Web Fic
Chapter 205
“Sweetheart!” Estrella entered the house with a mask on, and in a split second, the previously gloomy Isaac was buzzing with energy like a bee on a sugar rush. Scrambling up from the floor, he charged towards Estrella with his little legs pumping. “Mommy, Mommy!”
“Mama!” As Isaac flung himself into Estrella’s arms, you’d think he hadn’t seen her in © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.
centuries.
Lifting Isaac up from the floor, Estrella showed no signs of illness. Her entire demeanor was lively and energetic.
Fearful of bringing home any germs, she had stopped by Waterfall Acres for a thorough scrub-down and donned her most airtight mask before entering the house.
Autumn couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of Estrella all bundled up. “The doctors said you’re clear, honey. You’re gonna be just fine. Aren’t you getting a bit claustrophobic in there?”
“I’m okay.” Estrella’s voice was muffled but firm.
When Isaac reached for Estrella’s mask, trying to peel away the barrier, Estrella quickly stopped him, “Sweetie, mommy’s been sick, we can’t take off the mask.”
Estrella had always been a force to be reckoned with, but ever since Isaac came into her
life, all her softness was reserved for her child.
Isaac, heeding Estrella’s warning, cautiously retreated.
As they settled in the living room, Isaac flipped through a book, proudly showing off his learning achievements to Estrella. When he placed the flashcards spelling ‘Daddy’ in fron of Estrella, his eyes carried the weight of his longing for his father.
Catching the cue, Estrella glanced at Autumn, “Mom, what have you been telling Isaac?”
Autumn, caught off-guard but trying to maintain her composure, insisted, “Nothing at all. I’ve just been teaching him to read.”
Estrella looked up at her mother, skeptical. Why would Isaac be spelling out ‘Daddy’ in
front of he for no reason?
“Daddy,” Isaac repeated, his voice tinged with a touch of sadness, “Baby, Daddy.”
Isaac then meticulously searched through the pile of flashcards, eventually arranging the words ‘Baby wants Daddy.”
Estrella rubbed her temples, feeling overwhelmed. To appease Isaac, she said, “Bryce and Jesse are daddies. My baby has lots of daddies.” But Isaac shook his head, indicating they weren’t his real father.
Seeing Isaac’s disbelief, Estrella called out, “Mom.”
“Estrella,
I swear I didn’t spill the beans. I just asked Isaac if he knew who his daddy was,” Autumn confessed, “Sweetie, speaking of which, who exactly is Isaac’s father?”
Estrella replied, “Haven’t I told you? Isaac is the result of science and technology.” Then she added, “Mom, do me a favor and save me the trouble, don’t bring up ‘daddy’ around
Isaac.”
Though Isaac didn’t have a father in the conventional sense, Estrella’s love was more than enough. And with Bryce around, Isaac hardly felt different from other kids who had fathers at their side. Unfortunately, it only took a few days back home for Autumn to stir
the topic, and now Isaac was asking for his dad.
up
“It’s not like I’m prying for no reason. I’m just curious because Isaac’s got good genes. He knows so many words for his age,” Autumn tried to justify.
“Don’t be. Less curiosity might be better for everyone,” Estrella shot back. Her curiosity. could lead to questions Estrella wasn’t ready to answer.
Seeing Estrella’s stern face, Autumn mimed zipping her lips and dropped the subject.
Over the next few days, after wrapping up her cases, Estrella went to handle her onboarding at Justice Guardians LLP. She had just completed her paperwork when al honk from a sleek black Rolls Royce caught her attention.
It was Landon’s car. The driver stepped out and respectfully opened the door, “Ms. Estrella.”
Estrella looked at Landon sitting in the backseat and eventually got in.
“Hi”
she greeted as the door softly clicked shut behind her.
“Mhm!” Landon grunted in acknowledgment, then asked, “Been back for a few days, righ Your mom said you’ve been under the weather.”
“Just a fever for a couple of days. I’m fine now!
Landon turned to Estrella, noting how much more composed she seemed after years
apart. After studying her for a moment, Landon broached the subject, “Kristin mentioned you’re still set on divorcing Jason?”
“Yeah,” Estrella replied crisply.
Landon’s brow furrowed in thought before he asked, “Estrella, if I asked you not to go through with this divorce, would you consider it?”
Estrella had always known Landon to be decisive and intolerant of dissent. Jason was much the same. She never expected Landon to intervene about her marriage to Jason, much less ask her to reconsider the divorce.
MChapter 205
After a long stare, Estrella exhaled and said, “Dad, Jason and I, we really tried.” She
paused before adding, “I don’t want to go back to how things were three years ago. I want. a fresh start.”
“And besides, Jason and I… we can’t go back.”
She avoided listing Jason’s faults, instead focusing on their mutual efforts. Estrella had always been like that, taking responsibility and not shifting blame onto others.
Landon listened, his gaze fixed on her, waiting for her to continue. Estrella, realizing this, added, “I had a child while I was abroad. He’s nearly two now, Jason surely can’t accept this part of me, or my child.”
Estrella knew it was time to have a heart-to-heart with Landon. The Nelsons were practically itching for grandkids, and Jason, with his stubborn single-mindedness, was at loggerheads with her. She figured if she laid it all out for Landon, he’d surely put the screws on Jason to sign those divorce papers.
When Estrella spilled the beans, Landon’s face went through a kaleidoscope of emotions.
With a smile, Estrella remarked, “Everything in this world is prone to change, especially the human heart.” Despite having harbored feelings for Jason once upon a time, even daydreaming about starting a family with him, Estrella’s heart had taken a new direction.
The bombshell of Estrella’s child left Landon speechless, choking on his words for what seemed like an eternity.
Estrella had a child…
Landon was at his wit’s end.
Noticing Landon’s silence, Estrella fixed him with a serious gaze and asked, “About tho fortune tellers back in the day, did you set that up on purpose?”
After marrying Jason, Estrella had her suspicions about those soothsayers, and Landon motives. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Landon had orchestrated her match with Jason, bringing in those fortune tellers as part of his plan.
If it was intentional, why? Why was it so crucial for her to stay with Jason, to the point where Landon himself would come and plead with her not to go through with the divorce? This wasn’t like Landon, not with his typically commanding presence.
So now, with Isaac’s secret out in the open, it was the perfect time to corner him and get
some answers.