Chapter 1299

Stella could not suppress her laughter. “You must be teasing her, right?”

Keegan glanced at her and said, Do I look like the kind who’d do that intentionally?”

No, you’re not. But that makes it all the more heartbreaking for the other party,’ thought Stella.

After a moment of contemplation, she decided to give her clueless boyfriend a hint. “Honey, have you noticed that Jaylene seems interested in you?”

Keegan looked surprised. Are you trying to accuse me of something again?”

Stella hit him and looked him in the eyes before she said,” I’m serious!”

Keegan furrowed his brows, as he pondered the idea. He genuinely could not figure out how Stella came to the conclusion of Jaylene’s supposed interest in him.

He had only interacted with the Saun family a few times. Wenham got remarried six years after Freesia’s death, and Keegan first encountered Jaylene during his first year of high school. At that time, he shared a class with Trevor, and Jaylene had always tagged along.

Keegan did not dislike Jaylene but was not attracted to her either. The lack of fondness, however, was not directed at Jaylene herself but rather at the complications she brought along. Jaylene had asthma, and with her around, Trevor was always preoccupied with her health, making it difficult for them to enjoy their teenage years to the fullest. As a result, Keegan rarely accepted Trevor’s invitations to hang out.

And, even when he did, he would make sure to leave early if Trevor had his little sister with him.

Later on, Jaylene’s condition worsened, and the Saun family moved abroad. He did not see her again for ten years. His memories of her were frozen in time. All he recalled was her as a sick child with a frail body.

As for Stella’s claim about Jaylene being interested in me, I don’t really see it. Does giving me a bracelet count as her being interested? I’ve already paid her for it, though,1 thought Keegan.

Considering how sensitive the topic was, Keegan threaded lightly. “Are you because of her relationship with the Saun family?”

Hearing that, Stella was speechless. “I’m not THAT petty. Jaylene came into the family through Wenham’s remarriage, unlike Sophia, who was a result of Albert’s affair. Jaylene has been in the family for twenty years. Meanwhile, I’ve just come into the family. Who am I to say that I dislike her?”

Keegan fell silent for a moment.

Stella was now a part of the Saun family, but she still maintained some distance from both the Sauns and the Halls, except for Trevor. Even though her excitement about having these newfound relatives was evident in her words, the bond she missed out on for so many years could not be made up for so quickly. She would unconsciously separate herself from the Saun family whenever she mentioned them.

Keegan held her hand gently, and his warmth gradually comforted her. “You have every right to like or dislike whoever you want. You’re a part of the Saun family. Forget about being a newcomer. No matter how long Jaylene has been with the family, she could never take away the place you hold in the hearts of your loved ones,” he said in a soft tone.

His words left Stella a little taken aback. After some time, she put her arms around him and said, “You seem to understand me better lately.”

Keegan kissed her on the head and said, “That’s because I love you.”

His unexpected declaration of love made Stella’s heart race. She could not help but smile. “Actually, I don’t hate Jaylene. I’m just a bit uncomfortable with her having feelings for you. After all, you’re mine.”

Hearing that, Keegan’s heart fluttered. “Your insecurities stem from not having the special bond of marriage. Once we get married, those thoughts won t bother you as much,” he murmured.

Stella was dumbfounded. ‘I can’t believe he’s trying to persuade me to get married right now!’