After the divorce, he begged

Chapter 108

“I don’t want to have to repeat myself,” Jeffrey said, using his usual tactic of control. “We’re alone in this room now. Who knows what might happen later?”

“Threatening me? Is that all you know?” Rebecca shot back, her thoughts filled with contempt. ‘He’s really shameless,’ she thought.

Jeffrey’s eyes locked onto her with overwhelming intensity, making it hard to breathe. Rebecca felt an uneasy dread gnawing at her from within. She quickly looked away, refusing to meet his eyes, but gave up struggling.

Jeffrey, knowing how stubborn she was, bent down right in front of her. His large hand carefully lifted her ankle, and with those slender, pale fingers of his, he gently peeled off the sloppily stuck Band–Aid.

Since he knew she couldn’t handle pain, he softly blew on her wound the whole time, trying to soothe it for her.

Watching him being so patient and gentle, just like always, Rebecca just couldn’t figure out why he’d want to spend his whole life looking after Andrea. “Jeffrey.” She called him.

Without even looking up, he kept tending to her wound, his movements gentle as ever.

“Why are you with Andrea?” Rebecca asked seriously. The question was heavier this time.

Jeffrey’s hand stilled mid–motion. His eyes suddenly clouded over with emotion impossible to read.

Remembering what she’d said last time, he swallowed back the explanation he’d been about to give, then shot her own words back at her. “Didn’t you say it didn’t matter?”

Rebecca forced herself to swallow down every feeling, burying it deep inside. The room sank into silence, and the silence between them hung heavily in the air.

Jeffrey finished wrapping her ankle with practiced care, double–checked his work, then quietly got up and took a seat beside her on the couch.

“Try to keep it dry for the next couple of days if you want it to heal faster.” Jeffrey reminded her, handing over the bag of meds. “Every night, just follow exactly what I did.”

Rebecca took the bag, sounding almost indifferent. “Okay.”

say it didn’t matter? So why are you mad now?” Jeffrey could read her like a book, right down to those tiny shifts in her

Rebecca said, sounding as calm as

a little pissed off. She knew it made no sense, she knew it

mad,” Jeffrey said. He got how stubborn and proud she was. “But do you

Chapter 108

To her, the answer didn’t really matter anymore. No

was also true that he

problems standing between them. From that moment, she

expression, Jeffrey knew exactly what she was thinking. His hand involuntarily clenched, and it felt as though a jagged, barbed knife had pierced his chest and then been yanked

once, firmly and without hesitation. But he was acutely aware of what her answer would be if he posed

back, that’s when I’ll give you your answer,” Jeffrey said, masking everything behind his usual calm. “If there’s anything you want to know, just ask. I’ll tell

curled her lips into a

shot right back. “I’m not

give it up already,” Rebecca said coldly, never once wavering on this. “I’d rather beg for scraps and starve to

things you can’t predict,” Jeffrey replied, voice steady and low. “And don’t forget, your words have a

had reached a peak, but she also couldn’t swallow this indignation, so after

you’re Rebecca,” Jeffrey

go

shot back, her mood clearly sour. “Maybe you should

her. In the end, he didn’t argue back,

Jeffrey to leave, there was a commotion

She hadn’t expected Samuel

Samuel looked her up and down,

12:59 Wed, Sep 24

Chapter 108

scrape. Nothing big.” Rebecca reassured him, gently tousling his

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