After the divorce, he begged

Chapter 183

I’m not rejecting you. I just want to stay close to Mom, Rebecca replied, refusing to take the bait. “Even though she’s been awake for days now, sometimes it still feels like a dream.”

What if it wasn’t real? What if she imagined it? What if she stepped away for too long and her mother slipped

back into a coma?

Sensing her fear, Jeffrey reached over and took her hand. His grip was firm, steady, and real. “It’s not a dream,” he said gently. “She’s awake. This is real”

“Jeffrey, Rebecca said softly. Maybe it was because the car was so small, or maybe it was the way he’d just spoken to her, so gently–either way, she couldn’t help but want to ask him something, even though deep down, the already knew the answer

“Yeah Jeffrey replied gently

“If I hadn’t kept the deal,” Rebecca asked, staring at that ridiculously good–looking face of his, “would you really have gone after my moven?”

Jeffrey met her eyes. He wanted to say no–but he knew that if he ever let her see him soften up, she’d think she could leave whenever she felt like it. So he meeled himself and let his voice go cold. “Thinking of running

Rebecca quickly shook her head. “No, just asking”

“If Jessica’s warning wasnt chan enough for you, I can make it even more obvious,” Jeffrey murmured, softly tracing her slender hugens–his tome gentle, but his words sharp. “And just so you know, lan’s been slipping out of his bodyguards sight lurex?

“That’s not necessary” Rebecca said, pushing down her feelings. “I’ve got the message”

“Good girl,” þeffrey teased, playing with her pale fingertips. “Don’t go dreaming up ways to wreck what we’ve

Rebecca fell silent. If I leave, what happens to jessica? To fan? she thought. I know Jeffrey wouldn’t actually killi shemu. Bant when he’s angry, he’s terrifying. Could I really trade their safety for my freedom? What kind of person would that make me?

The neat day. Amelia picked up on Rebecca’s off mood. At lunch, she eyed her daughter, who looked perfectly monal and asked directly. “What happened when you got back last night?”

“Tah” Rebecca froze for a second, caught off guard,

“You’ve been distracted all morning” Amelia said. No one knew her daughter better.

Jest didn’t sleep weil Rebecca uid, a rare lie for her I was having nightmares all night.”

“bun about?” Anita prewed

10:46 Wed, Oct 1

Chapter 183

35Voil

have to lie this time. “I keep dreaming that you waking up was just a dream. That I open

was the fear that had been haunting her, making

her tone full of affection. “Sweetheart, you really do

were just bad dreams, her daughter wouldn’t carry such a weight

session, Amelia revisited the topic. “When you

replied, feigning

your friends if you ever thought about leaving?” Amelia

gave her away instantly. ‘How does she know? Is she psychic?‘

different from those other men,” Amelia sighed, bitterness edging her voice. Seeing Rebecca’s reaction confirmed her suspicion. “Turns out they’re all the same, resorting to

assets. She’d believed Jeffrey was decent enough to

talking about moving money? It was weak. Thank god I never signed those papers, she thought

other men?” Rebecca echoed, Rebecca echoed, latching

let his words get to you,” Amelia said quietly, leaning in. “It’s a sign he’s desperate. As long as you keep your resolve and don’t back down, no one will

studied her mother’s face. There was so much she didn’t know about Amelia, like the orphanage, a topic that had always been off–limits. But looking at her now, Rebecca sensed a strength born from a past far

“Back

firm. She didn’t want her daughter stuck in a world shaped

“What?” Rebecca responded.

you trust me?”

a second thought.

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Chapter 188

I’ll handle the rest, Amelia promised. “Let me

came after all the pain. All the wanted was for her

someone had said that to you back then, would things have been

could tell it hadn’t been easy. ‘How

But in the end, it was just Amelia learning to get back up and trust

said with a grin, gently brushing Rebecca’s cheek. “If someone crossed

own terms. I never held back, whether I was returning a

own money, aced my classes, learned all kinds of crazy skills, and pulled off some pretty wild stunts, too. Back in Honnala, everyone