Chapter 13 Come To My Room After Your Bath

• Frank could only sappily ask that despite wanting to know the nature of Jasper and Talia's relationship.
• "Yes. He and I are very close," she confirmed. She knew exactly what Frank wanted to ask, but she could only give a short reply without further explanation. She wouldn't even know how to start describing their relationship to others.
• She didn't ask Frank how he knew who Jasper was because she assumed that everyone in Creekvale would have heard of his name at some point.
• Frank, too, stopped probing when he noticed how Talia seemed reluctant to explain.
• After getting off at the entrance of the building, Talia waved at the duo in the car and bid goodbye. "I'll see you this weekend."
• Instead of saying bye, Sophia leaned forward on the opened window as her eyes took in the view before her. She began to grumble, "Why do you have to go out and earn money when you live in such a big house? Are you that poor?"
• "Yup, I am extremely poor," Talia honestly replied. "I won't be able to afford food if I don't earn my own money. Have a safe journey home. Bye, you both."
• And with that, the Shields drove out the way they came in from. Just as she was about to walk into the opened door, she realized that Jasper still wasn't home yet. Where could he have gone to if he still wasn't home even though he had left so much earlier?
• However, she didn't give it much thought as she headed inside and turned on the lights, which immediately brightened the big and lonely place. Just as she was about to head upstairs, she heard the sound of a car engine gradually getting louder.
• Ah, he's back, she thought. He must have seen Frank's car, then.
• As she was still upset about what had transpired at the dinner table, she didn't feel like seeing him. Her head was only focused on getting her pajamas before heading into the bathroom for a proper soak. After entering the bathroom, she turned on the tap and watched as warm water and pink bubbles filled the tub. It was a surprisingly therapeutic process—one that could easily take her mind off the unpleasant thoughts.
• She then sunk herself into the tub when the water had been filled to the brim. She emptied her head and heart, and it didn't take long before she succumbed to the fatigue she accumulated during the day. Just as she was about to fall asleep, the door to the bathroom was abruptly pushed open.
• Her eyelids shot open, only to see Jasper's dark pair of eyes looking straight at her.
• "Is something the matter?" Her brain wasn't quite awake yet from the surprise visit.
• He continued to stand unmoving at the door with an empty face.
• After a moment of silence, he finally told her, "Come to my room after your bath."
• He then turned to leave before she could even register what he had said.
• How misleading, Talia mused as perverted ideas started to intrude into her thoughts. She only got dressed after making sure that Jasper had not been drinking before he came to get her.
• She then made her way to the open door of his room, and without taking a step in, she lightly knocked. "I'm here. What is it?"
• Jasper was sitting in front of the French window with his side toward her. He was facing the window as his eyes stared into the darkness even though emptiness was all that he could see. If only he had eyes that could see through everything, then maybe, he could someday see what was beyond the dark abyss.
• "It was your mother's. Take it," he indifferently said. He then lightly pushed a small box made of sandalwood on the tea table in her direction.
• Judging from the box's dull color, it seemed to be a fairly old one.
• Talia's heart immediately dropped as she recognized the box, and she quickly stepped forward and held it between her palms. The box belonged to her mother before she had passed on. Because of how her mother would always bring the box with her no matter where they went, Talia was sure that her mother had kept something that was very precious to her in that very box.
• The box had mysteriously disappeared along with her mother's death. And despite her attempts to look for it, she never managed to find it. She eventually thought that the box had been buried together with her mother's body. However, she truly had not expected the box to be with Jasper of all people!
• Instead of blaming him for only giving her the box now, she was overwhelmed with gratitude and joy at the recoverance of her mother's momento.
• She hugged the box tightly as tears threatened to spill from her red eyes. She tried her best to hold it all in as she didn't want to cry in front of Jasper. "Thank you…" she sighed.