Chapter 299
Chapter 299
"When did I ever take something from you?"
Roxanne avoided Harrison's intense, deep gaze, her eyes cast downward. Nervously, she snapped a
twig off a nearby tree, holding it in her hand and picking at the leaves.
Harrison was referring to the Starlit jade, she knew. She just didn't want to admit it.
The moment she snapped the twig to mask her anxiety, Harrison saw right through her. His voice was
low, "Roxanne, you know what I'm talking about."
His voice was already hoarse from a cold, and it sounded even more heart-wrenching now.
Clutching the leaf in her hand, Roxanne looked up, "Do you have a cold?"
"That's my property. You should return it," Harrison responded, seemingly out of context.
His gaze hardened. His broad shoulders slumped. His whole towering figure seemed defeated and in
pain.
"Roxanne, do you know how important that starlit jade is to me?"
Roxanne's heart softened unexpectedly. Her nose tingled, her throat constricted.
Suppressing her painful emotions, she replied calmly, "It's just a piece of starlit jade. You're treating it
like a treasure. It's broken anyway, and besides, I gave it to you."
Silence from Harrison.
Under the lamp post in the late autumn night, their shadows stretched long on the ground. With the
light behind him, his face was hidden in the shadows, making him look even more grim.
The atmosphere was suffocating. Harrison felt his chest tightened; he asked painfully, "Roxanne, you
can return the jade, but can you return my heart?"
"Harrison." Roxanne felt equally choked up, "Why are you doing this?"
Wouldn't it be better to forget her? Why did he have to stir her emotions when all she wanted was a
quiet life with her child? Did he know that she no longer had the strength to love bravely again?
She sighed heavily, "Pretend I never gave you the jade."
She tightened her grip on the twig and leaves, "It's chilly. You should go back. I'm going upstairs."
Back upstairs, she sent Harrison a message on WhatsApp, “Harrison, if you can, please forget me. For
Angela, we can be friends or like family in the future.”
But never lovers again. She only said the last part to herself. Love required devotion, and she had long
been exhausted for that.
A fall rain intensified the autumn feel in Seraphim Haven.
Luckily, the weather was sunny and bright on Angela's third birthday. Angela's birthday party was held
on the hotel lawn. Flower arches and balloon lights decorated the place, making it look like a fairy tale.
The party was organized by Roxanne and Harrison.
That night, Harrison went to see Roxanne, and she suggested that they should behave like friends or
family. Afterwards, Harrison never pushed Roxanne again.
For Angela's sake, they seemed to be coexisting peacefully.
Harrison had considered it by himself, and wondered if he should let Roxanne lead the quiet life she
desired. But this decision came at a cost - pain.
On the day of the birthday party, Dominic returned from abroad.
As the one who was closest to Angela, he had to be there to celebrate with her. While preparing the
cake, Dominic approached Roxanne, "The five-tier princess cake, you didn't make it yourself, did you?"
Roxanne had learned how to bake cakes at a young age around fifteen or sixteen years old when she
had worked in a bakery. Her skills were impressive.
"It takes a day to make a five-tier cake, and I don't have all the tools. Harrison ordered it." Roxanne
replied, "Help me find the candles. I thought just put them on the table."
"Aren't they in your hand?" Dominic thought for a moment before deciding to ask, "What's going on
between you and Harrison? You haven't reconciled yet?"
Roxanne paused while fetching things, looking up, "Isn't everything fine now? Why do we need to
reconcile?"
Dominic frowned. So, he tried hard to step back, allowing them to reconcile, only to find it was in vain?
He sighed deeply, "Roxanne, haven't you figured out your true feelings yet?"
"I have." Roxanne didn't shy away, "The only man I've ever loved is Harrison. But I don't want to talk
about love again. It's fine if I can coexist with Harrison like family members, for Angela's sake."
Who said that a woman must end up with a man in her lifetime? Wasn’t it nice to live alone? Without
giving your heart, without expecting anything in return, one wouldn’t get hurt.
She thought it was good. She had been trying to face all this calmly.
"Just look at Angela's classmates. Their parents are divorced and remarried, and both families coexist
peacefully."
"You mean, you might remarry, but not to Harrison."
"I'm just giving an example. Divorce doesn't necessarily lead to remarriage. Anyway, we will both love
the child."
"Roxanne, aren't you tired?"
"Let's go, it's time to cut the cake. You came all the way back from abroad just to nag me about these
things. Have you sorted out your own love life yet?"
"Don't try to change the subject."
"I'm serious. Isn't Evelyn good? Why won't you accept her?"
"My situation with Evelyn is not the same as yours with Harrison. You two have a history, President
Miller and I don't."
"You could try dating her. Feelings develop over time. Also, Dominic, stop calling her President Miller all
the time. She's been pursuing you for years. The least you can do is call her by her name. It's basic
respect."
"Don't keep changing the subject, Roxanne."
"Look, you don't want to talk about Evelyn, and I don't want to discuss Harrison. So, let's make a pact.
No more poking at each other's sore spots."
"Come on, let's go cut the cake."
When Dominic and Roxanne brought out the cake, Evelyn's gaze was fixed on Dominic, like a tether,
never straying.
Evelyn knew that Dominic didn't have feelings for Roxanne anymore, but she couldn't help but feel
envious of her. Yet, she had no right to be envious. After all, that was her sister-in-law.
Evelyn nudged Harrison's arm, "Harrison, when are you going to win my sister-in-law over? You're
dragging your feet. Are you up to the job or not? Do you need my help?"
"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?" Harrison retorted, his face dark. Even though he knew there
was nothing between Dominic and Roxanne anymore, and Dominic had given up, watching the two of
them getting along like family made him somewhat jealous.
His voice was icy, "Have you sorted out your own love life yet?"
Evelyn was left speechless, "Harrison, do you really have to hit me where it hurts?"
Never mind, she wouldn't take it to heart. A sly smile gleamed in Evelyn's eyes, "Harrison, seeing you
and my sister-in-law stuck in the same spot is really worrying. Tonight, I'll help you figure something
out. I guarantee we'll win her over." Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
"What harebrained scheme are you cooking up now?" Harrison knew that ever since they were kids,
Evelyn was the one with the most mischievous ideas in the family.