After the divorce, he begged

Chapter 23

Unsure what Jeffrey meant, Timothy chose his words carefully. “It’s fairly deep. If it were in a different location, it would’ve required stitches.”

Jeffrey glanced at him, his eyes deep.

On the surface, Timothy remained calm. But inside, he was sweating.

$47%

“Make sure the surgery goes smoothly,” Jeffrey said, rising to his feet. His gaze drifted over the medical instruments nearby. “I don’t want anything like today to happen again.”

“Got it,” Timothy replied, quickly putting the medical tools aside.

Jeffrey stepped out of the hospital and dialed Gregory. “What’s Rebecca doing now?” he asked.

“She’s looking for a place,” replied Gregory.

A shadow crossed Jeffrey’s eyes. He quickly gave a few orders over the phone.

Gregory acknowledged and got to work.

Rebecca had no idea Jeffrey was having her followed. With the surgery funds secured, she’d begun apartment hunting. Fortunately, she found a reasonably priced place in a safe neighborhood, not far from Samuel’s school.

After confirming the apartment was in good condition, Rebecca signed the lease with the landlord–paying three months‘ rent and a security deposit upfront.

She spent most of the day cleaning and unpacking. Once everything was in order, she texted Jeffrey: [Maple Garden, Building 1, Unit 1802. Bring Samuel’s things here.]

No reply came, and Rebecca didn’t follow up.

Around 4 p.m., there was a knock at the door. Rebecca opened it and saw Jeffrey standing there in a sharp, tailored suit.

He glanced around the less–than–1,000–square–foot apartment before stepping inside. The living room, which had felt fairly spacious, suddenly seemed cramped with his presence.

“You expect Samuel to live here?” Jeffrey’s tone was cool as his eyes settled on Rebecca. “His walk–in closet in my villa is bigger than this entire

apartment.”

to bring his things, not to critique my place,” Rebecca

she was determined

own terms.

in this room,” Rebecca said, opening one of the

the apartment. The only other space was a small study,

feet.

she planning to stay in that tiny room herself?‘ he

busy arranging the items

had three rooms. One would be Samuel’s walk–in closet, another his bedroom, and the last–the smallest–would hold her things and

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Chapter 23

paused when he saw the clean, neatly organized kitchen. ‘Rebecca doesn’t know how to cook, does she?‘ he

said once she finished organizing and

until he grows up, I’ll have someone handle his meals,” Jeffrey said coolly. “Don’t feed him

waiting for a response, he

everything about

meal for him once. But she’d accidentally cut her finger–a one–in–a–million mishap–and from that day

mattered anymore. Now,

none of the résumés she’d sent out had gotten any replies, Rebecca suspected Jeffrey was behind it. Left with no other options, she

for a private dance instructor position. Even though she’d been a

was set in Jelasburg’s most upscale neighborhood. A resident there was looking for one–on–one tutors for their children. At least here, she figured, she wouldn’t have to

Jeffrey, but he was pretty much cut from the same

into the garden. There, she saw a refined, gentle–looking man playing with a child around four or five years old.

out, wondering,

greeted her warmly, a

felt a wave of awkwardness but nodded

the little girl, Emily Reed, over to a servant and

wearing a light gray suit today, silver–rimmed glasses resting on his nose–the picture of elegance and

kinder he appeared on the

toward the living room sofa. Once Rebecca was seated, he asked casually, “Would you like