Wendy regarded Kathryn's money with disdain. She looked down on Kathryn for treating her that way. She was convinced that Kathryn solely relied on Chris for money. She felt it was unfortunate that she couldn't exploit Kathryn and Jessica for money. Meanwhile, Maxwell still had to rely on her."Get a move on and find a job," she told Maxwell, disgruntled. She had invested a considerable sum in his education. It would be absurd if Maxwell didn't contribute financially. "Where can I possibly find a job that suits me in a place like this? Can't you be reasonable?""Am I being unreasonable? Why didn't you find a job when we were in Harborlean, then?"Wendy's temper flared. She couldn't understand why Maxwell complained about their current location lacking job opportunities. Harborlean was a city brimming with opportunities. Yet, he hadn't tried to secure a decent job back then either.Wendy's frustration grew even more when she realized most neighbors had relocated. She couldn't b
Jessica and Matthew's divorce back then had been acrimonious. Karen had also expressed her views openly in front of Kelly.Kelly obviously hadn't taken her words seriously. She believed that Karen had spoken out of anger. She thought it was still possible for Jessica and Matthew to get back together.Jessica grew even more distressed the more she dwelled upon it. As Jessica left the corridor where she had taken her phone calls, she was immediately spotted by Eleanor Harper from the secretarial department. "You're here? Mr. Byron is about to meet the CEO of Stellar Solutions. Hurry up and bring all the necessary documents.""Of course," Jessica replied, swiftly switching into work mode.She hurried back to the office. Some of the documents were in Byron's office. After preparing the necessary paperwork, she went to inform Byron.She pushed the door open and found Byron standing before the floor-to-ceiling window. He had his back facing the door. He was exuding an air of tension
Ethan teased Byron when he noticed the displeased look on his face.They moved aside to discuss their collaboration. Jessica didn't follow. Sophia Carter, Ethan's wife, approached Jessica in a friendly manner and said, "I think they'll be discussing for a while. Why don't you come with me and wait over there?""Thank you, Mrs. Martin."Sophia nodded. She led Jessica to a shaded area. A variety of food and drinks tailored to a child's preferences were available. It was evident that Ethan truly cared for his wife and daughter.Jessica had long harbored a fear of marriage, mainly due to her experience with Matthew. However, her perspective shifted when she observed the radiant happiness in Sophia's eyes. Despite her tumultuous marriage, it became clear that there were still couples leading content lives together....Byron and Ethan's discussion about their collaboration stretched on for quite a while. It was time to get off work when they returned to Skyline Group. It was also
Byron was Jessica's boss. She didn't think that it was appropriate to trouble him constantly. Yet, the rain didn't seem to be stopping. Jessica steeled herself and got in the car with Kelly. "Thank you, Mr. Hunt."Byron simply responded with a noncommittal hum, devoid of any visible emotion.Just like before, Kelly nestled into Jessica's embrace. She didn't dare to move—not even the slightest—under the weight of Byron's imposing presence. Jessica noticed how nervous Kelly was.Jessica and Kelly both felt a wave of relief wash over them as they reached Cloudshade."Mr. Hunt, thank you so much," Jessica thanked Byron genuinely.Despite Byron's stern and seemingly unapproachable demeanor, Jessica had to admit that she might not have been able to pick up Kelly on time if it weren't for him.Byron merely responded with a nod."Goodbye, then, Mr. Hunt."Jessica cradled Kelly in her arms and hastily ran off, almost as if she were escaping. She didn't dare to invite him for tea.
Jessica hadn't foreseen the news reaching Kelly's schoolmates so soon. While she believed they would learn about it eventually, their hurtful comments were nevertheless astonishing. Jessica put down her fork. She approached Kelly and embraced her in her arms. She wanted to explain. Yet, no words of explanation escaped her lips. She could only apologize. "I'm sorry."She knew she had disappointed Kelly. At this point, Kelly was still in the dark about the entire situation. "Mommy.""I'm sorry, Kelly. I'm so useless. It's all my fault."At that moment, Jessica contemplated suicide. She had always understood the destructive power of gossip. Experiencing it firsthand had made her truly grasp its impact.Ever since Matthew had presented her with the DNA test report, she felt like her life had descended into total darkness. It was Kelly who provided her with the strength to persevere during this period.Since Matthew wasn't Kelly's father, Jessica was the only family Kelly had.
However, Jessica had underestimated the power of ruthlessness.The Quintons now held her in absolute contempt. How could they even remember the love they once had for Kelly? "Oh, you realize now that most of Kelly's schoolmates live in our neighborhood? You're embarrassed about it now, then?"Jessica didn't know what to reply. She felt suffocated as she listened to him. Matthew continued before she could say anything. "I'll sue you, Jessica Michaels. Just wait for it."With that, he promptly hung up. Jessica was too stunned to speak. Her mind went blank. She couldn't believe that the Quintons were going to sue her.Her heart was in her throat. She hadn't anticipated that things would persist even after the divorce.…Kathryn had just finished her dinner. Chris had gone to the study to attend to some work. Upon reaching her room, Kathryn received a phone call from Jessica. Jessica was crying profusely. "Kathryn, I really don't know what to do anymore. I don't think Kelly c
"It's okay," Kathryn reassured, shaking her head.Jessica had always been someone who disliked burdening others. She wouldn't have called Kathryn if her emotions hadn't become overwhelming. Jessica lowered her head. Tears kept streaming down her cheeks."What happened to Kelly at school?" Kathryn inquired.She knew that Jessica's greatest distress was rooted in what had transpired with Kelly. After all, she was Kelly's mother. Kelly held a special and invaluable place in Jessica's heart."Ms. Bellum called me today …"Jessica recounted everything to Kathryn, including the phone call with Annie and what Kelly had told her after they came home from school.It was undeniable that a child's words could, in many cases, wield a more potent power to harm. Furthermore, a child's capacity to withstand such situations was somewhat limited. Kelly had signed up for the parent-child performance because she wanted to put a stop to the rumors under such circumstances. It was just that she
Chris didn't drive Kathryn straight home. Instead, he took her to a bustling main street. It was the hour when the street was teeming with the most activities.Kathryn could smell the aroma of various foods even before she arrived on the street. Her appetite was so stimulated that her mouth began to water.When Chris parked the car on the main street, Kathryn finally snapped out of her reverie. She looked at him and asked, "Why are we here?""To eat.""You're hungry?"Chris affectionately ruffled her hair. "Yeah."He had noticed that Kathryn hadn't eaten much that evening. She also hadn't had much of an appetite recently.He had read articles about pregnancy, which mentioned that pregnant women often experienced peculiar cravings. They would suddenly long for foods that were typically restricted during pregnancy. However, as they couldn't indulge in those cravings, they would frequently think about them, leading to a diminished appetite.Chris remembered that Kathryn used to