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Chapter 251
Bryce turned back to his car. A few moments later, he returned with two elegantly wrapped gift boxes in hand and offered them to Estrella. “Here’s a little something for you,” he said with a wink, “and this one’s for my boy.”
Estrella accepted 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 Estrella disappeared into the house, Jason couldn’t help but let out a sarcastic comment, “Nice brown-nosing there, champ.”
Bryce clapped Jason on the shoulder and said. “Maybe you should take a leaf out of my book, bro. Besides, if you wanna win Estrella back, you’re gonna need to step up your
game.”
Jason, hands shoved deep into his jeans pockets, shot Bryce a playful kick. Unperturbed, Bryce dusted off his jeans. “I’m heading back.” He glanced 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 Estrella could have been considered pretty decent.
Over the next few days, Estrella was a whirlwind of activity, bouncing between the city a Glimmering Lake, hell-bent on tracking down the source of the pollution.This content belongs to Nô/velDra/ma.Org .
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 nonchalant one, plopped down in a chair nearby and let out a noncommittal grunt, fixing his gaze on Keith in silence.
Keith’s patience with Jason’s laissez-faire attitude was wearing thin, but he cut straight to the chase. “Have you and Estrella 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
Estrella, and he slammed his cane on the floor with a thud. “Foolishness, sheer foolishness!”
Startled, Amber jumped and turned to her husband with a scolding glance. “Keith, what on earth are you doing? Trying to give me a heart attack? You fancy a younger model to replace 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 Estrella 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 body language 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 Estrella back.”
Kristin chimed in supportively, “I told you Jason wouldn’t agree to a blind date. He’s still got a soft spot for Estrella, despite their split.” Even though Jason and Estrella had gone their
separate ways, Kristin was clearly rooting for them to reconcile.
Keith’s anger flared. “The Dorvold girl’s got a child now. Are you really planning 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 Keith comprehended the fact that Jason was the one who hurt Estrella 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 accept was that the firstborn grandson of the Nelson clan wasn’t of their blood. So, as regrettable as it was to wound Estrella, this situation had to be brought to a conclusion here.
08:21
Kristin tried to calm him down. “Don’t presume to know what Estrella thinks. Besides, even if Jason wants to try again, it’s up to Estrella 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 Estrella 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 plans for Bryce, and as for Jason, he’s got to meet this girl I’ve picked out for him. I’m laying 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!
Jason, not particularly 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’m laying it down. too: there’s no one for me but Estrella. 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 Estrella 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 Estrella might be more reasonable than you.”