Belated Moonlight: He Regretted Only After I Left-Chapter 176: The Approaching Storm (Double-Length - )
Shane Donovan’s hand froze in mid-air, his fingertips still lingering with the cool touch of her hair.
A fleeting, almost imperceptible astonishment brushed through his eyes, quickly suppressed by a deeper shade of darkness.
"Stella..."
At this moment, Jasper Hawthorne had already stepped quickly forward, keenly sensing the unusual atmosphere between the two.
His gaze lingered on Stella’s face for a moment, his brows furrowing. He immediately stepped forward, subtly positioning himself between Stella and Shane Donovan, "Are you okay? You don’t look too well..."
Stella took a deep breath and said coldly, "I’m fine, thank you, Attorney Hawthorne."
Jasper subconsciously moved his lips, wanting to tell her she didn’t need to be so formal with him...
But then he remembered that he was about to marry Grace, and Stella had long since been engaged to Shane Donovan, so he swallowed the words that reached his lips.
He couldn’t help but take a deep breath, "If there’s anything Uncle Sterling needs help with, just let me know. As long as I can help, I’ll do my best..."
The intimacy and protection in his words made Shane Donovan’s gaze suddenly turn cold.
His eyes skimmed past Jasper, the line of his jaw slightly tense, his voice soft but laden with a cold edge that hit the ground with a resounding thud, "The Sterling Family’s affairs include me, so there’s no need to trouble Attorney Hawthorne."
However, before he could finish—
"I want to be alone for a moment."
Stella’s voice sounded, light yet like an ice-cold knife, precisely cutting off his unfinished words.
She didn’t even look at him.
Her gaze was lowered, resting on the smooth but cold floor, her long and dense eyelashes like small fans casting a faint shadow beneath her eyes, concealing all possible emotions.
Only her slightly pressed lips betrayed a hint of forced fragility and... alienation.
Shane Donovan stared at her steadily.
The light from the corridor’s ceiling lamp fell on his straight shoulders, outlining a distinct, cold profile.
He stood silent, only the softness in his demeanor, once due to her presence, now vanished without a trace, replaced by an almost stagnant low pressure.
The vermilion mole at the corner of his eye was a glaring shade of red, like congealed blood droplets.
"I’ll go check if Mom’s awake..." After Stella finished speaking, she turned and left without waiting for the two to respond.
Shane Donovan stood rooted, his deep gaze following her figure until she disappeared behind the hospital room door.
He slowly withdrew his hand, slipping it into the pocket of his trousers, his knuckles curling slightly beneath the fabric.
Jasper Hawthorne took all this in, a twisted sense of satisfaction welling up inside him, but even more was a bitter empathy.
He stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Shane Donovan, his gaze also in the direction of Stella’s departure, his tone carrying a hint of melancholy, "Shane Donovan, cherish her now that you’ve got her..."
Shane Donovan turned aside, his eyes as cold as frost.
Jasper Hawthorne tugged at the corners of his mouth, a bitter smile on his lips, "Don’t be like me, regretting only after losing..."
He paused, his voice dropping to a murmur filled with indescribable pain, "By then, it’s too late to say anything..."
"No need to concern yourself, Attorney Hawthorne," Shane Donovan’s tone was icy, cutting him off and exuding a distancing sense that kept people at bay, "It’s not your place to teach me what to do."
Jasper Hawthorne couldn’t help but frown, "Shane Donovan, what do you mean? Can’t you see? Stella is not in a good state right now, you..."
But before he could finish, Shane Donovan lifted his gaze towards him, a faint curve on his lips that didn’t reach his eyes, coldly interrupting him, "Attorney Hawthorne, you should worry more about your own marriage. I hear you’re joining The Donovan Family?"
The words were like a needle, piercing Jasper Hawthorne’s sore spot.
His face instantly turned grim, his jawline tense, eyes turning dark as he glared at Shane Donovan.
Their gazes clashed in mid-air, an unspoken tension filling the space.
Jasper Hawthorne’s face turned livid at Shane Donovan’s mention of "joining," with veins pulsing on his forehead.
He ultimately said nothing, just shot Shane Donovan a sharp glance with his dark eyes, then turned and left with long strides.
Shane Donovan didn’t even glance at him.
Jasper Hawthorne had never posed any threat to him, not before, and especially not now.
All his thoughts were occupied by Stella’s obvious evasive action just now...
He frowned slightly, glancing subconsciously in the direction of Isla Sutton’s hospital room, thinking of Stella’s earlier words, "I want to be alone," and decided to first visit the doctor’s office to inquire about Theodore Sterling’s follow-up treatment plan before seeking her out.
However, just as he lifted his foot, the phone in his pocket began vibrating urgently.
—It was a series of incoming message alerts.
He instinctively paused, pulled out his phone, and swiped open the screen.
Upon seeing the content of the messages, Shane Donovan’s pupils contracted sharply.
Without any hesitation, he turned around and headed to Isla Sutton’s room, the hem of his coat drawing an arc in the air, his retreating silhouette exuding a sharp chill...
...
Meanwhile, Jasper Hawthorne sat with a sullen face in the driver’s seat, slamming the car door shut.
He irritably yanked off his tie, tossing it onto the passenger seat, a nameless fire of frustration simmering in his chest, making him feel uncomfortable all over.
Just then, the phone rang like a persistent death knell, the name "Grace Quinn" flashing on the screen.
A flash of undisguised aversion passed through Jasper Hawthorne’s eyes, and without a second thought, he hung up.
But the other party wasn’t to be deterred and called again.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to cut the call, and forcefully swiped the answer button, his voice as cold as ice, "What is it?"
On the other end of the line, Grace’s coquettish voice immediately came through: "Jasper~ I’m having dinner at The Jade Pavilion, and I bought too much stuff to carry home. Can you come pick me up?"
Jasper Hawthorne’s forehead veins throbbed: "Didn’t you drive yourself? Or call a chauffeur."
"No~ I just want you to come pick me up!"
Grace began to throw a tantrum, "If you don’t come, I’ll tell Auntie May you’re bullying me! Don’t forget how Auntie May instructed you? She told you to take good care of me!"
She even brought up his mother, May Wright.
Jasper Hawthorne’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles turning white.
Ever since his mom learned about his impending marriage to Grace, she had been overjoyed.
Especially upon discovering that Grace was the eldest daughter of Crestfall’s Donovan Family, she eagerly supported the marriage, even after learning he was going to marry into the Donovan Family.
She was clearly set on Grace as her future daughter-in-law!
He gritted his back teeth, forcing out a few words from his throat: "Send me the address."
Half an hour later, Jasper Hawthorne’s car stopped at the entrance of The Jade Pavilion.
This was a well-known private restaurant, with an elegant environment and excellent privacy.
He entered the room with a stern face, following the box number sent by Grace Quinn.
However, Grace Quinn wasn’t the only person in the room.
In the position by the window, the figure sitting in the wheelchair made Jasper Hawthorne’s pupils shrink suddenly, his steps nailed to the ground!
Philip Donovan!
How could he be here?!
Philip Donovan seemed to have anticipated his arrival, turning his head with a strangely calm smile on his face.
He was even thinner than the last time they met, his face a sickly gray-white, with heavily casted legs and arms making him look like a doll barely pieced together after being broken, but those eyes, in their murky depths, sparkled with a calculating gleam, like a snake lurking in the dark.
"Attorney Hawthorne, you’re here?" Philip Donovan’s voice was hoarse from his injuries, carrying an unsettling familiarity.
Grace Quinn immediately fluttered over like a butterfly, trying to take Jasper Hawthorne’s arm, but he discreetly avoided her.
A fleeting look of displeasure crossed her face, quickly replaced by one of triumph as she coyly said, "Jasper, look who’s here? My u... my uncle came to visit us specially!"
Jasper Hawthorne greeted Philip Donovan with a slight nod, his expression indifferent.
Philip Donovan seemed oblivious to his cold demeanor, chuckling as he gestured to the seat opposite, "Sit, Attorney Hawthorne, don’t stand there talking. We’re family; no need for formalities."
Jasper Hawthorne battled the urge to leave, seating himself opposite Philip Donovan, his back straight, his guard up.
The waiter served tea quietly and exited, closing the door of the room tightly.
Philip Donovan sipped his tea leisurely, speaking as if casually chatting, "I heard from Grace that you just came from the hospital? It’s really true that trouble never comes singly... How is Theodore Sterling doing?"
Jasper Hawthorne’s face remained expressionless. Even if he didn’t want to speak, basic courtesy required him to respond, so he said in a calm tone, "Uncle Sterling is still in a coma. The situation... is not very optimistic..."
"Oh..." Philip Donovan elongated his tone, lightly tapping his fingers on the armrest of his wheelchair, casually asking, "And how are Shane Donovan and Stella Sterling? With something like this happening, they must be overwhelmed, right? No quarrels, I hope? My nephew’s temper isn’t very good..."
At the mention of Shane Donovan, Jasper Hawthorne couldn’t help but snort, "He certainly has a bad temper."
Considering how things are with Stella right now, and he’s still indifferent.
If it were him instead...
At this thought, Jasper Hawthorne felt a pang in his chest.
Meanwhile, a gleam flashed in Philip Donovan’s eye, his lips barely curling into a smile.
He took a sip of tea, disguising his expression with a sigh, "Yes, in such situations, how could any girl bear it? Shane has a cold personality, he probably won’t comfort her... A little rift between the couple is normal."
These words were like a fine needle, precisely piercing the soft spot in Jasper Hawthorne’s heart.
A mixture of bitterness and reluctance surged up, and he couldn’t help but retort with a hint of frustration, "It’s not something that can be glossed over by saying ’won’t comfort’..."
Philip Donovan’s hand paused imperceptibly on the tea cup, the gleam in his eyes brightening.
He maintained his composure, even letting out a soft sigh, "So, they really had a spat? Right now, Stella needs someone to rely on; Shane is just too..."
He trailed off at the right moment, leaving room for infinite conjecture.
Jasper Hawthorne pressed his lips together, staying silent, which was tacit acknowledgment.
Philip Donovan’s lips curled slightly upwards, the curve so brief it was indiscernible.
He asked no more, instead shifting the conversation with sincerity to Jasper Hawthorne, "Jasper, after you and Grace get married, we’ll be family."
"Grace can be a bit spoiled at times, but just bear with her and treat her well. The Donovan Family won’t mistreat its own."
He gave Jasper Hawthorne a meaningful look, "Once you’re married, the family will naturally pave the way for you. With your ability and the Donovan resources, your future is limitless."
In the past, such a promise would have seemed like an insult to the proud Jasper Hawthorne.
But now, a secret ambition had taken root in his heart.
If he had the power to rival Shane Donovan, would there be a chance to compete with him?
He wouldn’t be so quickly sidelined...
Lost in thought, Jasper Hawthorne’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, before he finally responded stiffly, "Thank you, Uncle... I understand."
Philip Donovan didn’t stay long, chatting a while more before leaving.
When only the two of them remained in the room, Jasper Hawthorne’s expression darkened completely, glaring coldly at Grace Quinn, "What’s going on? How is your uncle, Philip Donovan, here?"
Grace Quinn glared back angrily, "Why are you being so fierce? Why can’t my uncle be here? He may not be what he used to be, but he’s still part of the Donovan Family! He’s my uncle! He cares about us, so what’s wrong with him visiting us?"
"Cares?" Jasper Hawthorne’s eyes were sharp, "Isn’t it obvious enough what the Donovan Family’s situation is right now? Being too close to him isn’t a good idea!?"
Grace Quinn dismissed it, pursing her lips, then raising her chin defiantly, "Why are you in such a hurry? Who gets kicked out hasn’t been decided yet!"
Jasper Hawthorne keenly sensed something, "What do you mean by that?"
"Oh, don’t ask now, just remember, the real show is yet to come!"
Jasper Hawthorne frowned slightly, a feeling of foreboding rising within him...
...
Meanwhile, at Crestfall International Airport.
The flight landed, passengers thronged.
Aidan Sterling wore a long dark gray coat, his figure upright, his face bearing the fatigue of continuous travel, yet his stern expression still stood out.
Dragging his suitcase, he casually hailed a taxi, giving the address of The Sterling Villa before closing his eyes wearily, rubbing his aching temples.
As the car slowly drove away from the airport, he realized he hadn’t turned on his phone since landing.
Just then, a flash of white sped past the car window.
Aidan Sterling turned his head.
There he saw a girl in a white sweatshirt and long pants, riding a shared bicycle, narrowly threading through traffic, the breeze gently tussling her long hair, looking out of place in the winter landscape, yet strangely catching people’s eyes.
Amid the crowd, that spotlessly white figure became the most striking scenery in the gray and dull world.
Aidan Sterling frowned, about to look away when the car slowed due to traffic congestion, nearly parallel to the bicycle.
The girl’s profile entered his sight.
And upon seeing her face, Aidan Sterling’s eyelids twitched severely—
The girl in front of him looked almost identical to Elara Forrest...
