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.

early? No classes today?" Lacey handed the tent to Jason and welcomed Yara

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

together last

a smile. "Yes, we all need to unwind

at Jason with a charming smile, and

casual moment pierced

fool me," she suddenly blurted

turned to

looked from Lacey to Jason. know the truth-she's not

and

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

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

to clarify things. Otherwise, Yara

break seemed kindest

to have their feelings reciprocated. Getting hurt was an inevitable part

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

bit her lip as tears welled up in her

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

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 anyone else. How

you might be missing out on the complete story. Head over there to dive into

Lacey was clearly Jason's girlfriend-her competition-Yara didn't want to cry in front of her.

reassuringly. "Don't worry. After what happened

truth, Lacey could barely maintain

had

had fallen for someone, how could one simply fall for another?

to the office. Your flight's tomorrow, right? Have

slowly down the street,

pretended to be Jason's girlfriend in front of Yara. Though she knew it was just pretense, her heart

this, she smiled bitterly at

truth, she wasn't so different from Yara-loving 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, she would never act

office window, watching a plane cross the

phone rang-Richard asking her

she arrived, Richard handed her a document. "Lacey, I think you're the only

handle this

going abroad, Lacey's heart skipped a

me?" she asked

forward, fingers interlaced, and smiled. "You've lived abroad for

Who could be

me like this. I guess

following day, she boarded

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

though she knew Richard's intentions

her.

mind the trip-it served both business and

or retreat. When

to escape but because she didn't want to

a year abroad, she hadn't