After the divorce, he begged

v

Chapter 225

During dinner, the atmosphere at the table was unusually strange.

Rebecca glanced back and forth at the three of them. She’d overheard part of their conversation, and Sebastian’s line, “You forced her to abort that child a long time ago,” hit her especially hard.

Her impression of Ryan only got worse because of that.

Ryan was completely clueless about any of this.

At the dinner table, the three family elders were busy scheming against each other. Sometimes, Sebastian couldn’t stand Ryan, and other times, Sebastian and Ryan would join forces to look down on Jeffrey.

They took turns sniping at each other, every word loaded with unspoken sarcasm.

“This is a family dinner, not some business negotiation,” Rebecca couldn’t help but speak up. “If you want to compete for who’s got the better mouth, feel free to schedule another meeting and go all out there.”

All three immediately quieted down.

Not another word was said.

Amelia had specifically hired a chef for Rebecca’s birthday, hoping to make it special. But even that didn’t stop them from treating it like some corporate dinner, so it was no surprise Rebecca had to step in.

Rebecca noticed the plate in front of Jeffrey piled with food that he really shouldn’t be eating, and couldn’t help but frown.

23

Jeffrey caught her look and quickly said, “Hey, blame Mr. Guzman and Mr. Quinn–they shoved all this onto my plate. None of it was my choice.”

Sebastian was speechless.

Ryan was speechless.

Rebecca swallowed her feelings and kept quiet.

For the next hour or so, everyone just ate in peace, no more drama.

It wasn’t like the three suddenly turned into goody–goodies; it’s just that Sebastian and Ryan didn’t want to get caught in Jeffrey’s tricks again. Once burned, twice shy.

Dinner was over.

Sebastian and Ryan lingered at the table, both itching to say something but hesitating, clearly hoping to stick around–yet worried that Rebecca and Amelia would show them to the door at any minute.

Jeffrey had Samuel as his golden ticket to stay as long as he wanted, but what about them? ‘Lucky guy, thought Ryan, a bit annoyed.

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“Mommy! Happy birthday!” Samuel came downstairs, clutching the cake he’d helped make, his big eyes shining with excitement. “Mr. Hanson and I put this birthday cake together just for you!”

the cake and softly mussing up his hair, her

smile, Jeffrey

a touch of ceremony, he placed the custom golden crown onto

to make a wish, Samuel tugged on Jeffrey’s sleeve. “Aren’t you going to say

to get

used to ask Mommy what she wished for,” Samuel said, his little face full of cuteness. “And you’d tell her you were her wishing tree, that you’d help make

lips together

exactly what Rebecca

Oh, just to finally get that divorce from

a beat. “Rebecca, what did you wish for? Let your Grandpa Richard handle it–consider it

jumped in right after, throwing down, “Whatever it is,

stared at

blurted out,

for what happened before,” Ryan said quietly, looking Amelia in the eye. “But by blood,

was about to

her off.

knitted

you and my mother had? That child was gone because of you–over twenty years ago, you forced her to

silent, caught

Ryan was stunned.

them had any idea Rebecca

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Chapter 225

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for this so- called father. “I wished for you to never bother me or my mom again. Whatever you’ve been doing for the past twenty years, just keep doing it. Leave us out of

every word. “But I really want to make it up to you, to show

own child looking at them with that kind of

like his empty, lifeless existence of the last twenty years was suddenly jolted

the Guzman family and pulled out all the stops, just hoping he could finally bring her

need,” Rebecca replied, voice like ice–sharp and direct. “If you genuinely felt guilty for what you did to my mom,

said that, the

who’d been watching the drama like it was a show, suddenly looked a

pretty much the same

hoping she’d back him up and

uninterested. Whatever she used to feel for Ryan had long since faded–twenty years and everything he’d done back then had left nothing behind.

eyes went

“No matter what,

her eyes, totally indifferent. “Where’s your

could only stare

interference, Ryan couldn’t even get a paternity test done with Rebecca. Just thinking about

Jeffrey didn’t even blink.

Rebecca were the only ones he cared about

managed to win

of drama, Rebecca cut the cake and started

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Chapter 225

Sebastian–who’d kept quiet all along–came over to Rebecca and Amelia “You two free for a minute? Need

of them went

weird inside. He really didn’t know what to say to close