After the divorce, he begged

Riley lounged on the sofa. “I know you don’t listen, so I won’t bother persuading you. But think about it. If Rebecca and Samuel walk away over all this and never return, won’t you regret it?”

Jeffrey poured himself a drink in silence. His life was already littered with regrets; the one that hurt him most had happened long ago when he was still young-

“I’m heading out,” Riley said, tapping her glass against theirs. “Been back this long and still haven’t seen my mentor. She finished her drink and left without a word.

Stanley shot her desperate glances, trying to get her to stay, but Riley didn’t even give him a look as she strode out, totally unfazed and cool as ever.

“Riley makes sense. Stanley ventured, his voice awkward. He knew better than to push this issue too much. “Nobody wants to see you like this, not even him.”

Jeffrey gave Stanley a cold stare, and Stanley instantly shut his mouth, not daring to say another word.

Jeffrey stared at his phone, still black and lifeless. “Try calling her again. Tell her I’ve blacked out.”

Stanley clicked right away. “Got it.”

Jeffrey added. “Get Barry to back you up and play along.”

Stanley nodded. “No problem.”

Just to be sure, Jeffrey pulled out his phone and sent a quick message to the driver who’d been escorting

Rebecca

Rebecca had just arrived at Rebecca’s Manor and was still in the car when her phone rang.

“Would you mind coming to pick up Jeffrey!” Stanley said through the phone, his tone carrying a hint of difficulty. “He refuses to leave with Barry. He keeps saying he wants you there.”

In the background, Barry’s muffled voice could be heard. “Ms. Jensen is busy at the moment. Please come

with me.”

Stanley hesitated, “Do you think you could come over for a bit?”

Once Rebecca made up her mind, there was no changing it. She refused directly. “No.”

“I wouldn’t call if I had a choice, Stanley said, searching for words. “You know Jeffrey isn’t the type to drink without reason. If he’s like this, something’s really hurting him.”

say anything, just waited for

she was starting to crack. Stanley pressed his luck. “Just this once, alright? Next time he wants to drink, I swear

Mon, Sep 29

Chapter 171

if Mr. Hanson refuses to come with me? Barry chined in, playing his part

an eye on

“Ti

listened to their conversation and immediately called them out. Jeffrey’s not someone who gets

at Jeffrey, who stayed silent. They knew deep down Rebecca was most

“He’ll come back once he

each other, knowing that Rebecca really didn’t mess

second thought and stepped out of the car. She couldn’t care less what was happening to

terrified that even a single stray word would

Rebecca entered, Victor said, “Ms. Jensen, these are your belongings from Maple Garden. Mr.

quick look and couldn’t help thinking. “Talk about impatient. They’d planned to handle this together,

her important documents with her most of the time. As she scanned the

at Rebecca’s Manor. Worried he’d discover it, she’d tucked her mom’s property transfer paperwork under the pillow. She had left in such a hurry and forgotten all about

the master bedroom, her heart racing. The maid, Mary Shaw, had changed those sheets several times already. Rebecca guessed that the paperwork might have gotten tossed out, or maybe Jeffrey had

a bundle of papers. “Ms. Jensen, I found these under the

took the papers, recognizing at once that it was her property transfer. “I left

Mary always put things back when changing the sheets, no one had

good then,

tucked the paperwork away.

10:33 Mon, Sep 29

Chapter 171

Jensen, Mary started almost calling Rebecca Mrs fan not of at litore

Himon‘

herself

she heard the change in address the knee jetty Food rdered there to call her “Ms.

said, “I probably shouldn’t meddle, but we all see how much you and Mr. Hanson mean to each other. We just want you two to be

just nodded. I

as if she might say more, but ultimately just kept it to herself. She quickly finished swapping out the sheets, hugged the old bedding to her chest, and slipped renerly out of

about to find something to do, but realized