After the divorce, he begged

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Jeffrey shot Stanley a sideways glance.

Stanley froze. ‘Oh my god. Did I just say that out loud?‘

09:46%獻

“I mean, your gifts are always so special. Someone like me, who didn’t really help, doesn’t deserve a gift from you,” he explained quickly, afraid he’d signed his own death warrant by speaking without thinking.

Jeffrey said coolly, “Nonsense. Just bei

Mr. Garcia gets you at least ten.”

Stanley tried to argue, but the moment he met Jeffrey’s flat, unreadable stare, he instantly backed down. “My mistake,” he

said.

Gregory cleared his throat softly from the driver’s seat.

“Stop laughing,” Stanley snapped, quickly changing the subject. “Or I’ll have your boss send you a hundred of ‘gifts.“”

“Mr. Hanson has always been fair and reasonable,” Gregory replied seriously. “He isn’t swayed by petty words. Or you

think he is?”

“Suck–up,” Stanley muttered through gritted teeth.

Jeffrey glanced sideways at him. “Don’t mess with my guy.”

Stanley fell silent. If it weren’t for the drama, he wouldn’t stay in the car for another second.

A little further down the road, Gregory asked, “Mr. Hanson, Ms. Jensen’s car is heading toward Samuel’s martial arts class. Should I take you and Mr. Garcia home, or would you like to go see Samuel?”

“To see Samuel, obviously,” Stanley cut in. “I haven’t seen him since I got back to town.”

Gregory glanced at Jeffrey in the rearview mirror. When he got no objection, he followed Stanley’s directions.

Sitting quietly in the back seat, she gazed out the window, lost in thought. For a moment, it almost felt like she was heading home from school

a message from Jessica:

Rebecca: [What is it?]

ridiculously

Rebecca froze–lan Yeats?

outside Samuel’s martial arts studio. She

Jessica.

a blur of motion rushed toward her. Before she could

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13:26 Wed, 17 Sept

Chapter 31

carried a faint

a cheerful male voice

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crinkling with a smile, his

surprised. Jessica had just mentioned him,

off his sunglasses, a confident grin spreading across his face. “Surprised? Bet you didn’t see this coming. Took me forever to plan this

genuinely happy,” Rebecca admitted honestly, her gloomy mood

shirt collar. “You look totally underwhelmed. Next time I’ll have

years, you haven’t changed at all,”

request, while Jessica

her wedding.

years since Rebecca and lan had last seen each other. But thanks to their non–stop group chats, it felt

world might change, but I

Rebecca chuckled.

martial arts studio, asking bluntly, “Here to

lunch and taking a nap now. I’ll pick him up after six,” Rebecca said. She checked the time and glanced at

busy planning this surprise since I landed.

Rebecca smiled, “My treat.”

Richard’s mess, she thought seeing Samuel might lift her spirits. Whenever she felt down, being with her son always

friend suddenly back in town, the

grabbed his suitcase, his tone as straightforward as ever. “If Jessica finds out I let you pay, she’d fly

over Rebecca. She hadn’t felt this light in days–it

treating you,” lan said, guiding her toward his

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