Chapter 166 Don't You Love Her Anymore?
"Jasper watched the two women walking ahead, his lips tightly sealed, eyes cold.
"Mr. Foster." Behind him, Bennett handed over the groceries, his laughter was deliberate. "It's great, Mr. Foster; you've got Stella, and my mom's got Sebastian. You're both in love and happy. Nice, isn't it?"
Jasper's face turned a shade darker.
He swept Bennett a cold glare and strode off with the groceries, visibly annoyed.
Leaning against the car, Bennett grinned, watching the man's retreating figure.
'Feeling the pinch now, jerk?'
...
""Mommy, where's the first aid kit?""
The moment Adeline and Lauren stepped inside, the little girl started searching the rooms.
"I'm not hurt or anything." With an exasperated smile, Adeline peeled off her ragged jacket and headed to the bathroom to wash her face. ""I'm planning to make you all some delicious food tonight.""
Lauren pouted and kept rummaging through the living room.
Eventually, she found the first aid kit behind the couch in the corner.
"Mommy!" She insisted on dragging Adeline over to the coffee table to apply the medicine.
Jasper and Bennett entered, catching sight of Lauren carefully tending to Adeline's non-existent wounds.
Jasper watched Lauren, her eyelashes fluttering softly. She was so much like Adeline, who sat right across from her. He was startled when Lauren, tending to a wound on Adeline's hand, pressed a bit too hard.
Adeline cried out from the sudden pain.
"Mommy, I didn't mean to..." Lauren bit her lip, apologizing gingerly as she hesitated to resume.
"Leave it to me." Jasper sighed, walking over, and taking the alcohol and cotton swab from Lauren. "Adeline bought you some fruit, go with Bennett and wash some to eat."
"Okay." Lauren pouted, then turned to grab Bennett's hand. ""Bennett, let's go to the kitchen!""
Bennett arched a brow at her and whispered low, "Since when are you too clumsy to even dress a wound? Did you do it on purpose?"
Lauren's face flushed and she quickly turned away. ""Let's go have some fruit!""
Bennett rolled his eyes and shot a glance at the two adults sitting across from each other in the living room, letting out a resigned sigh.
He wondered when Lauren would realize that Jasper, that jerk, wasn't worthy of their mother.
...
"Until things clear up, stay away from public places like the farmer's market," Jasper instructed Adeline in a low voice as he applied the medication to her cut. "Your looks are too striking."
Her beauty was so flawless it drew attention no matter where she was, like an exquisitely carved gem shining among the crowd.
Sometimes, Jasper even questioned if Adeline's face was a gift of nature or a masterpiece of modern beauty procedures. It was infuriatingly perfect.
Though the air about her was similar, she was far more beautiful than the Adeline of six years prior, bringing a touch of sadness to Jasper's heart.
The current Stella, although still the same person as the Adeline from before, had an entirely different aura.
It wasn't just her aura; her whole being seemed...
"I'm planning to clarify things tomorrow." Adeline's voice snapped Jasper back to the present.
He looked up, confused. "Clarify?"
Adeline smiled nonchalantly. "Today, Vincent and Helen approached me."
Jasper's hand, sanitizing her wound, paused slightly.
"What did they want?"
"Obviously, it's about their daughter." Adeline smirked. "They told me they are organizing a press conference for tomorrow to explain today's events properly. But..."
She chuckled lightly while looking into Jasper's face. ""They want me to go to that press conference and confess to seducing you, to having an affair with you. They also expect me to explain that I was the one who leaked the surveillance footage online and stirred up the internet in a targeted attack against Stella.""
Jasper frowned, continuing the task of disinfecting her wound without pause. "They're dreaming."
Whether Adeline had done what they accused her of or not, she didn't owe the Collins family any explanations or clarifications on Claire's behalf.
They must have lost their minds or think that Adeline had lost hers.
""I plan to go,"" Adeline declared, looking up resolutely into Jasper's eyes. ""Since the Collins's intend for me to clarify things, I will. But I'm going to clarify things for myself,"" she continued. T
he man's brows knitted together as he gripped her arm, continuing to disinfect the injury. ""Clarify what?""
""That I did not seduce you and I did not intentionally leak the footage. And I'll expose all the things Mrs. Foster has done to me.""
After speaking, she shifted into a more comfortable position on the couch. ""Do you plan to stop me, Mr. Foster?""
Even if he tried, she wouldn't give up.
""Don't move around."" Jasper's grip on her arm tightened as he conscientiously applied the medication, still focused on the task. ""I don't get involved in quarrels between women.""
If this could teach Stella to not expect him to support her for every unreasonable act she did, then that was not a bad thing.
Adeline tensed slightly. ""Aren't you going to try and dissuade me?""
His gaze still downcast as he treated her, he replied, ""If I did persuade you, would it stop you from going?""
Adeline fell silent.
Indeed.
Even if he did try to dissuade her, she wouldn't back down.
After all the ways Stella had wronged her, there was no need for mercy.
However, Jasper's refusal to assist with the Stella matter was unexpected.
While surprising, upon reflection, it seemed quite logical.
After all, even with the affection Jasper showed to others, his emotions toward the Adeline of years past had been nonexistent. The man was always known to be detached and heartless. An indifferent stance toward Stella made sense.
With that thought, she pulled her arm away from his grasp.
Jasper, still holding the alcohol and cotton swab, paused slightly.
""I'm not that delicate.""
Adeline stood up with a detached air and walked toward the kitchen.
Inside, Lauren and Bennett were both wearing cute aprons; one squatting on the floor, sorting through vegetables, and the other perched precariously on a stool, carefully washing them by the sink.
The scene amused Adeline.
She walked over to where Lauren was perched on a small stool, scooped her up, and set her down on the floor. ""Come on, sweetie.""
Lauren stood there with water dripping down her arms, holding a small bunch of greens in her hand.
After hesitating for a moment, she tiptoed toward the basket to deposit the greens.
As she did, she lowered her voice. ""Mommy, why didn't you talk to Daddy a bit longer?""
She had worked so hard to give them a moment alone.
Adeline smiled and ruffled her daughter's hair affectionately. ""Because there isn't much to say.""
She took the vegetables that Bennett handed to her and suggested, ""I can handle things here. Why don't you two step out for a bit?""
Lauren's lips pursed, ready to protest, but Bennett had already pulled her out of the kitchen.
On the living room sofa, Jasper was hunched over, scrolling through a message on his phone from Ryan.
"Mr. Foster." Taking a deep breath, Bennett plopped down beside the man. ""You're separated from Ms. Collins?""
Jasper finally looked up, giving him a flat gaze. ""How did you know?""
""The staff mentioned it.""
The kid bit his lip. ""She's been in a foul mood since you're separated. She even slapped Alice.""
After finishing, he turned to Jasper with his big, watery eyes. ""Why are you separated with Stella? Don't you love her anymore?"""
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