Leap OF Fate novel Chapter 54

He started the car and drove out of the parking without giving her an answer and kept his eyes on the road. His hands gripped the steering wheel, the veins on his arms became more prominent.

Serene kept looking at him. He’s obviously ignoring her. She let out a sigh and leaned her head on the window.

They were already at Magnolia Crescent when she opened her eyes. Justin had already gotten out of the car and was going in the door. Shaking her head in disbelief, she unbuckled her

seatbelt and got out of the car to follow him inside. This is the first time he did not open the car door for her.

He immediately locked himself in his study. Serene let out a deep sigh when she did not see him in their bedroom. In the past, she's been able to easily coax him when he felt jealous. However,

this time around, he not only felt jealous but also felt insecure because of her impending return to Coast City. She had already promised him that she’ll move to Hyacinth Bay after a month, but he still did not feel assured.

Feeling dejected, she went to her studio. Justin had this room decorated as a studio and library for her when she asked him to buy her some art supplies. However, from the time he had the room built, she had not yet picked up a brush to draw. She simply went here to read.

Today was an exception. She felt so forlorn and wanted to vent out her energies. She picked up a canvass and placed it on the easel and combined her colors.

When her brush touched the canvass, she got teleported to a world that only she existed. Her hands moved on their own, putting pigment in the brush and stroking the canvass. She did not know how long she had been painting but she felt exhausted after she completed her work, so she curled on the giant bean bag and fell asleep.

By the time Justin has finished his conference call and other paperwork, it’s already nine in the evening. He rolled his neck to ease tension then got up. He had already calmed down and was now in a better state of mind to talk things out with Serene.

She’s right. He had been narrow-minded. His jealousy overpowered his judgement. He felt guilty that he assumed the worst of her when he saw her and Alex in the conference room and did not even bother listening to her explanation.

His eyes searched the master’s bedroom as soon as he entered it. The bed was untouched, and the room was devoid of her presence save for her bag on top of the coffee table.

He went downstairs to look for her. She’s not watching TV in the living room, neither is she in the kitchen. He felt a slight panic in his heart. Did he go too far with the cold treatment that she left him? His heart pounded in his ribcage.

He went back upstairs, ready to get his car keys when he passed by her studio. He turned the doorknob open and saw her curled up on the bean bag sound asleep. The painted canvas caught his attention and walked towards it.

She painted a couple holding each other as they looked at the setting sun on the horizon. An invisible hand gripped his heart at the sight of the painting. He recalled the time they watched the sunset together at Coast City.

“I hope we could spend more moments like this. When we’re old and grey, I wish you’d still hold me this way and watch the sunset with me.”

He smiled at the recollection. Yes, he wanted nothing else in his life but to spend his days with her. Holding each other’s hands while watching the sunset in their old age was a future he looked forward to.

He scooped her out from the beanbag and carried her back to their room. Her clothes were filled with paint stains, so were her hands even her face. He carefully cleaned her up and changed her clothes to her pajamas then joined her on the bed.

He held her close to him, afraid that he’d lose her. Serene completed him and he could not imagine a life without her. He recalled her painting and could not help but smile as he imagined them old and grey but still deeply in love with each other.

Chapter 55

Time moved quickly for Serene. In a blink of an eye, she’s already handing off her project to the person who will be Rain International’s Account Manager. This meant that she no longer had to work with Arthur and his team because she had prepared all they needed to roll out the software to their employees.

Justin did not bring up the topic about her imminent return to Coast City anymore. They simply lived one day at a time, enjoying each other’s company. When his time permits, they would go out on movie dates, a luxury that Justin has not done in a long time. However, what Serene enjoyed the most were their quiet moments — their intimate meals at home, enjoying a TV show together, or their simple chats about anything.

Any outsider would judge their lives as boring. They have unconsciously built their own routine around their individual schedules. However, for Serene, these routines were rituals that tied them together. No one in the world knew the sequence of Justin’s life but her, and that gave her a certain sense of pride.

Today, unlike the previous days, Justin came home early. She has not started preparing their dinner yet and was still in her studio, randomly sketching when Justin’s embrace startled her.

“You’re early,” Serene said, turning to look up at him. She set her sketchbook and pencil aside to focus on him. Justin’s lips stretched into a smile when he saw her sketchbook. She had been sketching him from memory.

“Yup. We’re going somewhere tonight.”

“Where?”

“Home. It’s my parents’ anniversary and they’ve thrown a small party.”