Chapter 291
As dusk settled over the household, Jason stepped out of Estrella’s room to find Bryce lazily sprawled on the floor, constructing a tower of Legos with little Isaac. With a poker face, he asked, “Not planning on packing up and heading back?”
Bryce glanced up at Jason, his tone nonchalant. “Head back where? The world’s too big, yet there’s no room left for me in it.” He paused, then declared, “I’ve made up my mind. From now on, I’m crashing at Waterfall Acres. I’m gonna bunk with Ella.”
As he spoke, Bryce turned towards Estrella and playfully pleaded, “Ella, you’ll take care of me, right?” He quickly added, “I can help you with your son, you know.”
Since Jason and Keith had teamed up against him, then he would let Jason’s wife take care of him. In any case, there’s a countermeasure for every policy.
Before Estrella could respond, Jason kicked Bryce’s arm with a swift move of his leg. Bryce, still sitting cross-legged on the floor, quickly shielded Isaac, fearing he might get hurt in the commotion.
Jason bent down and scooped Isaac into his own arms.
Isaac beamed and called out, “Daddy.”
Isaac’s sweetness brought a smile to Jason’s face. He turned to Estrella and remarked, “Sweet talker, just like you.”
Though he hadn’t got the answer he was fishing for, Jason couldn’t help but notice Isaac starting to resemble him, especially around the eyes and nose.
Estrella chuckled at Jason’s observation but didn’t tell him that Isaac’s reticence was also
a trait inherited from him.
On the floor, Bryce watched the happy family scene unfold before him, and with a flick of his wrist, he tossed a Lego block aside in frustration. “So it’s just you three now, huh? I’m
the odd one out.”
Estrella nudged him lightly. “Get up, you.”
When Bryce nonchalantly got up from the ground, his phone in his pocket started ringing – a call from his assistant. “Mr. Bryson, the company’s audit is complete, and everything’s clear,” announced the assistant excitedly.
A glimmer of hope flashed in Bryce’s eyes, and then his phone buzzed with several new messages. His bank accounts had been unfrozen.
Bryce looked up at Jason and said with a hint of mockery, “Jason, keep the freeze on, will you? Why are you in such a rush to let me off the hook?”
He knew that neither his father nor grandfather could have acted so swiftly. It had to be
Jason’s doing.
Bryce’s smugness was met with a cold stare from Jason, but Estrella playfully slapped his arm, reprimanding, “Why are you meddling in this? If he gets frozen out again, you’ll be the one who’s going to support him.”
Bryce put an arm around her shoulder with a grin. “Hear that, Mr. Jason? Stir the pot again, and you’ll be the one taking care of me.”
Before Jason could react, Isaac was already in an uproar, his shrill cry filled with indignation as he tugged at Bryce’s arm, protesting his casual touch on Estrella’s shoulder. At Isaac’s outburst, Bryce quickly retracted his hand, while Jason couldn’t help but chuckle at the scene. It seemed he wouldn’t have to bother with Bryce himself in the
future.
As the four of them tangled in the living room, Jesse arrived. With Bryce’s accounts unfrozen, Jesse drove him back to his place, while Jason and Estrella took Isaac back to the Dorvold estate.
Autumn observed the three of them moving in sync, turning a blind eye as if oblivious to the undercurrents. After Landon had a talk with Cole, Cole’s opposition wasn’t as pronounced, yet he still harbored some discomfort and did not support their remarriage.
Estrella and Jason had regained a sense of normalcy and were jointly investigating the fire that occurred seven years ago. Holly, on the other hand, grew increasingly anxious with each report of the couple’s togetherness, struggling to maintain her composure.
Each time she recalled Jason’s harsh words-that if she were gone, no third party would know the truth-and each time she remembered being spurned by him, it felt as though a knife twisted in her heart, causing her endless distress.
He had known Estrella for more than twenty years, but in a way, he had known Holly for just as long.
In the hospital, since the previous visit to the neurology specialist yielded no results, the two of them made an appointment with a renowned psychologist. They were determined to uncover the reason behind Estrella’s loss of those memories from that fire.
The psychologist’s series of questions and discussions triggered Estrella’s memories of seven years prior, and she underwent hypnotherapy to retrieve that elusive segment of her past.
However, instead of recalling the fire, Estrella’s mind drifted back to the time when Jason and Holly’s scandal hit the headlines. The most vivid memory from seven years ago was the argument with Jason, and the slap he delivered that echoed through time.
During the hypnosis, Estrella’s emotions plummeted. After uttering a few words, she curled up into a ball, withdrawing into herself, unwilling to communicate with anyone
around her.
Jason, witnessing Estrella’s vulnerability, found it difficult to breathe, his gaze never straying from her. He had never realized how deeply that fight had affected her, how a single misunderstanding could cause so much pain, and how that slap nearly shattered their future.
She had seemed so indifferent back then, hurling harsh words at him. The less she seemed to care on the surface, the more it mattered to her heart.
His Estrella wasn’t as resilient as he had thought. She had cared so deeply for him, and loved him so much.
Motionless, Jason watched Estrella as she lay there, coiled in distress. The psychologist gently informed him, “That heartbreak from seven years ago left a deep impression on Ms. Estrella, which is why this memory surfaced during the hypnosis.”
Glancing at the withdrawn Estrella, the middle-aged doctor added, “It’s clear she loved deeply, and she is an emotional person. She’s not the best at expressing her emotions and tends to be very accommodating.”
Taking the doctor’s words to heart, Jason edged closer to the recliner and softly took Estrella’s hand in his. The psychologist quickly cautioned, “Don’t wake her. Let her come
around on her own.”
Jason gently held her hand, staying by her side in the quiet of the room.
It wasn’t long before Estrella’s emotions began to settle, and she slowly emerged from the trance of hypnosis.
Opening her
eyes and spotting Jason sitting beside her with a serious expression, Estrella immediately sat up.
Jason caressed her cheek and asked, “Awake now?”
After she acknowledged him with a nod, Estrella rubbed her eyes, revealing damp lash and a moistness on her face. The next second, as she touched her own cheeks, she w suddenly struck by embarrassment.
What had she remembered after being hypnotized? What had she said?
She had told him to leave, but Jason, stubborn as ever, chose to stay. Could she have carelessly revealed Isaac’s identity?
Trying to act nonchalant while wiping her face, Estrella turned to the doctor and asked, “Dr. Abigail, did I recall that missing part of my memory?”
Chapter 292
In that moment, despite a lingering sense of melancholy, Estrella maintained her composure with practiced ease.
Hearing this, the doctor said, “Ms. Estrella, even though we’ve just revisited a time from seven years ago, I regret to inform you that the fire you spoke of remains elusive in your memory.”
She continued, “Perhaps, Ms. Estrella, the events you’ve just recalled are more significant to you than the fire.”
A shiver ran down Estrella’s spine as she looked at Dr. Abigail and asked, “What did I remember just now? What did I say?”
Dr. Abigail handed her a cassette tape. “Don’t be too anxious, Ms. Estrella. This is the recording from our session. You can listen to it at home.”
Confused, Estrella took the tape. If she hadn’t said much, why were there tears streaking her face, and why was Jason’s expression so grave?
As Estrella accepted the tape, the doctor added, “There is another possibility. If you can’t recall that memory later on, it may have been deliberately erased through hypnosis. But we will need a few more sessions to confirm this theory.”
At this, Estrella turned to look at Jason.
Erased on purpose? This new hypothesis from Dr. Abigail sparked fresh thoughts in Estrella’s mind. Jason held her hand, as if he too had stumbled upon a revelation.
After briefly discussing with the doctor, they scheduled a follow-up appointment and Jason drove Estrella back home.
On the way back, Estrella was quite busy, constantly answering phone calls.
Villagers from Glimmering Lake reported that the compensation from Chemisphere wa received. Logan called to discuss work matters. Estrella’s former client Jo mentioned a friend going through a complex divorce involving a hefty estate, convoluted family ties, illegitimate children, and company shares. Jo sought Estrella’s help with the case.
Estrella’s head ached as she listened, but she agreed, “Sure, Jo. Pass along my contact info to the person concerned, and we’ll set up a meeting.”
On the driver’s side, Jason also fielded a few calls, but his matters seemed less fragmented than Estrella’s.
Gripping the steering wheel, Jason stole a glance at Estrella, who was handling her affairs with such grace and ease. His mind wandered back to the scene at the hospital, to the things she revealed under hypnosis.
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After Estrella had drifted off, Dr. Abigail had asked what happened that year. Estrella’s frown deepened, and her mood plummeted.
“I thought Jason was in love with me,” she had murmured. “He didn’t come for me. He didn’t look for me.”
After that, she fell silent, only her tears speaking volumes, dampening her clothes and the
chair beneath her.
Back then, when she had agreed to the marriage, Kristin had assured that Estrella’s affections were genuine. It was merely a step to validate their love, given that he too had consented to the family’s wishes. But at the time, he was blinded by the harsh words and cold dismissals she had given him. He couldn’t believe Kristin’s account, thinking Estrella’s consent was mere superstition and that he was nothing more to her than a means to an
end.
Now, it was clear to everyone but him.
After hanging up with Jo, Estrella put down her phone and noticed Jason’s pensive mood. She teased, “Why are you so gloomy? Did my harsh words earlier strike a nerve?”
Without waiting for a response, she quipped again, “Or did I say something under hypnosis that knocked you sideways?”
Her teasing only intensified Jason’s guilt. He reached for her hand, “No.” He wished she had been harsh. He would rather be hurt than see her in pain.
Squeezing her hand, he looked at her again, “Your acting had me fooled.” From then on, he vowed to trust nothing else but the fact that Estrella loved him, and she truly held him in
her heart.
Estrella felt a pang of guilt but managed to muster a half-hearted smile, still wondering what she might have revealed while hypnotized.
Jason’s laughter broke through her doubts. “Relax, even under hypnosis you were tight-lipped. You didn’t spill any secrets.”
“Really?” she asked, relieved.
With a hint of disdain, Jason replied, “You barely said a few words. You didn’t expect to unveil some earth-shattering secret, did you?”
With that assurance, Estrella brushed off her concerns and brought the conversation back to Dr. Abigail’s hypothesis. “Do you think it’s possible? Could someone have really erased my memories?”
Jason’s voice was firm, “Whether you remember or not, I’ll uncover the truth.”
Estrella joked, “Aren’t you afraid that I’m actually plotting against you? That all this time I’m just putting on an act?”
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He met her gaze, “If you want my life, it’s yours,
His profound look made Estrella laugh. The laughter faded, and they continued the drive in comfortable silence, with Estrella’s hand in Jason’s.
The thoughts of her hypnosis session lingered with Jason as they drove. Soon, they arrived at Isaac’s preschool, where Autumn had already picked him up. Spotting Estrella and Jason, Autumn quickly handed Isaac over, “I’ve got a class reunion tonight, so I’m leaving Isaac with you guys.”
Before they could react, Autumn was off in her Mercedes, leaving Estrella and Jason with their bundle of joy.
Glancing over at Jason, who cradled Isaac in his arms, Estrella remarked with a hint of jest, “Looks like my mom’s got life easy now that she’s got an extra pair of hands around.” Not so long ago, Autumn had been all about Isaac, never leaving his side or wanting to go anywhere. But since Isaac had taken a shine to Jason, Autumn had loosened her grip and let them spend time together on their own.
With one arm wrapped around Isaac and the other holding Estrella’s hand, Jason announced, “Let’s head back to Waterfall Acres.”
Autumn trusted Estrella and Isaac with him, and Jason couldn’t be happier.
After making dinner for Estrella and Isaac, and putting Isaac to sleep around nine in the evening, Jason finally had the chance to rest. He walked up behind Estrella and embraced her.
Resting his chin on her shoulder, he gently closed his eyes, savoring the affection and tranquility of the moment.
Estrella turned to catch his gaze. “Next time, don’t come to Waterfall Acres. Stay home where someone can look after you.”
He was working hard, and then he had to come home to cook and take care of Isaac. She was tired just thinking about his day.
After her words fell, Jason tightened his embrace and nuzzled her cheek, murmuring softly, “You worried about me?”
