After the divorce, he begged

Chapter 40

“What do you want?” Rebecca's heart suddenly tightened as she spun around, giving Jeffrey a wary look.

Jeffrey met her eyes, calm as ever. “Relax, I'm not here for anything. Just wanted a casual chat.”

Rebecca’s hand slowly clenched tighter, her nails digging into her palm and reopening the old wound, it hurt, but

she was numb to the pain..

“She started talking nonsense in front of me. That's why | snapped,” Rebecca said, forcing her emotions down.

She really didn’t want him stirring up chaos in her work and life.

Jeffrey drawled, “Back when | had your back, did you ever seewaste treasoning with people?”

His words instantly shot down all the excuses Rebecca had prepared. She stood in the harsh glow of the

streetlight while darkness loomed behind her, just like the uncertainty waiting in her future.

“If you think she’s the victim, go ahead. Makepay her back, just like what you did at the hospital,” she said,

clutching her bleeding hand tighter, desperately searching for one last shred of dignity to hold onto.

But this was Jeffrey; he was ruthless even to himself, let alone others. If he was pissed off, everyone else had to

suffer with

him.

“If you want payback, knock yourself out,” Jeffrey said, stepping closer, his obsidian eyes fixed on her face. “But

you still need to apologize.”

Rebecca felt her heart shatter. “Does it really have to be this way?”

“The choice is yours,” Jeffrey said, already thinking, ‘If she just plays cute and says she doesn’t want to

apologize, I'll let it

go."

But Rebecca wasn’t about to let him have his way. She steadied herself and forced a compromise for the sake of

survival. “If | apologize to Andrea, will you promise not to tell my dad where | live, and stay out of my final

interview?”

Even though PrimePlay Technologies had nothing to do with Jeffrey, if he got involved, they might still turn her

down just to avoid getting on his bad side. Nobody wanted to offend someone that powerful over something

trivial.

“Yes,” Jeffrey replied, his eyes clouded over with darkness.

“Alright,” Rebecca agreed, conceding for her own peace. “I'll apologize to Andrea tomorrow. | just hope you'll

keep your

word.”

Jeffrey’s eyes turned icy. He thought, ‘She’d rather swallow her pride and apologize than show any softness. Not

trying to be kind, she knows exactly how to get under my skin.’

“Anything else?” Rebecca asked, her voice unusually calm. “If not, I'll take Samuel home.”

Before Jeffrey could respond, a cheerful voice suddenly rang out. “Becky!”

Then lan appeared, jogging over to Rebecca with a bright smile, his whole body buzzing with energy.

1/4

15:34 Thu, 18 Sept

Chapter 40

“lan?” Rebecca was surprised. “What are you doing here?”

30%

“Samuel askedto cpick you up,” lan said, glancing at Samuel and completely ignoring Jeffrey. “He said

it’s not safe for you to be out alone at night, and he’s too little to protect you.”

Samuel waddled over on his short legs. “I asked lan to come.”

Rebecca hesitated for a second, not expecting that at all.

“Whoa, why’s your hand bleeding like crazy?” lan spotted the blood trickling from her side and couldn’t help but

frown. “Did that old cut split open again?”

He remembered seeing the wound when they'd had dinner, and Rebecca had said it happened because of a

piece of glass. Back then, it was already scabbing over.

Rebecca brushed off the blood without much care. “Guess | bent my palm too much and popped the old cut open

again.”

Jeffrey finally saw the vivid red smeared across her palm, and his fingers instinctively tightened. She'd be

clutching her hand, whining about the pain in no tbefore.

“Mommy, letblow on it,” Samuel said, puffing gently on her hand, his big eyes filled with worry and tender

care.

Rebecca gave his head a gentle rub. “Really, sweetie, it's nothing. Doesn't hurt at all.”

“No way that doesn’t hurt. The cut’s huge!” lan said, giving her a look. “Who was it that used to bawl their eyes

out over the tiniest tumble?”

Rebecca could only pause, momentarily lost for words.

Seeing their intimate closeness, Jeffrey's eyes deepened, and the air around him instantly grew colder by several

degrees.

Samuel seemed to feel the sudden chill. He glanced over at Jeffrey and asked, “Dad, aren’t you going to blow on

Mommy's

hand?”

“Your blowing is enough,” Jeffrey said, his deep eyes lingering on Rebecca for a long moment before finally

shifting to Samuel. He added, “Chere, son. Daddy has a question for you.”

Samuel looked a little confused but still walked over. Once they'd gotten sdistance, he stared up at Jeffrey

with big, innocent eyes. “Daddy, what do you want to talk about?”

“Why'd you ask lan to cover?” Jeffrey crouched down in front of him, doing his best to sound gentle as his

big, warm hand rested on Samuel's shoulder.

Samuel played dumb. “Huh?”

“Cut the act and answer me,” Jeffrey said, not fooled for a second.

“If you can’t protect Mommy, I'll just find a new dad who can,” Samuel replied, super serious, even though his

voice was still small and sweet. “lan’s pretty cool. | don’t mind if he becomes my new daddy.”

Jeffrey was momentarily speechless. Even though he knew Samuel was just trying to get a rise out of him, it still

hit a

15.34 Thu, 18 Sept

Chapter 40

nerve.

30%

“I won't stop you if you want to dump Mommy and find someone else,” Samuel went on, doubling down with a

serious look. “But you better not interfere if | want to pick a new daddy for myself.”

“You just love windingup, don’t you?” Jeffrey grumbled, giving his chubby cheeks a little squeeze.

Samuel, little but clever for his age, shot back, “You're the one who upset Mommy first.”

Jeffrey tried to reason with Samuel. “When did | ever make your mommy mad?”

“Just now,” Samuel piped up, his childish voice full of certainty. “Mommy was smiling before she saw you, but

after you two talked, the light in her eyes went away.”

Jeffrey didn’t expect Samuel to be so observant. “Really? So I'm the reason her eyes lost their sparkle?”

Samuel bobbed his little head. “Uh-huh.”

“Now who's being unreasonable?” Jeffrey teased, poking the boy's tiny head, but he still couldn't help but be

fond of the little guy.

Samuel declared, “Mommy's the rule.”

Jeffrey smirked, “You really do play favorites, huh?”

Samuel didn’t answer right away. He blinked his big, round eyes and glanced sideways at Rebecca, meeting her

caring

gaze.

“It's not about playing favorites,” Samuel said, his voice completely earnest. “It's because | love her.”

A flicker of confusion crossed Jeffrey’s face.

« ) . q

If you can't give Mommy the special

ATR

love she deserves, | will, Samuel

said, looking up Jeffdy {ith a

: IG )

sEidus het face. “To me, she's

always been my one and only. No

q »

one else will ever matter as much.

Samuel's words left Jeffrey speechless. He tried to respond but found himself at a total loss, unable to cup

with any

comeback.

“Daddy,” Samuel called out.

Jeffrey, sounding distracted, mumbled, “Yeah...”

wp . 5

I'm heading hwith Mommy

» : :

now,” Samuel announced, scooting in

for a quick hug His¥ittid arms were

STRishyY warm and gave Jeffrey

“

more comfort than he expected. “You

”

should get ssleep, too.” The

content is on novelenglish.net! Read

the latest chapter there!

Jeffrey reached out for Samuel, but before he could even wrap Samuel up in a hug, the little guy had already

wriggled free and scampered off on his short legs toward Rebecca.

Samuel grabbed her uninjured hand, grinning from ear to ear. “Mommy, let's go!”

“Okay.” Rebecca steadied herself, pushing down her emotions as she gently took Samuel's hand and walked

away with

Chapter 40

him.

Samuel reached out his free hand to lan. “lan, can you hold my hand, too?”

lan grinned and instantly obliged. “Of course, buddy.”

Rebecca and lan flanked Samuel,

holding his tiny hands as the three

walked off, euonnaets chatting |

Noh) ein Wal armonious

sithouettes resembled a happy little

family. As they faded into the night,

Jeffrey stood alone in the cold

streetlight glow. The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

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