Divorced Dazzling and Desired novel Chapter 24

**Raindrops Kissing Silent Streets – by Aadi Sharma**
**Chapter 24**

The other man cast a fleeting glance at Renee, his brow knitting together in a slight frown, but he chose silence, leaving an unspoken tension hanging in the air.

It was Jasper who broke the stillness. Upon spotting her, his eyebrows lifted in mild surprise, as if her presence was an unexpected twist in a familiar tale.

Renee offered a sheepish smile, her cheeks warming slightly under his gaze. “Uh… I-I’m looking for him.” She gestured toward the man standing in the middle, her heart racing a little.

“Jasper, she’s looking for you,” one of the others chimed in, a playful lilt in his voice.

“Well, well. Since when did you start flirting behind our backs?” another teased, a mischievous glint in his eye.

“Damn, that face and that body? I’m speechless!”

“Holy crap, Jasper. You’ve been hiding your game, huh?” The guys nudged Jasper’s shoulder, their laughter ringing out like a melody, light and teasing.

Jasper shot them a sharp glance, his expression turning stern. “Get lost,” he commanded, his tone brooking no argument.

The group of friends, still grinning, ambled away, but not before throwing one last wave at Renee. “You two take your time. We’ll leave you to it,” they called out, their voices fading as they disappeared from sight.

Jasper turned his full attention back to Renee, his demeanor shifting. “Out of the hospital already?” he asked, a hint of concern flickering in his eyes.

“Yeah,” she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper, a wave of unease washing over her. She had encountered countless individuals throughout her life, yet there was something about Jasper that always made her feel a little on edge, as if she were standing on the precipice of something unknown.

“I haven’t properly thanked you for saving me yesterday,” she said, her heart pounding as she forced the words out.

“Don’t mention it. It was nothing,” Jasper replied, his tone casual, as if what he had done held no significance at all.

Again with the “It was nothing.” That phrase echoed in her mind, strangely familiar, as if it had been spoken before in a different context, by a different person.

Renee pressed her lips together, contemplating her next words carefully. “Well, thank you anyway. Since you saved my life, I’d like to treat you to a meal,” she offered, her voice gaining strength as she spoke.

In her gut, she sensed that Jasper was no ordinary man. He hadn’t intervened out of a sense of obligation or a desire for recognition; it felt more like a matter of principle, or perhaps simple human decency. Offering him money would only diminish the gravity of his actions and might even offend him.

“No, no!” she exclaimed, waving her hands in a flustered manner. “I didn’t mean that at all. I’m just genuinely curious.” A sigh escaped her lips, heavy with the weight of her gratitude. “Either way, I really want to thank you. Would you mind exchanging contact info? If there’s ever anything I can help you with, I’ll do everything I can.”

He had saved her life, after all. If he hadn’t shown up, she would have surely become just another tragic statistic, a lifeless body lost to the depths of the ocean.

She understood that money was not the right way to repay him, and suggesting something absurd like, “I’ll marry you to repay your kindness,” felt even more ludicrous.

The man before her emanated an air of wealth and privilege, likely accustomed to beautiful women vying for his attention daily. She feared that even a hint of romantic interest would make her seem utterly foolish in his eyes.

“Contact info?” Jasper raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement dancing on his lips, but it quickly morphed into an icy detachment. “That won’t be necessary.”

With that, he shot her a frosty glance, picked up his surfboard, and walked away, leaving her standing there, bewildered and aching with confusion.

As she watched him retreat, Renee scratched her head in frustration.

“Did I say something wrong? Why did he suddenly get angry?” she murmured to herself, grappling with the unexpected turn of events.