Web Fic
Chapter 170
Listening to Cole’s words, Estrella just held him tight without moving. She stared at Cole for a long while before breaking into an easy smile. “I thought it was something serious. It’s just a project. If we have to let it go, we let it go. Next time I’ll land you a bigger fish.”
Her nonchalance seemed to half-convince Cole, who looked at her with a mix of belief and doubt. “Estrella, you really don’t mind about this?” She should be aware of Holly’s
situation in Innovative Solutions Inc..
Estrella waved it off as if swatting a fly. “It’s not a big deal. Not worth getting all mopey over.”
Her smile was as steadfast as ever, and Cole fell into silence. Cole knew his daughter all too well-she kept everything bottled up inside, never willing to share her burdens with
anyone.
Seeing Cole’s fixed gaze, Estrella knew what he was worried about. He was concerned about Holly coming back, and worried about her marriage with Jason going south.
Hér years with Jason had been like being married to a shadow. And with divorce rates sky-high, who could guarantee a smooth sail in marriage?
Although they got along well recently, Jason’s attitude towards her was just like that, not even as attentive as it was towards Serene. She had always been the one to comfort him and smile at him, so he had grown accustomed to putting in no effort, acting as though giving her a wedding ring was doing her a massive favor.
On reflection, she didn’t find much in the marriage worth clinging to. Especially now with Holly back in the picture, her stock had plummeted even more.
Reading the concern in Cole’s eyes, Estrella wrapped her arms around his neck an reassured him with a confident smile. “Dad, don’t worry about me. Besides, I’ve alre accomplished what I needed to. Jason has lost his value to me.”
When Estrella mentioned her achieved goals, Cole’s eyes widened in surprise. “Estrella
you…”
She placed her hands on Cole’s shoulders, massaging them gently. “I haven’t told anyone but Jesse, so let’s keep this between us for now. I don’t want mom to accidentally spill the
beans.”
Cole, still concerned, asked, “Estrella, what’s your plan now?”
“Play it by ear.” With Jason’s character, she didn’t need to do anything-he would screw up on his own. But she hesitated to share too much with Cole, not wanting to burden him with worry. After all, she had always been the one to make her own decisions, ever since she was young.
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Cole caught Estrella’s hands from his shoulders and advised, “Just take things in stride, and try not to let your emotions get the better of you.”
“I know, Dad.”
After further talking with Cole, Estrella left the company. Gripping the steering wheel, veins popping on the back of her hands, Estrella trembled with fury.
What right did Jason have to ask her father to give up the Silverbrook project? If he wanted to curry favor with Holly and show his loyalty, why didn’t he use Nelson
International’s interests to do so?
Right, they were married. So only by stepping on her and the Dorvold family could he prove his loyalty to Holly.
As for Holly working in Innovative Solutions Inc., it was clear as day she was challenging Estrella, competing for the first project against Dorvold Group, despite being under the weather. Any other person would be resting at home.
It seemed Holly couldn’t wait to return, and snatch Jason back.
Estrella’s chest tightened as she drove, the discomfort so intense it hurt to breathe. Jason’s gallivanting didn’t bother her, nor did his affair with Holly. But he crossed a line touching the Dorvold family’s interests.
After all these years, the Dorvold family had never taken advantage of him. What did he
think he was?
The more Estrella thought about it, the angrier she got. She had only put on an act of indifference in Cole’s office to keep him from worrying. Jason was her husband, sure, but even if he wasn’t, she couldn’t swallow this. So when she got back to Sandalwoo after work, she waited for Jason to return.
As time ticked by with no sign of Jason, Estrella’s anger mounted. Ever since Hol return, he had reverted to his old ways, not coming home.
Around 10 p.m., while Estrella was fuming in bed and pretending to read, Jason’s cal finally parked downstairs.
“Mr. Jason, you’re back.” Marie greeted him upon his entrance and asked, “Mr. Jason, would you like to something to eat?”
“No thank you.” Jason asked, “Has Estrella come back?”
sis
Marie replied, “She’s back. Had two plates of food and a big bowl of soup for dinner. Ms. Estrella’s appetite has been really good lately.” If it weren’t for the last medical examination confirming no pregnancy, Marie might have started suspecting in that direction.
Relieved that Estrella seemed to be in good spirits, Jason relaxed, thinking she was still unaware of his visit to Cole. Better to explain things to her now than have her find out
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from someone else later.
Still, the thought of finding an excuse made Jason uneasy.
A few
days before, Holly’s mom Catrina had come to see him, explaining that the board didn’t want Holly in the company, so they’d set her up with a difficult task to make her back down. Holly, however, wasn’t ready to give up. Catrina mentioned how Holly had been feeling insecure over the past years, constantly trying to prove herself, searching for her value. If she didn’t secure this project, she wouldn’t be able to stay in Innovative Solutions Inc..
Catrina had cornered Jason, laying it on thick about how she really hadn’t wanted Holly to kick up a fuss. However, Holly had been adamant about not wanting to be a useless person anymore, so Catrina reluctantly came to him as a last resort. Catrina begged him to help soften the Dorvolds’ stance, promising that Holly would steer clear of any trouble with them in the future. Catrina was hoping Jason could smooth things over, mentioning that if things went south, it would be a bad look for both families, and Jason would be caught in the middle.
It was a face-to-face plea, and Jason couldn’t find it in him to say no. So off he went to sée Cole.
As he pushed through his bedroom door, he found Estrella lounging on the bed, absorbed in a novel. Without a word, Jason wrapped his arms around her, but before he could say anything, Estrella beat him to the punch.
“You hit up Dorvold Group to see my dad today?” she asked, cutting straight to the chase.
Jason, still enveloping her in his embrace, thought she’d been in the dark about the whole affair. Turned out, she was already clued in. Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.
“Yeah,” Jason murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, before attempting
“This is Holly’s first job back, and…”
Before Jason could finish his sentence, Estrella chuckled sarcastically.