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

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Chapter 183

35Voil

dreaming that you waking up was just a dream. That I open my eyes

had been haunting her, making everything feel

her tone full of affection. “Sweetheart, you

her. If it were just bad dreams, her daughter wouldn’t

“When you got back

replied,

leaving?” Amelia asked,

gave her away instantly. ‘How does she know?

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

Amelia had deliberately held off for months before even considering transferring her assets. She’d believed Jeffrey was decent enough to trust with her

It was weak. Thank god I

men?” Rebecca echoed, Rebecca echoed, latching

words get to you,” Amelia said quietly, leaning in. “It’s a sign he’s desperate. As

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

started, hesitating. “Back then,

She didn’t want her daughter stuck in a world shaped by men like

“What?” Rebecca responded.

trust me?”

answered without a second

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Chapter 188

and keep moving forward, I’ll handle the rest, Amelia promised. “Let

thing that came after all the pain. All the wanted was for her to be happy, free to follow her

then, would things have been easier?

for her mother. Even though Amelia rarely spoke about her past, Rebecca could tell it hadn’t been easy. ‘How much has she endured to bring me

was someone,” Amelia said calmly. But in the end, it was just Amelia

grin, gently brushing Rebecca’s cheek. “If someone

terms. I never held back, whether I was returning a favor or

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