After the divorce, he begged

hapter 283

Chapter 283

“Can we talk?” Stanley finally asked, the decision weighing heavy in his voice–this took a lot more courage than he usually showed.

“Sure,” Rebecca replied.

They slipped into the lounge next to the hospital room.

Stanley shot a quick glance at Jeffrey, who lay motionless in bed, then turned away–his heart twisted with guilt and anxiety. “Before we get into this, I owe you an apology for the things I said about you yesterday behind your back. I’m really sorry.”

Rebecca didn’t bother replying. She clearly didn’t care about any of that.

“I didn’t ask you to come here so you two could get back together, or to patch things up,” Stanley said, his voice steady and calm now. “I just want you to help him let go of whatever’s eating him up inside. If he keeps going like this, he really might not make it.”

‘Rebecca could tell Stanley was being honest this time.‘ she thought, her expression unchanged.

On the surface, Jeffrey always seemed like the perfect gentleman–gentle, strong, and put–together.

But when he turned that intensity on himself, he could get pretty reckless. Rebecca had seen it firsthand when he stabbed himself with a knife.

“If you can, I’d really appreciate it if you could stay here for a couple of days and talk to him when he wakes up,” Stanley said, his voice sincere. “But if you don’t want to, I won’t force you. Like you said, you two are already divorced.”

“You talk first,” Rebecca said, not agreeing yet–she kept her expression unreadable, unwilling to commit.

Stanley paused, emotions churning inside. He finally managed, “What I need to talk to you about… it’s Jeffrey’s past.”

‘I wouldn’t spill this unless there was no other option,‘ Stanley thought, remembering how Jeffrey had made him promise five years ago never to bring up the old days in front of Rebecca. But now, hiding it was no longer an option.

‘If I keep quiet,‘ Stanley worried, ‘Rebecca’s probably just going to glance around and bail.

‘But if I tell her, maybe she’ll stick around. At least give Jeffrey a chance,‘ he hoped.

Rebecca hesitated, then said, “Okay.”

“Everything goes back to when he was a kid…” Stanley said, his voice weighed down by memories, eyes growing distant as he got lost in the past.

Jeffrey’s birth was a cause for celebration throughout the Hanson family.

16:17 Fri, Oct 10 B.

Chapter 283

…

were thrilled, and his

E65 vouchers

first two and a half years, he was the family’s little prince. But

when he was too young to even spell his own name. If he ever took it easy or

got to catch his breath,

extracurricular classes, and once they became friends,

then on, he could take whatever his family threw at him and keep his cool, no matter

got.

was around five or

brewing between the Hanson

even made him swear he wouldn’t ever see him again. Jeffrey refused, so Marcus really let him have it, and Candice even cried, saying she’d end it all if he didn’t

thought he was being defiant, refusing

Jeffrey finally caved. He turned inwards, barely spoke, and when he saw his old friend school,

friend. If Jeffrey went silent, Andrew would mess around and crack jokes just to loosen him up. If Jeffrey wouldn’t smile, Andrew would try everything, pulling silly faces or cheesy lines until he got some sort of

watching him twenty–four seven. If he so much as showed a hint

mom would threaten her own life, asking if

say things like, ‘Just look at what you’ve done to your mom. Can’t you

saying a word. ‘Was

one deal–Andrew’s dad landed the contract, and Jeffrey’s dad was left

that happened all

Fri, Oct

Chapter 283

just couldn’t take losing–he

49

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family,” Stanley said quietly. “At first, he made it obvious, but as Jeffrey got older, he realized how much potential the kid had–and how stubborn he was–so he

down

old grudge–he acted like he’d moved on, but deep down, he

get over losing to Andrew’s dad. He kept trying to smooth things over, hoping Marcus would finally

pretended to agree, promising he’d drop it if Jeffrey could pull

what were those two things?” Rebecca

to run the Hanson Group one day,” Stanley said, remembering it

thoughts swirling as she took it

Jeffrey, winning an international gold medal wasn’t really out

just sixteen? That was

long as he brought home that gold medal, he’d finally let go of his hatred for the Dane family and

made his move against the Danes, didn’t he?” Rebecca guessed, putting the pieces together

Stanley said with a heavy