Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Chapter 296 Fighting for Herself

The next morning, Jason returned from the mountain and was stepping out of the elevator when he spotted someone curled up by his door.

The dozing figure stirred at the sound, rubbing sleep-filled eyes.

"Mr. Foster! You're back!"

"What are you doing here?" Jason asked, surprised.

"I've been waiting for you all night," Yara replied.

Having been huddled there for hours, Yara struggled to stand, her limbs numb. She massaged her legs with a pitiful expression.

Jason sighed resignedly as he took out his keys and unlocked the door.

"Legs fallen asleep? Come in and sit for a while."

Yara brightened instantly-her fatigue vanishing along with the numbness in her feet -and followed him inside.

Jason poured her a glass of water. "Here, drink this."

"Thank you, Mr. Foster."

Yara accepted the perfectly tempered water, feeling warmth spread through her heart.

"Was there something you needed?" Jason asked.

After a moment's thought, Yara said earnestly, "Mr. Foster, I'm sorry for causing you trouble."

Jason smiled faintly and shook his head. "I wanted a long vacation anyway. It has nothing to do with you, so please don't feel burdened."

Yara fell silent briefly, then seemed to gather her courage. Looking up at Jason with determination, she said, "Mr. Foster, I have feelings for you."

This was her second formal confession.

Considering Yara's fragility, Jason chose silence rather than an immediate response this time.

His silence made Yara increasingly anxious and hurt.

"Mr. Foster. when,vou said I wasn't,vour type that day. it broke my heart." she said.

Suddenly, her eyes widened with excitement as a thought struck her. "Mr. Foster, were you just saying that because of our teacher-student relationship? Now that you're not my professor anymore, we're free to date!"

Jason replied as gently as possible, "Didn't I tell you I have a girlfriend?"

"I don't believe it. I..."

"Jason, could you help me? This is too heavy for me," a woman's voice called from outside, cutting Yara off mid-sentence.

Jason and Yara both went to the door to find Lacey struggling with a folded tent.

Lacey paused when she saw Yara. She asked, "Yara? What brings you here? How are you feeling? Better now?"

Faced with these rapid-fire questions, Yara couldn't respond. Lacey's appearance had crushed the small hope she'd been harboring.

you here so early? No classes today?"

hospital. Lacey moved with natural grace, her slightly curled long hair framing a face

together last night?" Yara

need to unwind after working so hard.

at Jason with a charming smile, and they exchanged a

casual moment pierced Yara's

fool me," she suddenly blurted

Lacey turned to her

know the truth-she's not your girlfriend. She's

Jason and Lacey

is your cousin, and she's the CEO's sister.

indeed complicated, and they weren't sure how to explain it

felt it necessary to clarify things. Otherwise, Yara would continue holding

break

feelings reciprocated. Getting hurt was an inevitable part of

and grow from the experience. "Yara, I'm impressed you did your research. That shows how much you care for Jason. But I need to tell you the truth-I'm not his cousin. My brother is indeed his cousin because my brother and I share the

bit her lip as tears welled up in her eyes, her

her shoulder comfortingly. "I'm sure you'll meet someone

blinked, tears rolling down her cheeks as she wiped them away awkwardly. "But I only love Mr. Foster. I'll never be able to love

you're not reading this book on nel5s.com, you might be missing out on

cry in front of her. To preserve her last

smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. After what happened that night, I'm confident she

truth, Lacey could

words had struck a

for someone, how could one simply

said, "I should head to the office. Your flight's

slowly down the street, watching white

now she had pretended to be Jason's girlfriend in front of Yara. Though she knew it was just pretense, her heart had momentarily filled with happiness and

bitterly at her own

him without reciprocation. The only difference was that she was older, more mature. She had confessed once before; they had nearly married. After everything they'd been through, she had learned to hide her feelings. Unlike Yara,

office window, watching a plane cross the sky, its roar gradually

phone rang-Richard asking her

handed her a document.

can handle this international

mention of going abroad,

she asked

forward, fingers interlaced, and smiled.

capable. Who could

like

following day, she boarded a plane

window as the plane pierced through thick clouds, she felt a sense

fate, though she knew

her.

served

wasn't one to avoid challenges or retreat. When she had

wasn't to escape but because she didn't want

a year abroad, she hadn't forgotten him, and