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He fixed his gaze on Estelle, his expression inscrutable and frosty.
“You really have no clue how we got out of that mess, do you?” Estelle’s voice was icy as she spoke. “Our lives now
were bought with the blood of the Wolves, and you want to go back? Fine, it’s your choice!”
With that, Estelle turned on her heel and strode away.
Xavier’s face twisted with fury, and he lashed out at the table before him with a powerful kick.
The heavy piece of furniture toppled over, sending glasses and dishes crashing to the ground, shattering into
pieces.
Zachary, hearing the commotion, came running in to find Xavier leaning back in his chair, his face a ghastly shade
of pale, his hand trembling slightly on the armrest, a cigarette between his fingers sending up a thin stream of
smoke.
Estelle drove back to Villa del Sol at breakneck speed, parking her car beside the sycamore-lined drive. She sat on
a nearby wooden bench for a long while, trying to calm the storm within her.
It was early winter, yet the view from Villa del Sol was anything but desolate. Instead, the landscape was a riot of
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtcolor, breathtaking in its beauty.
The verdant pines and cypresses were punctuated by the reds of the maples, the forest ablaze with autumn hues,
undulating across the hills.
Only the Sycamore Avenue felt the biting chill of the wind, with leaves swirling in colorful eddies, the cold gusts
sweeping them into piles along the edges of the path.
Estelle’s phone suddenly rang, pulling her from her reverie. It was a video call from her grandfather; she swiped to
answer, a smile already playing on her lips. “Grandpa!”
Old Mr. Jarvis was sitting in his rocking chair, looking chipper. He paused at the sight of Estelle’s backdrop. “Where
are you, sweetheart?”
She lifted her phone to give him a panoramic view. “I’m up on the mountain roads of Villa del Sol.”
“I thought you moved out of there. What brings you back?” Old Mr. Jarvis chuckled.
Estelle’s face softened. “Jonathan asked me to come. I’m waiting for him here!”
Old Mr. Jarvis nodded. “That boy sent over a set of antique vellum scrolls a while back. Make sure you thank him for
me.”
Estelle arched an eyebrow. “He never mentioned it to me.”
“I mentioned it offhand during chess, and he remembered. I guessed he hadn’t told you.”
Thinking of Jonathan brought a warm surge to Estelle’s heart. “I will thank him.”
“Estelle,” Old Mr. Jarvis’s tone grew more serious. “Have you heard from Gabriel?”
Estelle hesitated before replying, “Brother’s mission is confidential. It might be a while before we hear anything.”
“Alright.” Old Mr. Jarvis didn’t press further. “Keep waiting for Jonathan. I’ll let you go. Take care of yourself, and
don’t be too hard on Jonathan!”
Estelle laughed. “I know, Grandpa!”
After the call, Estelle sat a bit longer before driving on.
Back at the villa, she went up to the third floor and watched a movie by herself. Max and Milo, her two loyal pets,
sat in their usual spots, engrossed in the film, while Estelle ended the movie without really knowing what she’d
watched.
As the movie ended, Jonathan called. “Where are you?”
She got up and walked outside. “At Villa del Sol.”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmJonathan’s voice was a soothing baritone. “I’ve finished up here. I’ll be right back!”
“I’ll wait for you.”
After hanging up, Estelle took Max and Milo up to the second-floor balcony. With Jonathan away, Milo was subdued;
Max, on the other hand, was more boisterous, pouncing unrelentingly on Milo.
Milo bared its teeth in a threatening grimace, and Max quickly scooted over to Estelle, shaking its head with a
mischievous glint in its eyes.
Milo turned away, his frustrated expression making Estelle want to laugh.
On the balcony, Estelle picked up a book and settled into the couch to read, while Max and Milo tumbled and
frolicked beside her.
The afternoon sun warmed her skin, and Estelle soon found herself dozing off.
She wasn’t sure how much time had passed when Milo let out a bark and dashed downstairs.
Startled awake, Estelle looked into the yard to see Jonathan’s car slowly pulling in.
She stood and walked to the balustrade as Jonathan’s car came to a halt below. He stepped out and instinctively
looked up to the balcony. Catching sight of Estelle, a tender smile broke across his handsome face, his deep-set
eyes shimmering, captivating and profound.
Leaning on the railing, basked in the warm winter sun, Estelle smiled down at him, her beauty radiant and
unparalleled.
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