[Jason, let’s meet up today.] The message came from Holly, whose account had been dormant for
years.
Staring at the message for a long time, Jason turned his gaze towards Estrella, who was still half-
asleep. He pulled the blanket up to cover her shoulders, then replied to Holly’s message before getting
out of bed.
As Jason got dressed and ready, Estrella opened her eyes, her voice groggy, “Up so early?” “Yeah, got
a bit of a thing,” Jason said, looking down at her.
Estrella nodded, grabbing the pillow next to her and hugging it to her chest, not pressing him on what
the matter was.
noveldramaThe door gently closed behind him, and Estrella’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 moments later, 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 a complete failure. I just couldn’ accept that version of
myself. I couldn’t accept 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 Estrella 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 plans for the future?”
“Now, I’m working at my uncle’s company. 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 café 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, Rebecca pushes me in
the wheelchair.”
Holly’s personal attendant Rebecca 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 Estrella.”
Jason just pocketed his hands and kept silent.
Meanwhile, at Sandalwood Oasis.
Estrella had just woken up from a long sleep and came downstairs when Bryce stormed i with
urgency, “Estrella.”
Yawning, Estrella asked, “What brings you here so early?”Bryce retorted, “It’s almost noon.”
Before Estrella could speak, Bryce quickly approached her, his voice filled with indignation, “Estrella, do
you know what I just saw? I must report this matter to you.”
Estrella 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 Estrella. They showed Jason and Holly having coffee,
walking side by side in the garden. Estrella’s face showed little emotion, as composed 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, Estrella actually
already had a feeling about it.
After looking at the photos, Estrella turned to Bryce, “You’ve gone through a lot of trouble this morning.”
Bryce replied, “It’s no trouble. I just happened to come across them.”
Estrella chuckled. She couldn’t quite believe Bryce’s claim of coincidence. More likely, he’d been
shadowing Jason since the school reunion ended, looking to catch him in the act.
Estrella 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 Estrella’s silent smile and sensed the turmoil hidden beneath her calm exterior. Placing a
comforting hand on her shoulder, he said, “Estrella, 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 than later. 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 Estrella’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 loyalty lay firmly with Estrella come what may.