Chapter 14
Meanwhile, back at the house.
Estrella, having just wrapped up her shift, walked through the door to find Marie practically bouncing with excitement. “Ms. Estrella,” she gushed, “Mr. Jason called earlier. He said he’ll be coming home later tonight.”
Marie was well aware that it was a roundabout way for him to let Estrella know he was coming without having to call her directly.
Handing her bag over to Marie, Estrella 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, Estrella 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 to come home?”
Calling Drew was a last resort for Estrella because ever since ‘that incident, Jason had stopped taking her calls. Any communication had to go through Drew, which was a bitter pill for Estrella to swallow.
On the other end, Drew spoke with measured words. “Ms. Estrella, 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, Estrella ended the call abruptly. It was one thing not to come home, but another not to even notify her. Giving hope and then dousing it with a bucket of cold water-what was he playing 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.
back. At this rate, her hopes for a child seemed to be slipping away.
back,
minutes,” came the reply
classmate was unequivocally
news that made Estrella’s expression
15:21
her lips. She had thought she could
the hospital
was yet to come around. Checking his
“Sir, Ms. Estrella called a moment
“Mm.”
head back. I’ll stay with
a sigh and was about to respond when Serene suddenly stirred awake. As she struggled to adjust, her pale
clouding her vision, she choked out a single word, “Jason.”
even sterner at Serene’s
“Ms. Serene, you’ve been so careless. If we’d found you any
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,
tears, she promised, “I
sedatives. If not for the timely discovery by
and spoke softly, “Your life won’t be so difficult from
The burdens of life were undeniable, but with a decent salary from
led Serene to grasp his arm, looking up at him with
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