Web Fic
Chapter 182
Catrina sighed with a heavy heart as she watched Jason’s reserved demeanor. “Korey said coming back wasn’t good for Holly’s recovering, but we were too stubborn to listen,” she admitted, a note of guilt lacing her words. “I guess we parents do make mistakes.”
When Jason remained silent, Catrina went on, Truth be told, I shouldn’t have called you over today, especially since you and Estrella are married now. But you saw it yourself, Jason. Your presence seemed to calm Holly down.”
Her voice wavered as she continued, her eyes welling up with tears. “It’s just so cruel, isn’t it? Who could be so heartless as to want to take both your and Holly’s lives? We’re talking
about two lives here.”
Jason’s silence deepened.
In the midst of Catrina’s melancholic sighs, Holly’s heart monitor suddenly started blaring an alarm. Panic-stricken, Catrina whirled towards Jason, her voice trembling, “Jason, what’s happening? Everything was fine just a moment ago-why is the machine going off?”
Jason quickly pressed the call button beside the bed.
Catrina was visibly shaken. She leapt up from her chair and dashed out, calling, “Is there a doctor around? We’ve got a situation with patient in bed 18. The monitor is going off!”
Hearing Catrina’s frantic shouts, doctors and nurses hurriedly made their way over.
At Sandalwood Oasis, Estrella had finished lunch, yet there was still no word from Jason.
He was nowhere to be seen.
Marie noticed Estrella’s reluctance to leave the living room and gently suggested, “Ms. Estrella, perhaps you should go upstairs and rest for a bit.”
Suppressing a yawn, Estrella replied, “I’ll just watch some TV.”
Marie let out a resigned sigh and left, understanding that Estrella was still miffed at Mr. Jason and that was why she didn’t want to retife to her room. Text © owned by NôvelDrama.Org.
But Estrella wasn’t really dwelling on that. She was simply waiting for Jason to return, hoping they could still make it to the registrar’s office before it closed to finalize their divorce. Such matters were best dealt with swiftly, to avoid any unnecessary complications.
Estrella had been waiting forever, and by 4 PM, Jason was still absent. Kristin called, offering to drop by, but Estrella told her not to brave the cold, promising to visit her in a few days.
09:02
After hanging up with Kristin, Estrella glanced at the clock. It was past four, and even if Jason did return soon, they’d be too late to visit the registrar’s office. Stretching languidly, she decided it was time to head back to Waterfall Acres. If Jason had something to say, it would have to wait for another time. She had waited long enough today; that was surely enough of a gesture.
As Estrella was gathering her things to leave, Marie burst in excitedly, “Ms. Estrella, it’s snowing outside, and it’s coming down thick and fast!”
Marie’s words were barely out when Estrella turned to peer out the window. The snowflakes were as large as feathers, blanketing the world in white. In just a short time, the garden was cloaked in a layer of frost. It had been ages since Ravenwood had seen such a heavy snowfall.
Transfixed by the view outside, Estrella suddenly realized it was Christmas Eve. The snowfall couldn’t have been more timely. Setting her bag down, Estrella rose and walked leisurely outside, eager to take in the scene.
Marie followed, reminding her, “Ms. Estrella, don’t forget your scarf. You don’t want to
catch a cold.”
Estrella wrapped herself in the scarf Marie handed her and stepped out into the yard. Just as she ventured out, Jesse posted photos in the group chat of the snow and mentioned coming to Waterfall Acres to see her.
Bryce called directly, “Ella, has Jason returned yet?”
Estrella answered, “Not yet, I’m about to head back to Waterfall Acres.”
Bryce said, “I’ll come get you.”
“Okay.”
Estrella was pregnant, and Bryce was beside himself with worry whenever she wa sight, acting every bit the protective father-to-be.
With Bryce on his way, Estrella was in no rush to leave. The down jacket he had boug her was indeed warm, like being wrapped in a thick quilt.
After sending some snowy pictures to Jesse, Estrella noticed she’d missed a message from Jason on Messenger. She was about to head to Waterfall Acres, so she dialed his number, only to be greeted with a robotic message: “Sorry, the number you have dialed is switched off. Please try again later.”
“Sorry, the number you have dialed is switched off. Please try again later.”
After two attempts and the same message, Estrella hung up emotionlessly and turned to head back inside. Suddenly, a feral cat darted out from the bushes, charging straight
towards her.
Startled, Estrella instinctively protected her belly, but her feet slipped on the icy ground.
09:02
She stumbled backward, and as the cat, back arched and hissing, prepared to attack, Estrella realized it must have just lost a fight and was lashing out.
“Marie!” Estrella called out in alarm as the cat lunged at her. She took several steps backward again, but when her heels hit a stone on the road, she lost her balance. Unable to steady herself, she fell hard to the ground.
Stunned, a chill of dread washed over Estrella as she braced for what might come next. It felt as though the entire world had crumbled in an instant.
Her child, her precious child!
This was the child she had so desperately wished for, and nothing could happen to the child.
Only after thinking about the child did Estrella feel the physical pain. Her stomach experienced a severe cramp, and there was a numbness in her buttocks, without the usual pain sensation.
The wounded stray cat leapt up and hurriedly scampered away, its claws leaving a stinging scratch across her face.
As the cat stepped over her to make its escape, Estrella, who rarely shed tears, felt her eyes instantly redden. She was chilled to the bone, her spirit shattered. Propping herself up on the snow-soaked ground, Estrella tried to rise, but the pain in her abdomen was paralyzing. She dreaded that any movement might cause her unborn child to slip away from her.
“Marie.”
“Marie.”
“Marie…”
The grounds of Sandalwood Oasis were vast, and the servants were all busy inside the house. Estrella cried out Marie’s name until her voice cracked, but no one heard her, and
no one came out.
The snow was falling heavier now, blanketing her dark hair in a layer of white.
Turning her tearful eyes to the side, Estrella sought her phone to call for help, only to find it had been flung three to four meters away. A distance usually crossed in a few steps now seemed as remote as the horizon, utterly unreachable.
“Is there anyone who can hear me? Anyone who can save my baby?” she cried, sitting motionless on the ground, overwhelmed with sorrow.
In her 23 years, she had never felt such despair, not even when Jason had struck her with that slap.
“Marie, come out! Come out and help me!”