Chapter 143 Jasper Discerns Nothing
Stella rolled her eyes.
Accomplishment in making breakfast? How dramatic! What melodrama.
Just as she was about to respond, she noticed the way Jasper was gazing at Adeline.
A sense of alarm surged through her - Adeline must have said that on purpose!
With a forced smile, Stella chimed in, "I used to feel the same, that making breakfast for the family was a fulfilling act."
She gave a quiet sigh, "But then,... after realizing I couldn't even protect my family, that sense of achievement faded."
With only a few words, she had drawn Jasper's attention entirely back from Adeline.
Indeed.
The trials Stella had endured over the past six years were beyond his comprehension.
Even if she had changed, even if she was different from before, he had no right to doubt her and indeed no right to see another woman as her.
Jasper sighed softly, giving Stella a sincere look, "That's all in the past."
He was determined to help her rediscover the kind, adorable woman she used to be.
Laying down his fork, the man stood up. "Let's go."
Stella's heart raced with excitement from the tenderness in his eyes. She quickly looped her arm through his, snuggling into his shoulder with pride. "Am I supposed to check in at HR today?"
Jasper responded with a gentle smile. "Yeah, I'll take you there."
They turned to leave. As they reached the door, Jasper furrowed his brow and paused. He turned back, casting a cold glance at Adeline. "Be in my office at ten."
Watching the two departings, Sebastian chuckled softly to himself. "They come and go in such a hurry."
Glancing at the time, he mused, "We still have twenty minutes to chat."
Looking up at Adeline, he inquired, "You seem to care quite a bit about your boss, don't you?"
With a laugh, Adeline replied, "Does any employee not care about their boss?"
Pondering for a moment with his hands propping up his chin, Sebastian conceded, "Fair point."
Not wanting to dwell on herself, Adeline lifted her eyes to Sebastian. "I'm a fan of yours and have always followed your movements closely. You're known for never settling down, never staying long in any one place. So why did you choose to rent a house and settle down in Denver?"
Staring into his nearly empty bowplatel, Sebastian respondedstirred the remnants of his rice soup with his spoon,. "Want to know why?"
"If it's not too much trouble," she hedged.
"No trouble at all," the man replied with a wry smile. "Do you remember that painting you damaged? It's called 'Kites and the Girl.' I encountered the scene years ago, passing by a school. This girl, in a white dress, was chasing after a kite in the sunlight; it left a deep impression on me."
"I painted it as soon as I got home. Later, when I tried to find that girl, she was nowhere to be found. As the painting gained popularity and became my signature piece, I became more determined to thank her in person."
"It wasn't until five years ago that I finally learned her name."
"Her name was Adeline."
TAt the moment his words ended, the clink of Adeline's spoon dropping onto her plate echoed sharply. Dazed for a moment, she hurriedly picked up the spoon, looking at Sebastian nervouslywith uncertainty. "Are you sure it's her?"
"I’m pPositive."
Yawning, Sebastian gazed deeply at Adeline. "When I came back to Denver to find her five years ago, she had already been dead for a year. I even went to pay my secret respects."
"This time, hearing she was still alive, I returned to Denver to investigate quietly investigate."
"It wasn't until a few days ago that Jasper's assistant reached out to me," he revealed, "telling me Jasper was planning to throw an art exhibit for Stella as a surprise."
Adeline bit her lip in contemplation. "So... you stayed to thank Stella?"
However, from the way things looked last night to this morning, Sebastian seemed to have little interest in chatting with Stella.
"I needed to confirm some things."
With a faint smile, Sebastian mused, "Just because Stella is the spitting image of you, Adeline, does it mean she really is heryou?"
"I don't think so."
Sipping his tea, the man reminisced, "Five years ago, when the news came that Adeline had passed away, I felt a deep sense of loss, so I looked through all of her paintings and every single one of her public social media posts."
"Including her journal-style blogs."
"I refuse to believe that woman with such cunning intentions is Adeline."
"At least, she's not the Adeline I remember," he said, leaving Adeline speechless with his assertion.
She took a nervous sip of her tea before stabilizing her emotions and finally responding, "People change, though."
"That's why I'm investigating whether or not she's the real Adeline." After finishing his thought, Hhe glanced at her and asked gently, "Aren't you the least bit curious about who this Stella really is, Miss Wilson?"
After pausing, Adeline cracked a smile, "Of course, I'm curious."
The words Molly had whispered to her just yesterday were still ringing in her ears.
Perhaps Stella was her long-lost sister, and moved by conscience,; Molly decided to clue her in before leaving.
Or maybe Stella had no relation to her at all and merely resembled her, and Molly was throwing her off the trail.
Regardless of the conclusion, Adeline was determined to uncover the truth.
Sebastian, observing the expression on her face, let out a chuckle, "It seems we are friends withof a shared interest."
With a pursed smile, Adeline replied, "Indeed we are."
If she had harbored any belief that Sebastian was interested in her before, his recent remarks thoroughly upended that notion.
He was intrigued by Stella, yet as an artist, he had no real connections to Jasper or Stella.
Adeline, however, was different.
She was Jasper's employee and had been publicly involved with Jasper. Just yesterday, Stella slandered her in front of Jasper's camera.
Adeline figured that if she were in Sebastian's shoes, she would likely make the same choice.
Though there was an undertone of Sebastian using her for his gains, Adeline found it acceptable.
In a sense, Sebastian was something of a comrade-in-arms to her.
With that thought, she lifted her head and glanced at him indifferently. "What will you do if you find out Stella isn't Adeline?"
Sebastian was silent for a moment before he chuckled. "I'd leave Denver, of course, and continue the search for the real Adeline."
His response caught Adeline off guard.
"Aren't you going to expose her?"
"Why would I?" Sebastian laughed softly, "If even I—a stranger to Adeline—can figure out that this Stella is an impostor, …"
"tThen Jasper, who supposedly shared a bed with Adeline for over three years, should notice something too.and yet notices nothing…"
"If he doesn’t, hHe deserves to be deceived and played for a fool."
His words made Adeline's heart sink.
That's right.
The Sebastian before her didn't even know her.
Yet, he could tell from Stella's actions and demeanor that she wasn't Adeline.
Why couldn't Jasper see the same?
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