Web Fic
Chapter 228
The sound of Isaac calling out “Daddy” surprised Jason so much that he spilled the soup he was holding. His ears turned a shade of crimson the next second. After all his years, that was the first time anyone had ever called him ‘Dad.’
Staring at Isaac, Jason was at a loss for words for a good long while. Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.
Estrella couldn’t help but chuckle at Jason’s startled look and said to Isaac, “Hey kiddo, don’t go throwing that word around. You’ll give him a heart attack.” She then turned to Jason, “Don’t mind him. My boy’s like that. If he takes a shine to someone, he’s quick to call them ‘Dad.”
Jason was flabbergasted. Estrella’s words reminded him of how just yesterday, Isaac was calling Jesse ‘Dad.’
He gave Estrella a look that reeked of judgment and muttered, “He’s starved for affection.” Estrella sipped her soup nonchalantly,. “What can I do? It’s not like I can morph into a dude.”
At a loss for a comeback, Jason just stared at her for a while before continuing to feed Isaac his breakfast.
Isaac watched the banter between them, quietly munching on his food without making a peep, not wanting to interrupt their exchange.
-Mr. Jason, Ms. Estrella did have a boyfriend overseas, but sadly he passed away in a car accident not long after.
Remembering what Drew had reported, and the possibility that Isaac might be the child of another man, Jason felt a pang in his heart. The man was gone, yet she chose to bring the child into the world. That kind of devotion was unmatched.
Jason fed Isaac a piece of chicken and turned to Estrella, asking with a softer tone, “You really liked that guy so much that you’d have his kid even after he was gone?”
Then looking back at Isaac, Jason felt his question might have lacked empathy. The kid looked so much like Estrella.
Estrella smiled, “Yeah, I suppose. Plus, you know I can be a bit superstitious and stubborn when it comes to kids.” If it hadn’t been for those fortune-tellers, she might not have
married him.
Though she spoke tough, deep down Estrella knew it clear as day: she had married Jason because of a longstanding affection, their history, and her feelings for him that hadn’t completely worn off at the time.
It was through the disappointments piled up over the years of their marriage that they had
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reached this point.
After Estrella finished speaking, Jason didn’t say anything more, just gently wiped Isaac’s mouth with a napkin.
Estrella remarked, surprised by Jason’s attentiveness, “Never thought you’d be good with kids.” If she remembered correctly, Jason never really liked kids, and he was never the type to hold someone else’s baby.
She recalled a New Year’s party at his place where a relative’s child had taken a liking to him. When the kid had lunged for Jason, he had instinctively dodged, and the kid ended up on the floor. And Jason? Not a hint of remorse, didn’t even help the kid up-just skedaddled like he was avoiding the plague. That year, he was 22.
To Estrella’s words, Jason simply replied, “Because he’s your kid.” And because Isaac looked like her.
With that, Estrella fell silent. ·
While Jason continued to feed Isaac and wiped his little face, there was no additional chatter. He wasn’t like Bryce or Jesse, who had a way with kids. He was more like a robot without feelings, just helping Estrella out with a chore.
As the quiet settled in, the hospital room door swung open again, and a nurse popped her head in, “Ms. Estrella, once you’re done with breakfast, come by for a follow-up.”
“Got it,” Estrella replied.
Soon after she finished her meal, Estrella left for her check-up, instructing Jason, “If you’re not too busy, can you keep an eye on Isaac for me? Jesse should be here soon.”
“Alright, I’m free,” Jason responded.
With Estrella gone for her check-up, Jason and Isaac were left alone in the room. As Jason began to clear the table, Isaac, eager to help, tossed out the trash and handed him
the utensils.
Jason couldn’t help but smile at Isaac’s helpfulness-the kid was adorable, just like
Estrella as a child.
Once they had finished tidying up, Isaac cuddled up with his unfinished glass of milk and started sipping again with utmost seriousness
Jason was impressed; the kid had an appetite as big as Estrella’s.
Sitting down beside Isaac, Jason received a pat on the arm from the little guy, “Cool.” Isaac was commending Jason on how great he was at helping Estrella.
With a laugh, Jason said, “You’re just like your mom.””
After the chuckle, Jason grew a bit melancholic. Picking up a freshly brewed cup of
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coffee, he mused, “If not for all the twists of fate, you’d probably be my son.”
Though young, Isaac seemed to grasp Jason’s somber mood instantly. With a concerned little frown, Isaac patted Jason’s back, as if to say, ‘Don’t sweat it, think positive.’
Jason turned to watch the boy, so young and yet acting beyond his years. Did Isaac really understand what was being said?
Meeting Isaac’s gaze, the boy reassured him, “Uncle cool, Uncle…” He stuttered a bit, then continued, “Not sad.”
After the meal, it was back to ‘Uncle,’ not ‘Dad.’ This little guy was a spitting image of Estrella, an upgraded version if anything.
As their eyes met, Jason studied Isaac intently, trying to find a trace of himself, but all he could see was Estrella.
After a moment of silence, Jason calmly asked, “Isaac, right?”
Isaac nodded emphatically.
Jason proposed, “Let’s make a deal. From now on, you only call me ‘Dad,’ and whatever you want, I’ll give you.”
Isaac’s eyes sparkled at the offer, and he shouted with enthusiasm, “Daddy!”
Isaac’s loud proclamation made Jason a bit bashful as he adjusted his shirt collar. He meant to respond, but his throat felt like it was sealed with cement, and he couldn’t utter a word. So, he just ruffled Isaac’s hair as a sign of acknowledgment.
Isaac’s grin in response to Jason’s gentleness was infectious. At first, Isaac couldn’t quite understand his own feelings. When Isaac had first laid eyes on this man, he’d felt a skittish kind of fear. Yet, despite that, he found himself inexplicably drawn to Jason.
Later on, Jason engaged Isaac in conversation as if he were a grown-up, and that seemed to bridge the gap between them even further.
So when Estrella came back from her rounds, she was taken aback to find Isaae-giggling away in her hospital room, with Jason coolly and comfortably keeping him company. Estrella had half-expected that the two wouldn’t mesh well, so the current scene of camaraderie threw her for a loop. She hadn’t anticipated that Jason would be able to coax such joyous laughter from Isaac.
“Isaac, what’s got you so tickled?” Estrella asked with a blend of curiosity and
amusement.
Quick as a flash, Isaac hid whatever he was holding behind his back and shook his head at Estrella, a mischievous glint flashing in his eyes.