My Four Miraculous Treasures

Chapter 426

When she heard Rachel's voice, Willow fought down the clawing panic in her heart, and tried to sound casual as she said, "Hey, Rachel... I decided to head back home, after all. Won't be staying the night at your place so don't panic if you wake up and don't find me there."

Willow stole a peek at Jasper. His seething gaze was locked onto her. It felt like a blade pressed against her throat. She was terrified, her heart reverberating back and forth like a ping-pong ball. He looked like he wanted to roast her alive, on a spit over a blazing fire.

In her heart, Willow prayed fervently that Rachel would hear, through the thick fog of sleepiness, the hidden meaning in her words. If things fell through here... it could spell disaster for the both of them!

In the cramped back seat of the car, it was difficult even to draw breath. Lives were at stake.

Willow could actually hear her own heartbeat, hammering madly against her chest like it was trying to break out. Jasper just kept on staring and staring at her, with those dark eyes like inescapable, all-consuming black holes...

Strained all the way to the breaking point, just as Willow was about to snap, Rachel's voice issued from the phone once more: "Oh, goodness... I'd fallen fast asleep, myself. Why did you suddenly decide to go home, so late at night? Was there really something so urgent that you needed to attend to... or was I simply an awful host?"

And all of a sudden, the skies were clear. Truly, friendship was a magical thing.

Good thing she'd been keeping Rachel up to date on all her misadventures with Jasper Hughes! She must have realized that this was yet another one of those moments, and had understood what Willow needed from her.

wearing some of your clothes right now—I hate

for a penny, in for a pound. She'd keep up this act until the curtains came down.

let you get back to sleep now. Bye,

with triumph as she turned

few words, Jasper grabbed her by the

leapt, and her eyes flew wide with shock. Thinking that he meant to kiss her, she held her breath, preparing herself

then he stopped, a mere inch away from actually making contact with her

brush away a few strands of hair upon her forehead. It was a presumptuous motion on his part... but also

was close enough to examine every lovely detail of Jasper's face: his taut cheeks, proud nose, thin lips... every

He was so handsome that he made

so captivating, so overpowering... he threw her emotions into disarray. She kept still, not making a single move. She

was examining the bump upon her forehead, the

sweat. If any of her sweat got into the wound, it

changed into confusion. Was Jasper concerned