Stella Grace didn’t know where he was taking her.
Anyway, Jasper Milton would not do anything to her.
Stella looked out of the window. “How long will it take?”
“An hour and a half,” Jasper replied.
“Wake me up when we are there.” She leaned against the chair and closed her eyes.
Jasper took off his blazer and covered her body.
Stella didn’t fall asleep. She smelled the faint smell of smoke on his blazer.
Was he smoking just now?
She didn’t like the smell of smoke, so she opened her eyes to look at him.
It had been three years, Jasper had matured. He became more reserved and less talkative. And yet he still gave people a sense of security, probably a characteristic of a soldier.
“Don’t smoke, it’s bad for your health,” Stella said gently.
“I didn’t like smoking in the past. I kept getting insomnia for the past three years. Add that to stress at work, and you can see why I started smoking more and more often until it became a habit. Why don’t you monitor me on that?” Jasper said.
Stella turned her head and faced the window. She did not say a word. Their shadows were reflected on the window.
“Chief, can I do a psychological test on you?” Stella asked.
“Okay.”
“If you were watching a horror movie, where do you think the ghost will appear? One, elevator; two, toilet; three, under the table; and four, in a cabinet.” Stella waited for his response.
“I don’t watch horror movies, and I don’t believe ghosts exists in this world,” Jasper answered.
Stella : “…”
“Let’s change the question then. One fine day, you were walking on the street and saw someone almost getting hit by a car. Do you want this person to be a woman, a man, a child or an old man? Choose one.” Stella was a little annoyed by his lack of cooperation.
Jasper was confused. “Why should I be concerned if the person is getting hit or not?”
Stella didn’t want to talk to him anymore so she turned her face away.
Jasper frowned. “If I have to choose, a man.”
Stella nodded. “Okay, I knew it.”
“What do you know? Can’t you tell me the result?” Jasper asked.
“People who choose ‘a man’ are tough, decisive and efficient. They are not easily enticed by any temptation. They are rational but afraid of trouble. They have their own goals and opinions. They are relatively calm. They are… ” Stella didn’t want to complete the last sentence. “… the best choice for a spouse.”
Jasper gave a faint smile. “Do you know why I chose ‘a man’?”
“Why?”
“The old man is elderly. Even if he didn’t get hit, his blood pressure would still shoot sky high. His heart wouldn’t be able to cope.
The child is too young. If he got frightened, it might affect his mental health.
Women are too troublesome to deal with..
A man can react faster. As long as he can avoid it, nothing much would happen after that,” Jasper explained.
“What’s with this stigma against women? What’s wrong with women?” Stella asked.
“If a woman is almost hit, she would definitely call her boyfriend to complain. Or maybe get into a fight with the driver.”
“Jasper, did you not get a girlfriend all these years because you’re afraid of being troubled?” Stella interrupted him. “Do you think I would call you to complain or to quarrel with the driver if I were to be in the same situation?”
“That’s how I knew why I was in love with you back then,” Jasper said, looking at Stella with his keen eyes.
Stella’s heart was trembling vigorously. His gaze made her feel very uneasy. She said, “Look ahead when you drive.”
“Okay,” Jasper replied.
Stella lowered her head.
Women were strange creatures. Even if they knew very well that the man they love really loved someone else, they would still try to convince themselves otherwise.
And because of this small little hope that they hold on to, they might give in, surrender and even think that they could replace another woman.
However, the truth was…
the human heart was unpredictable. If you got too close to a person’s heart, they might repel and drive you away. If you were too far away, you would be neglected.
It would not be easy to find the right distance.
Stella felt sad, and her eyes were also shivering. She didn’t want to cry in front of Jasper, so she forced herself not to think too much.
Sometimes, pain would come when you could see things too clearly.
Ignorance is bliss.
She wished to be a child again, to be worry-free and forgetful.
They arrived at the military base.
When the soldiers saw Jasper’s car, they all saluted. However, when they reached the second gate, someone came forward to check.
It was Jasper’s strict orders to his military base.
After the inspection, the soldiers saluted again.
Stella was here three years ago. A lot had changed. For starters, they built more buildings.
But Jasper was still staying in the same place.
She followed him and they went to the basement.
Stella thought of the secret room that Katty mentioned.
She felt uneasy but she did not let it show. The closer she got to the door, the more reluctant she felt.
Stella stopped. “Why did you bring me here?”
Jasper did not force her. He pushed open the door of the secret room.
Stella entered. The first thing she saw was her photo. She looked at Jasper in surprise. She was too nervous and her hands were shaking.
Jasper held her hand and walked in.
The secret room was filled with photos of her, some of which were taken from the Facebook page that she had not used for a long time, and some were candid shots he took secretly.
“I hung them up in the afternoon,” Jasper said as he picked up a red jewelry box from the table.
Stella glanced at the jewelry box and then back at Jasper.
He stared at her earnestly, but the pain in his eyes could make one’s heart ache for him.
“Three years ago, I dreamt of a fire. I was brought back to when I was on a mission long time ago.
Everyone else died on that mission, including my girlfriend, Bettany. Only one spy survived.
I couldn’t recall you at all.
From that day onward, I would always dream of a girl crying. She kept shouting, “Jasper, where are you?”
I thought the girl was Bettany, I couldn’t remember you at all.
I’m sorry I forgot about you,” Jasper explained.
Stella turned her face away.
It was too painful to recall. Whenever she did, she would burst into tears.
“When I met you three years ago, you looked so familiar. I was sure that I must have known you so I went and asked around about you but everything seemed to have been covered up on purpose. I even went to your university multiple times. As time went by, I realized that the crying girl was you, Stella.”
Jasper opened the jewelry box. There was a diamond ring inside. “I love you. Marry me. From now on, I will be yours.”