The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman)

Jason's plea tugged at Monica's heartstrings, leaving her with a bittersweet feeling. As he began to speak, emotions she had tried to keep in check suddenly threatened to overflow. Forcing a smile, she tried to keep her cool and sat back down. "Sure thing. Do you want

some water? I can get you a glass."

Jason glanced at the fruit bowl and spotted the apples. "Could you peel an apple for me?"

Peeling an apple would take some time-maybe he just wanted a few extra moments with her.

"Okay," Monica replied, picking up an apple and finding the paring knife. She settled into her chair and started peeling it slowly.

They sat in silence. Monica focused on the apple while Jason reclined on the hospital bed, his gaze steady on her. Her mind was racing, fully aware of Jason watching her. Suddenly, the peel snapped.

"I'll cut it into slices for you," Monica offered, adjusting the apple and continuing to peel.

"Sure," Jason nodded.

Monica sliced the apple into small pieces, arranged them on a plate, and handed it to him.

As Jason took the plate, he suddenly said, "Monica, I'm going to sort things out with Alisa soon."

Sort things out?

Monica looked up at him, trying to read between the lines. Was he talking about marriage? Was he telling her he was getting married?

She couldn't bring herself to ask directly. Just as Jason was about to explain, Isla burst into the room. "Papa Jason, when is my mom coming? I'm hungry!"

Jason swallowed his words and offered Isla the apple slices. "Here, have some apple to tide you over."

"Okay," Isla said, taking the apple.

Monica chimed in, "Jason, should I peel another one for you?"

"No need," Jason replied. "Monica, I'm being discharged next Monday. Are you free on February 14th?"

Valentine's Day. Was he planning to marry Alisa then?

She couldn't stomach the idea of attending her ex-boyfriend's wedding.

Monica quickly lied, "Oh, that's a shame. I'm heading to Los Angeles with a friend that day. Already booked the flight and hotel."

Jason instinctively asked, "Is this friend male or female?"

"Actually, it's a guy my mom introduced me to recently. He's quite keen, and I couldn't really turn him down. It's a holiday, so we're taking the chance to visit Los Angeles. If things go well, we might get engaged once we're back. Both our families are pretty happy about it," Monica said with a forced laugh.

Even she was impressed by her ability to concoct such a story.

Jason had hoped to sort things out with Alisa before Valentine's Day and make another attempt to win Monica back.

Hearing Monica's tale about someone new dashed those hopes.

"Alright," Jason said. "When you're looking at a guy, remember, responsibility is key. It's not just about looks."

Monica chuckled. "Of course, responsibility is what makes a man dependable."

She meant nothing more by her words, but to Jason, they stung with guilt. He felt he owed Monica an apology.noveldrama

Responsibility had always been his guiding principle-towards the Brown family, towards Alisa. The Browns were like a burden on his shoulders, forcing him to make tough choices.

Repaying their kindness meant making sacrifices.

Any deviation from the Browns' expectations would have him labeled ungrateful, with moral blackmail often used against him.

Even his bosses at work had hinted at settling down with Alisa.

Everyone assumed he should be with Alisa, especially with Isla calling him Papa Jason, tugging at his heartstrings.

Responsibility was a heavy chain.

Monica glanced at her watch. "I should get going. I'm meeting a friend for some shopping this afternoon. It's still the evaluation phase, so I need to give him a thorough assessment." This time, Jason had nothing to say to make her stay.

Monica stood up to leave. As she opened the door, she found Alisa standing there.

She had no idea how long Alisa had been listening, nor did she care. She brushed past Alisa without a word and left.

As she walked away, she faintly heard Alisa say to Jason, "February 14th is a great day. My dad said we should go ahead with it..."

Monica didn't catch the rest.

So, he really was planning to marry Alisa on that day.