Chapter 324 How long are you going to avoid me?
Since the Ava incident, Adeline hadn't seen Jasper. As the project hit its peak, her time got eaten up, making it harder to track him down.
Finally, the project wrapped up, launching on time to rave reviews. Adeline's designs were a hit, flying off the shelves and surpassing all expectations.
"Master Moon strikes again!" Violet said, barely glancing up from her gossip column as she popped a grape into her mouth. She looked at Adeline, who was packing a suitcase. "So, Jasper giving you some time off to celebrate?"
Adeline zipped her suitcase with a small sigh. "Ryan messaged me this morning. Two weeks."
Violet frowned. "And you still haven't seen him?"
The question hung in the air, a heavy weight in Adeline's stomach. "No."
Since Ava's press conference, Jasper had become a ghost, haunting the edges of her life. She'd see him in meetings or passing by at the office, but any attempt to talk to him was futile.
She even waited outside his office, hoping to catch him alone, but no luck.
A wave of helplessness washed over her. Even after all these years, Jasper remained an enigma, his true thoughts and feelings hidden. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't bridge the gap between them.
She'd even confided in Ryan, desperate to understand what she'd done to offend Jasper, but he had no answers.
The only solace was Blake's improving condition. The doctor was optimistic, saying Blake could maintain his current state for a few years, giving them time to plan for the bone marrow transplant.
But the thought of facing that without Jasper's support, without even being able to talk to him, filled her with dread.
She convinced herself that if she poured her heart into the project and delivered a success, Jasper would finally see her, acknowledge her efforts.
She was wrong.
Despite the project's triumph and her new status as the company's star designer, Jasper remained distant. He even relayed his congratulations and gratitude through Ryan, a cold gesture that stung more than she cared to admit.
"Bennett and Lauren excited about your visit?" Violet's voice broke through Adeline's troubled thoughts.
She shook her head. "It's a surprise."
Violet grinned, taking a bite of an apple. "Ethan says you're a big-shot designer now. Wants to throw you a celebratory dinner, just the four of us."
Adeline smiled faintly. "You two go ahead. I have plans with Sebastian."
Violet's eyebrows shot up, eyes wide with curiosity. "Things getting serious with you two?"
"He seems quite smitten, you know." She paused, her gaze turning pointedly to Adeline. "What are your intentions?"
Adeline raised an eyebrow, a wry smile on her lips. "Let's get Blake's health sorted first before we even think about romance, shall we?"
Besides, even if she were inclined towards romance, Sebastian wasn't the one on her mind.
"I'm meeting him tonight to discuss our 'breakup' announcement," she added, her voice tinged with resignation.
Their forced confession, a result of a misunderstanding, had spiraled out of control. It was time to set the record straight.
Violet pouted. "You're no fun."
Royal Elegance Dining was buzzing with its usual Friday night energy. Adeline spotted Sebastian as soon as she stepped out of the taxi. He stood at the entrance, holding a bouquet of vibrant red roses, a smile lighting up his handsome face.
From afar, he looked like a lovesick suitor.
Adeline, however, felt a surge of annoyance. She had set up this meeting to end their fake romance cleanly. She even had a pair of rings she’d crafted herself in her purse, a symbolic gesture to wish him well in future relationships.
But those roses threw a wrench in her plans.
"Adeline! Watch out!"
A sharp, urgent voice cut through her thoughts.
She whirled around, her heart leaping into her throat as she faced a glinting blade, mere inches from her face.
Instinct took over. She stumbled back, her breath catching as the would-be attacker lunged.
Suddenly, he crumpled to the ground, two burly men in black pinning him down.
Adeline stared, her mind struggling to catch up with the rapid turn of events.
"Take him back to Neon City," a familiar voice commanded.
Adeline's gaze snapped to the source. David stood nearby, lighting a cigarette, his expression unreadable.
"David?" she breathed, her voice shaky.
He smirked, blowing out a plume of smoke. "Surprised you remember me."
"Just how much did you piss off the Quinn family?" he asked, amused. "The idiot fled to Radiance Springs. I thought he was seeking Jasper's protection, but it turns out he came to kill you."
He nudged the fallen fruit knife with his foot. "If Jasper hadn't anticipated this, hadn't sent me ahead, you might not have been so lucky."
Adeline's head snapped up, her gaze instinctively searching the crowd behind David.
And there he was.
Jasper.
He stood leaning against the brick facade of a nearby shop, his tall frame in his signature black suit, his expression as impassive as ever. He looked thinner, gaunter, a coldness radiating from him that sent a shiver down her spine.
He was scrolling through his phone, seemingly oblivious to the drama unfolding before him, as if she and David were just strangers on the street.
A bitter taste rose in Adeline's throat. All this time, she had been chasing after him, desperate for a moment of his time.
And here he was, indifferent, detached, as her life had flashed before her eyes.
It was David who had warned her, David's men who had intervened. Jasper, the man she thought she knew better than anyone, hadn't even looked up from his phone.
Even if their relationship was purely professional, surely the success she had brought his company warranted some concern?
"Are you two done reminiscing?"
Jasper's voice, cold and sharp, cut through the air. He finally lowered his phone, his gaze settling on David. "We have things to discuss."
He turned to leave, his dismissal of Adeline as blatant as a slap in the face.
David frowned, sensing the tension between them. He had witnessed Jasper's worry firsthand, the way he had driven like a man possessed to reach Adeline's side.
Yet, now he acted as if he couldn't care less.
"Jasper!"
Adeline stepped forward, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and hurt. She planted herself in front of him, blocking his path. "How long are you going to keep this up? How long are you going to avoid me?"
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