Unspoken Hearts: My Neglected Mute Wife’s Escape

Chapter 86:

Shirley’s birthday was celebrated in two segments. The morning was reserved for the Reeves family alone, and the afternoon welcomed their high-society acquaintances.

Upon entering the villa, Dean and Melinda were the first to offer their gifts.

“Mom, this one’s for you,” Dean announced, extending a gift box toward Shirley. “It’s the diamond you’ve been dreaming of. I spared no effort to track it down for you.”

Shirley’s face lit up with joy as she opened the box, quickly swapping her old necklace for the sparkling new diamond one.

LΑτєѕτ chαρτєrs ιn g𝓪l𝑛ovєl𝑆.𝗰𝑜𝗺

“It’s gorgeous,” Shirley exclaimed, admiring her reflection. “Dean, you never fail to know exactly what I want.”

“Shirley, here’s my gift,” Melinda chimed in, presenting her offering. “Ninety-nine deep-sea blue pearls.” Traditionally, Dean and Jake would present gifts together, each couple presenting one jointly.

The deviation from the norm, with Dean and Melinda giving respective presents, caught Kallie off guard. She and Jake had prepared just one gift together, and she worried this might draw criticism.

Jake seemed unfazed by the change. He confidently approached Shirley with their shared gift. “Kallie and I picked this out for you,” he declared.

Shirley took the gift but couldn’t resist a pointed comment. “This must be from you, Jake! Surely Kallie has something for me, right?”

gaze then shifted pointedly toward

sensed that Shirley and Melinda were intentionally

from both of us,” Jake said, stepping

any thought into it,”

it right after Jake.

her mood brightening as she embraced Sarah, treating her like the approved

increasingly out of place, Kallie instinctively took a step back, considering it might be best to

let Kallie go without a jab. She shot Kallie a disdainful look. “Look at Sarah, always thoughtful enough to bring a gift. And you? After five years of marriage into our family, do you even care about us? Have you shown any

to step in. “Mom, we’re supposed to be celebrating. Please, don’t

as she listened, her heart

to confront the issue head-on. “Mom,” he began,

as she sought to discuss with Jake how to manage Kallie. “Jake,

cut her off abruptly. “I need to talk to you about how you’ve been

aback by his cold demeanor, felt a flicker of fear. “What’s

to kneel and scrub the floors? Did you treat her like a servant?” Jake

looked up, shocked and touched that Jake

guard and flustered, tried to deflect. “Where did you hear such things? Don’t

to hear it. I saw the photos,” Jake

Shirley and then shown them to Jake? Or was Jake merely trying to