Chapter 360 Hypocrisy
Jasper let out a heavy sigh and started to walk away.
He got why Blake was so pissed. Just like Lauren, Blake couldn't handle the truth.
But Jasper was a grown-up, and he had to deal with the cold, hard facts.
The place was a mess, covered in Bennett's and Sebastian's blood.
The doc had said that with all that blood loss, if they hadn't been rushed to the hospital for a transfusion right away, they wouldn't have made it, even if they had managed to escape.
And it was just Sebastian and Bennett at the scene.
So, if those burnt bodies weren't theirs, whose were they?
Thinking about it, he took a deep breath and finally stopped. "Get your guys to help look for them."
David hesitated. "Why should my guys do it?"
Jasper didn't say a word and just walked off.
David watched him go, frowning a bit.
Adeline held Blake and cried for what felt like forever.
Finally, Blake gently hugged her back. "Mom, let's go grab a bite."
She paused, holding Blake.
Adeline looked at him. "You wanna take me out to eat?"
"Yeah." Blake nodded seriously. "I just got back to Radiance Springs, but I know this awesome place!"
"Violet used to take me there all the time," Blake said.
"I'll have Alice bring Lauren over, and the three of us can eat together, okay?"
Adeline paused and then nodded. "Good idea!"
Lauren was with Jasper right now. She wanted to see Lauren but didn't want to go to Jasper's place or see him.
Using Blake's invite to have Alice bring Lauren over was the best plan.
After sorting it out, they called Alice and went back to their rooms to change.
Adeline sat in front of the mirror, watching Linda and Violet do her makeup.
"Put on more foundation to cover my complexion," Adeline said.
"Will more highlighter make my face look fuller?"
"Does this outfit look better? It can cover my figure and make me seem less thin, right?"
Seeing her excitement, Violet sighed.
Adeline didn't know how bad Lauren was doing.
Lauren had seen the explosion in the room where Bennett and Sebastian were, basically watching Bennett die, and it messed her up big time.
She ended up with a mix of autism and depression.
She shut herself off from the world, crying alone in corners.
Alice had even saved Lauren a few times from the balcony railing at Blue Bay.
If it weren't for Alice, Lauren might not be here now.
Bennett's death hit Lauren hard.
Even the shrink said Lauren had to pull herself out of it. If she couldn't, she might need constant care forever.
Violet couldn't imagine how Lauren had changed after losing Bennett. What if Blake died too?
"All done!" Linda said.
Linda finished the last bit of lipstick on Adeline and held up a mirror. "Don't you look way better?"
Adeline looked at her rosy reflection and finally relaxed.
Violet, a plastic surgeon, and Linda, a makeup pro, both possessed top-notch skills.
Now, she looked even better than before she got sick.
With their help, she changed into a new outfit, took some energy-boosting meds from the doc, and then went upstairs to find Blake to head to the restaurant.
Adeline was all dolled up, and Blake looked sharp too.
Blake wore a little suit and a bow tie, looking so handsome that everyone in the restaurant noticed.
Violet had booked a private room for them on the second floor.
Adeline took Blake upstairs and sat down in the private room.
They started ordering food while waiting for Lauren to show up.
Ten minutes later, the door to the private room opened.
Adeline looked up, all excited, expecting Alice and Lauren to walk in. But nope, it was Jasper holding Lauren's hand. Jasper was rocking a sharp suit, looking all tall and imposing.
He led Lauren into the room, and when he saw Adeline with her flawless makeup and rosy cheeks, he was stunned for a sec.
He always knew Adeline was a knockout, and his feelings for her were different from any other woman.
Out of respect for his feelings for Stella, he rarely stared at her like this.
But right now, her beauty made his heart skip a beat.
Thinking back to how she used to be and why she now had this face, Jasper's heart sank.
He turned away, holding Lauren's hand, and took a seat.
Adeline's face turned cold as she glanced at Jasper. "I remember I called Alice to bring Lauren over."
Jasper's eyes darkened, but before he could say anything, Lauren furrowed her brows and said, "I asked Daddy to come with me."
Lauren pursed her lips. "For the past month, Daddy has been staying up all night in the hospital room with Mommy."
"Now that Mommy is awake, Daddy should also be part of the celebration."
Lauren's words made Adeline's heart sink a bit.
She couldn't tell if Lauren was telling the truth, not because she thought Lauren would lie, but because Lauren was too young and innocent to get the nuances of adult deceit.
Adeline didn't believe Jasper would stay by her bedside.
After all, wasn't it his refusal to let her have his child that led her to this mess?
He was the bad guy. No matter how much he pretended to care, it all seemed fake to Adeline.
"Let's eat," Blake said.
Soon, the waiter brought their lunch, and Blake lowered his head, saying, "The food here is really good."
"Yeah," Adeline sighed, eating while serving Lauren food and asking how she had been lately.
Soon, she noticed something was off with Lauren.
Lauren, who used to be chatty, was now super quiet.
Every time Adeline asked her a question, it took forever for Lauren to slowly respond with a few words.
After the meal, Blake took Lauren to the nearby kids' play area. Even though Lauren was physically healthy, it was Blake, the patient, who had to keep cheering her up.
Adeline couldn't hold back any longer and finally looked up at Jasper. "What's wrong with Lauren?"
"She's got autism mixed with depression," Jasper said.
Jasper sighed. "She's already doing much better in front of you."
"At home, neither I nor Grandma can get her to speak."
"She's willing to talk to you and Blake because you two mean the most to her."
After saying this, Jasper turned to look at Adeline. "So, I really hope that when you're discharged, you and Blake will move to Blue Bay."
Adeline paused, about to refuse, but Jasper took a deep breath, saying, "Blue Bay is quiet and safe, a comforting environment for the kids."
"I'll arrange for a professional caregiver and a psychologist at the villa to help take care of Blake and Lauren."
"I'll move out."
As if reading her mind, Jasper sighed. "I'll move to Emerald Crest Estate in the north of the city."
After saying this, he looked at Adeline, "Do you remember Emerald Crest Estate?"
When Jasper looked at her, his gaze was so deep it seemed to pull her in.
Adeline turned her face away, not daring to look at him. "I remember."
Emerald Crest Estate was a manor she had once designed.
Later, Jasper noticed the design and had it built exactly as a birthday gift for her.
During that time, their feelings for each other grew, and she thought he finally had feelings for her.
But less than a month after getting Emerald Crest Estate, she found out Jasper was involved with Molly and almost lost her life because of him.
Later, Adeline felt that Emerald Crest Estate was just a way for Jasper to deceive her.
Now, he was bringing up that place again.
Was he planning to use his few romantic gestures from the past to make her reminisce?
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