Chapter 130 This Woman Is a Carbon Copy of Her Past Self
The butler's words made Jasper freeze in his tracks.
He shot the butler an incredulous look, "Say that again. Who's back?"
"Jasper, it's me who's returned."
A clear, soft female voice floated through the air.
Jasper frowned, instinctively following the sound with his gaze.
His deep eyes fixed sharply, his pupils contracting rapidly.
Adeline!
Yes, it was her.
The woman before him was Adeline.
This face had haunted him for six long years!
She sauntered toward him in a white floral cotton dress, the same as she had worn six years prior.
Her gaze was serene, her smile warm and welcoming.
Noticing him staring at her dumbfoundedly, a flicker of triumph passed through her eyes.
With a tilted head and a smile, she asked, "Why are you looking at me like that? Aren't you happy to see me?"
"No," he replied curtly.
For the first time, Jasper, usually reserved and stoic, felt a surge of nervousness.
His heart pounded fiercely in his chest.
He took a deep breath, composed himself, and strode over to her to wrap her in a tight embrace.
"You're finally back!"
The heat emanating from his body brought a calm smile to her lips.
Holding her close, Jasper shut his eyes tightly.
Everything resembling Adeline must have been a coincidence or a deliberate act to capture his attention—a reminder to him not to forget her!
Heaven favors the persistent; his Adeline, his wife, was finally back!
Overcome with emotion, he held her even tighter.
But why, now that he was holding her, did he feel an unfamiliar sense of estrangement?
Had they been apart for too long?
Jasper took another deep breath and solemnly vowed to take good care of her from now on.
"Daddy!"
Little Lauren, in her skirt, came downstairs to find Jasper in the living room, clasping a woman tightly.
Yet, this woman, even with her face unseen, certainly wasn't Mommy based on her clothing and aura!
The young girl's face fell.
Hurrying down the stairs, she tugged at Jasper's sleeve anxiously, "Daddy, what are you doing? Who is she?"
Hearing his daughter's voice, Jasper, still overwrought, released the woman and turned to look at Lauren, "Lauren, look who's back!"
Lauren furrowed her brows and lifted her head instinctively.
Her eyes widened in shock at the sight of the woman's face, stepping back unconsciously.
This woman...
She bore the exact face of her mother from before!
Rubbing her eyes repeatedly, she sought to confirm her vision.
"Hello, Lauren," said the woman gently as she squatted down and reached out to her, "I'm your mommy."
"No, you're not!"
The little girl shook her head frantically, retreating further, "You're not my mom! Who are you really? Why are you pretending to be my mom!"
The woman sighed lightly and looked up at Jasper with a sad expression, “I knew it would come to this, Jasper.”
The man could clearly sense something was off between the woman and the girl.
He furrowed his brow at the little girl, "Lauren, what's wrong? Isn't she your real mom?"
"She's not!"
Tears welled up in Lauren's eyes as she grew agitated, "My mommy doesn't look like this. She's not her!"
Jasper twisted his frown further and turned to look at the woman in front of him, "Adeline, what's…?"
With a resigned sigh, the woman closed her eyes. "I knew this would happen."
She took out a tissue to dab at her tears, casting a sorrowful glance at Lauren, "After giving birth to Lauren and Bennett, I was fragile and never fully recovered."
"There was a time when my guard was down; someone abducted my two children."
As she spoke, tears streamed down her cheeks. "She was a jewelry designer; we met at the hospital."
"At first, she was so kind to me, and I trusted her completely. But I never imagined that, after finding out their father was you, she would take my children away."
Her voice was filled with sorrow. "All these years, I have lived in hiding, renaming myself Stella, searching everywhere for you and our children.
"I didn't dare approach you directly, fearing you'd blame me for losing them.
"Not until recently, when I saw you publicly acknowledging our daughter, did I confirm that woman had sent the children back to you.
"That's why I hurried back."
After speaking, she crouched down, looking at Lauren. "Sweetheart, come to mommy for a hug."
Lauren eyed her warily, "You're lying!"
The woman, faced with Lauren's hostile stare, wiped away another tear sadly, "When you were taken, you were too young to remember. I don't blame you for not recognizing me."
Jasper stood still, witnessing the woman's grief. But rising within him was rage.
A jewelry designer.
The one who took their children.
No wonder.
No wonder Adeline's son Bennett looked so much like him!
No wonder Adeline was Lauren's design instructor!
It was her who had taken Bennett and Lauren all those years ago!
And she had even stayed close to him under the guise of being Adeline's best friend!
As he was grappling with his fury, searching for an outlet, the door to the villa opened.
The one to walk through wasn't just anybody – it was the very Adeline he was aching to confront!
"We're having lasagna for lunch."
Bennett walked in, announcing as he entered.
With an exasperated sigh, Adeline said, "Isn’t your stomach bothering you?"
"Nope, it's been a while since I've had it!"
When the little guy strolled into the living room, what caught his eye first was Jasper's eyes, ablaze with fury.
Instinctively, he furrowed his brows, his gaze chilling, "Mr. Foster, what's this about?"
"Bennett!"
Suddenly, a female voice pierced the air.
A woman in a cotton dress darted forward in a single bound and wrapped her arms around Bennett's small frame. "I missed you so much!"
The kid frowned in annoyance, "Lady, who are you? Let me go!"
Jasper's eyes hardened, "That's no way to talk to your mom!"
The man's words made both Bennett and Adeline freeze.
Bennett looked up incredulously. "Mr. Foster, are you out of your mind? My mom's Adeline!"
"Your mom is Adeline, yes! That’s her!"
Jasper pointed his long finger at the woman holding Bennett. "Being abducted wasn't your fault, but you can't just accept a stranger as your mother!"
Bennett scrunched his brows, about to speak, but the woman holding him let go.
She stood up, wiping her tears while looking pitifully at Adeline, "Miss Wilson, could you please give me back my children?"
Adeline finally got a good look at the woman's face.
Instinctively, she took a step back.
If she hadn't already come to terms with her current appearance, she might have thought she was looking in a mirror.
This woman was the spitting image of her former self.
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