Chapter 17

Last year, when Estrella 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 glanced at Estrella and said, “Estrella, you should get some rest. I’ll swing by later to check on you.

The moment Jesse left, Estrella 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, “But lay 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.

Estrella’s nonchalance was met with Jason’s hand suddenly gripping the back of her neck, pulling her close, “Estrella, 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 become the obstacle she chose to avoid.

At his question, Estrella chuckled, “How could live if I didn’t care?” She then scolded him playfully, “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 Estrella 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 downplayed it, the more Jason felt a thorn in his side. No matter their relationship’s strains, he was still her husband,

Estrella 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?”

Estrella, on her tiptoes, nudged his forehead with hers, coaxing, “Let’s have one. Life’s so dull otherwise.”

still naive like a child herself,

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deciphered.

“Jason.”

“Mhm?”

as the door swung open and Kristin’s voice burst in, “Estrella, how on

let go of each other.

the doorway, Kristin paused, looking puzzled. After a moment, she asked uncertainly, “Are you two fighting

instead asked, “Kristin, you came to

“I rushed over as soon as Bryce told me you were

poisoning. A couple of days on IVs and I’ll

nurse came in

while Jason busied himself peeling fruit

touch of concern, “She’s

she turned to Jason, “Jason, transfer that Serene girl out

slice of orange, “There’s nothing between Serene and me, Mom. Why can’t you let it

an issue with Serene. I’m just afraid Estrella might feel upset or uncomfortable, and I don’t want her to suffer. Put yourself in her shoes. If Korey came back and hovered around her all the time,

visibly changed Jason’s

orange

into his mouth and looked back

tell you, son, that Serene isn’t as simple as she seems. Don’t be fooled by her.” In Kristin’s

don’t have

last time, I asked Estrella to give her a check.

it. Estrella was right to say that my advice was pushing her towards

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