"Talk to about what?"
A chill ran down her spine, and Mia felt her heart pounding as she heard that voice. Without needing to turn her head, Mia already knew exactly who it belonged to. After all, how many years had she harbored feelings for that man?
From the very first ti she t Jas when Selene brought him ho to work on a group project, Mia’s eyes had been glued to the tall and handso figure. How he smiled sweetly, sotis with a hint of mischief, how his voice softened whenever he spoke to her, and how Jas would gently pat her head whenever they t.
He had always greeted her warmly when they crossed paths.
"Hi, little Mia, we et again," Jas had greeted with that handso smile that never failed to make her blush.
"Are you having fun at school, little Mia?" Jas had asked one day when she ca ho to find him and his friends hanging out after their group project.
"You need to drink more milk, or you’ll always be a shorty, little Mia," Jas had teased when he had reached 172 cm in his second year of high school.
Mia never forgot a single one of those monts with Jas, even though they were ordinary mories and even when Jas was never hers to begin with.
Back then, all she cared about was having Jas by her side. And when the ti ca for him to beco her brother-in-law, she would stop loving him.
But that day never ca.
Instead, she learned that Jas and her older sister had broken up long ago. At the ti, Mia had just been promoted at her job in the UK.
The mont she heard the news, Mia’s heart leapt in a mix of joy and nervousness as she was afraid that everything was rely a dream.
But it turned out that fate had really given her a chance with Jas. It turned out that her efforts and sincerity all this ti hadn’t gone unnoticed by the universe.
She had even been willing to let Jas go if he truly loved Selene, but as it turned out, destiny had its own plans. That realization made Mia decide to resign from her job in the UK and imdiately booked a flight to go ho. She needed to confirm this information herself.
It turned out to be true. While accompanying her mother, Diane Parks, to a tea party with her socialite friends, Mia t Cressida, who ntioned struggling to find a suitable match for Jas because he was more focused on caring for his niece than on his own life.
Mia paid no mind to Cressida’s remarks about Kyra; her attention was entirely captured by the image of Jas smiling in a photo with Kyra.
Seeing the man she loved had grown into a mature man, far more handso and accomplished than before, Mia couldn’t ignore the racing of her heart.
With a heart overflowing with love for Jas and a mind replaying their shared mories, how could Mia not recognize that voice in an instant?
If she allowed herself to exaggerate, she might even say she could recognize his footsteps if given just a little more ti together.
Her green eyes stopped moving as they fell on the figure of a man walking toward the gazebo. It felt as though her entire body froze, and she found it hard to breathe. Even after more than six years apart, her heart still beat for Jas and no one else. At this mont, a harsh realization hit her.
Ah... it turns out I’ve always failed in relationships because deep down, I’m still in love with this man, Mia thought bitterly.
Even though she had let Jas go to be with her sister, her heart had remained in pain, and she unknowingly compared every man she dated to Jas. In the end, none of them could asure up to him—not even close.
"Welco, Young Master Jas."
Jas nodded, but his gaze remained fixed on Kyra, who was wearing a white spaghetti-strap dress. Her pale, flawless skin glowed under the sunlight streaming through the gazebo’s glass roof, while her dark brown hair created a striking contrast that made her complexion appear even more radiant.
Kyra looked effortlessly beautiful today, but her appearance pricked at Jas’s nerves. He didn’t like how much of her skin was exposed.
In that mont, a detail from the mall incident yesterday resurfaced vividly in his mind. His little girl had worn a bodycon dress that accentuated her curves and long legs, sothing she had never worn before.
Now, that image was burned into his mory. A wave of discomfort swept over him, tightening his chest. He tugged at his tie roughly, loosening it in frustration.
Mia, noticing Jas’s movent, was startled, and her cheeks flushed. His exposed collarbones and the upper part of his broad chest beca visible with two buttons undone. And this scene had her captivated by his undeniably sexy presence.
She wasn’t the only one. Gladys, who had also seen Jas’s arrival, was montarily stunned. However, her awe quickly gave way to fear. After what Jas had done to Jack, her dread far outweighed everything else. She quickly averted her gaze.
anwhile, Kyra, who was the target of Jas’s intense gaze, suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. She turned to look at him and found those dark eyes fixed on her, filled with a passion that left her speechless.
As a writer, Kyra was anything but naive. If she could craft love-filled words and write romantic plots, wasn’t understanding n an essential skill she had mastered? Because of this, she could easily guess what Jas was thinking and exactly where his focus was at that mont.
Feeling nervous, Kyra shifted her gaze elsewhere, only to catch Mia’s heated stare directed at Jas. The woman’s expression looked srized, her eyes unfocused as if she was intoxicated—yes, intoxicated by love.
Kyra pressed her lips together. It was such a cliché plot: two sisters in love with the sa man. Her brows furrowed as a wave of discontentnt surged in her heart, but she skillfully kept her expression under control.
For so reason, she didn’t want Jas to know what she was feeling right now. The thought of him realizing she was jealous felt like a blow to her pride. In the end, Kyra suppressed her displeasure, her expression turning cold and indifferent.
Jas raised an eyebrow and gently patted his girlfriend’s head as he stopped beside Kyra.
"What’s wrong with my little girl? Why does your face look off?" he asked, though his eyes had already shifted to the two won seated in front of him. His gaze narrowed as he slowly recognized who they were. A cold smile spread across his face.
"What business do you have here?" Jas asked, his tone probing. It was clear he was displeased, even sounding a little intimidating. "Earlier, I heard there was sothing you wanted to say to ?"
Gladys’s body trembled under Jas’s pressure. She quickly shook her head and responded hastily, "No! Nothing at all. I ca here purely to see Kyra to clarify yesterday’s situation because it seems like there was a misunderstanding!"
Mia Parks snapped out of her reverie and looked at Jas with disbelief. Gone was his gentle gaze, his sweet smile, and the playful words he used to tease her. Now, his expression was nothing but hostile, as if he didn’t recognize her or Selene at all. Suddenly, Mia recalled Jas’ behavior toward her yesterday.
So it’s true... Jas ignored on purpose yesterday? Mia thought, feeling a pang of heartache.
At first, Mia had managed to calm herself, thinking Jas was simply angry over what happened to Kyra and didn’t have the ti to pay attention to her—or that he hadn’t even noticed her presence because his anger had clouded his mind.
She had hoped to approach him again with her sister after everything settled down. But reality crushed her expectations. Jas hadn’t overlooked her; he had deliberately been hostile toward her.
"Misunderstanding?" Jas scoffed. "If that’s the case, why didn’t you deny it yesterday? Instead, you looked terrified. And your cousin here tried to defend you—doesn’t that confirm your guilt already?"
Gladys shook her head repeatedly. She was determined to deny it no matter what.
"I was too shocked yesterday because I didn’t expect my own best friend to stab in the back. That’s why I couldn’t think clearly and ended up staying silent. But that doesn’t an I’m admitting to being the perpetrator," Gladys replied, tears streaming down her face once again.
This ti, however, the tears weren’t part of an act—they were entirely due to her fear. Even so, Kyra remained skeptical, as Gladys had lied far too many tis before.
anwhile, Mia was preoccupied with entirely different thoughts and made no effort to assist her cousin. She seed oblivious to Gladys’s plight, focusing all her attention on Jas instead.
Jas sighed in irritation and said impatiently, "Fine. You don’t need to explain any further. Right now, I will only believe in evidence. If you don’t have any proof that you’re not the culprit, then kindly leave."
Gladys grew even more frantic and tried to persuade Jas once more. "Do you still trust the evidence Hazel ntioned, Mr. Jas? If so, I must warn you to be careful because Hazel is cunning and might have been lying just to escape your grasp. After all, she’s already accused , her supposed best friend."
Jas furrowed his brow, his irritation intensifying at the stubborn woman in front of him who refused to leave. "I already told you, I don’t care! I’ll handle this matter in my own way. If you’re truly innocent, Miss Swan, then you have nothing to fear because I’ll ensure justice is served. So..."
Before Jas could finish his sentence, Gladys interrupted him again. "In that case, let help you, Mr. Jas. Consider it my way of atoning and proving my innocence! Please, at least give a chance!"
As she said this, Gladys went so far as to kneel before Jas and Kyra. Kyra narrowed her eyes in disapproval. Whether Gladys was acting or not, her excessive behavior made everyone uncomfortable, seemingly forcing them to entertain her whims.
Before Kyra could reprimand her, Mia Parks stepped in first. "What are you talking about, Gladys? What could you possibly do to help Brother Jas? Hah... you’re still so childish and incapable of thinking things through."
Mia then turned to Jas. "Brother Jas, Gladys is my cousin, and her family is part of the Parks family. I hope you can show so consideration for our family, for the sake of our long-standing relationship. On her behalf, I’ll represent her and assist you."
The difference in Mia’s tone when addressing her cousin and Jas was glaringly obvious, as was the way she referred to him as "Brother Jas." Kyra suddenly felt nauseous, her expression darkening instantly. Naturally, Jas noticed his girlfriend’s mood shift and was equally displeased.
"Thank you, Miss Parks, but I don’t need that kind of help, or are you doubting the strength of the Snyders family?" Jas asked challengingly, his voice colder than ever.
Mia froze, her expression paling at Jas’s harsh response. This man had no regard for their past connection.
However, before the conversation could continue further, a servant approached the gazebo.
"Young Master Jas, the Master and Mistress have heard that Miss Parks is visiting and have invited everyone for lunch."
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