Tori’s shares in the family company 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.
Estrella was a sharp lawyer with a streak of victories under her belt. As Estrella’s friend, Jesse wasn’t
about to play 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 Estrella, 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 place 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 Estrella and Bryce, who lavished her with
praise.
Fresh from a courtroom victory representing an employee against a corporate Goliath, Estrella
considered the timing of her missed period. After a subtle exit from the post-trial celebrations, she
headed to the hospital.
Post-examination, Estrella scrolled through her phone in the waiting area, pondering the implications of
a potential pregnancy, given her doctor’s previous diagnosis of her fertility.
“Estrella, 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 irregularities can happen and are often linked to stress or lifestyle.”
“I’m not pregnant?” Estrella’s brow knitted in confusion.
Despite bracing for this possibility, the confirmation brought a tinge of disappointment-a hope
unfulfilled.
Estrella’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 Estrella’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 regular sexual activity.”
“We haven’t used any birth control,” Estrella 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 regularity 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 to come in for an examination.”
Estrella 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 genetic diseases. So why was it difficult for Jason and
her to conceive?
09:15
noveldramaabout Thinking about the tense moments of their relationship from two years ago Jason saying she
wasn’t worthy of having his child – a cloud of fear descended on Estrella. It was difficult not to steer her
thoughts in the direction of contraception.
“All right then, thank you, Dr. Robin,” Estrella 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. Estrella gripped the steering wheel
tightly, her face set in a grim mask. If she couldn’t get pregnant and become 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 relationship, she saw no point in carrying
1.
Later in the evening, after getting back from work, Estrella lay 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.”