were too strong to hide anymore, and perhaps there was even a hint of fear in him. Fear that someone as impressive as Estre 08:59 might slip through his fingers. As Jason clung to her, Estre pushed him away with a smile, ¡°A hug¡¯s enough. Don¡¯t be like Isaac, sticking around with no end.¡±. But Jason was persistent. ¡°Babe, let¡¯s go finalize our remarriage.¡± Estre pressed a finger against his forehead, Can you hear my heartbeat? Am I moved? If I am, then we¡¯ll go and get remarried.¡± Jason simply said, ¡°But I¡¯m already falling for you more and more.¡± Estre teased, ¡°Grayson might still need to eat lunch. Don¡¯t ruin his appetite.¡± Grayson interjected, ¡°I don¡¯t mind. You two do what you need to.¡± Their conversation was joined by Bryce and Jesse¡¯s arrival. ¡°Over here,¡± Estre said, finally prying herself from Jason¡¯s embrace. ¡°You were so cool, Estre.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied, sharing a hug with Jesse. As Bryce opened his arms for a hug, Jason swiftly pulled him back by the cor. Bryce broke into a sweat, ¡°Man, you¡¯re too jealous. There¡¯s nothing between Estre and me.¡± But Jason wouldn¡¯t budge; he kept Bryce at a distance from Estre. After some chatter, the group headed to a nearby private diner for lunch. At the table, Grayson suggested, ¡°We haven¡¯t all been together like this in a long time. Let¡¯s get together tonight.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± Estre and Jesse quickly agreed to Grayson¡¯s proposal. Post-lunch, as Estre dozed off in the passenger seat of Jason¡¯s car parked outside thew firm, Jason watched over her silently. How had he let someone as wonderful as Estre go? How had he missed three whole years? Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Gently caressing her face, his gaze filled with tenderness, Jason leaned in for a soft kiss, careful not to wake her. At 1:50 PM, Estre¡¯s phone rm jolted her awake. Jason, startled by the rm as well, turned to look at her. Estre yawned, ¡°I should head back to the office. You get on with your day too.¡± As she reached for the door, Jason pulled her back. ¡°Is there something else?¡± Estre inquired. ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up this afternoon,¡± Jason stated. ¡°Okay,¡± she replied, but as she tried to exit the car, Jason pulled her into a deep, reluctant kiss. It wasn¡¯t until Estre was almostte for work that Jason let her go. ¡°Ms. Estre, congrattions.¡± ¡°Ms. Estre, congrattions.¡± The news of her courtroom victory had spread like wildfire through the professional circles by the time she got back to the firm. Meanwhile, major media tforms were abuzz with reports about the case. Estre had won, ChemiSphere had been sentenced, and the water utilities were alreadyying new drinking water pipelines while other rted departments were springing into action. The higher-ups also issued documents, establishing a special task force to investigate how Chemisphere¡¯s quality inspections had been approved over the years. This caused a sudden panic within the departments. Estre¡¯s victory in court wasn¡¯t just a win for her and the townsfolk of Glimmering Lake, it was a victory for every average Joe standing up for their rights. The inte was abuzz with celebration, but Estre herself remained unfazed. She went about her business, summarizing reports when necessary, and carrying on with her life. All the online commotion seemed distant to her; her concerns were her work and her family. With Estre¡¯s win, the Nelson household was buzzing too. Estre¡¯s childhood friends, who had grown up with her, were now chatting about her, boasting about their close ties Kristin and Keith even called up Jason to ask if he had been at the hearing that morni Jason said he had and sang Estre¡¯s praises. As they listened to Jason, Kristin and Keith got serious and told him, ¡°Jason, if you¡¯re serious about getting back together with Estre, then you two better get hitched again.¡± They even added, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Estre¡¯s very popr now. I¡¯ve had a few inquiries asking if she¡¯s still single.¡± ¡°Just letting you know,¡± they said. ¡°The rest is up to you.¡± Jason responded coolly, ¡°I know.¡± Although he appeared nonchnt, Jason was far from calm inside. He didn¡¯t need Kristin¡¯s reminder to know Estre was well-liked. The school¡¯s chat group, and the club¡¯s chat group ¨C they were all talking about her. After years without news, she was still as outstanding, formidable, and beautiful. To them, she was an untouchable deity.. A few brash souls even had the gall to ask Jason for Estre¡¯s contact info. Jason¡¯s expression darkened as he promptly deleted those messages without a reply. If it weren¡¯t for not wanting to appear petty, he¡¯d have blocked them on Messenger too. Seeing all the chatter about Estre in various groups made Jason¡¯s heart itch with anticipation. He was eager to clock out, pick her up from work, hold her tight and nt a fervent kiss on her lips. She belonged to him and him alone. So, long before Estre¡¯s workday was over, Jason shut down hisputer and took off early from work. Chapter 266 At thew firm, Estre had just wrapped up the Glimmering Lake case and was clocking out when she saw Jason had already arrived outside. She reached for the rear car door, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. When she tried the passenger door, she finally got it open. Jason said, ¡°I just picked up Isaac. Mom said he¡¯s noting with us tonight, so hop in the front.¡± Every time Estre rode with Isaac, she would sit in the back to keep Isaacpany. Estre got into the car. As he reached over to help her with the seatbelt, Jason leaned in and nted a kiss on her lips. Estre noticed he had a bit of a kissing addiction these days. Instead of pushing him away, she waited until he was lost in the moment and bit him hard before shoving him back. Jason clutched his mouth and inhaled sharply, ¡°You little heartbreaker, not a bit of mercy in you.¡± He licked his lip and removed his hand, revealing fresh blood trickling from the bite. Estreughed at the sight, ¡°Wow! I actually drew blood.¡± Starting the car, Jason said, ¡°You¡¯re responsible for this.¡± Estre replied nonchntly, ¡°What are you going to do, bite me back?¡± Jason said firmly, ¡°Stay with me tonight at Sandalwood Oasis.¡± As he spoke, he took her! hand. Estre chuckled, ¡°In your dreams.¡± Her phone rang just as she finished speaking. It was a call from a viger at Glimmerin Lake, inviting her over for dinner. Estre agreed and said she would go there tomorrow anyway. So, they scheduled it for tomorrow. After the call, Jason took her hand again and kissed it gently. His lip was swollen from the bite, and the scar on his face, a remnant from the time he saved Estre and Keegan, stood out starkly. She tried to pull her hand free, but he wouldn¡¯t let go, so she stopped struggling and let him hold it. When they reached the hotel, Estre was about to get out when Jason suddenly pulled her into his arms. Estre sighed. His clinginess had returned, and he was being overly affectionate. After being held for a bit, Estre said, ¡°Jason, you¡¯re off today.¡± 10 09:00 Once she finished speaking, Jason held her even tighter and confessed, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t remarry me, I won¡¯t be at ease. I am afraid someone might snatch you away.¡± Estre rolled her eyes at his melodrama. She quipped, ¡°Is this what they mean by ¡®life¡¯s wheel turns¡¯?¡± In those days, she spent every night alone in an empty house, desperately trying to have a child. Estre felt that she should chew him out a bit more. Jason was silent, and Estreughed, ¡°If you¡¯re scared now, how will you cope with the many days ahead?¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. She threw his past words back at him, and Jason quickly admitted his fault, ¡°Babe, I was wrong.¡± Ever since the fire incident seven years ago was brought to light, Jason had be extremely reflective and constantly doted on Estre. Unable to resist his feigned sorrow, Estre allowed him to hold her briefly, then said, ¡°Quit it, Thomas and the others have already gone up. Don¡¯t keep everyone waiting.¡± After adjusting her attire, Jason took Estre¡¯s hand with an air of invincibility, as if the man who had been so needy in the car was someone else altogether. They entered the private room to find everyone still treating them as if they never divorced. After all, Jason didn¡¯t want to split, and it seemed inevitable they¡¯d reunite. Estre sat next to Jesse and epted some nuts she offered. When she saw Grayson approach to say hello, Estre asked, ¡°Hey, Grayson, where¡¯s your little sidekick?¡± Estre was referring to the young girl Grayson¡¯s mother brought from their hometown years ago. The girl¡¯s parents had met with misfortune, and with no one to care for her, Grayson¡¯s mother had taken the sweet and pitiful girl in. It had been over a decade since the girl, just six at the time, came to the Ledford famil She¡¯d be around eighteen now. Back when Estre and the others were still in school, she was just a kid, younger than Grayson, so the girl called Grayson ¡°uncle.¡± The girl was named Angel. Grayson, responding to Estre¡¯s question, smiled and said, ¡°She caught a cold right after the winter break started and is resting at home.¡± Their group of thirty hadn¡¯t been thisplete in a long time. Grayson favored Estre, so even if Holly was at home, he didn¡¯t call her over. After the meal, Thomas had nned for some after-dinner activities. Jason wasn¡¯t usually one for a big fuss, but he stayed by Estre¡¯s side as she seemed to enjoy herself. Jason was attentive during the meal, leaving no chance for Bryce to show off. Now, Jason encircled Estre in his arms and rested his chin on her shoulder, sleepily murmuring, ¡°Babe, I¡¯m tired.¡± 09:00 He had been wanting to take her away for a while, to have their own little world, especially since she had been so formidable in court that day, which only intensified his desire. In response to Jason¡¯s whining, Estre turned to face him, ¡°With all this excitement, what¡¯s making you tired? Go have a drink.¡± The girls nearby joined in, teasing, ¡°Mr. Jason, who would¡¯ve guessed you had such a tender side? I thought I was seeing things.¡± ¡°Wow! Look at Mr. Jason getting all cutesy.¡± ¡°Estre, the way Jason¡¯s calling you ¡®Babe¡¯ has got my knees weak, and I¡¯m not even the one he¡¯s wooing. You two might as well head home.¡± ¡°Hold up, Jason, word on the street is you and Estre called it quits. So what¡¯s this all about, you cozying up to her? That¡¯s a bit out of order, don¡¯t you think?¡± One of the girls teased Jason, eager to see how he¡¯d respond. Back in the day, he hadn¡¯t exactly been the perfect gentleman to Estre. They weren¡¯t about to let him win her back that easily. Jason straightened up, looked the girl in the eye and said, ¡°That¡¯s not true. I¡¯d split with anyone but her. You¡¯ve been fed a pack of lies. The crowd jeered, all in good fun, egging him on to treat Estre right from now on. Seeing that Jason was in high spirits today, Estre didn¡¯t push him away or dampen his mood. Instead, she indulged him, letting him maintain his image. It was only when her phone buzzed in her pocket that Estre stepped out of his embrace and walked away to answer the call. Estre got up to take the call, and Jason¡¯s expression tightened. Following suit, he up and went after her. Chapter 267 Outside the private room, Estre took the call, ¡°Korey.¡± Then she replied, ¡°You¡¯re outside? Okay, I¡¯lle out.¡± After hanging up, she made a beeline for the entrance. Once she reached the parking lot, Estre didn¡¯t see the familiar vehicle. Instead, there was a ck Mercedes parked on the outer edge of the lot, its license te numbers unremarkable. Yet Estre sensed something different about this car. As she approached, ke actually stepped out to open the backseat door for her. Estre slid into the car and said, ¡°Everyone¡¯s here, you sure you don¡¯t want toe in for a bit?¡± Then she added with augh, ¡°Guess that wouldn¡¯t be quite right anymore, given your new status.¡± Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have switched cars toe here. Korey chuckled, ¡°I¡¯d love to join you all, but it¡¯s not so simple for me anymore.¡± Ever since he chose this path as a politician, he had to give up many things. Estre carried a subtle fragrance with her, and as she looked at him, she said, ¡°Thanks for your support behind the scenes with the Glimmering Lake case.¡± Estre knew without Korey¡¯s backing, the case might have been buried long ago. Korey replied, ¡°Stopping corruption and serving the people is our duty.¡± He added, ¡°The higher-ups are here now. We¡¯re digging deep into everything linked to ChemiSphere. It¡¯s only fair after all your hard work.¡± Estre said, ¡°If we manage a thorough investigation and bring fairness to the vigers of Glimmering Lake, that would be the best oue.¡± Korey remarked, ¡°Jason¡¯s been quite involved this time. He cares about you. You tv should take good care of each other.¡± Estre smiled, ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll follow your orders.¡± She was smart in her way, never arguing just to prove a point, keeping out of discussi that weren¡¯t hers to have. She kept her own counsel-that was enough. Her private matters with Jason were definitely not topics to discuss with Korey. Korey ruffled her hair with a smile, just like when she was younger. He didn¡¯t tell Estre that when he heard she and Keegan were ambushed, he was furious and vowed to investigate thoroughly, no matter who was involved. There were many things they couldn¡¯t discuss openly, and so much was left unsaid. After chatting for a while, when Estre nced at her watch, Korey mentioned that he had to make a trip to see the former supervisor. ke then opened the car door from the outside. Truth be told, he didn¡¯t need to visit the former supervisor¡¯s home. He had just returned 00.00 hapter 267 from a business trip and hade straight to see her. It wasn¡¯t until Estre re-entered the clubhouse and her figure disappeared from his view that Korey instructed ke to drive off. With her hands in the pockets of her coat, Estre hadn¡¯t even reached the private room when she saw Jason leaning against the corridor wall, smoking, with a somewhat sour expression. Estre slowed her pace, and Jason extinguished the cigarette in the nearby trash bin, standing up straight. ¡°Why do you come back? Why didn¡¯t you just ride off with him?¡± Estre had just left the room when he had followed right behind. By the time she returned from Korey¡¯s car, he had finished his cigarette. If it weren¡¯t for their longstanding familiarity and his fear of her making a scene, he would¡¯ve tapped on the car window long ago. In reality, Estre had only been in Korey¡¯s car for about fifteen minutes. Faced with Jason¡¯s sarcasm, Estre took out her phone from her pocket, ¡°Then I¡¯ll call him back, and have hime pick me up again.¡± Jason¡¯s mood, already foul, darkened further at her words. They locked eyes, and Jason¡¯s facial scar stood out starkly. Estre couldn¡¯t help but remember the night she and Keegan were cornered, and the fierce look in Jason¡¯s eyes as he pped the car door, ordering her to stay put. After staring at Jason for a moment, Estre slipped her phone back and approached him, tousling his hair yfully, ¡°We were just talking shop. Besides, ke was right there. What kind of mischief do you think we could get up to?¡± If they were up to no good, it certainly wouldn¡¯t be in such a ce, or in a car for that matter. Estre watched Jason, just the thought of what Jason might be thinking felt like a desecration of Korey. Seriously, not everyone was like Jason. Jason removed her hand and still spoke in a cold and indifferent manner. ¡°What¡¯s the discuss with him? And was ke even sitting in the car with you guys?¡± Her hand having been pushed aside, Estre crossed her arms and faced him, ¡°Jason, already exining to you here. If you keep this up, then I might as well leave.¡± When Jason heard that she was exining him, his mood immediately improved. Yet, the thought of her being alone with Korey for even a short while made him shove his hands back into his pockets and nce coldly at her before striding into the private room. Watching his retreating back, Estre smiled and followed at her own pace. She would figure out a way to handle Jason. However, once they returned to the room, Jason didn¡¯t cling to her as before. Given his usual haughty demeanor, no one noticed anything strange, except for Estre, who knew he was still brooding. She thought to herself, ¡°he¡¯s got quite a jealous streak, just like Isaac.¡± Until the event ended and everyone went their separate ways, Jason kept ignoring Estre, not speaking to her. Estre didn¡¯t mind. She went about her business, not treating him any differently. While driving, Jason asionally nced at Estre as she responded to messages and took calls, his expression growing darker. He was still upset, yet there she was, chatting and working as if nothing was wrong, utterly oblivious to his feelings. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. It wasn¡¯t until they reached an intersection with a traffic light that Jason, instead of going straight, made a right turn. Estre finally turned to him, ¡°This isn¡¯t the way to my ce, Jason. Turn around.¡± Jason kept driving, ignoring herpletely. ¡°Fine, fine, fine, you¡¯re mad, you win,¡± Estre huffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. ¡°I¡¯ll just catch a cab hometer, okay?¡± At her words, Jason¡¯s expression grew even darker, if that was possible. Estre watched from the corner of her eye as he practically stewed in his own anger, and she couldn¡¯t help but stifle aughter deep down. She reveled in not giving him the easy out he so desperately sought, preferring to watch him squirm just a little longer. She could see right through his little games. He was just looking for an excuse to make a big deal out of nothing. Before long, the car pulled up to Sandalwood Qasis. Estre, without missing a beat, rummaged through her purse and pulled out her smartphone. Jason, who had been seething in silence the whole ride, finally mustered the will to spe ¡°What are you up to now?¡± he asked. Estre replied nonchntly, ¡°Calling a ride home, what else?¡± Her tone was casual. 9. Chapter 268 As Estre¡¯s voice trailed off, Jason¡¯s expression was a picture of aggrievement. He had brought her all the way back, and now she was talking about leaving? Filled with unspoken grievances, Jason jammed his hands into his pockets and turned away, silent. Estre deliberately teased, ¡°You¡¯ve hung around my doorstep plenty of times without an invite in. Guess it¡¯d be awkward for me to lounge at your ce now, huh?¡± At that, Jason sneered and said, ¡°My ce, your ce-you sure like to draw the line, don¡¯t you?¡± Sandalwood Oasis was clearly their home after they got married. Estre shot back with a yful jab, ¡°Gotta make something clear, right?¡± Her words had barely settled when Marie suddenly appeared, surprised to see Estre in the yard but quickly wore a beaming smile, ¡°Ms. Estre¡¯s back! I thought I saw car lights and heard your voice. Goodness, you really are back.¡± Before Estre could respond, Marie was pulling her into the house, ¡°It¡¯s chilly out here, Ms. Estre. Come inside right away.¡± Jason watched as Marie ushered Estre into the house, then followed them in, his own demeanor rxing now that Marie was there. ¡°Ms. Estre, are you hungry? I¡¯ll whip up your favorite sweet soup,¡± Marie offered, her face radiating joy, even more delighted than Jason. Estre gently held her back, ¡°Marie, we just ate outside. Don¡¯t go to any trouble.¡± Marie insisted, ¡°Well, if there¡¯s anything you fancy eating or drinking, you just let me know.¡± Her delight at seeing Estre was like weing her own daughter-inw home. Marie quickly added, ¡°Oh, and Ms. Estre, we¡¯ve kept your and Mr. Jason¡¯s room tidy every day. In all these years, Mr. Jason¡¯s been home every night except when traveling. Your clothes and personal items are still right where you left them. And every season, Mr. Jason has had thetest fashions delivered from the department store, just in case you came back with nothing to wear.¡± Estre couldn¡¯t help but smile at Marie¡¯s cleverness. Marie waspensating for Jason¡¯sck of words with her own enthusiastic exnations. Turning to Jason, Estre quipped, ¡°Jason, looks like you owe Marie a raise.¡± Estre remembered how timely Marie¡¯s call had been thest time she and Jason had argued, so timely that Estre had felt embarrassed to continue the fight. Hearing Estre¡¯s remark, Jason simply said, ¡°Raise it is.¡± Marie, sensing the couple¡¯s unease, quickly chimed in, ¡°Mr. Jason, Ms. Estre, it¡¯s getting 09.52 Chapter Chapter 268 a response, Marie scampered off, leaving the living room in silence. Estre found it strange yet familiar to be back in a ce she¡¯d lived for three years. Everything was as it had been; even Marie¡¯sugh and the tone of her speech hadn¡¯t changed. Pretending nothing was amiss, Estre saw Jason answer a call, and she held her peace until he finished. Once he finished the call, she stood up and asked, ¡°Calmed down yet? If so, maybe you could take me back.¡± The mention of leaving darkened Jason¡¯s mood anew. Abruptly pocketing his phone, he looked at Estre and said sharply, ¡°What time do you think it is? Stop making a fuss.¡± Without another word, he guided her upstairs, his hand at the nape of her neck. ¡°My son¡¯s waiting for me at home.¡± ¡°He was asleep by the time you hit the club,¡± Jason said, having checked with Autumn during dinner. Estre was bbergasted. So, he¡¯d nned this all along. That was why he hadn¡¯t touched a drink all evening. Once in the bedroom, after Estre had steadied herself from being softly tossed inside, Jason¡¯s voice came coolly, ¡°It¡¯s not been half a year, and you¡¯re already getting cozy with Korey? What do you want, Estre?¡± Estreughed at the question, replying, ¡°After all these years, you still don¡¯t know I¡¯m the flirty type?¡± Jason was left speechless by her retort. After years without a fight, he¡¯d almost forgotten how formidable Estre could be, and how she never held back in an argument. Seeing Jason at a loss for words, Estre stated, ¡°This is a case of six of one, half a dozen of the other. Let¡¯s not point fingers.¡± What could there be between her and Korey? Jason was just bothered by Korey¡¯s past proposal, but that was Korey¡¯s move, not hers to stop. Hearing this, Jason¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°How am I to me? Have I ever touched another woman besides you?¡± Estre¡¯s mind raced for evidence against him when Jason himself continued, casually admitting, ¡°There was that time I let Serene link arms with me. Yes, it was intentional. I did it to annoy you because you didn¡¯t take me seriously. I¡¯m upset that if mom doesn¡¯t put pressure on you, you seem to forget I¡¯m your husband, and you won¡¯t even call me back home.¡± Hearing Jason¡¯s exnation, it dawned on Estre-she¡¯dpletely forgotten about the incident with Serene. But learning that it was all to provoke her, Estre scoffed, ¡°Jason, 212 09:52 T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. you¡¯re so petty, always wanting to maintain your image.¡± With that, she was about to open the door to leave. Jason wasn¡¯t having it. He stepped in front of her, firmly shut the door, and asked coldly, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Estre looked at him, exasperated, ¡°I¡¯m thirsty Just going to grab a drink, maybe have a fruit tter.¡± Jason raised an eyebrow, with a hint of skepticism in his voice. ¡°You, cutting fruit?¡± He shook his head and added with a mock sigh, ¡°Forget it. If you slice your hand open, I would be worried.¡± After speaking with a hint of impatience, he went downstairs on his own. At the doorway, Estre couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at his antics, remembering how he¡¯d rushed to exin himself earlier to avoid her bringing up past arguments. ¡®Typical Jason and his stubborn pride,¡¯ she thought, amused. After her quietughter subsided, Estre grabbed a set of pajamas from the closet and headed to the bathroom for a shower. When she emerged a short whileter, she discovered a te of freshly cut fruit on the desk and a warm ss of milk sitting on a heating pad beside it. Jason was upied with his own things, seemingly indifferent. Estre, tying her hair up, approached him and decided to break the silence. ¡°Still mad? Giving me the cold shoulder?¡± Without a change in his stoic expression, Jason pointed out, ¡°Got the fruit for you. It¡¯s on the desk.¡± Estre gazed at him seriously and said, ¡°Jason, go take a shower. After that, we can y a little. Any way you want.¡± The moment the words left her mouth, Jason¡¯s eyes lit up like fireworks. He turned to her and asked, with a hint of excitement, ¡°Trying to butter me up?¡± All evening, that was exactly what he¡¯d been waiting to hear. Chapter 269 Estre chuckled, her voice a yful tease in the quiet room. ¡°I¡¯ve already taken my shower, why would I need to butter you up? Go on, get cleaned up.¡± She nudged Jason toward the bathroom. With a boyish grin, Jason cupped Estre¡¯s face in his hands and nted a quick kiss on her lips. ¡°Honey, just wait for me, okay? I¡¯ll be quick, don¡¯t you worry.¡± With that, he turned on his heel, grabbed some clothes from the wardrobe, and whistled a tune as he made his way to the bathroom. Estre stood in the bedroom, arms crossed, a bemused smile ying on her lips as she watched his swaggering exit. What a character! An entire evening of antics, all for what? Just to end up in bed with her. Jason took advantage of the opportunity to let her soothe him, and Estre could see through it when she returned to the private room. Lately, he had been like a puppy eager for a treat, especially after her closing a big case at work today-he might as well have had his intentions written on his forehead. Recalling Jason¡¯s mood swings and now the whistling from the bathroom, Estre couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. Men, no matter how tough they are outside, there¡¯s always a childish side to them at home. In no time, Jason emerged from the shower, fresh and fragrant, only to find the warm milk on the table already gone and the fruit half-eaten. Estre, meanwhile, had sumbed to sleep on the bed. Jason paused mid-dry, then approached Estre and gently nudged her dangling foot. ¡°Estre,¡± he called softly. ¡°Estre.¡± But no matter how much he called her name, she only seemed to sleep deeper. Jason felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him-chilled to the core. That little brat, ying games with him! Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. With a frustrated toss of the towel, Jason wrapped Estre in his arms, pinning her wrists. ¡°Estre, are you messing with me?¡± Her eyes still closed, Estre mumbled, ¡°Jason, I¡¯m so tired.¡± Then she added, ¡°And a little cold.¡± Jason retorted, ¡°Of course you¡¯re cold. You didn¡¯t cover up with a nket.¡± Seeing Estre so still in his arms, murmuring sleepily, Jason remembered her recent hard work and the stress of the concluded court case. In the end, he couldn¡¯t bear to wake her. Instead, he tenderly carried her back to the center of the bed, tucked her in, and turned off 09:52 the light. Estre, nestled in the soft pillows, drifted even deeper into sleep. As for Jason, well, he could stew over his little schemes all he wanted. She remembered how hard it had been when she wanted to share his bed, and all the tricks she¡¯d tried. Now, she wasn¡¯t about to make it easy for him-she wasn¡¯t even considering remarriage yet. The next morning, Estre woke to find Jason already up, giving her a look of resentment. Stretching, she reached for her phone by the pillow and joked, ¡°Oh right, I think I might have ¡®slept¡¯ youst night. I owe you a tip.¡± Mentioning it only made Jason¡¯s expression darken further. ¡°Estre,¡± he said curtly. That one word from him made Estre pause. ¡°Wait. No, that¡¯s not right. We didn¡¯t actually¡­¡± Unable to hold back any longer, Jason rolled over and pulled her into his embrace. ¡°You heartless girl, messing with me for fun.¡± Caught in Jason¡¯s hold, Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh, remembering his bathroom serenade from the night before. ¡°It wasn¡¯t to tease you, I swear. I¡¯m just exhausted. If you want, I can step on the scale to prove how much weight I¡¯ve lost.¡± When Estre finished, Jason kissed her directly on the lips, not letting her speak or resist anymore. After their passionate kiss, Estre propped herself up on Jason¡¯s chest and gently reminded him, ¡°Stop it, I need to get to Glimmering Lake before noon.¡± She had promised to join the locals for lunch after receiving their call yesterday. With reluctance, Jason released her and they both prepared to leave for Glimmering Lake. Estre had intended just a simple meal, but the vigers had gone all out with a hearty spread. She reassured them, advising them to seek medical care and check-ups when necessary. She promised that ChemiSphere would pay every penny as ordered by the court and that she would personally follow up on the matter. After lunch, having wrapped up their business at Glimmering Lake, Estre and Jason headed back downtown. Only upon arriving at Nelson International and seeing Drew and the other two secretaries loading gifts into the car did Estre remember that Jason was due at her family¡¯s house for dinner that night. After the secretaries left, Estre turned to Jason, suggesting, ¡°Maybe you should skip tonight, to avoid any awkwardness.¡± Three years ago, things might have been strained, but at least her mother, Autumn, had been cordial with him. But now, even Autumn¡¯s warmth had cooled, and her father was never a fan. What was the point in Jason¡¯ going? Jason nced at her coldly. ¡°Am I that embarrassing to you?¡± Estre stared at him, then sighed. ¡°Fine, do whatever you want.¡± After all, it wasn¡¯t her difort at stake. So, at half-past five, while the sky was still tinged with the day¡¯s light, Jason¡¯s car rolled up to the Dorvold family home. No sooner had they stepped through the door than Isaac came running at Estre with open arms. ¡°Mommy, mommy!¡± It was as though he hadn¡¯t seen Estre in years. Estre¡¯s heart swelled with joy as she lifted Isaac into her arms. Meanwhile, the housekeeper relieved Jason of his gifts, and Autumn said, ¡°Jason, you don¡¯t have to do this. Justing over for dinner is enough. There¡¯s no need to bring all this.¡± Jason grinned, a gesture of ¡®it¡¯s all good, before turning to Isaac. Isaac cleared his throat and belted out, ¡°Uncle Jason!¡± Ever since Isaac caught Jason in a tender moment with Estre, he had forsaken the title ¡®Dad¡¯ for Jason, no matter how tight they got afterwards, sticking to ¡®Uncle¡¯ instead. The vibrant call of ¡®Uncle¡¯ echoed, leaving Jason with a bittersweet pang in his chest, oh how he longed for the days when isaac would call him ¡®Dad.¡¯ Nevertheless, he scooped Isaac up in his arms, ¡°Son, I¡¯ve got a new toy for you. Let¡¯s go y.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Isaac replied with a grin. Off to the side, Autumn couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes at the peculiar dynamic, mumb ¡°Son and uncle. What in the world¡­¡± Estre, unfazed, simply shrugged it off, ¡°Let them be. I¡¯m going to head upstairs to change.¡± After a quick outfit swap, Estre came back down to find Isaac and Jason having the time of their lives, so she settled in to review some documents. Meanwhile, Autumn was bustling in the kitchen. Although she often imed she wasn¡¯t Jason¡¯s biggest fan, the dishes Autumn was whipping up were all his favorites Chapter 270 At six o¡¯clock, Cole returned home to find Jason loungingfortably in the living room with little Isaac nestled in his arms. ¡°Hey, look who¡¯s here.¡± Cole said with a jovial grin. ¡°Hi,¡± Jason greeted. Cole didn¡¯t wear his emotions on his face like Autumn did. The way he interacted with Jason remained the same as it was before. From the corner sofa, Estre¡¯s peripheral vision asionally swept over Cole, gauging his mood with a watchful eye. When Autumn called them to dinner, Estre set down the Lego bricks that Isaac had been ying with and scooped up the little boy to head over, with Jason and Cole following close behind. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, Jason. Make yourself at home,¡± Autumn urged him warmly as shedled soup into his bowl. ¡°Sure,¡± Jason responded nonchntly, though he sensed Autumn¡¯s underlying message-that this was no longer his home and that he and Estre were officially divorced. Estre shot her mother a nce, amused by how quick-witted her mother was bing in her subtle digs at Jason. But in reality, Autumn was just being hospitable without any hidden agendas. She usually wore her hearts on her sleeves and wouldn¡¯t be so discreet about it. For instance, during the jovial dinner, Autumn suddenly remarked, ¡°You know, Jason, you and Estre aren¡¯t getting any younger. It¡¯s time you both start thinking about your personal issues.¡± ¡°And Jason, your grandparents have been longing to hold a great-grandchild for years. You¡¯d better step it up,¡± she added without missing a beat. Before anyone could chime in, Autumn continued, ¡°Estre¡¯s got a slight edge-after all, she¡¯s already had a child. But girls don¡¯t have the advantage of time, so she ought to hurry too.¡± Jason wondered if Autumn was trying to y matchmaker between him and Estre until she whipped out a stack of photographs, enthusiastically suggesting, ¡°Jason, you and Estre grew up together, so you surely know what kind of guy suits her. Help me out and pick someone you think would be a good match for her, and I¡¯ll arrange for them to meet.¡± Autumn¡¯s words nearly caused Jason to spray soup across the table, while Cole beside him choked on his food. Estre barely stifled herughter. Today, her mother was on fire. As Jason eyed the photographs handed to him his expression was priceless. When did 09:52 his mother-inw be so cunning? Autumn nudged the photos towards him again ¡°Help Estre choose someone suitable,¡± she persisted. Jason was taken aback. He stared at Autumn for a long moment before reluctantly epting the proffered photographs. Autumn¡¯s face lit up with a smile, ¡°The basic info is on the back. Take a good look, Jason. If this works out, I¡¯ll have Estre buy you a pair of shoes.¡± In Autumn¡¯s hometown, it was customary to gift shoes to a sessful matchmaker. Jason casually hummed in acknowledgment as he flipped through the photos. Cole¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Let¡¯s focus on eating. Why do you bring this up now?¡± Autumn justified herself, ¡°Jason doesn¡¯t visit often. I¡¯m just asking for a little help.¡± Estre gave her mother a covert thumbs-up, which Jason caught out of the corner of his eye, prompting him to give her a look that indicated he would settle the score with herter. After examining the photos, Jason calmly spread them out on the dining table and looked at Autumn, ¡°I think Estre and I are the best match.¡± With that deration, Jasonid his feelings for Estre on the table, despite previously agreeing not to interfere with her dating facade. Autumn¡¯s smile froze, utterly blindsided by Jason¡¯s audacity. Estre and Isaac exchanged amused nces Isaac¡¯s giggles broke through the tension finding the adult conversation quite entertaining. ¡°You little goof, just eat,¡± Cole directed Isaac, who obediently scooped up a mouthful of fluffy white rice. The dinner theatrics came to a close with Isaac¡¯s innocent chant, ¡°Eat food, eat food.¡± Post-meal, as Isaac tugged Jason to y in his room, Estre teased, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you pick one out for me?¡± Jason¡¯s confidence was unwavering as he replied, ¡°Once you¡¯ve had me, you won¡¯t be interested in anyone else.¡± Estreughed, both amused and exasperated, ¡°How can you be so sure of yourself?¡± His ego unchecked by her disbelief, Jason was about to lean in for a kiss when he sensed an intense gaze of longing from the sidelines. ncing down, he found Isaac clutching his piggy bank, his eyes fixed on Jason and Estre with a mournful expression. Remembering the hospital incident where a kiss had sparked Isaac¡¯s jealousy, Jason was about to release Estre when she unexpectedly tiptoed up and kissed him. 09:52 At their feet, Isaac first froze, then with a tter, he discarded the piggy bank he was holding and let out a piercing scream. Isaac then wrapped his arms around his head and began to race around the room like a whirlwind. Uncle Jason and Mom had kissed again, and he hadn¡¯t gotten a kiss from Mom today. Isaac¡¯s rampage gave Jason a headache, and when he turned to Estre, she was still chuckling. Was she really Isaac¡¯s mom? T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. After several frenziedps around the room, Isaac stopped at Jason¡¯s feet, hugging his legs and bumping his little head against them. Jason quickly covered Isaac¡¯s forehead, ¡°Silly goose, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to hurt, and besides, it was Mom who kissed me.¡± When Jason said Estre had kissed him, Isaac looked up into his eyes with a gaze filled with such sorrow. Then, turning to Estre, Isaac¡¯s gazes became incrediblyplicated. How could his E kiss someone else? The more hurt Isaac felt, the more joyfully Estreughed. Finally, she scooped Isaac up and nted two firm kisses on his face. Only then did Isaac feel a bit of sce and With Isaac clinging to her arms, Estre turned to Jason and said, ¡°Isaac¡¯s jealousy is just like yours.¡± As Estre¡¯s words fell, Jason fixed his gaze on her, his eyes bright and spirited Chapter 276 Jason¡¯s heated kisses, the ambiguous warmth of his breath, and the memory of his desperate fight for life in her dream made Estre whisper, ¡°Okay.¡± ason fired up the car, heading straight to Waterfall Acres. He took Estre to his ce. because it was closer and the building wasn¡¯t as high-rise as hers. Right now, he didn¡¯t want to waste another second. All he wanted was to be alone with her. In no time, they were inside his apartment. Jason flicked on the lights, shut the door, and the first thing he did was pull Estre into his arms and kiss her passionately. Estre felt Jason¡¯s restlessness and the undeniable physical response pressing against her. At that moment, the unhappy memories faded, leaving only the good times before their fallout, Jason¡¯s heroic rescues, and his vulnerable image in her dreams. With these thoughts, Estre wrapped her arms around his neck and parted her lips, reciprocating his kiss. They were adults; Estre knew exactly whating to Waterfall Acres with him under those circumstances meant. Right now, it was about mutual need, nothing more. Jason¡¯s kisses grew deeper and more intense in response to Estre¡¯s reciprocation. Her outerwear slipped off under his touch as he kissed her chin, neck, corbone, shoulders, and her chest. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Estre moaned softly, her hands gripping Jason¡¯s arms as he teased her relentlessly. Driven by Estre¡¯s moans, Jason imed her lips once more, then hoisted her legs around his waist and carried her to the bedroom. After he gentlyid her on the soft bed, Estre held him even tighter. Jason¡¯s dominance wasced with tenderness, and Estre was lost in his kisses, his gentleness, and the thrill he brought her. Her hands clutched the sheets tightly as Jason¡¯s kisses traced at path from her stomach to her lips, whispering, Darling, I¡¯m moving in.¡± Estre opened her eyes to stare at Jason, who was as handsome as ever. Before she could respond, he surged inside her. After three long years, Estre gasped for air as Jason pinned her hands down, iming her fervently. Three years of pent-up longing made Jason forget time and fatigue until Estre pleaded for rest. Yet, he couldn¡¯t let her go, whispering in her ear, ¡°Baby, you¡¯ve starved me for years, just bear with me a little longer.¡± Estre cursed, ¡°Damn, I¡¯m falling apart.¡± Not just her body but her mind felt rattled by his incessant motions. 10 271 Eventually, when her back began to ache fiercely, Jason reluctantly ceased his movements but remained inside her, his hands still wandering over her. Nestled against him from behind, Estre felt the world quiet down, her mind steady at ¡°Get off me.¡± she turned and reminded him. Jason kissed her ear softly, ¡°You don¡¯t want me to. You¡¯re still moving.¡± Estre snapped, ¡°Jason, have you no shame? ¡°Sweetheart, I don¡¯t want to spend a second without you. I wish we could stay like this forever.¡± Ignoring Jason¡¯s nonsensical talk, Estre closed her eyes to sleep, content as long as he stayed still. She resigned herself to the fact that she would have to wash the linens tomorrow. There was no way she could face the maid with that task. Estre closed her eyes and fell asleep, and Jason held her while gently caressing her. Finally getting the precious girl he had been thinking about for so long, he had no intention of going out in the next few days. The next morning, as Estre woke up, she found Jason taking liberties again. She pushed his face away, feeling speechless. Realizing a dream had influenced her decision to follow Jason to Waterfall Acres the night before, she wanted to p herself. Damn, there was a reason they say not to make decisions at night. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¨C king as an Estre tried to push Jason away, and to cut her losses, but he took her waking opportunity to quiet her protests with his lips and entered her again not just entering, but also kissing her ear, shamelessly telling her she woke up pleased. Jason¡¯s way with words was something else, Estre had to admit, but after the long night, how could he still have the energy of a man on an aphrodisiac? Hugging his neck, Estre pinched his ear and asked, ¡°Jason, you¡¯re a good three years older. How come you¡¯ve got more stamina now?¡± Jasonughed, ¡°Darling, what¡¯s this ¡®three years older¡¯? I¡¯m barely thirty, in my prime. And even at seventy or ny, I¡¯ll still satisfy you if you can handle it.¡± Encouraged by Estre¡¯sints, Jason went at it even harder. ¡°Jason, take it easy, will you?!¡± ¡°No way, no way, oh¡­ Jason¡­¡± Jason¡¯s vigor seemed endless, as if he was making up for lost time with interest. Eventually, Estre cried, and that was when Jason finally let her go. Unable to move, shey on the bed, drained of all strength, and cursed, ¡°Bastard.¡± Jason justughed, kissed her, and said, ¡°You rest a bit. I¡¯ll make us something to eat.¡± Once he left the room, Estre heard him whistling and singing in the kitchen, content after wearing her out. By noon, Jason had cooked Estre¡¯s favorite dishes, but she trembled so much she couldn¡¯t even hold her fork steady. Far from being sympathetic, Jason was proud, feeling aplished. Frustrated, Estre refused to eat, so he quickly fed her, averting another battle. After a hearty meal that seemed to replenish her energy, Estre finally settled down in front of the living room TV for some much-needed rxation. Jason, having wrapped up the chores, sauntered over and scooped her into his embrace, once againunching into a yful exploration of affectionate pecks and caresses. With a sidelong nce, Estre asked him, ¡°Jason,e clean, buddy. Are you juicing up on some kind of love potion or what?¡± Jason chuckled and teased, ¡°How about I get Drew to drop off a couple of those magic pills right now, so you can see for yourself the difference between the Jason on and off the meds?¡± At his remark, Estre turned her attention back to the TV, deciding to ignore his antics. But when his hand started to wander below her belly, she swiftly grabbed it and tossed it aside, shooting him a re as she interrogated, ¡°And who exactly is your guru in all this? Where¡¯d you get your practice, huh?¡± Chapter 277 Jason lounged back with an air of nonchnce and replied, ¡°Just some old porno you left at the house. I y them sometimes when I miss you.¡± Estre was at a loss for words. Damn it, she had shot herself in the foot. Estre rolled her eyes in disgust, but Jason, nibbling at her ear, whispered seductively, ¡°I¡¯ve memorized hundreds of moves. We can take our time and try them out.¡± As he spoke, his hands began to wander once again. Estre quickly stood up from his embrace and said with a stern face, ¡°I¡¯ve got to head back to the office. There¡¯s still work to do.¡± Jason reached out and pulled her back, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve already cleared it with Logan. He said you¡¯re case-freetely and suggested we take a trip.¡± Estre felt like cursing someone out. Why the hell was Logan helping her by giving her time off now? Her eyes zed with fury, but Jason¡¯s smile was exceptionally bright as he drew her close and kissed her forehead. ¡°There are dozens of moves just on the couch. Shall we unlock a few today?¡± ¡°Jason, go to hell.¡± ¡°Estre, no matter what you say, it¡¯s all pointless right now.¡± With that, he pulled her onto hisp. His mom was right. Addiction was a real thing, and he was utterly hooked on Estre. Peeling away her clothes, he asked, ¡°Where would you like to travel?¡± Estre tried to get up again. ¡°I need to be there for Isaac.¡± Jason reassured her, ¡°My mom¡¯s got it covered. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Estre remembered, ¡°I¡¯ve got to make a trip to Glimmering Lake.¡± Jason responded, ¡°Logan¡¯s taken care of it. Keegan¡¯s covering for you at Glimmering Lake for the next few days.¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Estre eximed, ¡°Jason, you¡¯re unbelievable!¡± Jason simply agreed, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Jason, even if we sleep together, it¡¯s just physical. Don¡¯t expect anything else. Think carefully if you want to waste your energy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more than happy to maintain this kind of physical rtionship with you.¡± Right now, he was focused on his arousal. Everything else was trivial. After all, Estre. was his, forever. She wasn¡¯t going anywhere. Despite her many excuses, Estre couldn¡¯t escape Jason¡¯s grasp. Eventually, she negotiated, ¡°Be gentle, or you¡¯llnd me in the hospital, and I¡¯ll never live it down.¡±¡± Just the night before and that morning, she felt on the brink of copse more than once. If she ended up in the hospital over this, she¡¯d be mortified. She had always thought it was the men who exerted themselves while women enjoyed it, but too much enjoyment¡¯ wasn¡¯t necessarily a good thing either. ¡°I¡¯ll try to contain myself,¡± Jason said with a grin. Since picking her up the day before, Jason had no ns to leave the house. He¡¯d made sure of that, aside from allowing her time to eat and sleep. Estre¡¯s legs turned to jelly at the sight of him. It wasn¡¯t until the evening, when they agreed Jason would keep his hands to himself, that Estre finally breathed a sigh of relief. Throughout the day, she couldn¡¯t count how many times she mentally cursed the entire Nelson family. And Autumn, too, for not calling her and providing an excuse to escape. Who knew what kind of spell Jason had cast on her mother Held in Jason¡¯s arms, Estre pped his wandering hand from her chest. Jason protested, ¡°I¡¯m just touching.¡± Facing Jason, Estre asked, ¡°After dinner at my cest night, where did you go?¡± A jolt of surprise hit Jason. Why was she asking about his whereabouts from the night before? But then his mood shifted to glee, ¡°So concerned about me that you had someone follow me?¡± Estre wasn¡¯t having it. ¡°Don¡¯t try to change the subject.¡± She added, ¡°Our rtionship is only physical, and it saves me the trouble and money of finding a boy toy.¡± Jason¡¯s grip on her chin tightened as he nted a firm kiss on her lips. Then he looked at her seriously and said, ¡°Babe, let¡¯s get something straight. No matter where I wasst night, you can¡¯t get mad. But I promise you, I wasn¡¯t doing anything to betray you. I¡¯m absolutely loyal to you.¡± Past misunderstandings had rattled Jason, so now he made sure to rify every little thing with Estre. Estre calmly demanded, ¡°Start talking.¡± Holding her hand, Jason earnestly began, ¡°On my way homest night, Holly called me..¡± He went on to share his conversation with Holly and his suspicions, carefully omitting Holly¡¯s motives and the matter of her birthday. After listening, Estre queried, ¡°Alone with her? You didn¡¯t get up to something? It was Holly¡¯s birthday yesterday, you know.¡± Jason had forgotten Holly¡¯s birthday, but Estre remembered. She knew almost everyone¡¯s birthday in their circle. Jason got agitated, ¡°What could possibly have happened between us? What¡¯s her birthday got to do with me? I only saw her to gauge her reaction, and to see if my theory was correct.¡± Jason¡¯s defensiveness was Estre¡¯s cue. She teased, ¡°Jason, what are you so worked up about? Guilty conscience?¡± Jason responded, ¡°Babe, when you don¡¯t think the best of me, how can I stay calm? Do you really think I¡¯m so desperate that I¡¯d fall for her trap?¡± Estre confidently retorted, ¡°You would.¡± Jason¡¯s expression soured, ¡°Estre, if you can¡¯t trust me, then I don¡¯t know what to think. Besides, who else have I ever liked besides you over the years?¡± Standing up from the sofa, he continued, ¡°I¡¯ve got some energy left. Maybe I should prove it to you, so you can decide for yourself whether I¡¯ve been with any other women.¡± With that, his pajama top fell open to reveal a chiseled chest. Estre¡¯s knees buckled at the sight. She was pretty sure that if she were standing, her knees would have given out, but she pulled together a facade of calm and said, ¡°Who are you trying to scare by getting undressed? Just put your clothes back on and let¡¯s talk this through properly.¡± Jason, sans shirt, scooped Estre into his arms with a sideways motion and said, ¡°This isn¡¯t something that can be exined with words. Actions speak louder.¡± Estre was quick to assure, ¡°Hey hey, I believe you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s toote for that.¡± ¡°So, are you still up for discussing the fire?¡± ¡°No need for discussion. Give me a few days, and I¡¯ll dig up the truth for you.¡± With that, Jason had her pinned to the bed. Estre wasn¡¯t having any of it. She braced her hands against his waist, trying to keep him froming any closer. ¡°Jason, if you don¡¯t stop this, I¡¯m seriously going to get mad.¡± She thought about it-how many times had they been at it sincest night? The state of the sheets when they went into the wash was evidence enough. Wasn¡¯t he afraid of overdoing it to the point of exhaustion? Estre was frightened, but Jason¡¯s hands gently began to tease apart her clothing. ¡°We don¡¯t have to do this, but let¡¯s make it official tomorrow and get our marriage license¡± Chapter 278 As Jason spoke, Estre¡¯s temper dissipated like steam from a piping hot pot roast. Her hands fell from his waist, and with a twinge of surrender, she muttered, ¡°Fine, you have your way.¡± Estre braced herself for the inevitable, and Jason pinned her beneath him with a smirk, ¡°Estre, after this, you won¡¯t be able to leave the bed tomorrow.¡± Unfazed, Estre retorted, ¡°And you think you¡¯ll be hopping out of bed? As if you¡¯re getting the better end of this deal.¡± Jason couldn¡¯t help butugh at her spirit, sealing her protest with a kiss that spoke volumes. Later, much to her own chagrin, Estre found herself pleading for mercy. After all these years of knowing Jason, it was in these moments of weakness that she¡¯d wave the white g. But Jason wasn¡¯t satisfied. He demanded a promise of reconciliation, which Estre begrudgingly gave, though he doubted her sincerity, using her of pulling his leg. Estre was livid, cursing under her breath. It wasn¡¯t until Isaac¡¯s phone call came through that Jason eased up, reluctantly taking her home. Upon their return to the Dorvold residence, Autumn remarked, ¡°You¡¯re as elusive as your father ever was, always out and about.¡± ¡°Mom.¡± Estre scooped up Isaac, who hade running, and after nting a kiss on his cheek, she turned to Autumn, ¡°It¡¯s not as dramatic as you¡¯re making it out to be.¡± At that moment, Estre wouldn¡¯t dare admit to spending the previous night at Jason¡¯s, followed by a day in his bed. Autumn would have her hide for that. ¡°Daddy.¡± Isaac clung to Estre before Jason took Isaac into his arms, giving Estre the chance to head upstairs for a change of clothes. Climbing the stairs, her legs nearly gave out, and Jason, pale as a ghost, rushed over with Isaac still in his arms. Estre insisted she was fine and continued her ascent. Autumn mused, ¡°What kind of case has you so worn out you can¡¯t even walk straight?¡± Then she chastised, ¡°I tell you to eat properly, but you never listen. Now look at you, running on empty.¡± ¡°Come down to eat once you¡¯ve changed,¡± Autumn added. Estre shot Jason a sideways re, which he smartly dodged, pretending ig not to notice. Isaac watched the silent exchange, and upon seeing Estre¡¯s annoyance with Jason, he giggled uncontrobly. Jason felt amused and pinched the little chin that Isaac shared with Estre and asked, ¡°What¡¯s so funny, munchkin?¡± The question only made Isaacugh harder. Jason, charmed by Isaac¡¯s joy, which so resembled Estre¡¯s childhood mirth, couldn¡¯t help but join in. Autumn was touched by the sight of Isaac¡¯s happiness. She reflected on her own time. with the child, realizing that Isaac had never seemed so joyful with her. Rtionships. were fickle, she thought. Isaac was simply smitten with Jason. Once Estre was dressed, they all gathered at the dining table for dinning. Estre, exhausted from Jason¡¯s teasing, devoured three tes of food, earning apuse from Isaac and a stunned silence from Autumn, who wondered if a big case had soured her mood. Estre simply said she was hungry, but when Autumn caught sight of the marks on her neck, her smile vanished. After dinner, when Jason had finished bathing Isaac and put him to bed, Autumn knocked on Estre¡¯s door with a pointed question, ¡°You weren¡¯t busy with a case today, were you?¡± Estre realized everything when she noticed Autumn¡¯s gaze falling on her neck. She thought, ¡°Mom isn¡¯t usually this clever. Howe her intelligence suddenly surfaced today? It turns out I¡¯ve given myself away.¡± Estre responded with a hum as she touched her neck. ¡°Have you and Jason mad Or considering it?¡± Autumn probed. A couple of days ago, she had talked about this with Estre, but that was when Ja seemed alright. Now, seeing her daughter was indeed back together with him, Autu couldn¡¯t help but reminiscence about an incident from three years ago, which filled with unease. ¡°There¡¯s nothing like that, I simply failed to resist this time,¡± Estre confessed matter-of-factly. Silence ensued from Autumn¡¯s end,Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Noticing Autumn¡¯s unwavering gaze upon her, Estre admitted, ¡°At my age, it¡¯s hard to resist all these temptations. Besides, he¡¯s not bad looking and he is quite good in that particr aspect.¡± With that affirmative confessioning straight from Estre, Autumn had nothing left to say She merely reminded her, ¡°Remember, your father strongly disapproves of Jason. He even told me to keep a close watch on you, especially in regard to Jason. Don¡¯t lose yourself again in the midst of all this chaos. Given that your father¡¯s against it, being with Jason won¡¯t be easy¡± Owing to Cole¡¯s disapproval, Autumn had also followed suit, prioritizing her husband and daughter above all else. ¡°Mom, I hear you,¡± insisted Estre, attempting to pacify Autumn. ¡°You should go and get some rest.¡± With a muted thud, Autumn gently closed the door behind her, leaving Estre to sight. heavily. Approaching the little bed, she bent down to give Mia a tender kiss and then picked up at book to peruse while lounging in bed. Soon after, her phone ced next to the pillow. vibrated. It was a message from Jason, reading, [Estre, I miss you.] Estre chose not to respond. About ten minutester, Jason sent her a porno. ¡°Darling, have you seen this routine? Let¡¯s try it next time.¡± Jason¡¯s video, was from a time when they were still married, something that Estre had left on his computer. She once showed these to him too. Finding Jason¡¯s flirty messages amusing, Estre replied nonchntly, [I¡¯m gonna report. you.] Sure enough, after the warning, she actually reported him, not leaving even a bit of room for leniency. In a short while, her Messenger waspletely silent ¨C no more disturbances. Until a whileter, her phone rang. It was Jason. Estre picked up the call. On the other side, Jason sounded both annoyed and amused, ¡°You really did report me, huh?¡± Jason was calling because his Messenger ount had been blocked and Drew was scrambling to unblock it. ¡°You deserve it,¡± retorted Estre, utterly unapologetic. Jason stood by a floor-length window, puffing on a cigarette. After exhaling a whirlpool of smoke, he chuckled. ¡°I ought to stop joking around. I leave for a business trip tomorrow. It¡¯ll be a week before I return.¡± ¡°Well, I finally get some peace and quiet,¡± responded Estre. Puffing on his cigarette again, Jason softly suggested, ¡°Christmasmences next month. You and Mia should apany me to the old house and celebrate.¡± Chapter 279 years, Estre hadn¡¯t returned for three years. Jason hadn¡¯t celebrated Christmas for three nor had he visited the old family home, because he was too embarrassed to go back. Propped up in bed, Estre said, ¡°Spending Christmas at your ce wouldn¡¯t be appropriate.¡± Jason didn¡¯t press her. He simply said, ¡°There¡¯s still a month left. Think it over.¡± Estre didn¡¯t outright refuse, just lightly hummed in response. But a monthter, it was still impossible for her to join the Nelson family for Christmas. After chatting for a while longer, Jason reluctantly ended the call. In bed, Estre turned to nce at Isaac, sleeping in his little bed nearby. She leaned over to give him a kiss, then turned off the lights in the room and went to rest. In the following days, Jason had to travel for work. Estre enjoyed the rare quiet, her days returning to normal, though she asionally found her thoughts wandering to him. and their closeness. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. The new case wasn¡¯t tooplicated, allowing Estre to spend more time with Isaac and to look more into the fire from seven years ago. However, after seeing Jason, Holly became restless ¨C embarrassed by her own advances that Jason had rejected, and concerned that Jason suspected her. After stewing at home for a few days, Holly finally called Jason. ¡°Jason, let¡¯s meet willing to share the evidence I have and help with the leads.¡± 1. I¡¯m On the other end, Jason replied indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m not in Ravenwood these days. You could talk to Estre.¡± Holly said, ¡°Then let¡¯s talk when you¡¯re back.¡± She was willing to cooperate and share her evidence, all for Jason¡¯s sake, hoping to see him more. The thought of talking to Estre instead didn¡¯t sit well with her. On the other end, Jason agreed, thinking he¡¯d just bring Estre along when the time. came. After hanging up with Jason, Holly¡¯s hand clenched her phone tightly, her skin showing. green veins from the grip. Why? Why was it Estre and not her? What was wrong with herself? Swallowing a lump in her throat, Holly dialed another number-Serene¡¯s. Serene was also involved in the matter, and no doubt Jason and Estre would have asked her for information. So, when Serene answered the phone, Holly cut straight to the 10 281 chase and arranged a meeting. ¡°Holly,¡± Serene greeted cautiously as Holly approached in the caf¨¦. Without beating around the bush, Holly sat down and went straight to the point. ¡°Jason and Estre are investigating the fire from back then. They must¡¯ve asked you about it.¡± I Serene nodded gently. ¡°Yes, I told Estre everything I knew.¡± Holly asked, ¡°Jason never mentioned it before. What made him start investigating all of a sudden? You¡¯ve been his secretary for so many years, do you know why?¡± Serene replied, ¡°I made an agreement with Estre.¡± She then exined her alliance with Estre to Holly, believing that since Holly was directly involved and also a victim, they should share clues to solve the case faster. Holly¡¯s expression changed several times during the conversation, and finally, she stared at Serene and asked, ¡°So you¡¯re the one who started all this?¡± Holly was wondering why Jason suddenly investigated this matter. It turned out that Serene was the one who instigated it. Feeling the tension from Holly¡¯s gaze, Serene exined nervously, ¡°I talked to Estre about it.¡± She added, ¡°Holly, you¡¯re a victim too. If the fire was arson, you¡¯d surely want to catch the perpetrator.¡± Holly was almost amused by anger. ¡°Serene, you sure know how to pick your allies,¡± she scoffed. Holly was torn. She didn¡¯t want to give away too much information, a move that could potentially upset Jasonter on. And, despite the nagging unease she felt about Serene¡¯s role in all this, Holly decided it s time to leave. So, after paying for their coffees, she quietly left the caf¨¦. Driving away, gripping the steering wheel, Holly seethed at the thought of Serene stirring things up and even helping Estre get a divorce-something she herself had failed to influence. It seemed she had underestimated Serene these past years. But as she drove, Holly¡¯s anger faded into a smirk. Things were getting interesting. That evening, after tucking Isaac into bed, Estre¡¯s phone rang. It was Jason. ¡°Estre, I¡¯m back. Outside your house,¡± he said after she¡¯d answered. Estre threw on a jacket and stepped outside. She crossed her arms and eyed Jason, who was dressed too lightly for the chill evening. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be back the day after tomorrow? What brought you back early?¡± Jason opened his arms and pulled her into an embrace. ¡°I missed you,¡± he confessed. Enclosed in Jason¡¯s arms, Estre looked up at him, not pushing away, lost in the moment shared in the dim glow of her porch light. Their eyes locked, and Jason wrapped one arm around her waist while his other hand tenderly caressed her face. ¡°Miss me?¡± he whispered, his voice a soft rumble. escape, Estre gazed back at him, her lips parting to respond, but before words could Jason¡¯s touch glided from her cheek to her lips, leaning in to capture her in a frosty kiss. The chill of the night seeped into the moment; Jason¡¯s lips were as cold as the winter air, sending a shiver and goosebumps cascading down her spine. But as they continued, the cold gave way to a growing warmth between them. Estre didn¡¯t push him away. Instead, as the kiss deepened, Jason yfully nibbled at her lips and murmured, ¡°Let¡¯s head over to Waterfall Acres.¡± ¡°Stop,¡± Estre pulled back, breaking free from his embrace. ¡°Just stop.¡± She still remembered the aftermath of theirst escapade. It took days for her to feel herself again, days for the ache to fade. As she stepped away, Jason reached out, pulling her back into his arms. ¡°Then just let me hold you. I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡± Ever since they had opened up about the incident with the fire, Jason had developed a knack for being adorably clingy. Trapped once again in his embrace, feeling the weight of his chin on her shoulder, Estrell realized she was powerless against his charm. Since childhood, she had always been th weakest when it came to Jason¡¯s yful pouts and cuddles. Holding Estre close, Jason shared the hardships of his recent business trip in hushed tones. Then, lifting his gaze to meet hers, he said softly, ¡°I¡¯m going to go check on Isaac. Chapter 280 Estre quipped, ¡°Isaac¡¯s out like a light, what are you still doing up?¡± Jason replied with a wistful smile, ¡°I¡¯ve missed the little guy. Heck, I even dreamt I was piloting a chopper just to drop in and see him.¡± Estre found herself unable to resist those puppy dog eyes. Sensing her softened stance, Jason took her hand and guided her indoors as if he was bringing her home to the Nelson family estate. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Back in the bedroom, Isaac was sleeping peacefully. Jason bent down and nted at gentle kiss on the boy¡¯s forehead. Estre set aside the two presents Jason had brought, slipping off her coat as she remarked, ¡°The Lego set you picked out is too advanced for him. He can¡¯t y with that just yet.¡± Jason handed his coat to her, chuckling, ¡°I¡¯ll help him with it.¡± The three of them, in that moment, truly resembled a little family. Pulling up a chair beside Isaac¡¯s bed, Jason teased, ¡°Darling, our son¡¯s starting to look more and more like me.¡± Estre hung up his coat, shooting him a nce, ¡°Keep telling yourself that.¡± Jasonughed, pulling her by the wrist to sit on hisp. He nted a kiss on her and asked with a grin, ¡°Miss me?¡± As Estre fended off his wandering hands, Jason swooped in for another kiss, his right hand, now unopposed, crept higher up her waist, ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve grown a bit since I¡¯ve been gone.¡± Her grip tightened on his wrist, ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky. Get back to your ce.¡± Jason whispered against her lips, ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± It had been three years, and Jason¡¯s flirting skills had only sharpened. A brief silence from Estre was all the invitation Jason needed. As their lips met, she reflexively wrapped her arms around his neck. With a smirk, Jason scooped her up and headed for the bed. Gentlyid down, Estre propped herself up on her elbows, ¡°Go shower first.¡± Jason pinched her chin yfully, ¡°You just want to fall asleep before Ie back.¡± Without waiting for a reply, he nipped her nose ¡°Sweetheart, even if you do fall asleep, it won¡¯t work this time.¡± Estre, feigning disgust, pushed him toward the bathroom, and he left with augh. Jason emerged from the shower to find Estre seemingly asleep. He wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He slipped into bed beside her and kissed her tenderly. Of course, Estre was only pretending. His kisses trailed lower, and unable to hold back, Estre let out a soft moan, then chided half-heartedly, ¡°Are you ever going to let me sleep?¡± Now that she was awake, Jason perked up, his motions igniting a blush on Estre¡¯s cheeks as she clutched the sheets tightly. Finally, Jason returned to her lips, murmuring the question, and she responded with a passionate kiss. But they kept their movements subdued, careful not to wake Isaac sleeping in the next bed. At times, Estre had to bite down on Jason¡¯s shoulder to stifle her cries. The e next morning, Estre and Jason woke to find Isaac already up, gripping his foot and gazing at them intently. At the sight of them stirring, Isaac giggled joyfully. Isaac¡¯sughter was contagious; even Estre and Jason couldn¡¯t help but join in. After theughter subsided, Estre joked, ¡°I¡¯m starting to think I¡¯ve birthed a little simpleton who only knows how tough.¡± Jason didn¡¯t find that amusing, wrapping his arms around her from behind, ¡°Nonsense, our boy¡¯s the brightest.¡± As Isaac watched his parents banter, he just clutched his foot andughed even harder, clearly enjoying the show. Estre realized her son loved a good spectacle, teasing him, ¡°What¡¯s so funny, kiddo?¡± ¡°Mama!¡± Isaac called out, crawling toward Estre and burying himself in her embrace. Jason yfully pinched the boy¡¯s cheek, ¡°Buddy, that¡¯s my wife you¡¯re cuddling with.¡± Isaac just snuggled closer into Estre¡¯s arms in response. Not to be outdone, Jason quickly enveloped Estre in his arms from behind. The early morning turned into at tug-of-war for affection, with Isaac basking in the attention, assured that his mother¡¯s gaze was fixed on him. He felt like he was winning. As the yful struggle continued, Jason grew bolder, his arms around Estre bing less innocent. Estre, sensing his tant disregard for propriety, scolded with a stern look, ¡°Jason, have you lost your mind? Isaac¡¯s awake.¡± Jason kissed her neck, ¡°He¡¯s young, he won¡¯t understand Estre rolled her eyes, Jason, don¡¯t even think about a second round, and don¡¯t expect me to let you in at night anymore.¡± Jason responded with a kiss to her ear, silent. saac quickly kissed Estre¡¯s cheek, and the contest of wills persisted.. The bed shook with their antics, and Isaac found it even more amusing, bouncing and cheering them on. Estre was frustrated, rebuking Jason, ¡°Enough with the nonsense.¡± Jason hummed ambiguously, then suggested, ¡°Darling, let¡¯s have another little one.¡± Estre ignored him, regretting underestimating Jason¡¯s shamelessness once again. After Jason finished, Estre tried to rest, but Jason was still up, ying with Isaac, asking if he wanted a little brother or a sister. Watching the two boys beside her, Estre couldn¡¯t help but smile. Maybe having some help wasn¡¯t so bad after all. ¡°Estre, is Isaac up? I brought him¡­¡± Right in the midst of the family¡¯s joyful chaos, Autumn suddenly pushed open the door and stepped inside. Upon seeing the scene before her, Autumn froze, her eyes widening as she stood in the doorway. How on earth did Jason end up here? When did he arrive? And why in the world was hesin Estre¡¯s room? Autumn¡¯s mind was a whirlwind of questions, each one followed by a wave of embarrassment. They were all caught off guard, half-dressed. Isaac¡¯s little shoulder peeking out from his shirt. On the bed, Jason and Estre froze as Autumn pushed the door open. Both were cau like deer in headlights, while Isaac, with his sweet, cute voice, called out, ¡°Granny.¡± Chapter 281 Isaac¡¯s soft voice was thest thing Estre heard before she slid under the covers like a thief in the night. Wrapping herself up, she covered her head as if by not seeing Autumn, the awkwardness would disappear into thin air. At the sound of Isaac¡¯s call, Autumn snapped back to reality, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she gazed at Jason sprawled on the bed. ¡°Jason, how did you end up here? And without giving a heads-up?¡± If only she¡¯d known he was in Estre¡¯s room, she would have knocked and waited for a reply before barging in. Now, they hadn¡¯t officially remarried, and Isaac was still wreaking havoc on the bed. Autumn had no choice but to embrace the awkwardness and pick up Isaac. ¡°I¡¯ll take Isaac out. You two better carried Isaac out, she turned back to one up ande down for breakfast.¡± As she the kid¡¯s clothes as well. Once Autumn left, Estre kicked off the covers andnded a foot on Jason. ¡°What are you still gawking at? Get up!¡± Jason looked at herzily. ¡°Isaac said he wants a little sister.¡± Estre snapped, ¡°Jason, go to hell!¡± Cussing him out, she practically booted him onto the floor. He knew she couldn¡¯t resist his charms, and now he had her wrapped around his finger. Momentster, they headed downstairs for breakfast. Autumn kept rolling her eyes at Estre, making Estre feel so embarrassed she could hardly breathe. newspaper as if the Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Cole, on the other hand, was the picture of calm, casually reading the newspaper a morning¡¯s events were of no consequence to him. It wasn¡¯t until the maid served him oatmeal that he put down the paper, smiling at Jason, ¡°So, Jason, thinking of reconciling with Estre?¡± Jason replied earnestly, ¡°I do want to remarry Estre. We¡¯re going to make it work this time.¡± Cole¡¯s expression barely changed as he ate. ¡°You and Estre are like oil and water. I¡¯m not optimistic about you two. Plus, there¡¯s Isaac now.¡± Jason insisted, ¡°Dad, Isaac¡¯s not an issue. I want to give it another shot with Estre.¡± Cole remained unfazed. ¡°Still, I¡¯m not optimistic.¡± Cole¡¯sck of optimism was a clear sign of disapproval. Jason should have foreseen this oue when he asked Dorvold Group to step aside for Innovative Solutions Inc. three years ago. Before Jason could respond, Cole continued with a wry smile, ¡°Look, Jason, Estre can handle your drama without breaking a sweat. As for you, well, you¡¯d better consider if your can afford the toll.¡± Cole was essentially saying their family already had a grandchild, and the adults could y their games, but marriage was off the table. Staring at Cole and observing his indifference, Jason thought to himself, ¡°He¡¯s indeed a sly old fox. Ny percent of his daughter¡¯s personality must have been inherited from him.¡± As Jason stared, Cole turned to the maid. ¡°Our former son-inw loves ham. Why isn¡¯t there any?¡± The maid hurriedly replied, ¡°Sir, it¡¯s being prepared as we speak. It¡¯ll be served shortly.¡± With Cole¡¯s mention of ¡°former son-inw,¡± Jason felt a pang in his heart. Seeing his difort, Estre slipped the crust of her half-eaten cinnamon roll into his te as a token offort, while Isaac shared his unwanted egg yolk with him. if not inw. Jason looked at the two beside him-his wife and son in spirit if After breakfast, Jason got a call and had to rush out. Estre walked him to the door. In the yard, side by side in silence, Jason didn¡¯t speak. Estre patted his back, a gesture offort, urging him to consider her father¡¯s words. Without her constion, Jason might not have felt hurt, but her touch made him feel wronged, and he stopped to pull her into an embrace. He rested his chin on her shoulder, nuzzling her neck to express his sense of injury. Estre, amused and exasperated by his antics, turned to him. ¡°Jason, think about it. I have a son. I can handle the waiting game. You better decide if you¡¯re up for the challenge.¡± As her words hung in the air, Jason whispered softly, ¡°I am.¡± Not just for a moment, but for a lifetime, if need be-this was his greatest source of joy. Jason¡¯s voice carried a hint of neediness, and Estre chuckled before stepping back. ¡°Go on, get busy.¡± As she withdrew, Jason held her face in his hands and kissed her lips-a kiss full of longing for the days they¡¯d been apart. After their passionate embrace, Estre wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. ¡°If you don¡¯t leave now, my dad will be out here.¡± Their times of intimacy had left her lips sore for days. As the Maybach pulled away, Jason nced back at Estre through the rearview mirror, a smile gracing his lips. He had fought hard to get to this point. Opposition from Cole, or the whole world for that matter, wouldn¡¯t make him let go. Meanwhile, back in the vi, Cole had just settled into his study when his phone rang. His. face darkened at the caller ID. He didn¡¯t want to answer, yet he picked up the phone, knowing the call would onlye again otherwise. On the other end, the voice inquired, ¡°Cole, is Jason with you?¡± Chapter 282 Cole answered,¡±He just left.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s meet at the usual spot at noon,¡± the voice on the other end had said. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Cole grumbled in response, ¡°Okay.¡± Since the call was made, there was no backing out. Cole already had a nagging feeling he already knew what this was all about. At noon, Cole strutted into the cozy diner where Landon was already waiting. Spotting Cole, Landon hurried over with a warm grin, pushing a cup of coffee across the table. ¡°Cole, good to see you, man.¡± Cole took his seat with a nonchnt shrug. ¡°Cut the formalities, Landon. We¡¯re not at a business conference.¡± years of friendship, They were ssmates in high school and roommates in college. With years there was no need to be so formal. With a deep sigh, Landon got straight to the point. ¡°You¡¯re against Jason and Estre getting back together?¡± Cole leaned back in his chair, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. ¡°They¡¯re already divorced. What¡¯s this about second chances?¡± ¡°Cole, isn¡¯t it what we both wanted? For Jason and Estre to be happy together?¡± Landon¡¯s voice was almost pleading. Cole¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°That was your dream, not mine. Besides, I¡¯ve got a grandchild n Our family business has got a sessor. I don¡¯t care if Estre never marries. And let¡¯s be honest, you know exactly what kind of man your son is. Think I¡¯d let my daughter wal back into that fire pit?¡± In front of Jason, Cole had always been considerate, mindful of the younger man¡¯s pride. But with Landon, there was no need for pretenses. Landon apologized earnestly. ¡°You¡¯re right, Cole. I didn¡¯t raise Jason well enough. I promise to keep a tighter rein on him. Just give the kids another shot.¡± Landon¡¯s plea did little to soften Cole¡¯s stance. ¡°No deal. I won¡¯t agree to it.¡± As Cole¡¯s resolve became apparent, Landon¡¯s smile faded, and his expression grew somber. ¡°Cole, you can¡¯t just fulfill your own dreams and leave me hanging. Dorvold Group¡¯s got a sessor, but what about me? Besides, Estre and Jason seem to be getting along, and Jason adores Isaac.¡± Cole took a sip of his coffee, setting the mug down with a thud. ¡°Landon, you care about Jason, but can¡¯t you feel for Estre? Have you forgotten what she went through? You can call me selfish if you like, but I refuse to see her suffer again. She¡¯s doing just fine. now. Dorvold Group has enough to support her and Isaac for generations. She can do whatever makes her happy. And let¡¯s not forget, I¡¯ve given them chances before. Remember those fortune-tellers you brought to Estre? How did that turn out?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget. You¡­¡± Cole cut himself off. ¡°If you don¡¯t care for Estre, I will.¡± Landon insisted, ¡°How could I not care for her? When she married Jason, I did everything. to protect her. And you saw it, Cole. Estre liked Jason back then. She justcked an opportunity to take that step. I did so much just to help them live a better life, You, out of everyone, should know about my n.¡± Cole remained silent, and Landon continued, ¡°Let¡¯s not meddle in their affairs this time. Let them decide. If they choose to be together, we shouldn¡¯t stand in their way.¡± Landon hadn¡¯t expected to change Cole¡¯s mind today. He just needed Cole not to oppose the reunion. Cole gave no response. By now, he could see Landon¡¯s affection for his son was unshakable. He had never bowed to anyone, in business or in life, yet today he had. endured Cole¡¯s anger for his son¡¯s sake. Landon spoke up. ¡°All right, let¡¯s settle it this way. Let¡¯s have lunch now and not argue about this anymore.¡± As they walked to the parking lot after lunch, Landon turned to Cole, ¡°Cole, Isaac is Jason¡¯s child, right?¡± Cole bristled at the question. ¡°What now? Trying to im my grandson, too?¡± Then he added, ¡°No, he¡¯s not rted to Jason.¡± Landon quickly reassured him, ¡°I¡¯m notpeting with you. I was just asking. Isaac¡¯s yours, Estre¡¯s yours. I¡¯ll even throw Jason in. They¡¯re all yours.¡± Cole rolled his eyes and drove off, leaving Landon to chuckle and shake his head in resignation. Life, it seemed, was nothing but a series ofplications. Meanwhile, at the Waterfall Acres Hotel¡¯s rooftop buffet, Estre and Isaac were meeting with Jesse and Bryce. Estre and Jesse had arrived early, collecting a te of food each before Bryce stormed in. Without ceremony, Bryce grabbed a te and said between mouthfuls, ¡°Keith¡¯s driving me nuts, pushing me to go on blind dates. Estre, Jesse, you guys have to help me dodge this bullet.¡± Ever since Keith had given up on the tug-of-war between Jason and Estre, he had turned his attention to Bryce, bombarding him with calls like a man possessed, urging him to Bryce had that sinking feeling something was up, and sure enough, when he got home, it was pandemonium. Keith was hell-bent on ying Cupid, eager to see Bryce settle down. and spread the family roots far and wide. Upon hearing that, Bryce quickly made his escape, but peace was a stranger in the days. that followed. Lately, he felt like he was two steps from the loony bin, all thanks to Keith¡¯s relentless. pressure. With no other options, Bryce found himself begging for Estre and Jesse¡¯s help to get him out of this bind. The pair exchanged a look upon hearing Bryce¡¯s plea, clearly thinking he was desperate. enough to grab at straws. Anything but this, they thought. This whole thing wasn¡¯t exactly in their wheelhouse. Seeing them go silent after his spiel, Bryce stopped shoveling food into his mouth and fixed them with a stare. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t leave me hanging. Throw me a lifeline here. Or, I don¡¯t know, one of you could bite the bullet ande home with me to y the part.¡± Chapter 283 Bryce finished speaking, and Jesse and Estre remained silent. Off to the side, Isaac saw the three of them just staring at each other without a word. Clutching a burger that was bigger than his face, he let out a chuckle. Isaac¡¯s chuckle broke the standoff. Jesse scratched her cropped hair and said, ¡°I can help. you, and I can go back with you. But would your folks, your grandparents believe it?¡± After speaking, she nced at Estre. Deep down, Jesse was reluctant. After all, she could be asked for help with anything, from chasing down criminals to putting out fires, but settling down and starting a family? That wasn¡¯t her forte. When Jesse¡¯s eyes shifted to Estre, Bryce¡¯s gaze followed suit. I Estre, with a nonchnt tone, said, ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I could even bring Isaac to your family if you like, as long as you¡¯re not afraid of stirring up a ho¡¯s nest.¡± With that remark, Jesse¡¯s eyes returned to Bryce. Estre was right. Setting aside the fact that she had a child, the crucial point was that her ex-husband was Jason. If Bryce dared to bring her home, Keith might have given him a hard time he wouldn¡¯t have recovered from. Processing Estre¡¯s casualment, Bryce pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°I still want to live a few more years. Estre, you¡¯re off the list. I¡¯ll figure out another way.¡± In just a short span of time, Bryce had already imagined the chaos of bringing Estre home-a scene that no phrase could aptly describe, not even ¡®all hell breaking loose¡±. He also had two entric aunts who could drown him with their spitfirements as if they were on Broadway. So, it was back to the drawing board for him. Next to Estre, Isaac saw the three adults looking troubled and took another bite of his burger, giggling once more. Seeing this, Bryce reached over and broke off half of Isaac¡¯s burger, teasing, ¡°You little rascal, what¡¯s so funny?¡± At Bryce¡¯s question, Isaacughed even harder sneakily hiding the burger inside his shirt. Estre quickly intervened, ¡°Honey, that burger is greasy, why hide it in your clothes? If Bryce wants more, let him get his own.¡± Isaac, heeding Estre¡¯s words, took an earnest bite of the burger and nodded vigorously. Jesse then looked at Bryce and suggested, ¡°You¡¯re not getting any younger. Why don¡¯t you just listen to your grandpa and go on those blind dates? You might find someone suitable.¡± Bryce retorted, ¡°I¡¯m swamped with work. When do I have time for marriage or kids? And how well did it go for Estre after she got married?¡± Both Estre and Jesse chimed in unison, ¡°But I¡¯m a woman.¡± ¡°Estre is a a woman.¡± Bryce conceded, ¡°Exactly. I know how tough marriage can be for women, so I¡¯m not rushing into it.¡± At Bryce¡¯s enlightenment, Estre and Jesse gave him a thumb¡¯s up, impressed by his wisdom. Jokes aside, Estre began to think seriously, especially about Jesse and Bryce who would both be 27 the following year. Estre said, ¡°Jesse, Bryce, jokes aside, you guys aren¡¯t getting any younger. Especially Jesse, a woman¡¯s youth doesn¡¯tst long. It¡¯s time to think about settling down.¡± Upon this, Estre nced at them and added, ¡°If neither of you wants to date or listen to family arrangements, why not just pair up? At least you know each other well, and it keeps everything in the family.¡± ¡°Estre, stop it.¡± ¡°Seriously, don¡¯t make blind matches,¡± both protested in unison. Then, looking at each other and considering the prospect of being partners, they both got goosebumps and lost their appetites. Estre paused, thinking her suggestion was not bad, but neither agreed. She didn¡¯t push any further, only suggesting, ¡°Well, you guys figure it out, but just try to Isaac a little brother or sister for companysoon.¡± ¡°You might as well hope for your own second child,¡± they said again in unison. Estre gave them a look of disdain and saw them shake hands in agreement, as if to say they were on the same page. Watching their hands sp, Estre tapped each of them with her fork, causing a sharp pain that made them retract their hands quickly. However, the mention of a second child made Estre¡¯s heart skip a beat. She¡¯d forgotten contraception twice before, and she hoped there wouldn¡¯t be consequences. The three of them finished lunch with Isaac. Bryce returned to the office to continue working, while Jesse apanied Estre and Isaac to the children¡¯s y area in the department store to y. Watching Isaac and the other kids in their y session, Estre turned to Jesse and asked, ¡°Are you really not considering marriage, content to live like this forever?¡± With a smile, Jesse responded, ¡°I don¡¯t feel the urge to marry. Besides, what kind of man would be into someone like me, willing to be with me?¡± Damita and Melinda had criticized her so much for not being feminine enough that Jesse had lost confidence. She felt no man would truly like her and if anyone did want to be with her, it would likely be for her money. If that was what rtionships were all about, she¡¯d rather be alone. Estre wrapped an arm around Jesse¡¯s shoulder, patting it gently, ¡°Silly girl. You just have short hair. You¡¯re not actually a man. Grow your hair out if it bothers you.¡± Jesse shook her head, ¡°Not used to it, nor willing to grow it out for a man. They¡¯re not worth it.¡± Estre reassured her, ¡°Jesse, let¡¯s put the past behind us. You¡¯ll meet the right person.¡± In the past, her grandparents had set Jesse up with someone. Jesse, finding him quite handsome, agreed to give it a shot. But before they had many dates, Melinda lured the guy away. Since then, Jesse¡¯s enthusiasm for dating had cooled even further, convinced. that men were no good, with Bryce being the exception. Jesse mused, ¡°I¡¯ve mostly forgotten about the past, just like you. But I still think most men aren¡¯t worth it.¡± Estreughed, ¡°Not even Bryce?¡± Jesse rified, ¡°Bryce doesn¡¯t count.¡± With that, Estre stopped teasing her and looked up to watch Isaac and the other kids ying their games. As the evening shadows began to stretch across the bustling streets, Estre and Jesse were getting ready to head back home. Suddenly, Jason¡¯s call came through, inquiring about her whereabouts, Estre told him they were at the department store, prompting Jason to make his way over. Upon spotting Jason, Jesse casually slipped her hands into her pockets and quipped, ¡°Looks like it¡¯s family time for the three of you. I¡¯ll bow out and leave you to it-don¡¯t want to be the third wheel here.¡± Isaac, exhausted from a day full of adventure, had already surrendered to slumber in Estre¡¯s embrace. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Without any further ado, Jason greeted Jesse and then gingerly transferred Isaac into his ms, careful not to wake him. His movements were that of a seasoned pro in the art of child-carrying, prompting Jesse to offer a chuckle and apliment before hopping intol her own car. On the drive back, Estre mentioned, ¡°Mom¡¯s out tonight, got a reunion with her old ssmates. What are you in the mood for? I can call the maid and have her whip something up.¡± ncing at Estre through the rearview mirror, Jason replied with a hint of warmth, ¡°Jesse already pegged us as a family unit. Let¡¯s head back to Waterfall Acres. Tonight, I¡¯ll put on the chef¡¯s hat and cook for you and Isaac.¡± Chapter 284 Estre said, ¡°Stop fooling around.¡± Jason had always dreamed of a cozy family life with Estre and their little one. So, even without her explicit consent, Jason had brought them back to their home in Waterfall Acres. After tucking Isaac into bed for a nap, Jason tied on an apron and got down to business in the kitchen. Estre, leaning against the doorframe with an apple in hand, couldn¡¯t help but watch, amused by the domestic scene. He filleted the fish with the skill of a seasoned chef and chopped the veggies with equal dexterity. Three years ago, Estre knew Jason could handle himself in the kitchen, but she hadn¡¯t expected him to be even more adept with time. When Jason returned to the stove to stir-fry, he caught Estre¡¯s gaze and teased, ¡°Trying to steal my cooking secrets?¡± Estre couldn¡¯t help but admire hispetence as she responded, ¡°You¡¯re quite the handyman.¡± Closing the distance between them, Jason leaned in and nted a kiss on her lips, ¡°I¡¯m even handier in bed, just you wait til after ¡ª¡± Before he could finish, Estre yfully stuffed the other half of her apple into his mouth, ¡°Focus on cooking, will you? Less talk, more action.¡± Jason chuckled at her feistiness, ¡°Ms. Estre, you cut me off, but you already knew what I was going to say-a seasoned pro, aren¡¯t you?¡± After polishing off the apple, Jason pulled her into another kiss, with a triumphant twinkle in his eye. Estre adjusted her blouse and retorted, ¡°Seems you¡¯ve forgotten who taught you everything. Showing off in front of me?¡± Back in the day, she considered herself to be the wild one, and Jason, the innocent. Now, it seemed he had surpassed the teacher, shamelessly so. He arched an eyebrow yfully, ¡°Maybeter we can have a little ¡®practice session.¡± Estre rolled her eyes, ¡°Get on with the cooking. My son¡¯s hungry.¡± After nting another kiss on her lips, Jason went back to his culinary duties, whistling a cheerful tune. Isaac awoke just in time for dinner. Jason had prepared with a light touch, knowing their child¡¯s pte. But he also knew Estre¡¯s love for a bit of spice, so while Isaac got a gently steamed fish, Estre received a dish packed with vor. 09.04 As Isaac called out for his mother, Estre felt a warm glow at the sight of her son livening up in the presence of her and Jason, his appetite hearty as he praised Jason¡¯s cooking. The mostforting thing for Estre was seeing how Isaac had grown taller and more outgoing, even holding hands with a little girl at the yground that afternoon. Her heart swelled with pride. After finishing the meal, Estre wanted to clean up the dishes, but Jason didn¡¯t want her to, so he cooked the meal, took care of Isaac, and washed the dishes himself. With the kitchen spotless, he took Isaac for a bath, theirughter echoing from the bathroom. Estre found herself smiling. Jason¡¯s efforts made it almost seem as if they had never been apart, and he had been there to watch Isaac grow up all along. Once Estre finished up her work, she found Isaac already fast asleep. Jason had tucked the child into the adjacent bedroom, leaving the doors to both rooms ajar. Turning to Estre, still seated at her desk, Jason wrapped his arms around her from behind, ¡°Honey, all done with your work?¡± She looked back at him, noticing the redness in his eyes from the day¡¯s fatigue and smiled, ¡°Just finished.¡± Their eyes locked, and Estre, acknowledging his hard work that day, softly said, ¡°Thank you for today.¡± She knew all too well the exhaustion of caring for a child alone. Jason closed his eyes with a gentle sigh, ¡°For my wife and son, it¡¯s nothing.¡± She knew Jason had a silver tongue, perhaps even more persuasive than her own. After a brief embrace, Estre suggested, ¡°You should rest.¡± ¡°But resting means I can¡¯t hold you or watch you,¡± Jason protested. Estre smirked at his attempt to be charming. Giving in to another hug, sheined yfully, ¡°You¡¯re making my shoulders sore.¡± Jason then tried another angle, ¡°After such a good performance today, don¡¯t I deserve a little reward?¡± Estre huffed, recognizing his true intentions, yet she didn¡¯t call him out. Instead, she pecked him on the lips, ¡°Here¡¯s your reward.¡± Jason¡¯s brows knitted together in mock disappointment, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°What else did you expect?¡± Estre said, her stance clearly implying no more shenanigans tonight. Jason didn¡¯t push, nor did he try to seduce her further. He simply let go and flopped onto the bed, ¡°I¡¯m beat. How about a shoulder rub?¡±. 00:04 Seeing how hard he¡¯d worked all day on her behalf, Estre couldn¡¯t refuse. She rolled up her sleeves and began to knead his tired muscles. Jason hummed contentedly, ¡°Your touch is magic. You¡¯re good at everything you do.¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Estre stayed silent, focusing on easing the tension from his shoulders. Then, in a soft voice, Jason asked, ¡°Did you have lunch with Bryce and Jesse today?¡± The night was tranquil, snowkes beginning to drift silently outside while warmth enveloped the room, creating a cozy atmosphere. Estre confirmed, ¡°Yeah. Bryce has been so busytely. It¡¯s been a while since the three of us caught up.¡± ¡°Bryce must be swamped,¡± Jason mused, not mentioning that he had a hand in Bryce¡¯s busy schedule by setting up several projects for him. Thest thing Jason wanted was for Bryce to have free time to bother Estre. Estre casually shared. ¡°Bryce mentioned Keith¡¯s driving him nuts with all this matchmaking business. At lunch, Bryce even asked Jesse and me to help figure out who could pretend to be his partner to appease his family.¡± Jason tossed thement aside with a nonchnt wave of his hand, ¡°As if anyone¡¯s going to buy that story.¡± Estre chimed in with a yful smirk, ¡°Tell me about it.¡± It had been three years since they¡¯dst caught up like this, and Jason felt a warm nostalgia blossom in his chest, while Estre also seemed genuinely happy by their conversation. Then, with a curious tilt of her head, she prodded Jason further, ¡°You know, if Bryce ended up with Jesse, it wouldn¡¯t be the worst thing. At least it¡¯d keep it all in the neighborhood, so to speak.¡± Bryce and Jesse? Jasony sprawled on his bed, motionless, a chuckle bubbling up just thinking about the two of them as an item. ¡°If those two hooked up, it¡¯d be the stuff of sis,¡± he snorted. Estre replied, ¡°Comedy, farce-I don¡¯t care, as long as it¡¯s not a tragedy.¡± Seeing Estre gossiping like they were kids again brought a secret joy to Jason¡¯s heart. He leaned in, conspiratorially, ¡°Let¡¯s not fret over their drama. We¡¯ve got our own fish to fry.¡± Chapter 285 Estre chuckled, ¡°What could possibly be up with us? It is what it is.¡± Jason rolled over to face her and quipped, ¡°Honey, don¡¯t just focus on my back, work the front a bit too, will ya?¡± Jason turned over, leaving Estre momentarily at a loss. She raised her hand and gave his chest a yful p, saying, ¡°Behave.¡± Jason caught her hand in his, ¡°How about a little hand and arm massage?¡± Estre made a face of mock disgust, but still took hold of his hand, giving it a half-hearted knead. 1 By the time she had worked her way from his palm up to his arm and shoulders, Estre even took care to massage the nape of his neck. ¡°Roll back over, it¡¯s easier that way.¡± Jason was tired, and Estre could feel the tension in his muscles. Instead of rolling back, however, Jason wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her onto him. ¡°This way is morefortable for you.¡± Estre sat astride Jason¡¯s hips, her expression dark, and she chuckled, ¡°Jason, which fancy spa have you been visiting? Which masseuse taught you this?¡± It was clear to Estre that the massage was just a front for his yful advances, a ploy to have her cater to him. Jason gently kneaded Estre¡¯s hands and said, ¡°Every day is a whirlwind. Got no time for spas. Just wanted to take a good look at you.¡± After cing her hands on his shoulders, Estre pinched him hard enough to make a point, ¡°I¡¯ve been spoiling you.¡± As she was about to get up, Jason gently pulled her back down by the nape of her neck and drew her close for a kiss. His other hand guided hers down as he teasingly said, ¡°Babe, you¡¯re so good, I¡¯m all set even before you got here.¡± ¡°Jason, you¡­¡± Before Estre could finish her sentence, she was overwhelmed by his kiss. The next moment, he flipped her under him, kissing her face, her corbones, and tugging at her nightie¡¯s straps. Jason¡¯s tenderness was exquisite, prompting Estre to ask, ¡°Not tired anymore?¡± He didn¡¯t respond immediately, but after returning to her lips, he said, ¡°No matter how tired I am, I am never too tired for this.¡± With that, he stopped ying nice. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. While the two of them were lost in their passion, Isaac was sleeping soundly across the room, completely undisturbed. 09.01 After their storm of love had passed, Jason held Estre in his arms, utterly content with the life he had always dreamed of. Tucked in his embrace, a weary Estre nced at him, ¡°Next time, use protection.¡± Jason kissed her softly, ¡°Don¡¯t want any barriers between us,¡± and with that, he was on her again. Estre thought to herself. ¡°He just wanted his own pleasure.¡± Pinned down by Jason, Estre gasped, ¡°Handle the birth control yourself. You¡¯ve got experience.¡± Jason kissed her lips again, murmuring, ¡°Let nature take its course.¡± Three years ago, he had done everything possible to avoid pregnancy. Now, three yearster, he was hoping for it. How the table had turned. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± As Jason teased her, Estre moaned ambiguously, then stated, ¡°Jason, you know, a child won¡¯t tie me down.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Jason replied. With that, he kissed her again, and Estre, wrapping her arms around his neck, responded to his passion. In this department, at least, he certainly passed with flying colors. The next morning, Estre woke to find the world outside nketed in thick snow. Jason wasn¡¯t by her side. His and Isaac¡¯sughter drifted from the living room, full of cheer. Estrezily draped her arm over her eyes, sensing a pleasant atmosphere. After lounging in bed for a bit, she was about to get up when Isaac came in with a toy airne, excitedly reporting, ¡°Mommy, it¡¯s snowing!¡± Estre nced out the window, noting the heavy snow on the neighboring rooftops. She stroked Isaac¡¯s hair as Jason entered. ¡°You¡¯re up.¡±He kissed her cheek, ¡°Breakfast is ready.¡± Isaac also nted a kiss on her face, ¡°Time to get up, Mommy.¡± Jason, noticing Isaac trying to outdo him, kissed Estre again, dering, ¡°This is my wife.¡± Isaac defiantly kissed Estre as well, ¡°My mommy.¡± And so, the yful battle ensued, each iming their half of Estre with a kiss. With all the smooching, Estre sat bolt upright with a ¡°Enough!¡± Then she added, ¡°You¡¯ve covered my face in drool.¡± 00:01 Jason grabbed her chin and nted a passionate French kiss on her lips, leaving Isaac wide-eyed. Scrambling up with his little legs, Isaac cuddled into Estre¡¯s arms, wanting the same affection. Jason held Isaac back with a finger, ¡°Buddy, that¡¯s a no-go for you. Wait till you¡¯ve got a wife of your own.¡± When Jason forbade him, Isaac turned to Estre, who ruffled his curly hair, ¡°Sweetheart, that¡¯s how Daddy kisses Mommy. You just give mommy a kiss on the cheek.¡± Isaac hugged her neck and nted a long kiss on her cheek. In these warm moments, Estre nearly forgot all about the past troubles and the conflicts she had with Jason. Soon after, once Estre was ready, Jason took her and Isaac downstairs to y in the snow. It was winter break, and the courtyard was bustling with kids. Isaac was no longer shy, and with his parents by his side, he eagerly mingled and tried to make friends. While other kids had a snowball fight, Isaac dodged and weaved, full ofughter. Watching Isaac¡¯s rare happiness and energy warmed Estre¡¯s heart. It seemed that Jason was doing a fine job as a father, and it was no wonder Isaac was bing more outgoing. Gazing at Isaac for a long moment, Estre noticed Jason¡¯s eyes resting on her. With a light-hearted chuckle, she said, ¡°Jason, thank you.¡± Estre¡¯s polite gratitude was met with Jason¡¯s arms wrapping around her from behind, his lips nting a gentle kiss on her chilly cheek. ¡°It¡¯s the least I could do,¡± he murmured. While locked in Jason¡¯s embrace, Estre spotted some kids tossing snowballs at Isaac. Her voice vibrant with a mix of rm and excitement, Estre called out, ¡°Honey, turn. around! Don¡¯t try to catch the snowballs with your face.¡± At Estre¡¯smand, Isaac swiftly ducked, and the snowball sailed harmlessly overhead. Isaac¡¯s quick reflexes drew a burst ofughter from Estre, her smile shining bright and beautiful. Jason watched as Estre¡¯s nose turned a rosy red from the cold, and memories flooded back of a simr snowy day three years ago when she had taken a tumble. Pulling her in even closer, he whispered, ¡°Estre, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Every recollection of the past, every misunderstanding he had about her, gnawed at him with a twinge of guilt. Chapter 286 Estre leaned into Jason¡¯s embrace without a word, continuing to coach Isaac as if she hadn¡¯t heard his apology. And without him bringing it up, she had almost forgotten about 1. Good thing Isaac stayed. Good thing he had grown up. Otherwise, she would have resented Jason for life, they would have been at each other¡¯s throats, neither finding peace in their days. It wasn¡¯t until noon, when Autumn called to ask where Isaac had been taken, that they brought Isaac back home. Noticing Isaac¡¯s growing fondness for Jason, Autumn couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°Looks like you¡¯re a proper family now. Guess your dad and I are just spare parts.¡± Autumn¡¯s expression darkened, but a single call of ¡°Grandma¡± from Isaac turned her frown into a beaming smile. After lunch, as Jason took Isaac upstairs to rest, Autumn pulled Estre aside and asked in a hushed tone, ¡°Estre, what¡¯s the deal with you and Jason? Are you thinking of getting back together?¡± ¡°No,¡± Estre replied while collecting the wool that had fallen to the floor. ¡°I¡¯ve agreed to give him a six- month trial, that¡¯s all.¡±¡® Autumn listened, her brow furrowed in thought before she resumed her knitting, ¡°A trial¡¯s, alright. If it doesn¡¯t work out, at least there¡¯ll be no regrets. But Isaac really likes him.¡± She knew her daughter better than anyone. If there was even a sliver of hope, Estre wouldn¡¯t have suggested splitting up. The fact that Estre did meant she was probably done for good, with no room for a turnaround. Giving Jason six months was probably due to the many years they knew each other and the bond between their families. Once Estre had truly moved on from someone, she would never look back. Rolling up the wool, Estre said, ¡°Mom, Isaac has enough clothes. Plus, you can buy anything these days. You don¡¯t need to knit by hand.¡± Autumn kept on knitting, ¡°Can anything bought from a storepare to this? Can it carry my love?¡± With that, Estre stopped insisting, letting her mother do as she pleased. Meanwhile, upstairs in the bedroom. Jason was soothing Isaac to sleep. As he sat down, he noticed a bottle of pills on the nightstand, the box and the stic seal freshly discarded, obviously something Estre 09.04 had just opened. Thinking it was medicine for Isaac or Estre, he picked up the box, but his expression instantly changed at the name on the medicine bottle, Thebel read ¡®Birth Control Pills.¡¯ Estre was taking precautions. They had talked about it the night before, and he had said to let nature take its course, but she had taken measures regardless. Holding the pills, a mix of emotions swirled inside Jason, leaving him feeling tight in the chest and ufortable. He had thought that after everything, their rtionship was on the mend, and she was slowly epting him again. But he had thought too much. He hadn¡¯t insisted on a DNA test for Isaac because he trusted Estre and was willing to treat Isaac as his own, but he also longed for another child. Not just to have a child, but to give Estre the support he hadn¡¯t provided her in the past, to be there during the pregnancy, the birth, the upbringing, to hear their child¡¯s first words together. Now, that dream seemed shattered by that bottle of birth control pills. He had almost forgotten that once Estre had truly closed her heart to someone, it was almost impossible to get back in, even if they maintained a rtionship on the surface. ¡°Is Isaac asleep?¡± Estre¡¯s voice broke the silence as she entered the room, noticing Jason holding the birth control she had just opened. She walked in nonchntly, and Jason stayed quiet. Estre picked up the pills with a chuckle, and teased, ¡°What, you want to try them out? Don¡¯t be shy, go ahead.¡± Her casual demeanor made it hard for Jason to bring up the topic. At that moment, he felt he had no right to ask her to have another child with him. She ced the pills back and mentioned, ¡°Don¡¯t you have a meeting this afternoon? I need to stop by the office too.¡± Standing up, Jason offered a ride with a hint of detachment in his tone. The car ride was silent, filled with unspoken tension, a stark contrast to their usual banter. Once they reached herw firm, Estre stepped out of the car without their customary kiss goodbye. Jason simply grunted an acknowledgment, letting her go. Estre walked into the building without looking back. Watching her disappear, Jason¡¯s difort grew. He understood her, knew their rtionship was still fragile, but his heart ached nheless. Jason remained stationary, even after Estre¡¯s figure had vanished from his sight. His thoughts were consumed by a memory from three years prior, when he had taken 00.01 contraceptive measures in secret. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how Estre must have felt back then. At that time, they were a perfectly normal married couple, and she was his wife, his Mrs. Nelson. He sat lost in thought downstairs. It was only when Drew¡¯s call came through that Jason shook himself back to reality and started the car, heading back to the office. In the evening, Estre received a text from Jason. He was going on a business trip for a few days. Her reply was a simple [Okay.] After that text message, the two of them didn¡¯t have any contact for the next few days. Jason didn¡¯t reach out, and Estre certainly wasn¡¯t going to. It was as if he had vanished from her life. Estre didn¡¯t overthink it. If Jason was giving up, it was a relief. She wouldn¡¯t have to deal with him anymore. The silver lining amidst the storm of Jason¡¯s disappearance was that Isaac¡¯s mood remained remarkably stable these past few days. He didn¡¯t fall into his old habits of refusing meals or retreating into silence. Isaac did, however, keep muttering about Daddy. Estre, opting for honesty, exined to him that Jason had gone on a business trip. On Saturday, while Estre and Isaac were taking a nap at home, her phone, ced by the pillow, vibrated. Estre was lost in the depths of slumber, and didn¡¯t catch the sound, but it was enough to stir Isaac from his dreams. Blinking awake, Isaac noticed the persistent glow and vibration of Estre¡¯s phone. He mbered up the bed, poked Estre¡¯s arm and whispered, ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°Mommy!¡± ¡°Mommy, your phone¡¯s ringing.¡± 00-03Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Chapter 287 Isaac¡¯s voice broke through the sleepy haze, prompting Estre to groggilye to, her voice a tender murmur, ¡°Sweetheart, be good,¡± as she reached for her ringing phone and answered with a sleepy ¡°Hello?¡± On the other end of the line was Bryce, his voiceden with defeat. ¡°Estre, I don¡¯t have anywhere to go. Can you let me into Waterfall Acres?¡± Estre¡¯s heart sank a touch at the sound of Bryce¡¯s voice, but she quicklyposed herself, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Bryce sighed, ¡°I refused to go on a blind date, and Grandpa kicked me out. Dad froze my bank ounts, and thepany¡¯s auditing. I¡¯m backed into a corner.¡± He never imagined that his refusal to date would lead the Nelson n to shut him out, with even Jason siding against him. That man was beyond low, pushing Bryce into the line of fire for his own selfish desires. When Bryceined to his mom, she retorted, ¡°Who¡¯s shutting you out? Who¡¯s using you? Shouldn¡¯t you know better at your age? Besides, we¡¯re just asking you to get married. Is that such a bad thing? You ungrateful brat.¡± With that, she tossed his belongings outside. So now, Bryce had no choice but to turn to Estre. Estre replied with blurry eyes, ¡°I¡¯lle over after I wake up.¡± Bryce protested, ¡°For heaven¡¯s sake, it¡¯s six already, and it¡¯s dark out. How can you still be asleep?¡± If it wasn¡¯t dark, if Jesse wasn¡¯t out of town, and if he had any other ce to go, he wouldn¡¯t be in such a sorry state. ¡°I¡¯ll be there,¡± Estre said, her eyes still closed. ¡°Bring my boy,¡± Bryce added before the line went dead. Estre hung up, noticing Isaac watching her. She pinched his chubby cheek then got up to prepare herself and her son to head to Waterfall Acres. The weather was chilly with the recent thaw, and when Estre found Bryce, his nose was practically frozen. She sized him up and down, ¡°With this weather, that¡¯s all you¡¯re wearing?¡± ¡°My mom didn¡¯t pack me clothes,¡± Bryce replied miserably. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know the passcode to my ce?¡± Estre remembered halfway there. ¡°I changed it three years ago to keep my brother out, and now even I can¡¯t remember it. Can¡¯t get past the fingerprint lock.¡± 08:46 ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wait in your car instead of standing out here like a statue?¡± The mention of the car made Bryce almost break down. ¡°My dad took it. Even siphoned the gas.¡± Estre had to admit the Nelsons were thorough, ¡°Blood rtives, indeed.¡± She nced at Isaac, ¡°Listen, kiddo, this is what happens when you misbehave.¡± Isaac wrapped his arms around Estre¡¯s neck ¡°I will be good.¡± Bryce, seeking warmth, reached for Isaac, ¡°Estre, let me hold my boy. I need to warm up.¡± Isaac squealed as their faces pressed together, and Estre, unable to watch, kicked Bryce. She tried to get inside, only to find herself unable to remember the passcode or unlock the door with her fingerprint. Fortunately, she had the keys to eventually open the door. Once inside and cozy, Estre ordered takeout. Bryce felt something was missing and then realized it was Jason¡¯s absence. If it were any other day, he¡¯d be here or at least calling. But today, it¡¯s like he¡¯s vanished. Sipping hot soup, Bryce turned to Estre, ¡°What¡¯s going on between you and him? Why has he suddenly disappeared?¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Estre brushed it off, ¡°He¡¯s on a business trip. Bryce pressed, ¡°That¡¯s not all, is it? Did you have a fight?¡± Estre briefly exined about the discovered medication and how there had been no contact since Jason left for his trip. Bryce considered this, then said, ¡°He¡¯s so impatient. He should¡¯ve realized that your rtionship isn¡¯t exactly on solid ground yet. You¡¯ve barely reconciled. You are in no position to have a baby,¡± He then added, ¡°And even then, Isaac is still so young. It would be better for both of you to wait a year or two if you¡¯re considering having a second child.¡± Taking a moment, he said, ¡°I guess my brother feels insecure, so he probably thinks having a child together would keep you with him.¡± At Bryce¡¯s unusual words today, Estreughed, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you today? You¡¯re not only refraining from driving a wedge between us but you¡¯re also defending him.¡± Bryce was half amused, half annoyed, ¡°What kind of ament is that? Do I really seem that bad? My words have always held context. If I suggested a split before, it¡¯s because my brother was being a pain. Now that you two have sorted out your misunderstandings and given he¡¯s been really making an effort recently, I have no reason to suggest a split anymore. Most importantly, Isaac recognizes him. I genuinely wish the best for you and Isaac.¡± 08.46 Before Estre.could respond, Bryce added, ¡°However, if my brother decides to call things off over this, don¡¯t feel regretful. Just carry on with your life as you would.¡± After Bryce had said his piece, Estre giggled, ¡°You¡¯ve certainly be a lot more level-headed over the past few years.¡± Bryce nodded, ¡°I guess.¡± But thinking of Jason leaving Estre in the cold, Bryce couldn¡¯t help but feel indignant on her behalf. With the cold weather, Estre decided to stay at Waterfall Acres, especially since Isaac always loved a change of scenery. That night, as Estre worked after her bath, Bryce kept Isaac entertained, and Jesse mentioned coming over from Ravenwood the next day. The sound of Isaac calling Bryce ¡°Daddy B¡± made Estre smile. Children do love their family bonds, and Isaac certainly had a soft spot for both Jason and Bryce. The following morning, as the three of them slept, a persistent knocking on the door jolted them. From the guest bedroom, Bryce, half-awake, saw Isaac sleeping peacefully next to him and called out to the master bedroom, ¡°Estre, someone¡¯s at the door.¡± ¡°Estre,¡± he called again. Bryce called out for Estre a few times, but there was no response from her end. Left with no choice, he dragged himself out of bed to answer the door. Yawning and assuming it was Jesse returning from his business trip, Bryce didn¡¯t bother with questions and simply flung the door open ¡°Hey, you¡¯re back early-¡± On the doorstep, the visitor was taken aback to find Bryce instead of Estre. To make matters more awkward, Bryce was decked out in Estre¡¯s pajamas and her fluffy slippers, with his heels peeking out the back. For a moment, the visitor¡¯s expression ran through an entire spectrum of colors, each more vivid than thest. Back inside, Bryce, having called out for Jesse without getting a reply, let out another yawn and finally opened his eyes wide. Chapter 288 Bryce opened his eyes to see a certain someone standing at the doorway, holding bags of groceries, toys, and gift boxes. The sight instantly banished Bryce¡¯s sleepiness, and his eyes widened even more. After the initial shock, Bryce quickly regained hisposure. He leaned casually against the doorframe, giving Jason a once-over from head to toe, with a yful grin, he teased, ¡°Jason, what brings you here?¡± He had half-expected it was Jesse returning from a business trip. Outside the door, Jason¡¯s face was as pale as a ghost. ¡°I could¡¯ve asked you the same thing.¡± he asked. It had been a week since Jason had been in touch with Estre, but as soon as hended, he¡¯d headed straight over to the Dorvold family residence. Autumn had mentioned that Estre had taken Isaac to Waterfall Acres, so Jason had picked up some groceries with the intention of cooking for them, but to his surprise, it was Bryce who answered the door, d in Estre¡¯s clothes. Needless to say, Jason was far from pleased. Bryce was unfazed, still leaning against the door with a look of mirth. ¡°How is that so? Isn¡¯t it you who¡¯s been giving E the cold shoulder, acting like you don¡¯t need her? I¡¯m just here to keep my E company.¡± Jason felt a tightness in his chest, anger bubbling up. ¡°When the hell did I ever stop caring about her? When did I say I didn¡¯t need her?¡± He¡¯d seen her birth control pills and, sure, he was upset, and a bit moody even, but he had never considered giving up on her, or ignoring her. He hadn¡¯t reached out to Estre first this time because he wanted her to soothe him like she used to. But she hadn¡¯t. Instead of pacifying him, Estre had yed her games, hiding Bryce in her home. At Jason¡¯s words, Bryce couldn¡¯t help butugh dismissively. ¡°If you haven¡¯t given up on my E, then why the attitude? Why disappear for days on end?¡± Jason¡¯s gaze got colder, and Bryce quickly made a cutting motion with his hand. ¡°Zip it, I¡¯ll zip it.¡± Changing the subject, Bryce nced at the bags in Jason¡¯s hands but made no move to take them. Instead, he called into the house, ¡°Yo, E, Jason¡¯s here. Time to get up.¡± Bryce¡¯s calls made it sound like he and Estre were the couple, and Jason was the outsider. Following Bryce into the house and witnessing his cocky demeanor, Jason¡¯s foot 09.13 connected with Bryce¡¯s behind in a swift kick, sending him stumbling, nearly toppling over. Bryce turned around, saw Jason¡¯s dark expression, and could barely contain his glee. He pushed his luck by saying, ¡°C¡¯mon, bro, no need to be a stranger. We¡¯re blood, after all. Keep it in the family, right?¡± Jason let out a snort. ¡°Blood, huh?¡± He then eyed Bryce critically. ¡°nning on changing out of those clothes and shoes anytime soon?¡± The thought of Bryce parading around in women¡¯s attire was beyond embarrassing for the Nelson family lineage. Bryce retorted, ¡°If I take these off, I¡¯ll be naked. I don¡¯t mind, unless you do.¡± The chill in Jason¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°Keep it up. Just keep it up.¡± As Jason spoke, he headed straight for the master bedroom. If he didn¡¯t know about Bryce and Estre¡¯s close rtionship, and if it were any other man, Jason might have thrown them out of the window a long time ago. ¡°E¡¯s still sleeping. You need something?¡± Bryce called after him, trailing behind. Jason turned, his expression frosty, and Bryce quickly backed up a couple of steps, hands raised in surrender. When Jason reached the space between the two bedrooms and saw that Isaac was still asleep in the second bedroom, where the floor was covered with his and Bryce¡¯s clothes, and the door to the master bedroom was closed, Jason¡¯s anger subsided a little. Unlocking the master bedroom, Jason entered and immediately locked the door behind him. The room was shrouded in darkness, the curtains tightly drawn. Estrey motionless on the bed. Hearing the door open, and sensing it wasn¡¯t Isaac, she furrowed her brows in irritation. ¡°Bryce, if you don¡¯t stop bothering me, I swear I¡¯ll smack you.¡± She¡¯d heard Bryce earlier when he called out for her, but had been toozy to respond. As her voice faded, Jason strode to the window and with a swift motion, yanked the curtains open. Light flooded the room, and Estre flung a pillow in the direction of the windows, shouting, ¡°Bryce!!¡± Jason caught the pillow and approached, flipping back the covers. That was thest straw for Estre, who sat up in bed, poised for a tirade. But when she saw Jason standing there with a stormy expression, her sleepiness vanished. Hadn¡¯t he been away on business? Hadn¡¯t he been ignoring her? So why was he here now? 09:13 Their eyes met, and after a long silence, Jason finally spoke. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to exin yourself?¡± Jason had managed to keep his temper in check, opting for a calm inquiry instead of an outburst. Estre scratched her head and yawned. ¡°It¡¯s exactly what you see.¡± Her nonchnce stoked Jason¡¯s fury. ¡°Estre you can¡¯t keep your cool? I leave for one trip, and you let Bryce in? Is it that you¡¯ll never reach out to me unless I do first?¡± Estre¡¯s mind was fuzzy, struggling toprehend Jason¡¯s barrage of questions. Jason grew even more infuriated at her silence. ¡°If you¡¯re serious and you really want to be with Bryce, just say the word, and I¡¯ll step aside.¡± Usually, Estre would rify things after a fight. But not today. As she remained silent, Jason couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she was ready to end their arrangement, and cut him loose from her life. Estre felt utterly bewildered, waking up to find herself used of wanting to be with Bryce. How had her morning turned so upside down?T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Looking up at Jason with a hint of impatience in her voice, Estre said, ¡°What the heck are you even talking about? What do you mean I want to be with Bryce? If I wanted to be with Bryce, you would be out of the picture a long time ago. Would you even be standing here talking to me?¡± Last night, Isaac was restless, and Estre had a few nightmares. Now Estre¡¯s head felt heavy and foggy, and she was finding it hard to keep her bearings. Her words seemed to ignite a spark of realization in Jason¡¯s mind, but his anger was still simmering. He retorted with irritation, ¡°So you don¡¯t want to be with him, but the moment I turn my back, you¡¯re taking Isaac to shack up with him?¡± Then he started to settle the score, ¡°Estre, I might not have been in touch these past few days because I was mad, but did you ever reach out to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been busting my hump out there, on the road for seven days, getting IV shots for six of them. Not a single call from you, not one ¡®how are you, and here I am, still worrying about you and Isaac. I hit the ground running from the airport, straight to the supermarket to pick up groceries.¡± At that point, Jason felt a wave of self-pity wash over him, his heart growing heavy with unvoiced grievances. He felt that Estre had now repaid, with interest, all the grievances he had caused her back then. Chapter 289 Jason imed he fell ill on a business trip, saying that he came to see her straight after getting off the ne and even stopped by the grocery store to pick up some provisions. Estre took a closer look at him. Indeed, hisplexion was off, and his eyescked their usual sparkle. For a moment, Estre felt a twinge of pity and asked him, ¡°So, what¡¯s up with you? Why have you been getting shots for six days straight?¡± Jason stared at her with a detached air and said, ¡°I¡¯m not going to die from it, so let¡¯s not change the subject. rify your own situation first.¡± He had the demeanor of someone who had caught his partner red-handed. Estre scratched her head, frowning, and replied, ¡°What¡¯s there for me to rify? Isn¡¯t this whole mess stirred up by your granddad and your uncle? If they hadn¡¯t cut off Bryce¡¯s ie and drained every drop of gas from his car, would he be so desperate as toe to me?¡± As she spoke, Estre eyed Jason suspiciously and asked, ¡°Jason, you didn¡¯t have a hand in this, did you?¡± At Estre¡¯s questioning, Jason felt a twinge of guilt, shoved his hands into his pockets, and avoided her gaze as he said, ¡°I was away on business. I knew nothing about it.¡± He didn¡¯t have the heart to tell Estre that he was indeed involved and deeply so. The sabotage of Bryce¡¯spany was his doing, otherwise, Keith and the others wouldn¡¯t have been so efficient. Nor did Jason reveal that he helped Keith for two reasons: one, as long as Bryce remained unmarried, he would constantly hover around Estre, which Jason didn¡¯t like. And two, if Keith and the others were preupied, they wouldn¡¯t meddle in his and Estre¡¯s affairs, meaning no one would pressure him into speed dating. All in all, Jason had his own little schemes in mind. However, it hadn¡¯t urred to him that his ns would backfire. After Bryce was dealt with, instead of surrendering to his family, he sought refuge with Estre. Jason couldn¡¯t bear to look at her, and Estre grew even more suspicious, pressing on, ¡°Jason, this seems like something you would do. And why can¡¯t you look at me?¡± Jason cleared his throat. ¡°My eyes are sore.¡± Remembering how pitiful Jason had looked earlier-iming he was sick and had been getting injections-Estre didn¡¯t press about Bryce. Instead, she asked, ¡°What about you? What¡¯s going on with these injections?¡± Jason turned away, his gaze falling softly on her as he asked, ¡°Have you really never considered getting together with Bryce, never thought about settling for second best?¡± 09:25 Estreughed helplessly and said. ¡°What do you mean ¡®settling for second best¡¯? As a divorced woman with a son, I am the ¡®second best¡¯ myself.¡± Estre didn¡¯t quite respond to his question, and Jason just kept looking at her silently. Estre tried to pacify him, ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about it, not once. Besides, Bryce is no different from Jesse in my eyes,¡± she muttered disdainfully, ¡°What is on your mind all day long?¡± If it hadn¡¯t been for Jason¡¯s sudden appearance, his long-winded exnations for his anger, and his efforts to cook for her and Isaac, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered with his misunderstandings. Although Estre was slightly annoyed, Jason felt a sense of relief. It felt like old times, with Estre still considering his feelings and willing to cajole him. After Estre exined, the two fell silent again. Then Jason confessed, ¡°I got sick from missing you, and I ended up on a drip for a few days.¡± Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh at the absurdity. ¡°Your stories are getting more borate.¡± Estre¡¯sughter prompted Jason to reach out and gently pinch her cheek. ¡°Heartless and ungrateful,¡± he teased. Just as Jason was about to lean in for a kiss, there was a noise at the door. Both turned to look, and Estre suggested, ¡°Go check the door.¡± Jason, expressionless, heeded her request and opened the door. Immediately, they saw Bryce and Isaac eavesdropping, with Isaac still barefoot. As Jason opened the door, both Bryce and Isaac tumbled against his legs. Jason looked down with distaste at Bryce and Isaac. Bryce was again involving his son in foolishness. Isaac, clutching Jason¡¯s leg and looking up into his eyes, blurted out, ¡°Daddy!¡± Jason¡¯s mood liftedpletely, and ignoring Bryce, he scooped up Isaac, ¡°Let¡¯s go, son. I¡¯ll make you some food.¡± Isaac, beaming in his arms, said gratefully, ¡°Thank you, Daddy.¡± At the doorway, Bryce remarked under Estre¡¯s gaze of disdain, ¡°Jason hasn¡¯t been doing too badly lately.¡± Bryce¡¯sment was barely finished when Jason¡¯s voice followed, ¡°Bryce,e here.¡± With that, he instructed Bryce to help out in the kitchen. Isaac was settled with a ss of milk and seated on a chair by the kitchen door to watch him cook, then Jason busied himself with the meal. Isaac was a model of good behavior, sitting still for two hours as Jason had instructed. He pped enthusiastically with each dish Jasonpleted, proiming, ¡°Daddy¡¯s so Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. 09:25 *********ed bbc show of support and said, ¡®Jason, MIN ofn Cakanth. Are you sure this son of mine was found¡¯ * 2**** skew med sloping his lips. He knew well enough that Jason was Nav not be taken lightly Any slip up, and Estre MXR Nee of them to sort out their rtionship XXXX4And called Estre to eat His tone still carried traces of NNNNNN cot up from the bed. As she sat down at the dining SANAWAR RAWAN as eve but even worse towards Bivce. Jason ****************potting his disdain palpable in every nce. At wy w in Jeserved Was reserved for Isaac Sebest to breathe too loudly silently eating their meal while WARNING JAWA for AWAO 42, 0xo her slumber, he headed to the master Exle Axaning casually against the doorframe, When Jason down the bathroom doo Estre couldn¡¯t help but tease him with a $30ax Whee Asad se something new? Don¡¯t be shy on my ount.¡± Jason simply gnored the A short whileter, he emerged freshly showered, to find Ning with me crossed over her chest leaning forward slightly. She (oked at him with grave short and asked Still mad? Chapter 290 Jason was in a huff. Estreughed and teased, ¡°Can¡¯t charm my way out of this one?¡± Jason turned around and pinched her chin, saying, ¡°If you really wanna make it up to me, let¡¯s go get our marriage license tomorrow.¡± Estre¡¯sughter filled the room. She knew it. There he was, making a mountain out of a molehill again, trying to talk her into making it official. Eyeing Jason for a moment, Estre said, ¡°Let¡¯s do it. Let¡¯s go get that license right now.¡± Jason¡¯s eyes lit up like Christmas lights. ¡°For real?¡± Noticing his little schemes, Estre couldn¡¯t help butugh and pinch his cheek. Jason, your little plots are written all over your face. You can keep dreaming about that license.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. With that, she withdrew her hand and flopped down on the bed. ¡°Stay mad if you want to. I¡¯m taking a nap.¡± Yawning widely, Estre pulled up the duvet and covered herself. When her drifted off without a fuss over him, Jason couldn¡¯t resist. Hey down beside her and enveloped her in his arms. ¡°You heartless thing, how can you be sleepy at a time like this?¡± His words from this morning weren¡¯t exaggerated at all. He did get sick and receive injections for six days during his business trip. He did go straight to the Dorvold family¡¯s ce after getting off the ne. It¡¯s true that upon hearing she was at Waterfall Acres, he immediately went to the supermarket to buy groceries. Jason pressed down on her, and Estre turned to face him. Just as she was about to wrap her arms around his neck, her phone rang by the pillow. It was her mom, Autumn. Estre answered, ¡°Hey, Mom.¡± From the other end, Autumn asked, ¡°Estre, have you and Isaac had lunch?¡± Then she added, ¡°By the way, Jason was looking for you and Isaac at the house this morning. Did he make it to Waterfall Acres? And tell him to buy less stuff for Isaac; we¡¯re running out of space.¡± Autumn filled her in on Jason¡¯s whereabouts during his trip, how he video-called Isaac every day, keeping the little guypany with chats and stories. Estre couldn¡¯t suppress a smile. So, she was the only one being ignored after all. After hanging up, she turned to see Jason still lying on top of her. She gently wrapped her arms around his neck and said with a hint of pride, ¡°Thought you were mad at me? Thought you weren¡¯t speaking to me? So why were you hitting up my son every day?¡± She had wondered how Isaac seemed so unaffected by Jason¡¯s week-long absence. She thought Isaac had just gotten over it, but it turned out Jason had kept in touch all along. 09:30 Even though Jason was upset with her, he still cared for Isaac. Looking straight into Estre¡¯s eyes, Jason said, ¡°He¡¯s my son too.¡± And with that, Estre pulled herself up and pressed her lips to his. Her initiative sent Jason over the moon. With one hand around her waist and the other cradling the back of her head, he deepened the kiss. This was the first time she had coddled him since her return, and the first time she had kissed him first. Jason was ted, feeling a breakthrough. Marriage is about give and take, about one person stepping back so the other cane forward. One person makes a move, the other reciprocates. That¡¯s how lovests. No one can always have the upper hand; no one should always yield. Everyone gets tired. Afterward, as Estrey motionless in Jason¡¯s embrace, he kissed her cheek and whispered, ¡°Darlin¡¯, I shouldn¡¯t get so worked up this time. Isaac¡¯s still young. We really can take our time thinking about having more kids.¡± He pulled her closer and continued, ¡°I was upset when I saw the medicine, really upset. But after a couple of days, I came around. We¡¯re young, and as long as I treat you right and you¡¯re willing to have me, we¡¯ll have plenty of chances for more kids in the future.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t contact you because I wanted you to soothe me. When you didn¡¯t call me and I got sick, my heart was heavy. Still, I couldn¡¯t stand not seeing you, even if you¡¯re as cold as ice. I had toe and see you, to cook for you.¡± Jason had be more expressive since their separation. Estre couldn¡¯t deny the flutter in her heart at his words. She looked up at him, saw the lingering sadness in his eyes, and leaned in for another kiss. As their lips met, Jason¡¯s joy was palpable, and he kissed her back with all his might. Now, Estre could see the change in Jason. He was more patient than he¡¯d been back in their school days, back when he was more carefree and less expressive. Estre could clearly feel his current concern for her. Whether someone cares about you or not depends on whether they are attentive to your emotions, thoughts, and their willingness to communicate or exin. If they neglect these aspects, you hold no significance in their heart. After their passionate embrace, the room¡¯s atmosphere grew even cozier. Foreheads touching, Estre murmured, ¡°I¡¯ll try to find my way back to the old me.¡± She used to care for Jason like this, wary of misunderstandings. But over time, she closed off, even if she still joked and yed with him. When she told Jason she would try, he rolled over and trapped her in his embrace, kissing and caressing her with a fervor. As he imed her, he whispered in her ear, ¡°Estre, I love you, so very much.¡± 09:30 Her response was their entwined bodies, their shared intimacy. Meanwhile, across the hall, Brycey on the bed with his legs crossed. When he locked eyes with Isaac, the little guy burst into giggles. Seeing this, Bryce ruffled the tot¡¯s curly hair. ¡°Silly, aren¡¯t you?¡± Isaac, clutching a toy ne, looked up at Bryce and said, ¡°Mommy, mommy.¡± Bryce¡¯s bouncing leg paused as he replied, ¡°Looking for mommy? She¡¯s busy making you a little brother or sister.¡± After saying this, he watched Isaac with a serious expression. ¡°Son, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s about time I start thinking about setting down? Should I get back in the game, maybe find you a Mommy B?¡± Isaac couldn¡¯t understand, but seeing Bryce waiting for an answer, he giggled again. Bryce shook his head, a wry smile hiding behind his exasperation. ¡°You little goofball, if you keep this up, you¡¯ll never find a girlfriend.¡± Instead of feeling scolded, Isaac¡¯sughter only grew, his eyes twinkling with mirth. Bryce couldn¡¯t help himself and shouted towards the bedroom across the hall, ¡°Hey, E, are you sure you didn¡¯t actually give birth to a little goof?¡± In truth, Isaac¡¯s IQ was off the charts, but as for his emotional intelligence, well, he was still too young for that to be measured. Chapter 291 As dusk settled over the household, Jason stepped out of Estre¡¯s room to find Brycezily sprawled on the floor, constructing a tower of Legos with little Isaac. With a poker face, he asked, ¡°Not nning on packing up and heading back?¡± Bryce nced up at Jason, his tone nonchnt. ¡°Head back where? The world¡¯s too big, yet there¡¯s no room left for me in it.¡± He paused, then dered, ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind. From now on, I¡¯m crashing at Waterfall Acres. I¡¯m gonna bunk with E.¡± As he spoke, Bryce turned towards Estre and yfully pleaded, ¡°E, you¡¯ll take care of me, right?¡± He quickly added, ¡°I can help you with your son, you know.¡± Since Jason and Keith had teamed up against him, then he would let Jason¡¯s wife take care of him. In any case, there¡¯s a countermeasure for every policy. Before Estre could respond, Jason kicked Bryce¡¯s arm with a swift move of his leg. Bryce, still sitting cross-legged on the floor, quickly shielded Isaac, fearing he might get hurt in themotion. Jason bent down and scooped Isaac into his own arms. Isaac beamed and called out, ¡°Daddy.¡± Isaac¡¯s sweetness brought a smile to Jason¡¯s face. He turned to Estre and remarked, ¡°Sweet talker, just like you.¡± Though he hadn¡¯t got the answer he was fishing for, Jason couldn¡¯t help but notice Isaac starting to resemble him, especially around the eyes and nose. Estre chuckled at Jason¡¯s observation but didn¡¯t tell him that Isaac¡¯s reticence was also a trait inherited from him. On the floor, Bryce watched the happy family scene unfold before him, and with a flick of his wrist, he tossed a Lego block aside in frustration. ¡°So it¡¯s just you three now, huh? I¡¯m the odd one out.¡± Estre nudged him lightly. ¡°Get up, you.¡± When Bryce nonchntly got up from the ground, his phone in his pocket started ringing ¨C a call from his assistant. ¡°Mr. Bryson, thepany¡¯s audit isplete, and everything¡¯s clear,¡± announced the assistant excitedly. A glimmer of hope shed in Bryce¡¯s eyes, and then his phone buzzed with several new messages. His bank ounts had been unfrozen. Bryce looked up at Jason and said with a hint of mockery, ¡°Jason, keep the freeze on, will you? Why are you in such a rush to let me off the hook?¡± He knew that neither his father nor grandfather could have acted so swiftly. It had to be 09:01 Jason¡¯s doing. Bryce¡¯s smugness was met with a cold stare from Jason, but Estre yfully pped his arm, reprimanding, ¡°Why are you meddling in this? If he gets frozen out again, you¡¯ll be the one who¡¯s going to support him.¡± Bryce put an arm around her shoulder with a grin. ¡°Hear that, Mr. Jason? Stir the pot again, and you¡¯ll be the one taking care of me.¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Before Jason could react, Isaac was already in an uproar, his shrill cry filled with indignation as he tugged at Bryce¡¯s arm, protesting his casual touch on Estre¡¯s shoulder. At Isaac¡¯s outburst, Bryce quickly retracted his hand, while Jason couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the scene. It seemed he wouldn¡¯t have to bother with Bryce himself in the future. As the four of them tangled in the living room, Jesse arrived. With Bryce¡¯s ounts unfrozen, Jesse drove him back to his ce, while Jason and Estre took Isaac back to the Dorvold estate. Autumn observed the three of them moving in sync, turning a blind eye as if oblivious to the undercurrents. After Landon had a talk with Cole, Cole¡¯s opposition wasn¡¯t as pronounced, yet he still harbored some difort and did not support their remarriage. Estre and Jason had regained a sense of normalcy and were jointly investigating the fire that urred seven years ago. Holly, on the other hand, grew increasingly anxious with each report of the couple¡¯s togetherness, struggling to maintain herposure. Each time she recalled Jason¡¯s harsh words-that if she were gone, no third party would know the truth- and each time she remembered being spurned by him, it felt as though a knife twisted in her heart, causing her endless distress. He had known Estre for more than twenty years, but in a way, he had known Holly for just as long. In the hospital, since the previous visit to the neurology specialist yielded no results, the two of them made an appointment with a renowned psychologist. They were determined to uncover the reason behind Estre¡¯s loss of those memories from that fire. The psychologist¡¯s series of questions and discussions triggered Estre¡¯s memories of seven years prior, and she underwent hypnotherapy to retrieve that elusive segment of her past. However, instead of recalling the fire, Estre¡¯s mind drifted back to the time when Jason and Holly¡¯s scandal hit the headlines. The most vivid memory from seven years ago was the argument with Jason, and the p he delivered that echoed through time. During the hypnosis, Estre¡¯s emotions plummeted. After uttering a few words, she curled up into a ball, withdrawing into herself, unwilling tomunicate with anyone around her. 213 09:01 Jason, witnessing Estre¡¯s vulnerability, found it difficult to breathe, his gaze never straying from her. He had never realized how deeply that fight had affected her, how a single misunderstanding could cause so much pain, and how that p nearly shattered their future. She had seemed so indifferent back then, hurling harsh words at him. The less she seemed to care on the surface, the more it mattered to her heart. His Estre wasn¡¯t as resilient as he had thought. She had cared so deeply for him, and loved him so much. Motionless, Jason watched Estre as shey there, coiled in distress. The psychologist gently informed him, ¡°That heartbreak from seven years ago left a deep impression on Ms. Estre, which is why this memory surfaced during the hypnosis.¡± ncing at the withdrawn Estre, the middle-aged doctor added, ¡°It¡¯s clear she loved deeply, and she is an emotional person. She¡¯s not the best at expressing her emotions and tends to be very amodating.¡± Taking the doctor¡¯s words to heart, Jason edged closer to the recliner and softly took Estre¡¯s hand in his. The psychologist quickly cautioned, ¡°Don¡¯t wake her. Let here around on her own.¡± Jason gently held her hand, staying by her side in the quiet of the room. It wasn¡¯t long before Estre¡¯s emotions began to settle, and she slowly emerged from the trance of hypnosis. Opening her eyes and spotting Jason sitting beside her with a serious expression, Estre immediately sat up. Jason caressed her cheek and asked, ¡°Awake now?¡± After she acknowledged him with a nod, Estre rubbed her eyes, revealing dampsh and a moistness on her face. The next second, as she touched her own cheeks, she w suddenly struck by embarrassment. What had she remembered after being hypnotized? What had she said? She had told him to leave, but Jason, stubborn as ever, chose to stay. Could she have carelessly revealed Isaac¡¯s identity? Trying to act nonchnt while wiping her face, Estre turned to the doctor and asked, ¡°Dr. Abigail, did I recall that missing part of my memory?¡± Chapter 292 In that moment, despite a lingering sense of mncholy, Estre maintained herposure with practiced ease. Hearing this, the doctor said, ¡°Ms. Estre, even though we¡¯ve just revisited a time from seven years ago, I regret to inform you that the fire you spoke of remains elusive in your memory.¡± She continued, ¡°Perhaps, Ms. Estre, the events you¡¯ve just recalled are more significant to you than the fire.¡± A shiver ran down Estre¡¯s spine as she looked at Dr. Abigail and asked, ¡°What did I remember just now? What did I say?¡± Dr. Abigail handed her a cassette tape. ¡°Don¡¯t be too anxious, Ms. Estre. This is the recording from our session. You can listen to it at home.¡± Confused, Estre took the tape. If she hadn¡¯t said much, why were there tears streaking her face, and why was Jason¡¯s expression so grave? As Estre epted the tape, the doctor added, ¡°There is another possibility. If you can¡¯t recall that memoryter on, it may have been deliberately erased through hypnosis. But we will need a few more sessions to confirm this theory.¡± At this, Estre turned to look at Jason. Erased on purpose? This new hypothesis from Dr. Abigail sparked fresh thoughts in Estre¡¯s mind. Jason held her hand, as if he too had stumbled upon a revtion. After briefly discussing with the doctor, they scheduled a follow-up appointment and Jason drove Estre back home. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. On the way back, Estre was quite busy, constantly answering phone calls. Vigers from Glimmering Lake reported that thepensation from Chemisphere wa received. Logan called to discuss work matters. Estre¡¯s former client Jo mentioned a friend going through aplex divorce involving a hefty estate, convoluted family ties, illegitimate children, andpany shares. Jo sought Estre¡¯s help with the case. Estre¡¯s head ached as she listened, but she agreed, ¡°Sure, Jo. Pass along my contact info to the person concerned, and we¡¯ll set up a meeting.¡± On the driver¡¯s side, Jason also fielded a few calls, but his matters seemed less fragmented than Estre¡¯s. Gripping the steering wheel, Jason stole a nce at Estre, who was handling her affairs with such grace and ease. His mind wandered back to the scene at the hospital, to the things she revealed under hypnosis. 09.01 After Estre had drifted off, Dr. Abigail had asked what happened that year. Estre¡¯s frown deepened, and her mood plummeted. ¡°I thought Jason was in love with me,¡± she had murmured. ¡°He didn¡¯te for me. He didn¡¯t look for me.¡± After that, she fell silent, only her tears speaking volumes, dampening her clothes and the chair beneath her. Back then, when she had agreed to the marriage, Kristin had assured that Estre¡¯s affections were genuine. It was merely a step to validate their love, given that he too had consented to the family¡¯s wishes. But at the time, he was blinded by the harsh words and cold dismissals she had given him. He couldn¡¯t believe Kristin¡¯s ount, thinking Estre¡¯s consent was mere superstition and that he was nothing more to her than a means to an end. Now, it was clear to everyone but him. After hanging up with Jo, Estre put down her phone and noticed Jason¡¯s pensive mood. She teased, ¡°Why are you so gloomy? Did my harsh words earlier strike a nerve?¡± Without waiting for a response, she quipped again, ¡°Or did I say something under hypnosis that knocked you sideways?¡± Her teasing only intensified Jason¡¯s guilt. He reached for her hand, ¡°No.¡± He wished she had been harsh. He would rather be hurt than see her in pain. Squeezing her hand, he looked at her again, ¡°Your acting had me fooled.¡± From then on, he vowed to trust nothing else but the fact that Estre loved him, and she truly held him in her heart. Estre felt a pang of guilt but managed to muster a half-hearted smile, still wondering what she might have revealed while hypnotized. Jason¡¯sughter broke through her doubts. ¡°Rx, even under hypnosis you were tight-lipped. You didn¡¯t spill any secrets.¡± ¡°Really?¡± she asked, relieved. With a hint of disdain, Jason replied, ¡°You barely said a few words. You didn¡¯t expect to unveil some earth-shattering secret, did you?¡± With that assurance, Estre brushed off her concerns and brought the conversation back to Dr. Abigail¡¯s hypothesis. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible? Could someone have really erased my memories?¡± Jason¡¯s voice was firm, ¡°Whether you remember or not, I¡¯ll uncover the truth.¡± Estre joked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯m actually plotting against you? That all this time I¡¯m just putting on an act?¡± 03 at s He met her gaze, ¡°If you want my life, it¡¯s yours, His profound look made Estreugh. Theughter faded, and they continued the drive infortable silence, with Estre¡¯s hand in Jason¡¯s. The thoughts of her hypnosis session lingered with Jason as they drove. Soon, they arrived at Isaac¡¯s preschool, where Autumn had already picked him up. Spotting Estre and Jason, Autumn quickly handed Isaac over, ¡°I¡¯ve got a ss reunion tonight, so I¡¯m leaving Isaac with you guys.¡± Before they could react, Autumn was off in her Mercedes, leaving Estre and Jason with their bundle of joy. ncing over at Jason, who cradled Isaac in his arms, Estre remarked with a hint of jest, ¡°Looks like my mom¡¯s got life easy now that she¡¯s got an extra pair of hands around.¡± Not so long ago, Autumn had been all about Isaac, never leaving his side or wanting to go anywhere. But since Isaac had taken a shine to Jason, Autumn had loosened her grip and let them spend time together on their own. With one arm wrapped around Isaac and the other holding Estre¡¯s hand, Jason announced, ¡°Let¡¯s head back to Waterfall Acres.¡± Autumn trusted Estre and Isaac with him, and Jason couldn¡¯t be happier. After making dinner for Estre and Isaac, and putting Isaac to sleep around nine in the evening, Jason finally had the chance to rest. He walked up behind Estre and embraced her. Resting his chin on her shoulder, he gently closed his eyes, savoring the affection and tranquility of the moment. Estre turned to catch his gaze. ¡°Next time, don¡¯te to Waterfall Acres. Stay home where someone can look after you.¡± He was working hard, and then he had toe home to cook and take care of Isaac. She was tired just thinking about his day. After her words fell, Jason tightened his embrace and nuzzled her cheek, murmuring softly, ¡°You worried about me?¡± Chapter 293 Estre cast a sidelong nce at him over her shoulder. Jason just nestled his face close to hers and closed his eyes again. Estre didn¡¯t push him away. She let him embrace her in silence until she felt his weight almost slump onto her shoulder in slumber. She whispered softly, ¡°If you¡¯re tired, go take a shower and hit the hay.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Jason murmured with his eyes still closed, then after holding her for a moment longer and nting a kiss on her cheek, he grabbed his clothes and headed to the bathroom. Their recent time together really did have the genuine feel of a young couple managing the daily dance of family life. With Jason in the shower, Estre went to check on Isaac, who was spread-eagled and sleeping soundly. She gently stroked his forehead, her face beaming with contentment. After watching Isaac for a moment, Estre remembered she hadn¡¯t yet listened to the tape from her therapist Dr. Abigail. With that, she returned to the master bedroom. ¡°Estre, has anything been happeningtely?¡± Dr. Abigail¡¯s voice was soft, but Estre fell silent. After a long pause, she finally spoke with a tinge of loss, admitting she thought Jason had feelings for her. Then she fell silent again after mentioning Jason hadn¡¯t reached out to her. Her breaths were quiet, her sobs even quieter, yet she could hear her own emotions, the sound of her own weeping. Suddenly, Estre felt awkward. No wonder she woke up with tear-stained cheeks, and Jason¡¯s eyes were red. Even though she had said so little under hypnosis, those few wordsid bare her old feelings for Jason, stripping herself emotionally naked for him to see. She ran a hand through her hair in frustration. Why did she have to remember that? Now she had no secrets left. She had never confessed her feelings to anyone, not even to Bryce or Jesse. Yet here she was, years later, with her emotions excavated by someone else. Listening to her own soft sobs, Estre turned off the tape recorder, pulled out the tape, just as Jason came out of the shower. Jason paused mid-step and towel-drying, then he set the towel aside and approached her. Trying to act nonchnt, Estre asked, ¡°You¡¯re done?¡± 13:21 As her words hung in the air, Jason took her hand and pulled her into his embrace. Estre didn¡¯t resist. Time and the world seemed to stand still, as if they had been transported back seven years. ¡°We were too young back then,¡± he said. That year, Estre was 19, and he was 22. Resting her chin on his shoulder, Estre replied, ¡°It¡¯s all ancient history now. I hardly remember it.¡± ¡°I never realized I was so important to you, and I never knew you liked me that much,¡± Jason confessed. Estre looked up at him with feigned annoyance. ¡°Cut it out, don¡¯t tter yourself. Like you, huh? I was just young and-¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Jason¡¯s hands cradled her face and he brought his lips down to hers. Jason¡¯s lips were soft. He knew how to kiss, making it afortable experience. With his kiss, Estre found herself losing control, stepping back instinctively and wrapping her arms around Jason¡¯s waist. Jason remembered her vulnerability in the hospital earlier that day, and deepened the kiss. Estre¡¯s hands, which had been casually resting on his waist, now wrapped around his neck without her even realizing. As she had said, at her age, she couldn¡¯t resist this kind of temptation. Jason, feeling a surge of tenderness, lifted Estre andid her on the bed. ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on the past,¡± Estre whispered softly as Jason caressed her. Jason kissed her lips again, gently peeling her clothes away as he said, ¡°Estre, can you still like me the way you did back then?¡± Estre closed her eyes, embraced his neck, and surrendered to the warmth of the moment. Meanwhile, Holly had been mulling over things for days. After she witnessed Jason and Estre were getting, and found out they had seen two doctors, including a psychologist, she called Serene for a meeting. The next morning, as Serene sat across from her, Holly idly stirred her coffee and asked, ¡°Serene, has Estre reached out to you? Has she told you the truth about that big fire?¡± Serene shook her head, ¡°Not yet. She¡¯s been pretty busytely.¡± Holly chuckled with a hint of sarcasm. ¡°Maybe she¡¯ll never uncover the truth. Perhaps 213 13:21 she¡¯ll never tell you.¡± Serene¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°That can¡¯t be. Estre is awyer. Investigation is her specialty.¡± Holly¡¯s gaze pierced into Serene, motionless for a long while before asking, ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever wondered why I¡¯d say that? Why, after seven years, hasn¡¯t Jason uncovered the truth? Or do you think he¡¯s not capable?¡± Confused by Holly¡¯s insinuations, Serene inquired, ¡°What are you getting at, Holly?¡± Without a word, Holly grabbed a file folder from the side and tossed it in front of Serene. ¡°Inside, you¡¯ll find the truth you seek. This is why Estre hasn¡¯t contacted you, and why Jason hasn¡¯t pursued the reason behind that fire after all these years.¡± Stunned by the folder thrown before her, Serene¡¯s shock was palpable. After staring incredulously at Holly for a long moment, noting herposure, Serene finally picked up the folder in front of her and cautiously opened it, extracting the evidence within. Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. As she confronted Holly¡¯s irrefutable evidence, all pointing towards Estre, Serene, frightened, threw the papers down, shaking her head in denial. ¡°Impossible! Estre couldn¡¯t have set that fire. Jason was in there. She couldn¡¯t have done such a thing.¡± In a heartbeat, Serene¡¯s face turned as pale as a sheet. As Serene tossed the incriminating evidence aside, Holly couldn¡¯t help but let out a wry chuckle. ¡°Impossible? If it¡¯s so impossible, why hasn¡¯t Estre shown up to confront you? And Jason, why hasn¡¯t he dug deeper into this matter?¡± Before Serene could utter a response, Holly pressed on, ¡°And another thing, Serene, do you really think Jason has been looking after you all these years out of gratitude for saving his life? He¡¯s just been atoning for Estre¡¯s sins. He¡¯s kept you close to keep tabs on you, fearful that you might uncover the truth about what happened all those years ago.¡± Chapter 294 Staring at Holly, Serene was too shocked to speak. How could this be possible? How could the truth be such? Yet, Holly¡¯s analysis seemed to make some sense. Otherwise, why would Jason allow someone to target his life and do nothing about it? Noticing Serene¡¯s incredulous and reddened eyes, Holly said, ¡°I¡¯m just a casualty of their emotional warfare, Serene. What do you think you are to him? So what if you saved Jason¡¯s life? So what if you got hurt? So what if you can¡¯t have kids anymore? Do you really think Jason cares about any of that? He only cares about Estre. My death is inconsequential, and your injuries even less so. We¡¯re just coteral damage in their constant battles.¡± Serene still shook her head, ¡°Impossible, it just can¡¯t be.¡± Holly let out a snort ofughter, ¡°You doubt my evidence? Serene, if you don¡¯t believe it, you can check its authenticity yourself. And remember, Jason has a copy of all of this evidence, and his set is probably even moreprehensive than mine.¡± With that, Holly straightened up, her eyes locked on Serene, ¡°If you have the guts, take this evidence to Jason and ask him if I¡¯ve wronged Estre.¡± Such unwavering certainty from Holly made Serene believe that the evidence was real, and the fire was indeed rted to Estre. However, Serene still remembered Estre¡¯s reaction when they discussed the coboration ¨C it didn¡¯t seem like she knew the truth, and it didn¡¯t seem like Estre was the one who had set the fire. Serene remained silent, motionless, so Holly added, ¡°Serene, you want the truth, and now it¡¯s right in front of you. Whatever you decide to do next is up to you.¡± After Holly finishing her point, Serene furrowed her brows and said, ¡°Holly, you¡¯ve had this evidence for a while now, haven¡¯t you? Why tell me only now? Why didn¡¯t you confront Jason yourself?¡± Holly rose calmly, ¡°Who says I haven¡¯t approached Jason?¡± She continued, ¡°I told you the truth because I heard you made a deal with Estre to investigate this matter. I thought you were being a fool.¡± After a pause, Holly looked down and said softly, ¡°We were both victims in that fire, so I don¡¯t want to see you being yed for a fool. And Serene, you should be grateful, too. If it weren¡¯t for me, you wouldn¡¯t be living as well as you are today.¡± Listening to Holly¡¯s words, Serene remained silent. Holly rested a hand on Serene¡¯s shoulder, giving it a squeeze, ¡°Compared to me, you¡¯ve suffered the most. After all, I can recover, but you¡¯ll never be able to. Don¡¯t even think about being with Jason, or any man for that matter. It won¡¯t be easy.¡± 00.10 Holly¡¯sst sentence struck Serene¡¯s vulnerability with precision. Indeed, her stomach scar, coupled with her inability to have children, would be hard to ept, not just for an affluent man like Jason, but even for your everyday, average man. After all, she had lost the most basic function of womanhood. Having said her piece, Holly paid for their coffees and left, leaving Serene in a long, pensive silence at the caf¨¦. Was it because she was poor? Because she had no connections or background, did she deserve to be trampled on? Swallowing a lump in her throat, Serene felt even more sorrowful realizing that Jason¡¯s years of care weren¡¯t because she had saved him, but to help Estre cover up her crime. In this game of the wealthy, Serene was always just a pawn. Thinking of her contributions and sincere feelings rendered worthless, Serene wiped away her tears with a swift motion. In this world, having money and connections sure seemed to make life easier. Her efforts and affections seemed nothing but a cruel joke. She felt like a joke herself. Later, with the evidence Holly had provided, Serene left in her modest car. She didn¡¯t go to Jason or to the police but instead headed to Justice Guardians LLP. In the meeting room, as Estre brought in two cups of coffee, Serene didn¡¯t beat around the bush. She mmed the evidence on the table in front of Estre, ¡°These are the proofs Holly gave me. She said that the fire all those years ago was your doing.¡± Estre paused mid-motion, not reaching for the photos and documents that spilled out of the envelope. She just stared at the evidence in silence. Serene¡¯s anger red, and she confronted Estre directly, ¡°Estre, just because I was born ordinary, my family has no background, and my dad passed away, does that give you the right to bully me, to treat me like I¡¯m less than you?¡± ¡°Is your love with Jason so grand that nobody else matters? ¡°Estre, by what right do you treat me this way? Why do you torment me? Do you have any idea how hard these years have been for me?¡± Thinking of her hardships and Jason¡¯s indifference, Serene¡¯s heart ached even more. Why was it that no matter where she went or how hard she tried, she always seemed invisible? Why did her kindness never seem to be acknowledged? Estre swallowed hard and slowly stood up straight. As Estre faced her squarely, Serene grew even more agitated, leaping up from the sofa, ¡°Speak up! Why are you silent now? You¡¯re always so articte. So tell me, why are you making my life miserable? Is it because I¡¯m poor? Because I don¡¯t have powerful friends? What gives you the right?¡± Serene¡¯s outburst was met with Estre¡¯s furrowed brows, ¡°Serene, calm down. Even if I did set that fire on purpose, it wasn¡¯t meant to target you.¡± Estre¡¯s scolding was sharp and unyielding, cutting through the air like a cold front. Serene found herself frozen in ce, her eyes locked on Estre for what felt like an eternity. Then, with the tter of defeat, Serene slumped onto the couch, the fight draining from her posture. ¡°Yeah, so what if you were the one who started that fire? It wasn¡¯t meant for me. It was Holly¡¯s room that was burning, with her and Jason inside. That whole mess should¡¯ve had nothing to do with me. It was my own fool self, bloated with idle hope, who barged in there, thinking just maybe, if I yed the hero and saved Jason, he might see me, and choose me.¡± Serene hade armed with a barrage of words, ready tounch them at Estre. Noticing the rity returning to Serene¡¯s eyes, Estre simply mmed her coffee cup down on the table with a thud. ¡°I¡¯ve never been involved in or interfered with your affairs with Jason, so there¡¯s no need for you to y the victim card with me or bring up family backgrounds.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Whether it was Serene and Jason, or Holly and Jason, Estre had kept her distance. She knew better than anyone that all the choicesy in Jason¡¯s hands, not in the hands of others. Chapter 295 Estre¡¯s reminder drew a pained smile from Serene as she looked at her and said, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ve never been involved, or interfered, because you never saw me as a rival.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. At this, Serene suddenly burst into tears, ¡°But what should I do now? What can I do? You have Jason looking out for you. Holly is cherished by family, and protected by parents and a brother. But I have nothing. I can¡¯t even have children of my own. Why did I have to be so foolish? Why did I get so emotionally involved and save them? And that fire, what was that all about?¡± As Serene wept uncontrobly, Estre sighed and handed her a tissue, her voice steady and calm, ¡°Even though you can¡¯t have children yourself, with today¡¯s advanced medicine, you can still be a mom. Jason and Holly won¡¯t abandon you.¡± ¡°As for that fire, believe it or not, I genuinely don¡¯t remember that period. I only found out the truth after our agreement, from Jason. I didn¡¯t tell you right away because I¡¯m still trying to make sense of it.¡± She paused before continuing, ¡°Once I figure it out, I¡¯ll exin everything to you.¡± Estre¡¯sposure only made Serene smile bitterly as she said, ¡°Estre, Jason really loves you.¡± When Serene was his secretary, she¡¯d fantasized, however briefly, about a spark of hope, about love blossoming over time. But now, knowing that Jason was aware it was Estre who had started that fire and still chose to marry her, and to be with her, Serene realized just how wide the gap was between her and Estre in his heart. Strictly speaking, Serene never caught Jason¡¯s eye. In their eyes, she was nothing more than a court jester. Estre said with reason, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Serene. I¡¯ll get to the bottom of this, not just because you want the answers, but for my own vindication.¡± Serene stared directly at Estre, her sadness subsiding, ¡°Okay, I believe you.¡± Then she added, ¡°I know Holly only gave me these proofs to use me against you, and to stir up drama.¡± After her emotional outburst and witnessing Estre¡¯s rational demeanor, Serene began to regain her composure. Standing up from the couch, Serene looked at Estre seriously, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be anyone¡¯s pawn anymore. So Estre, you have to find out the truth.¡± On her way over, Serene had felt something was off. Estre was straightforward. She was not one to shirk responsibility for her actions. Serene didn¡¯t have the ability to unravel the mystery herself, so she would let those capable take charge. Holly could forget about using her as a pawn any longer. 00.10 Between Holly and Estre, Serene admired Estre more, even though Holly had given Serene an apartment. At least Estre had never used her.. After S¨¦rene left, Estre massaged her temples, feeling drained. Serene was smart, and so was Holly, but when clever minds collided, things gotplicated. That evening, when Jason came to pick up Estre from work, she was still feeling down, weighed by various intricate issues. As soon as she got into the car, Jason noticed her mood. Leaning over to buckle her seatbelt and giving her a quick kiss, Jason asked, ¡°Trouble at work?¡± Jason remembered back when they were still in school, Estre used to tell him everything and discuss any issues with him. Jason missed the bond they had shared during those times. Estre said, ¡°Holly handed all that evidence to Serene, who came looking for me this morning. It¡¯s giving me a headache.¡± Jason¡¯s expression darkened at the mention of Holly and Serene. After starting the car, he said with a cold chuckle, ¡°Using Serene to uncover this mess, trying to pit her against you. Holly sure knows how to y her games.¡± They both knew Holly¡¯s intent: to sow discord. At Jason¡¯s coldugh, Estre replied, ¡°Thankfully, Serene isn¡¯t blinded by emotion. She calmed down after her initial outburst.¡±¡® As the car pulled away from thew firm, Jason said casually, ¡°Serene¡¯s no fool. She won¡¯t be manipted like that. If forced to choose between you and Holly, Serene would trust you.¡± Then he added softly, ¡°She just gets too caught up in her own head. If she were a little more rational, she could¡¯ve had a happy family life by now.¡± At this, Estre chuckled, ¡°As if you didn¡¯t lead her on. Would she have had hope if it wasn¡¯t for you? Now you¡¯re acting all innocent.¡± Jason said, ¡°At the time, I was upfront with her, I was merely using her to get your attention. Drew even tried introducing her to potential partners, but I couldn¡¯t force her if she wasn¡¯t willing.¡± Estre, eyeing him sharply, countered: ¡°Then why were you so intent on forcing me to be with you?¡± Jason gripped her hand gently, kneading it, ¡°We¡¯re family. We don¡¯t keep score like that.¡± Estreughed, exasperated, ¡°You¡¯re something else.¡± After a sigh, she vented, ¡°Holly is the real challenge.¡± Jason replied simply, ¡°Ignore her.¡± 09:49 Estre countered, ¡°Ignoring her won¡¯t make our lives any easier.¡± Then, looking at Jason, she asked, ¡°Do you think Holly had something to do with that fire?¡± If she had died, no one would have suspected her, but not only did she survive, she stirred up trouble, making it hard for Estre not to suspect her of ying a dangerous game. At Estre¡¯s suspicion, Jason squeezed her hand, ¡°I¡¯m already investigating her.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you now.¡± Estre had been too busy, too exhausted to keep her eyes open, and Jason didn¡¯t want her to be overly affected, and overwork herself After Jason finished speaking, Estre¡¯s phone buzzed again with a call from the client. She wrapped up the call just as they arrived home. With the year-end festivities in full swing, and Isaac having the day off from his preschool sses, Autumn decided to take her grandson out for some fun. Even though Estre was a single mother, it didn¡¯t affect Autumn¡¯s showing off of her grandson in the slightest. It was around nine-thirty when Estre emerged from the shower. As she stepped out of the bathroom, Jason swept her up in an embrace from behind. Estre nced back at him, only for her attention to be diverted by the ring of her phone once more. Expecting another call from the client, she picked it up to find Kristin¡¯s name on the screen. Turning to Jason, she said in a half-joking tone, ¡°Knock it off, it¡¯s your mom calling.¡± With that, she answered the phone, her face breaking into a smile as she greeted, ¡°Hi.¡± Jason couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and yfully nibbled her ear, a gesture both affectionate and flirtatious. Chapter 296 The bite sent a shiver through Estre, who quickly pinched Jason¡¯s waist in retaliation. Despite the pinch, Jason far from let her go. Instead, he pulled her even closer into his embrace. On the other end of the phone, Kristin couldn¡¯t help but beam with joy, her voice bright and cheery as she inquired, ¡°Estre, you must be swamped with the year-end rush, right? Jason¡¯s been just as busy. I haven¡¯t seen him around in a good while.¡± Estre found herself at a loss for words. After all, when Jason wasn¡¯t working, he was with her. Trying to change the subject, she asked with a lightugh, ¡°Did you need something?¡± Kristin, seizing the moment, cut straight to the chase: ¡°Estre, you¡¯vee back this year, so why not spend New Year¡¯s with the Nelson family? Plus, ever since you¡¯ve been away, Jason hasn¡¯t celebrated New Year¡¯s. He¡¯s been as elusive as a ghost.¡± Before Estre could respond, Kristin continued, ¡°If you don¡¯te, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll be all over the ce again and won¡¯t make it back.¡± Estre understood what the Nelson family meant very well and was deeply moved by their eptance of Isaac without knowing his identity. However, her parents and grandparents had not given their approval, and the elders in the family werepletely unaware of how close she and Jason had be. Otherwise, they would havee over long ago to straighten things out. After a moment¡¯s contemtion and just as she was about to decline, Kristin excitedly added, ¡°Just come back for the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner, like old times. Grayson, Thomas, Jesse, and the others will be there. Bring Isaac along too.¡± With Kristin pushing so enthusiastically, mentioning that Grayson, Thomas and Jesse would be there, Estre found it hard to refuse. It would seem as if she were putting on airs, distancing herself from the others. So, with a nod, Estre agreed, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bring Isaac along.¡± At her agreement, Kristin lit up with happiness, her voice bursting with warmth, ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. I¡¯ll be waiting for your return.¡± Behind Estre, Jason¡¯s grin grew wider as he heard her consent to the New Year¡¯s dinner, unable to hide his joy. He hugged Estre a little tighter, his face close to hers as he whispered, ¡°Mom sure knows how to pull strings, doesn¡¯t she?¡± To persuade Estre toe for dinner, Kristin had invited the whole crew. No easy feat. For his happiness, Kristin was truly going all out. Hearing Jason¡¯s contentment, Estre turned to look at him with a yful nce, ¡°It¡¯s not easy having a son like you. If Isaac ever gives me this much trouble, I¡¯ll let him have it.¡± 09:49 Jason wrapped his arms around her waist, turning her to face him. As their eyes locked, Estre was about to speak when Jason leaned in and kissed her tenderly. Caught off guard by his sudden kiss, Estre stared at him for a moment before gently resting her hands on his shoulders and closing her eyes. Deepening the kiss, Jason¡¯s hand slipped beneath her clothes, then effortlessly lifted her onto the bed. His kisses trailed downward. Estre held her breath, gripping his hands, ¡°Jason¡­¡± As a shiver ran through her, Estre felt like she no longer belonged to herself when Jason. kissed her lips again. Her body felt incredibly light, almost like she was floating. With every heartfelt call of his name, Estre felt transported back to their school days, when her eyes were filled only with him. Captivated by Estre¡¯s tender and suggestive voice, Jason was boiling with desire, his kisses passionate as he teased, ¡°Babe, do you want me?¡± With her eyes half-open, Estre stared at Jason. Despite the scar on his face, he still had a handsome appearance. She murmured, ¡°Yes. Jason teased her further, ¡°What do you want?¡± Estre wrapped her arms around his neck, lifted herself up, and whispered seductively into his ear, ¡°I want you, I want you inside.¡± Her provocation was more than Jason could take, his veins throbbing with anticipat He kissed her deeply, his hands gripping hers firmly, and without further ado, he ente her. ¡°Jason!¡± As intimacy erased all distance between them, Estre called his name once more. ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Jason assured her. Then, there was nothing but the sound of their breaths, mingling in the air. The yful lovemaking turned into an endless pursuit of pleasure, and Estre soon regretted her earlier provocations. After over two hours, Jason was still far from satisfied. With little strength left in her arms, Estre clung to him, ¡°Jason, aren¡¯t you done yet? I¡¯m hurting.¡± ¡°Babe, it¡¯s only been a short while. Just hold on a little longer,¡± he responded. Estre, filled with regret, promised herself never to utter such explicit words again to incite him. ¡°Jason, I really can¡¯t take it anymore, my legs are shaking.¡± no-40 25 ¡°Hmm,¡± came Jason¡¯s sultry acknowledgment, Before long, they reached climax again, Estre flushed with a glow that made Jason unable to get enough of her. Holding her close, Jason murmured, ¡°Estre, let¡¯s just go with the flow, okay?¡± Mhm.¡± Estre responded wearily, then added, ¡°I didn¡¯t take that medicinest time. I didn¡¯t get the chance.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jason¡¯s eyes lit up instantly. Without waiting for her to reply, he ced his hands on her waist and pulled her close again, ¡°Sweetheart, you¡¯re truly my treasure.¡± Estre regretted mentioning it. As soon as she did, Jason¡¯s energy shot through the roof. ¡°No, no, Jason! It hurts.¡± Estre cried out, ¡°Jason, are you trying to kill me?¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Estre¡¯s protest only fueled Jason¡¯s fervor as he lifted her from the bed and resumed their passionate dance. Estre was filled with remorse. She already regretted her earlier flirtatious words, and now she regretted mentioning the medicine. It just made things worse; Jason was unstoppable. How could he have such stamina, such relentless energy? ¡°Jason, please, I¡¯m begging you. Have mercy.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!