Chapter 21 She Rejected Him
Estella rejected him outright.
Finished
Nathaniel was visibly upset. Rubbing his forehead in confusion, he said, “You’re angry with me, and you want a divorce. I can’t argue with that. But my mom has always treated you well. She’s always seen you as her own daughter. Don’t you think you should be grateful? Estella, how can you be so cold–hearted?”
Madeline’s illness had only made her more difficult and demanding.
No matter what the servants prepared, she was never satisfied. In the past, only Estella’s cooking had been able to please her.
Nathaniel was already juggling his responsibilities at the company and caring for Madeline, leaving him feeling helpless.
So, he hoped to persuade Estella to look after Madeline.
Estella found Nathaniel’s words utterly bewildering.
“Nathaniel, I entered the Hartwell family because I signed a contract. I cared for you and showed respect to your mom to be a good daughter–in–law. Now that the contract has ended, I have no interest in involving myself in your family affairs. And as for you saying that your mom treats me like her own daughter, don’t you find that absurd? Compare how Madam Madeline treats me with how she treats Naomi. Does she make Naomi work like a servant? Does she restrict Naomi’s freedom, trapping her in the house? You claim Madam Madeline treats me well, can you even tell me specifically how?”
Nathaniel was struck silent by her words.
He had always thought his mother was different from other wealthy ladies who harshly criticized their daughters–in–law. She was always so kind to Estella.
He had believed that his mother was the ideal mother–in–law and that Estella’s marriage to the Hartwell family was a blessing she had earned in a past life.
However, when asked to point out specific ways his mother had treated Estella well, he couldn’t recall a single example.
Estella scoffed, “Mr. Hartwell, is that all you’ve got? Then I’ll leave.”
Nathaniel, still unwilling to give up, persisted, “Estella, even if my mom hasn’t done much for you, we’ve been together for three years. Can’t you show some sentiment for the past?”
Estella mocked him, “The past three years with your family have been nothing more than a business arrangement. What sentiment are you talking about?”
Her cold, unfeeling words felt like a blow to Nathaniel’s chest, making it hard for him to breathe.
Estella, unwilling to engage further, turned and walked away.
Jonathan drove Estella home. Noticing her troubled expression, he asked, “Are you alright?”
Estella, exhausted, replied, “I’m fine.”
She couldn’t understand why, after making herself perfectly clear, Nathaniel still insisted on relentlessly pursuing her.
Jonathan glanced at her, his concern flickering in his eyes.
Seeing his silence, Estella suddenly asked, “Do you want to know what happened between Nathaniel and me?”
Jonathan shook his head. “If you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t ask. Whenever you’re ready, you can tell me.”
Though he was curious about the nature of her relationship with Nathaniel, he respected her wishes. If she didn’t want to share, he wouldn’t push her.
Estella felt deeply moved.
Jonathan may have appeared distant, but he was truly a reliable and considerate friend.
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Chapter 21 She Rejected Him
The day of the Monroe family’s banquet soon arrived.
Finished
Estella wore the high–end dress Jonathan had gifted her, accessorized with jewelry worth the price of a house. She felt a sense
of unease.
“Is this too much?” Estella worried she might overshadow the host of the event.
Though she didn’t care for Isabelle, she didn’t want to cause any conflicts with her in such a setting and embarrass Jonathan.
Jonathan placed her hand on his arm and smiled. “This dress and jewelry suit you perfectly. Relax and enjoy the evening.”
Encouraged by his words, Estella slowly began to ease her nerves.
Jonathan checked his phone and saw a message from his eldest brother. He smiled at Estella and said, “I’m going to meet someone I know. Wait for me here.”
Estella nodded. “Okay.”
Jonathan entered the private room, where his eldest brother Jeremy was video chatting with their mother, Shannon Young, and his sister–in–law, Mia Roberts.
Jonathan smiled and greeted them, “Mom, Mia.”
annon inquired about him and then got straight to the point. “Jon, Jeremy and Mia have been married for eight years now. You should start thinking about it too. When will I get to see you bring a girlfriend home?”
“There’s no rush,” Jonathan responded calmly.
Shannon sighed, clearly frustrated.
She couldn’t understand why her two sons had such different personalities.
Jeremy and Mia had been childhood sweethearts. They started dating in high school and got married right after graduating from college.
They were clearly a perfect match!
In contrast, her youngest son had neither a girlfriend nor even any close female friends in all these years.
She sighed again. “You’ve spent years avoiding blind dates, running off to Javerton to become a lawyer and only coming home to Kingston twice a year. It’s really disappointing. I don’t care anymore. If you haven’t figured out your future by the end of this year, I’ll personally go to Javerton and pick a wife for you!”
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