Wendy, Maxwell, and Patrick were trudging along a long and muddy road away from that desolate place. The roads in this area were not paved with cement, indicating its rural and underdeveloped nature. Covered in wounds, they continued walking for a long time, with no sign of the main road in sight.Then, a vehicle from Centreville approached them. Patrick and Gavin instinctively tried to hide. Wendy was on high alert, too.The vehicle stopped in front of them before they could react. Several men emerged from the vehicle, and they did not appear to be a welcoming group."W-What are you trying to do?" Wendy staggered backward.All three of them had a sinking feeling about this encounter.The four men from the vehicle remained silent. They simply looked at Wendy, Maxwell, and the others before launching into a violent attack.…Chris went back to his office after his final afternoon meeting.Tara came in. "Mr. Albert.""Is it done?""Yes, also, someone else beat them up befor
Chris went to the lounge after instructing Tara. Kathryn was still sound asleep.Pregnancy had left her feeling lethargic, and her peaceful slumber was enviable to anyone who saw it.Noticing that Kathryn had kicked her blanket away, Chris went over and covered her back up.His actions stirred Kathryn awake, and she opened her eyes in a drowsy manner, murmuring, "Hmm, are you done with your meeting?"Her voice was sleepy and hoarse.Chris replied, "Yeah. Are you still tired?""Yeah, I'm tired from dreaming!" she replied, sounding uneasy. Kathryn had a fear of having dreams while asleep. It left her feeling even more exhausted afterward, making it more tiring than not sleeping at all.Seeing her discomfort, Chris couldn't help but smile. "Do you want to continue sleeping?""What time is it now?""It's after six now."Kathryn had slept for more than two hours and felt like she had been in a deep slumber. She struggled to get up from the bed. "Let's head back then.""Hold on.
"Did she get drunk and not remember anything?" Kathryn asked, looking at Chris in shock. Kathryn's heart tightened at that thought. There was no way something so insignificant could cause such a commotion!If what she suspected was true, the consequences would be unimaginable."She can't handle her liquor, can she?" Chris questioned."S-She was already sleeping when I left the room."She had intended to bring Jessica some tea to help with her hangover, but she didn't return when she heard that Matthew was coming.Kathryn's heart raced at the thought, and her face turned pale. Even though she wasn't known for her quick-wittedness, she understood what was looming ahead."How did things turn out this way? I even went to check on her!" Kathryn choked as she spoke.She was on the brink of losing her mind over this.Chris frowned. "I'm sure you couldn't have gone in even if you went to check on her."If the person had planned for it, there was no way he would have let Kathryn in.
Hesitant, Jessica glanced at the side of Byron's somber face. Summoning her courage, she asked, "Is there something you want to talk to me about?""It's about the trade department's Densel Level project. Get in the car."When Jessica realized that it was a work-related matter, her head throbbed. She couldn't possibly decline a work-related discussion.With anxiety, she got into Byron's car.As the car pressed on through the rain, Byron inquired about the Densel Level project. Jessica had also sensed that something was awry after the sales department had signed the contract.The sales department had made some adjustments to the numbers, and the manager had received a harsh reprimand for it. Now, it was too late to reverse this situation. They could only halt the Densel Level project once the first phase was complete.They could only make revisions to the contract during the second and third phases. It was the only way to mitigate losses.Jessica shared her thoughts. Byron nod
Jessica could sense the teacher's impatience during their phone call. After thanking Byron, she hurried into the school, sheltered by an umbrella.Inside, only the security guard was present in the otherwise empty school.Kelly's teacher, Annie Bellum, had already left and placed Kelly in the security office. Kelly was the only one in the security office.She was holding some bread given by the security guard. "Kelly.""Mom!" Kelly called out to Jessica pitifully when she saw her.Jessica's heart ached at the sound of her daughter's pitiful voice. She quickly went to Kelly and wrapped her in her arms. "I'm here. Mom's here."The security guard, in his forties, observed Jessica and couldn't help but offer some words of advice. "You should know better as a parent. No matter how busy you are at work, you must take care of your children. Look at how empty the school is!""I'm sorry. I got caught in the heavy rain. Thank you so much," Jessica continued to express her gratitude.
Jessica's heart ached at how frightened her daughter was. She held Kelly's face. "Don't be scared. No matter what happens, Mom is here."Jessica demonstrated exceptional acceptance, fully embracing the fact that she had no knowledge of who Kelly's father was. While others might have been quick to criticize the circumstances surrounding the child's parentage, Jessica chose not to do so. If word had spread within the community about Kelly's biological father, she would simply relocate with Kelly.Jessica quickly became resolute in her decision. Regardless of the circumstances, she was determined to always protect her daughter."Yeah, I will always have Mom." Kelly nodded vigorously.Kelly appeared so well-behaved.It was the weekend tomorrow. Jessica asked Kelly, "We'll have something simple for dinner tonight. I'll take you out for something nice tomorrow, okay?""Okay." Kelly nodded. She wasn't picky with her food. In the midst of this upheaval, her world had turned upsid
Jessica was taken aback by how serious Kathryn had become. "What's the matter?"After the recent events, she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread when she saw Kathryn's stern expression. Kathryn's seriousness was typically an indicator of how grave the situation was.Kathryn took a deep breath. "Do you remember about staying in the wedding venue when you got married six years ago?""Yes, I remember!""Matthew had never set foot in that hotel before the wedding.""W-What do you mean?"Her face lost color instantly. Matthew had never been to the hotel, which meant he was not the man who had been in her room the night before the wedding.Kathryn noticed Jessica's face slowly paling. "You also know how passive Matthew was when you got married, so …"Jessica vividly remembered how passive he had been.Their parents had arranged their marriage, and Karen knew it was highly unlikely for Matthew to marry, given his conditions.So, the Quintons reluctantly accepted the idea of an
The poached chicken tasted amazing.Jessica made two more side dishes to go with the poached chicken. They were scrumptious. Kelly was silently eating her food. Jessica gave some of her chicken to Kelly, but the little girl thoughtfully put the chicken back onto Jessica's plate. She said, "It's too much, Mom and Aunt Kathryn. I can't finish it."Was she that full? They highly doubted it. A sorrowful feeling welled up in Kathryn's heart as she observed Kelly. Jessica's heart felt the same grief, too. "Silly girl, you should eat this. Your body needs the nutrients to grow."She placed the chicken back onto Kelly's plate as she spoke. Yet, Kelly was stubborn. As she was about to put the chicken back onto Jessica's plate, Kathryn quickly interfered, "I will give mine to your Mom. The baby in me doesn't like chicken that much."Kelly looked at Jessica. Jessica stopped Kathryn. But Kathryn gave Jessica a knowing look. If Jessica didn't eat the chicken, neither would the l