SWNOVELS Chapter 215
Yasmine cradled little Euston in her arms, standing by the French window. Her gaze was locked on the two figures outside. A whirlwind of emotions swirled within her.
Some opportunities, once missed, are missed forever.
"Euston, do you have any idea how much that man across from your mommy loves her?" Yasmine spoke to the little one, knowing full well he couldn't grasp the weight of her words. "It's such a shame. He let her slip away."
Euston's hand tugged at Yasmine's hair, his innocent eyes staring back at her.
Yasmine gently unwrapped his fingers from her locks, "Sweetheart, if you ever meet a girl you fancy, make sure you hold on tight, okay?"
Euston was too young to understand these grown-up complexities, let alone the most challenging puzzles of human relationships.
Jocelyn felt a ripple in her heart under Melvin's gaze. After all, he was a man she had once loved. Seeing him again stirred feelings she couldn't quite keep at bay.
If she truly had a picture-perfect family, perhaps she could have smoothed over the past loves and hurts. But her life was far from perfect, her happiness in others' eyes was a facade.
Worse still, Melvin saw right through the illusion of her "happiness."
Jocelyn felt exposed and slightly guilty under his scrutiny, like a student who had been caught cheating.
"Is there something else you want to say?" Jocelyn asked, feigning composure.
"Do you love that man?" Melvin inquired in his steady voice.
Jocelyn was momentarily confused as to which man he referred to.
Amid her hesitation, Melvin pressed, "If you had proof of his infidelity, would you turn a blind eye or divorce him?"
It suddenly clicked for Jocelyn what he was getting at.
"I make no choices about things that haven't happened," she replied, her heart still.
She genuinely hoped that Castiel would bring Hermia back so they could be a happy family of three. If they loved each other enough to have a child, what hurdle couldn't they overcome and what misunderstanding couldn't they clear?
"You are really forgiving." Melvin's voice carried a bitter edge. He wanted to ask why she couldn't extend the same understanding to him.
Jocelyn offered a faint smile, "I trust him."
"Heh, you've changed," Melvin said, frustration evident in his voice. "Why couldn't you trust me the way you trust him?"
The hurt he had bottled up spilled out.
Jocelyn hadn't expected him to broach such a question.
"Because you never trusted me," she answered, her words piercing him sharply.
Melvin's heart ached with the sting of her response.
"If it weren't for your sister telling me those things, I would have spent my life never knowing what was really in your heart."
Jocelyn saw the flicker of panic in his eyes. She understood his worries and the burden in his mind.
Everyone thinks differently because they haven't walked in another's shoes. They can't empathize with an experience they haven't had, nor can they claim it to be trivial.
His experiences were his own. His feelings were not easily soothed by others.
"I couldn't share your pain, but I thought I could help heal your heart. However, you never gave me that chance." Jocelyn shook her head, glancing down at her shoes with a small laugh, "Discussing this now is pointless."
Melvin was filled with regret.
"It's chilly outside. I should head back," Jocelyn gestured towards the house, "I need to prepare milk for the baby."
"What if I had told you everything back then? Would you have stayed with me?" Melvin's urgency for an answer was palpable.
The answer held no meaning now, but he still yearned to know.
Jocelyn considered the question seriously, looking into his eyes, "If you hadn't run away that day and had come to the marriage registration the next, we would have been husband and wife."
She didn't directly answer his question. It was merely hypothetical.
But it was a scenario that had almost played out, lacking only his cooperation.
'Ifs' abound. One with no hint of reality, the other almost begun.
The answer was clear.
Had she become his wife, nothing short of death could have separated them.
Without another word, Jocelyn turned and left.
The warmth of the room was a stark contrast to the outside chill. She poured herself a cup of coffee, feeling the warmth spread through her body.
Yasmine looked back at her, "He still has hope."
Jocelyn just smiled, slipping off her shawl and walking over to Yasmine, "Then you'd better set him straight."
"Men are fools," Yasmine blurted out, surprising herself with the harshness of her words. "They think just because a woman loves them, they can trample all over her sincerity and expect her to come running back at the snap of their fingers. I'd like to know where they get that confidence."
Jocelyn was taken aback by Yasmine's outburst.
Realizing her own outburst, Yasmine apologized, "Sorry, I got carried away. Even if Melvin is my brother, he deserves a scolding for his actions. You did right to leave him. He's the type that's better off alone." Jocelyn didn't know how to respond.
Yasmine truly adored Euston and had a natural way with children, even more so than Jocelyn.
She made it clear she intended to stay, instructing Melvin to bring over some clothes and toiletries.
Jocelyn, overwhelmed by Yasmine's enthusiasm, found it impossible to decline.
When Melvin delivered the items, it was Jocelyn who answered the door.
"For her," Melvin said, placing the bag inside.
"Okay," Jocelyn nodded, "She's giving Euston a bath."
Melvin grunted, "She sure is attentive to someone else's son."
Jocelyn was at a loss for words.
Seeing that she didn't invite him to stay, Melvin felt a sting of rejection.
"I should go."
"Bye. I won't see you out."
Now it was Melvin at a loss for words. Frustration was boiling within him as he walked away.
Jocelyn brought the bag inside, just as Yasmine descended the stairs with Euston in her arms.
"He left the things," Jocelyn said, nodding toward the bag.
"Alright." Yasmine handed Euston over to her, "Which room am I in?"
Jocelyn pondered for a moment before answering, "You can pick any room you like. The first floor is where the nanny stays, the second floor on the left is where the maternity nurse was living, and now I'm in the room on the right."
"You're not staying in the master suite on the third floor?" Yasmine asked, her curiosity piqued.
"I'm not a fan of stairs," Jocelyn replied with a ready excuse.
Yasmine seemed convinced. "Then I'll take the room where the maternity nurse stayed. It's close to yours, so we can take care of the baby together."
"Sure."
Yasmine started hauling her things upstairs while Jocelyn helped by grabbing a fresh set of bedding.
They made the bed together, and Yasmine headed off to shower.
Jocelyn went to the kitchen to see what she could whip up for dinner, holding the baby in one arm and rummaging through the fridge with the other.
Fresh out of the shower, Yasmine hurried down and insisted on taking the baby to the living room to play while she prepared the meal.
Jocelyn couldn't help but think that Yasmine was nothing like the stereotypical high-society lady with delicate, untouched hands. Instead, she seemed homely and competent.
A woman who could dazzle in the drawing room and still be a whiz in the kitchen was a dream wife for any man.
Jocelyn wondered how anyone could let such a woman go.
"How bad was your morning sickness?" Yasmine suddenly asked.
Jocelyn was caught off guard. She hadn't anticipated facing such a question.
After a moment's hesitation, with Yasmine looking back at her for an answer, she said, "It wasn't too bad." Jocelyn had no idea about morning sickness—after all, she hadn't given birth to any child. "When I was pregnant with Preston, it nearly did me in," Yasmine shared. "I couldn't keep anything down and actually lost weight during the pregnancy."
All Jocelyn could do was nod and murmur in response, afraid to say too much and slip up.
"Did you have a natural birth or a C-section?" Yasmine probed further.
Jocelyn felt a pang of regret for letting Yasmine move in to help with the baby. She was practically laying all her cards on the table for Yasmine to see.
With each question, Jocelyn felt more exposed. She feared that Yasmine might start to suspect she had somehow had the child through some illegitimate means.