Chapter 17
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In the days that followed, Jason made it clear with his actions that he was completely serious about Yara.
He took her out to the most famous restaurant in the city. They dined in a private room on the 99th floor, so high up it felt like one could reach out and touch the
clouds and the moon.
The whole experience was almost surreal, and it was so romantic that it took Yara’s breath away.
“Yara, come over here,” Jason called out from the window.
She walked over, and just as she joined him, fireworks exploded across the sky, lighting up the night right outside the glass.
The dazzling colors were like a dream, and Yara’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she watched.
When the fireworks ended, Jason gently took her hand and led her back to the table.
They went shopping afterward. It was as if Jason could read her mind and knew exactly what she’d always regretted missing out on. He took her to different stores, encouraging her to try on clothes and jewelry.
At first, Yara felt a bit shy, but Jason praised every outfit she tried on. No matter what I she picked out, he explained why it suited her and said she looked good in everything.
Bryce had never taken her on a real date like this. The few times they’d been out were either short or tacked on to something Yelena wanted.
Now, Jason was making up for everything she’d missed, and she could feel her feelings for him slowly changing.
Later, they took a trip to the coast. Jason took three days off just to go with her. They stayed at a beachside inn, waking up to watch the sunrise and listening to the waves roll in and out as the day faded into sunset.
It felt like every beautiful moment in life was right there, suspended in time.
“Want to play in the water?” Jason asked, smiling at her.
Yara nodded, but she couldn’t swim, so she stuck to wading at the edge.
The two of them chased each other along the sand and splashed around, laughing together in a way she hadn’t in a long time.
Suddenly, a wave crashed in and swept her off her feet. Caught by surprise, Yara panicked for a second, but Jason was there in an instant, pulling her into his arms. She landed against his solid chest, her cheeks burning as she realized Jason had really grown up.
Jason wasn’t just her little brother anymore. He was a man, and he was showing her through his actions that he wanted to be with her.
“Are you okay?” Jason asked, looking down at her, his lips brushing her ear.
That little spark of warmth caught her off guard, and Yara quickly pushed him away. Jason just grinned, his eyes crinkling in amusement. He’d done it on purpose. Yara was both embarrassed and a little annoyed, but thankfully, Jason didn’t try to any more lines after that. For the rest of the day, he kept his distance and didn’t push things any further.
Cross
After they got tired, they decided to find a nearby restaurant for dinner. What they didn’t
was to run into Bryce and Yelena.
“Yara! I finally found you! I’ve missed you so much!” Yelena waved enthusiastically that But the moment Yara saw the two of them, her relaxed expression turned cold. “Is there something you need?” she asked indifferently.
S
smile
on her face as always.
Yelena seemed hurt by her attitude. She pouted, hurried over, and gently shook Yara’s arm.
“Yara, what’s wrong? Are you upset? Bryce can be clueless sometimes, and I know he’s not good at making women happy, but you didn’t have to divorce him over it. Look, I even dragged him here to apologize to you. Just come home with us, okay? Didn’t we promise to always be best friends?”
Bryce chimed in, “Yelena’s right. We both came here to see you. What more do you want?”
Seeing Yelena’s innocent face and hearing her naive words, Yara couldn’t help but sneer.
She had spent so long being blind to their games, always believing they really had her best interests at heart, but all they ever did was hurt her. Even now, after the divorce, they were trying to make it look like she was the one who didn’t appreciate their kindness.
Yara clenched her fists. Every time she thought she was finally over it, something like this would happen. The pain would come rushing back, making it hard to
breathe.
She looked Yelena in the eye and asked, “Yelena, do you remember when I donated my bone marrow for you?”
Yelena nodded quickly, her smile growing, even wider. “Of course I remember! If it weren’t for you, I probably wouldn’t be here. So no matter what happens, I’ll always come to find you, Yara,”
Yara’s voice stayed calm as she asked, “What If I told you that the only way I’d get back together with Bryce is if you and him never saw each other again?” Yelena’s smile faltered, but before she could say anything, Bryce asked, “Yara, what’s that supposed to mean?”
