30 Days Till I Divorce My Husband novel Chapter 383

Despite Jason's silence, Estrella could see right through him. He was hurting, feeling the weight of their shared struggles.

For a moment, Estrella couldn't help but chuckle through her tears. "Come on now! Don't tell me you're crying! I didn't even shed a tear when I was left, and here you are, a grown man, crying?"

Jason just held her tighter, pressing a firm kiss to her forehead, refusing to let her push him away.

There was a gentleness about Jason that made Estrella sigh softly. She was always a sucker for tenderness.

Patting his back, she comforted him, "I'm not blaming you."

Jason kissed her cheek with determination, "I know, I get it."

His voice was gentle yet firm.

Estrella smiled helplessly, no longer teasing him. Instead, she patted his back in comfort, staying silent.

After a while, when Jason finally let go of Estrella, he seemed more composed, though his eyes were still red.

In truth, regardless of what happened thirty years ago, or what was going on with Landon and Cole, Jason wasn't overwhelmed with sadness. He had been angry two years ago, but that was it.

But Estrella's comforting words had hit him hard. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her.

Turning to look at the shoulder where Jason had rested his head, noticing the dampness on her shirt, Estrella cast a complex gaze at him, words failing her.

This man, he was irreplaceable.

Catching Estrella's look, Jason cleared his throat, trying to act indifferent, "Must be the baby's drool!"

Estrella, amused, played along, "Yes, yes, the baby's drool."

Laughing, Jason ruffled her hair gently, finding himself smiling too.

No one but Estrella could stir such emotions in him.

Seeing Jason's mood lighten, Estrella stood up from the trunk of the car, "It's getting late; you should head back."

As Estrella got up, so did Jason.

She gestured for him to get in the car, and he obediently did.

As Estrella closed the car door, Jason asked, "Estrella, are you sure you won't come with me?"

If they could move far from Ravenwood, perhaps settle abroad, he felt he could better protect her and Isaac.

Estrella looked at him, a wistful smile on her lips, "How can I stand tall when I have nothing to stand tall for?" She added, "Go back."

Seeing her resignation, Jason didn't press further, simply saying, "You go inside first."

"Alright," Estrella agreed, then turned to go inside.

Watching Estrella enter the house, waiting until she reached the room and stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, Jason finally drove away.

Estrella could feel it; Jason was facing troubles he hadn't even shared with Drew.

He was bearing it all alone.

---

He had racked his brain thinking of everyone's wellbeing, only to end up being the one blamed.

As Landon glared, Cole quickly tried to defuse the tension, "We're all in this together; I'm as anxious as you are."

Though deep down, there was a hint of pride in Cole, proud that Estrella trusted him more than Landon.

Landon, sensing this, accused, "Stop pretending; you're clearly enjoying this." He added, "This can't end like this. I can't let Jason and Estrella hate me."

Cole sighed, "We're on it, really pushing the limits here. But it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. No telling when we'll hit the jackpot."

With every step back Cole took, Landon found it harder to unleash his frustration. His brows furrowed into a deep V, his eyes brimming with a mix of hurt and helplessness.

At the end of the day, the real victims in this tangled mess were him and Cole. But it was a story too complex to lay out in words, and he dared not explain it to Jason, fearing it might just chill his heart to the core.

Oh, the agony!

After their meeting at the tea house, Landon's discontent was as clear as day on his face.

Sure, his years of meticulous planning were driven by personal motives. But they were all for the greater good, for the benefit of everyone involved.

He was cornered, left with no other choice.

---

It was just after 9 p.m. when Jason clocked out. He was about to call Estrella, planning a weekend get-together with her and Isaac, when his phone buzzed on the car's dashboard.

Picking up, he saw a number that hadn't flashed on his screen in ages. Slowly, he lifted his foot off the accelerator.