My CEO Husband Says I'm Irreplaceable

Chapter 34: Chapter 34: How Similar?

Just as she was about to take off her makeup, her phone suddenly rang. It was Shiloh Sloan.

"Bonnie, dinner at Whispering Breeze Lodge?"

Vesper replied, "See you in a bit."

Just as she went downstairs, she saw the housekeeper leading Jonathan Grayson inside. The little boy, wearing a backpack and taking short steps with his short little legs, had clearly just come home from school.

"Jonathan, come to Mommy."

Joyce Rivers smiled gently, beckoning to him with a wave.

Jonathan was about to run to her when his eyes fell on the figure coming down the stairs, and they instantly lit up.

"Big Sister!"

His voice was bright and full of delight.

The corners of Vesper’s lips turned up. "Back from school, Jonathan?"

"Uh-huh! Big Sister, I got a hundred on my test today! My teacher gave me a White Rabbit creamy candy as a reward, and I want you to have it."

He trotted over to her, fished the candy out of his pocket with his small hand, and solemnly presented it to her.

Vesper reached out and gently ruffled his hair.

"The teacher gave this to you as a reward, Jonathan. You should keep it for yourself."

’She wasn’t about to take candy from a child.’

"Jonathan Grayson, I’m your sister, too! If she doesn’t want it, give it to me. I love sweets."

Gwen Grayson emerged from the kitchen carrying a fruit platter. The moment she saw her younger brother fawning over the person she detested most, her expression soured.

"Big Sister, I saved this candy. I didn’t eat it because I wanted to bring it back just for you."

As if afraid it would be stolen, Jonathan quickly shoved the candy into Vesper’s palm, shooting a wary glance in Gwen’s direction.

Gwen was practically grinding her teeth in frustration.

’Who was his real sister, anyway?’

Vesper froze for a moment, her gaze falling to the candy in her palm. She couldn’t help but break into a smile.

She slowly knelt in front of him and carefully unwrapped the candy.

"Jonathan, open wide."

Jonathan obediently opened his mouth.

With a flick of her finger, Vesper gently popped the candy into his mouth.

"Mmph..."

The little boy froze, his hands flying to his mouth. His large, expressive eyes stared at her in confusion.

Vesper chuckled. "Jonathan gave the candy to his big sister, and now his big sister is giving it back to him. One good turn deserves another."

"B-Big Sister, you’re the best!"

Jonathan immediately threw his arms around her in a tight hug.

The others in the living room witnessed this, each with a different expression.

"Dad, I’m meeting a friend for dinner."

"Drive safe."

Vesper nodded and turned to leave.

The moment she was gone, Gwen could no longer contain herself. She stormed over to Jonathan and yanked his ear.

"Jonathan Grayson! Who is your actual sister? You get something nice and instead of giving it to me first, you’re always thinking about Vesper Grayson. Did she cast a spell on you or something?"

"WAAAH—that hurts! I hate you, Second Sister! I only like Big Sister! She never tries to take my things, and her smile is so pretty..."

"She gives you one piece of candy and you lose your head completely? See if I don’t teach you a lesson today!"

Jonathan grabbed her arm and ducked his head, pretending he was going to bite her. Startled, Gwen immediately let go.

He seized the opportunity and darted into Joyce Rivers’ embrace.

Joyce held him close and frowned. "Jonathan is just a little boy. Why are you picking a fight with him? You’re always so harsh with him; how do you expect him to be close to you?"

’Vesper is always so gentle with Jonathan, always smiling so softly. What child wouldn’t love that?’

Jonathan peeked out from Joyce’s embrace and made a smug face at Gwen.

"Mom, look at him! How am I supposed to be gentle with him when he acts like that?" Gwen fumed, both angry and exasperated.

’Every time she saw him sucking up to Vesper, she wanted to grab him and beat him until he cried!’

...

「Whispering Breeze Lodge.」

Tucked away in a bustling city, it was a world of its own with green tiles, white walls, and a winding path leading to a quiet sanctuary. A single wall was all it took to shut out the clamor of the outside world.

Passing through a moon gate, Vesper pushed open the wooden door to their private room.

The room’s decor was simple and rustic, with wooden tables and plain chairs creating a quiet, elegant atmosphere.

Shiloh Sloan was already seated. When she saw Vesper enter, her eyes crinkled into a smile. "Vesper, you look even more beautiful lately."

"Haven’t I always?" Vesper returned with a light smile, a rare hint of levity in her tone.

"How are you settling in at the company these past couple of days? No one’s giving you a hard time, I hope?"

"Yeah, I had someone important looking out for me, so it’s been pretty smooth."

Vesper took off her coat, hung it on a nearby rack, and sat down across from her.

She accepted the hot tea Shiloh offered, gently tracing the side of the cup as she glanced around the room.

"It’s been three years. This place hasn’t changed at all."

They used to come here all the time in college. It was quiet and elegant, the food suited their tastes, and eventually, it became their secret spot for private meetings.

"You’re right, it hasn’t," Shiloh sighed. "But I got here a bit early and the owner told me they’re planning on closing down."

"Why?" Vesper asked, taken aback.

"Her daughter is seriously ill, and she needs to go back and focus on taking care of her."

"That’s a real shame."

"What if we buy it? We could think of it as helping her out."

Vesper looked up. "Are you serious?"

"Mhm." Shiloh nodded. "The small company my stepfather left me has been struggling, and I was already planning on liquidating it. If we buy Whispering Breeze Lodge, it would be perfect for me to run."

"In that case, let’s talk to the owner about the price later."

During a lull in their meal, Shiloh suddenly spoke up. "There’s a college reunion in a few days. Are you going?"

Vesper’s brow furrowed slightly. ’Truthfully, she didn’t want to go.’

"Are you?"

"I am." A flicker of anticipation, almost imperceptible, crossed Shiloh’s eyes. "I heard Nolan Forrester is going to be there."

"It’s been three years. You’re still not over him?"

Vesper was a little surprised. She hadn’t heard Shiloh mention his name once since they graduated.

"How could I just forget him?"

’He was her first love.’

’If it hadn’t been for that misunderstanding back then, they never would have broken up. She’d always wanted to explain, but after it happened, Nolan Forrester never gave her the chance. He just flew abroad without a single word.’

After a moment of silence, Vesper said softly, "I’ll go with you."

"Vesper, do you think... if I explain to him what happened back then, he’ll believe me?"

"Whether or not he believes you is his problem. At least you’ll have given yourself some closure."

After a pause, she added lightly, "If a couple doesn’t even have basic trust, then that relationship probably wasn’t worth continuing anyway."

Shiloh gave a strained smile. "...You’re right."

Just then, Shiloh’s phone lit up. She had a new message.

She glanced down at it, then immediately held the phone out to Vesper, her eyes lighting up.

"Vesper, look! It’s Elias Hawthorne!"

Vesper’s eyes fell upon the screen.

This photo was clearer than the last, but it was still just a profile shot. His features remained blurry and indistinct.

"He looks like he’s got to be handsome," Shiloh said with certainty.

"You can’t even see his face clearly, and you’re so sure?"

"The bone structure is all there. Even if the rest is average, he can’t possibly be ugly."

Vesper stared at the hazy silhouette for a few more seconds, and her heart suddenly skipped a beat.

’Jared Hawthorne also had that kind of excellent bone structure. Why did she have the strange feeling that this silhouette looked a bit like him?’

She quickly reigned in her thoughts, pushing the absurd notion away.

’Good-looking people just tend to have some similarities, that’s all.’

"Where did you get this picture?"

"I’d asked a friend back home to dig around, but I hadn’t heard anything. She just sent me this picture," Shiloh answered casually. "Said she secretly took it at an investment conference in Seabrook."

’Seabrook?’

Vesper faltered. ’Jared also went away on a sudden business trip, but she never asked exactly where.’

She was hesitating, wondering if she should send him a text to ask, when her phone suddenly rang without warning.

A completely unfamiliar number flashed on the screen.

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