After the divorce, he begged

Chapter 200

Rebecca shrugged him off without saying a word and stormed upstairs.

As his words replayed in her mind, the knot of anxiety in her chest tightened.

What if he really goes off the deep end?‘ she wondered.

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As soon as that thought popped up, her mom and Jessica’s warnings flashed through her mind: ‘Jeffrey’s got his sights set on you. As long as you keep moving forward and don’t look back, let him lose it–he’ll snap out of it eventually

‘But will he really just let it slide?‘ Rebecca couldn’t help but doubt it.

Rebecca spent over an hour wrestling with her thoughts, caught in a tug–of–war between dread and hope–it felt like every minute was an eternity.

In all five years of their marriage, Jeffrey had never blown up at her. Lately, sure, his behavior had been completely out of line, but it hadn’t actually crossed into real anger. Rebecca honestly had no clue what he’d do if he ever truly lost it–or how she’d even deal with it if he did.

There was a knock at the door.

Jeffrey’s voice came from outside. “Samuel’s already inside the gate. He’ll be here in a few minutes.”

Rebecca opened the door.

She didn’t even spare him a glance as she brushed past..

Jeffrey fell into step beside her, trying to smooth things over. “I was just worried you’d leave without saying anything. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Rebecca didn’t respond.

‘If I’d said goodbye, would you really have let me walk away?‘ Rebecca thought, a bitter edge in her heart.

“If you’re upset, just take it out on me,” Jeffrey said, gently taking her hand and sticking close by her side. “Don’t keep it all bottled up–it’s not good for you.”

Rebecca stopped in her tracks and said bluntly, “Aren’t you being hypocritical?”

Jeffrey blinked, surprised. “Huh?”

“If you actually cared about my well–being, you wouldn’t keep giving me reasons to get angry,” Rebecca retorted, obvious resentment in her voice. Honestly, she wished they could just end things peacefully–no more drama, no more fighting.

Jeffrey fired back, “What about you?”

Still pissed off, Rebecca snapped, “Me? What’s that supposed to mean?”

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“How much of what you said was true, and how much was just for show?” Jeffrey’s voice was low and serious. “You say you won’t leave–but is that really what you want?”

The air between them grew tense in an instant.

They stood facing each other, neither of them saying a word.

Until-

“Mommy!” Samuel’s bright, cheerful voice rang out as he came running in, his little legs moving as fast as they could. He threw his arms around Rebecca. “I missed you so much!”

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Rebecca’s mood instantly lightened. “I missed you too, sweetie. How have you been these past few days? Were you happy?”

Samuel’s eyes sparkled. “So much fun!”

Rebecca gave him a gentle hug.

Jeffrey’s eyes softened as he watched the scene. Just as he was about to suggest they go sit down and chat, his phone rang in his pocket. Andrea’s name flashed brightly on the screen.

Jeffrey’s gaze darkened.

‘Every single time she calls, it’s always at the perfect moment, Jeffrey thought, suspicion gnawing at him.

There was no way this was just a coincidence.

“I’ve got to take this,” Jeffrey said in a low voice to them.

When Rebecca saw Andrea calling, she didn’t say a word—just took Samuel upstairs. She kept fussing over him, asking if he was hungry or wanted a late–night snack, then started chatting with him about all the wild stuff he’d gotten up to at summer camp, trying to keep things light.

Halfway through their chat, Samuel gave her a totally serious look and asked, “Mommy, is Grandma feeling any better?”

“A lot better,” Rebecca said. “She can walk by herself slowly now. Give it a little more time, and she’ll pretty much be back to normal.”

“So when are we leaving?” Samuel just blurted out.

Rebecca froze for a second.

Her heart gave a little jolt. “You…”

Samuel glanced toward the door, saw his dad still hadn’t come up, and blurted out, “You and Dad didn’t get divorced, and Dad’s still talking to that lady. I bet you want to leave!”

All the tension Rebecca had been holding onto tonight suddenly melted away.

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It was like an invisible force was giving her the strength to keep going.

2

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were you?” Samuel asked, his big eyes wide and

confessed, her heart softening as she spoke “You grew up here, all your friends are

you matter the most to me,” Samuel piped

“So, should I sneak you

a sly smile. “No way, Mom! I’m the

with him. “I’m not telling your dad about our plan. Once

“Yeah!” Samuel nodded seriously.

want to know why?” Rebecca was honestly surprised–things were going way smoother

we tell Dad, he’ll definitely stop us. He really doesn’t want you to leave,” Samuel said, sounding all grown up

you and

not happy here,

is the best choice,” Samuel

whispered, hugging him close. His understanding and support

finished talking, Jeffrey headed upstairs. The way both of them looked at him made

with their faces?‘ Jeffrey wondered, glancing between mother and

it that other lady calling you?” Samuel piped up, his eyes curious. He’d spotted the contact name on the screen, just like

mess up Samuel’s hair a little. “Hang tight and be good for your mom, okay?

him and asked, “Can you

froze for a second, surprised by his

a good impression

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Chapter 200

him even closer, hugging him

a hard, thin line,

a long, heavy silence, Jeffrey

I owe her from way back, and now I just have to pay it back–one step

Dad to me anymore. You’ll just be Mr. Hanson–got it?” Samuel said, his voice firmer than ever,

but at the end of the day, he was just a kid stuck in the middle

Mom, Dad was the one who

call me ‘Dad‘ anymore,” Jeffrey said, tapping Samuel lightly on the head.

at Rebecca, his gaze lingering for a

another word, he turned and

tapped out a message: [Having fun using Andrea to mess with

Stephen: [?]

Stephen: [What’s going on?]

picked out a fiancée for you.

eyes narrowed as he read

finger slowly across the

with me and Rebecca.

time things even started to smooth out between me and

time could’ve been

again and again, there’s no way it’s just luck–someone’s definitely out

pulling this off by herself.

Chapter 200

saying a

words replayed in her mind, the knot

off the

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through her mind: ‘Jeffrey’s got his sights set on you. As long as

it slide?‘

over an hour wrestling with her thoughts, caught in a tug–of–war between dread and hope–it felt like every minute was

sure, his behavior had been completely out of line, but it hadn’t actually crossed into real

was a knock at

already inside the gate. He’ll be here in a

Rebecca opened the door.

him a glance as she brushed

to smooth things over. “I was

Rebecca didn’t respond.

you really have let me walk

out on me,” Jeffrey said, gently taking her hand and sticking close by her side. “Don’t keep it all

and said

Jeffrey blinked, surprised. “Huh?”

keep giving me reasons to get angry,” Rebecca retorted, obvious resentment in her voice. Honestly, she wished they could just end things peacefully–no more drama, no more

back,

Rebecca snapped, “Me? What’s that

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Chapter 200

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of what you said was true, and how much was just for show?” Jeffrey’s voice was low and serious. “You say you won’t leave–but is that

between them grew tense in an

other, neither

Until-

little legs moving as fast

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missed you too, sweetie. How have

sparkled. “So

him a

watched the scene. Just as he was about to suggest they go sit down and

Jeffrey’s gaze darkened.

the perfect moment, Jeffrey thought, suspicion

was no way this was just a

to take this,” Jeffrey said in a low

Andrea calling, she didn’t say a word—just took Samuel upstairs. She kept fussing over him, asking if he was hungry or wanted a late–night snack, then started chatting with him about all the wild stuff he’d gotten up to

their chat, Samuel gave her a totally serious look and asked, “Mommy, is

slowly now. Give

we leaving?” Samuel just

froze for a

gave a little jolt.

and blurted out, “You and

been holding onto

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