Chapter 20
With a frown, Jared stared straight into my eyes with his obsidian deep-set ones. He was contemplating whether I was being truthful.
I did not fret. I sat quietly as he tried to gauge me.
Hilal
After some time, he finally spoke. “Sure.”
“Thank you, Dr. Crest.” It was always a pleasure to deal with smart people. Just throw them a look and they would have gotten the gist of it.
After the waiter had served our food, he shot a glance at me again. “Has Ms. Stovall always downplayed your brilliance this way?”
I chuckled at his remark. “Oh, you flatter me. It’s just a small trick to protect myself. Besides, Ashton and I are really not meant for each other anyway. This is a really bad time to have the baby.”
He had a few bites, seemingly pleased with my answer. “When do you plan to leave?”
I was taken aback and locked eyes with him. My plan was to deal with the baby and divorce Ashton. As for leaving J City, I really had no inkling as to where I should be headed at the moment.
He had even gotten the last step of my plan correct.
I paused for a moment, putting down the utensils in my hands. “Maybe in two months’ time. I haven’t decided on the place.”
“Why don’t you consider Q City? I think you’d fit in perfectly there.” He put down his utensils and wiped the corners of his mouth. Maybe he was done eating.
JUNI
I actually found Q City to be a good suggestion and nodded. “Yes, maybe I should consider that.” Even though Q City was modest in comparison with J City, the pace of life there was slower. If I were to choose someplace where I would spend the rest of my life, Q City was actually a viable option.
bill but he was one step ahead of me. We walked out of the restaurant together and I said, “I owe
you would treat me
at a loss
suddenly asked when he reached
turned
of our actions if
“Does Ashton know?”
to let him know about
frowned, albeit making
he was in a daze right beside his own car. I figured it was best not
was a ten-minute drive. I parked the car downstairs and did not get
ever put a knife to my neck. Never would I have imagined
event of a divorce. He had
with him
the papers for some time, I finally penned
and reached out to turn on the lights. To my surprise, there
at me with his deep dark eyes. I
looked at him and said slowly, “Why didn’t you turn on
tone was icy, and
just went to the office.” I headed right into the kitchen afterward and said, “I’ll make
hospital today. Why should I care? He was about to leave anyway. What did it have to do with me
to split on good terms. He had been someone whom I cared about for such a long time anyway. It would
chill down my spine after I was dane cooking. I turned around and was greeted by his
There was only contempt in his eyes whenever he would look at me. Somehow it felt
I kept my mouth shut and cooked
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!