SWNOVELS Chapter 89
Chapter 89
Bryce was chatting away like a Gatling gun, and every time Estrella tried to get a word in, he shut her down with another rapid-fire sentence.
Jason cracked his neck and said with a menacing tone, “Bryce, how you want to end your life, you pick.”
Bryce looked like he’d just taken a plunge into an ice-cold lake, forcing a smile at Jason before turning to Estrella and saying, “Estrella, I’m sure Jason had his reasons, probably thought you’d turn your nose up at that pink diamond, so he gave it to Serene.”
“And that necklace? Ugh, it’s not even pretty, nor does it scream ‘classy.’ How could it ever be worthy of my Ella.” He then glanced back at Jason and added, “Right, Jason?”
Jason stepped closer, eyeing the breakfast Bryce brought with a smirk, “Nice try, champ. You should win an award for flipping sides so fast.”
Bryce chuckled awkwardly, then clutched the breakfast like it was the crown jewels, “Ella’s got a sensitive stomach, and this grub’s specially for her. Back off, big guy.”
Jason felt a twinge of jealousy at Bryce’s doting on Estrella.
Bryce continued, “Remember when she was on that business trip to Silverbrook? I was by her side in the hospital for days.”
Bryce was two months younger than Estrella; they’d been classmates since kindergarten. He’d followed her around like a little puppy, and to him, Estrella could do no wrong.
Jason’s mood soured at Bryce’s repeated “my Ella,” and he remarked, “Your Ella?”
Bryce quickly corrected himself, “Yours, I mean. She’s yours, bro.”
Estrella crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, chiming in, “We’re all family here. Does it really matter?”
“Right, Ella has a point.” Bryce echoed.
Jason’s expression darkened just as Jesse suddenly joined them, “Estrella, you up yet?”
Upon reaching the doorway and seeing Jason, Jesse’s face also darkened, and she gave Jason a once-over, “Oh? Jason’s here too.”
When Bryce caught Jesse’s arrival, he shot Estrella a knowing look and quickly shoved the breakfast into her arms, “Estrella, Jesse and I got stuff to do. Don’t forget to eat, okay? We’ll wait for you downstairs.”
With that, Bryce dragged Jesse out the door, hurrying as if one second’s delay would have Jason flaying his skin..
‘he
Jason chuckled coldly. So this was how Bryce had been ‘helping’ him, encouraging
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11:33
Estrella to divorce him. It seemed Bryce didn’t want to stick around Ravenwood any
longer.
Estrella, holding the breakfast with one hand and yawning with the other, watched as Jason grabbed his phone to call Drew. Suddenly, she snatched the phone from his grasp. “You planning to ship him off to that school project again? Did he slander you, or spread rumors about you? So you can do whatever you want, but nobody else can speak up?”
She tossed his phone onto the cabinet and said, “Jason, if you dare send Bryce to that hellhole, you can forget about ever seeing Serene again.”
If Bryce could see Estrella standing up for him, he’d be moved to tears.
Jason pinched Estrella’s chin, “So, everyone’s more important to you than me?”
He recalled how she’d gone to the mat for Jesse with the Lamonts, and now she was squaring off with him for Bryce. But it seemed she never lifted a finger for him, not since they’d been married.
At Jason’s words, Estrella laughed and eyed the breakfast, “Can you bring me breakfast every day? Can you knock on my door in the middle of the night to make me a snack? Can you accompany me to the hospital for shots? Or even come from miles away just to check on me? Or be there when I need you? Stop fussing about the sweet things I do to others when you don’t see the life-saving help they give to me.”
What could Jason compare to the bond she shared with Bryce and Jesse? Was it their marriage certificate? Maybe he should consider whether he had fulfilled his duties as a husband.
Sarcastically smiling, Estrella went to freshen up in the washroom.
When they returned to the room, Estrella sat down at the table, and Jason pulled up a chair beside her. Seeing this, Estrella pulled the breakfast toward herself, “I’m not big on sharing. I prefer to have my cake and eat it too.”
Jason looked up, sensing a double meaning in her words. Rolling up his sleeves, he said, “Still holding a grudge about yesterday?”
Estrella looked up, “Trying to make amends? If that’s the case, let me teach you how-”
Before she could finish, Jason stood up, grabbed his jacket, and left. He was sure Estrella was about to make some outrageous demands, and he wasn’t about to start his day with that sort of aggravation.
As Jason left, Estrella called out, “Jason, don’t go. I haven’t even taught you sweet-talk me yet. You’re not going to try?”
how to
The door closed behind him, leaving Estrella alone in the room. She shoved the rest of her breakfast into her mouth, smiling to herself. Giving Jason a hard time had become.
second nature.
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11:33
After Jason’s departure, Estrella cleaned up the table, changed her shoes, and went
downstairs to meet up with Bryce and Jesse.
As she descended, Bryce hurried over, “Estrella, is Jason really gonna send me to that school project again?”
“If he dares to try that again, I’ll make sure his girl ends up somewhere she won’t like,” Estrella threatened with a smirk.
Jesse expressed her admiration, “Sacrificing your own for Bryce, you’re ruthless, Estrella.”
Moved by her commitment, Bryce was nearly in tears, “Estrella, you don’t have to do this, even if Jason…”
Estrella was speechless, and with a playful shove, she nudged Bryce’s forehead. “What
are you
two even thinking about? Since when am I his girl? I couldn’t even write myself into that script, so you two better save it.”
Bryce conceded with a smirk, “Fair point. You and him as a couple? Please, he’s not worthy.”
Meanwhile, Jason was in the middle of an early-morning meeting when he suddenly sneezed for no apparent reason.
After hanging out with Bryce and Jesse for a bit, Estrella was called by Logan to join a meeting, so off she went to tackle her busy schedule. It was only at dinner time that Estrella finally managed to catch a break. However, the sight of Jason among the dinner guests made the meal in front of her lose all its appeal.
Of all the people she could have had an awkward meal with, it had to be Jason. She would much rather go out with Jesse and Bryce.
“Estrella,” Serene greeted her with a wide smile as she entered the private dining room for
thirty.
“Hey,” Estrella replied nonchalantly, grateful that Bryce hadn’t been shipped off to some Hope School project thanks to her.
you sit
Serene was quick to act, pulling out a chair next to Jason, “Estrella, why don’t yo here?”
It seemed as if Serene was offering her seat next to Jason to Estrella.
Estrella scoffed, “I don’t think I’m high-profile enough to sit next to him.” Without further ado, she pulled out a chair next to Arden and seated herself.
In the private room, the other guests were curious. Just who exactly was this Ms. Estrella from Justice Guardians LLP? Why was Jason’s assistant pampering her? And it seemed this Ms. Estrella had even clinched a deal with Nelson International’s legal affairs. The most puzzling part, she wasn’t even showing the slightest respect to the assistant.
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Logan, sensing the tension, whispered a word of caution, “Estrella, Mr. Jason is a major client. We can’t afford to rub him the wrong way.”
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