Novel Square
Chapter 59
“And then there’s Bryce and Thomas. They couldn’t convince me to get a divorce, so off you shipped them to the highlands to build schools. And in all these years, when have you ever come home without giving me the cold shoulder?”
Estrella had a laundry list of grievances that she couldn’t even begin to tally up, and frankly, she couldn’t be bothered to itemize them to him. She had never been one to dredge up the past. Usually, she’d let bygones be bygones. But Jason was relentless, picking fights every chance he got.
Like when she’d just come home. Estrella had been in a good mood, trying to chat with him. He was snippy, but she let it slide-only for him to escalate it into a full-blown row, even using her family as leverage. Even the saintliest patience has its limits.
As Jason was about to retort with a stern face Estrella cut in, “This morning at the family estate was just the same. You made promises in front of everyone, and then behind their backs/you dismissed it all as lip service. Jason, do you really think I have no self-respect? That I can be walked all over?”
By now, Estrella had regained her composure and continued, “Jason, my patience isn’t endless. I won’t keep indulging you. So, don’t put too much stock in those fortune-tellers’ words. I haven’t tried being with anyone else. How do you know I can’t live without you?”
Even as she spoke, Estrella was striving to keep her emotions in check. It wasn’t just the prophecies that mattered to her; it was the years of connection they shared. She remembered her mother always saying that the first person she saw when she was born was Jason. And so, she cherished that bond.
One could only imagine the storm clouding Jason’s face at her words. Having known Estrella for 23 years, he understood her temperament. She wasn’t one for conflict or wasting words, but when truly upset, she wouldn’t hesitate to get real.
This was the second time in months that they’d had a point-by-point argument, and both times, it was over Korey. He was bothered by it.
As the tension between them thickened, Estrella’s phone abruptly rang from her pocket. It was Thomas.
Without any secrecy, Estrella answered in front of Jason, putting the call on speaker. “What’s up, Thomas?” Her voice, as always, was bold and hearty.
On the other end, Thomas sounded desperately pathetic. “Ella, I really need your help this time.”
Estrella glanced at Jason expressionlessly, then prompted, “Go on.”
“I’ve escaped from the school project, and Jason caught wind of it. I heard Bryce’s already been through the wringer. Ella, you’ve got to save me.
12:50
Calmly, Estrella asked, “And how am I supposed to do that?”
“Look, just temporarily convince Jason that you’re considering the divorce. I don’t need you to actually go through with it, just help me buy some time. After all, Jason’s been itching for a divorce for a while now.”
His plea was almost comical to Estrella. Her marria
for others to curry favor.
was nothing but a bargaining chip
After a brief, self-deprecating chuckle, Estrella said, “Fine. Not just a temporary lie-I’ll even agree to a real divorce for your sake.”
Thomas was nearly moved to tears. “Ella, I can’t thank you enough. I owe you big time. If you really split with Jason, I’ll set you up with someone decent. Someone more straight-laced than Jason, who won’t mess around or leave you lonely.”
Every word Thomas said was a stinging satire of Estrella’s marriage. Estrella laughed it off. “Alright, I’ll hold you to that promise of a good man.”
Jason, meanwhile, was seething, his face a picture of disgust. In their eyes, his marriage. to Estrella was a sham.
As Thomas gushed his thanks, Jason strode over, snatched the phone from Estrella, and hung up.
Estrella, unfazed, remarked, “You heard the call. Whenever you’re ready, let’s get the paperwork sorted.”
Her sarcastic tone was not lost on Jason. “So, our marriage is just at everyone else’s disposal?” Content held by NôvelDrama.Org.
“It’s mutually beneficial,” Estrella shrugged. “Doesn’t matter who calls the shots.”
“Mutually beneficial? For you or for me?” Jason challenged, cupping her chin before leaning in to claim her lips.
His kisses, scented with a trace of tobacco and his own clean fragrance, were an assault on her senses. Estrella, irked by his presumptuousness, didn’t even close her eyes. Instead, she pushed against him with her foot. But that only seemed to intensify Jason’s passion.
As Estrella recalled her grievances, Jason did feel a twinge in his heart. He thought she didn’t care, but it turned out she did. Her myriad concerns made Jason see a semblance of a wife in her.
However, as for Bryce and Thomas, those two rascals needed a lesson. Since when did he ask them to push for a divorce? Damn it, both meant more trouble than they were worth.
As Jason’s kisses became almost suffocating, Estrella, her face flushed, finally pushed him away. “Have you no shame?”
12:50
“Shame? We’re cut from the same cloth, you and I, Jason quipped, not missing a beat.
Estrella rolled her eyes in disdain. Then, looking straight at him, she asked, “Jason, don’t tell me you’ve changed your mind? That you can’t bear to part with me?”
The call from Thomas, though harsh, did lighten the mood somewhat. Caught in Estrella’s deep and bright gaze, Jason felt a stir within.