Rebirth of the Wife in Despair by Tess Munoz

Chapter 23 I Can Make It For You Anytime You Want

Vera waited until Eric emerged from the study, walking up to him. “What’s the matter, Why do you look so upset? Did he… give you a hard time?”

Eric?

Eric had a blazer draped over one arm, brightening up at the sight of Vera. “I’m alright. Let’s go back.”

On the way home, Eric’s grip on the steering wheel tightened as he thought about the conversation in the study just now.

“This is an invite to the charity gala happening in a week. I’ll send some people over to help you out. You know what to do!”

Eric took the invite from Will. “Do you want to network with the Friedman family?”

“No, I’m thinking of an arranged marriage. You’re not getting any younger; it’s time you start a family of your own. From the looks of things, the Friedmans seem like a pretty good pick.”

“Yes. I won’t let you down, Dad.”

Eric stopped the car abruptly for some reason, and Vera looked at him. “What’s the matter,

Eric?”

The next second, Eric reached out and pulled the girl into an embrace, deeply inhaling the scent of jasmine on her.

Vera was frozen to the spot, not knowing what to do. She had been with Eric for so many years, but there seemed to always be a barrier between them that neither of them was unwilling to cross.

Something was definitely off about Eric in the way he reached out to hug her on his own.

The tension in the car took a shift, and Vera slowly relaxed her body. She raised her head, propping her chin on his shoulder and stroking his back softly with her hands. “Eric… what…. what’s gotten into you? Did anything upset you?”

Eric eventually let go of her. “Vera, I’ve got some things I need to sort out. I’ll need you to live at your school dorm for a while.”

Vera was shocked. She had not expected that Eric would have asked for something like this, and could not help the sinking feeling in her chest. “Was I a burden to you?”

Eric smoothed out her tousled hair. “Of course not. You’re wonderful. Give me a little more time, alright? I promise I’ll tell you everything you want to know after you’ve graduated.”

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14

own as

up from school on

Vera nodded. “Alright.”

at once after sending Vera home, and

personal assistant. He took out several documents for Eric to sign.

a black vest and gold-rimmed glasses and radiating an air

away, focusing on his papers as he

I miss you so much!” A female voice rang from

in his hand, leaning back in his

of splashing water

you’d better make them worth my

coward, Eric? What, are you scared that our little secret might get exposed? Why don’t you guess what I’m doing? I’ll go and keep you company if you get it right, you can do whatever you

You can just turn me down outright, there’s no point testing me like this. I told you, you

the phone, when a

notification showed that it was a text from Jasper

you made was really good. Thank you, Eileen. I really

replied soon enough.

for you anytime you want,

Sure.

r

2/4

message on the screen, his

some reason, watching Eileen reply to another

like someone had taken away something that belonged to him, and it made his chest thump in discomfort.

messages had come from spying on Eileen’s phone.

when he was

that, Eileen spent the next half an hour talking to Jasper, mostly about their interests. and hobbies when they were kids.

but Eric

indeed changed quite a bit from

finished talking,

at the time: a quarter to nine. He had spent over

the Swan household.

when he would be back. Eileen was sure he wouldn’t be, not for

father had countless women outside, it hardly mattered where he spent the

went upstairs to take a shower.