After parking the car, Rhea changed out of her flats into high heels. She took her bag and got out of the car. “Mom.”Dean hugged her. “I missed you, Mom.”They would only meet each other every morning and night. During the day, Rhea would not be home for lunch as she was busy with work. Her in-laws or housekeepers would take care of Dean. Although Dean was a sensible child, he was unhappy. He felt like he had lost his mother alongside his father because she had not been spending much time with him.Even during weekends when he did not have to go to school, she would still work. It was either eating or golfing with her clients or attending various banquets. Rhea’s heart ached. She hugged her son back. Her nine-year-old son had the body of a seven-year-old. She always thought Dean’s slim figure was a result of her disregard for him because she was preoccupied with her business. Unlike Liberty, Rhea did not have a kind sister who would look after Dean for her. Liberty coul
“I’ll send you abroad after you graduate from middle school. It’s too competitive here.”Rhea could not bear being apart from Dean before he became a high schooler. Even if she did not have time to spend with him at the moment, they could still see each other every morning and night. Besides, her in-laws wanted their grandson around as well. If it were not for Dean, they would not have lived through the news of their son’s death. Dean was their mental support. “Grandpa checked my homework after I was done. I got one wrong. That question was worth two marks in tests. I got everything else correct. I’m improving, Mom. I’ll study hard and not let you down.”Dean knew that his grandparents and mother had high expectations for him. Although Dean was not too bright, he was willing to learn and work harder than others. Therefore, his grades gradually improved. “That’s a great improvement. You deserve a compliment. Have your grandparents slept?” Rhea asked. “Not yet. They were
Rhea entered the house. Her in-laws stood, and Old Mrs. Torres even went up to her. With a kind smile, she said, “You’re back, Rhea.”“I’m home.”No matter how tired Rhea was, she felt a sense of stability whenever she returned home and saw her in-laws and son. Everything was worth it as long as the people she cherished were healthy. “Are you hungry? I made some soup and kept some for you. It’s still warm. I’ll bring it out for you.“Things must be really busy at the company lately. You look tired when you come home every night. You’ve even lost weight. I’m worried. You have to do so much because Victor died young.”Upon mentioning her deceased son, Old Mrs. Torres’s eyes teared up. Although it had been seven years since Victor’s passing, she felt miserable whenever she thought of him. Rhea was also a mother who had a son. She would be anxious when Dean caught a cold or fever and wished she was the sick one instead. She could not imagine losing Dean early. She would g
Rhea had spent her money in moderation despite working tirelessly. On the other hand, her sister-in-law was wasteful and lived a far more comfortable life. How could her parents dote on their son and daughter-in-law but not her?They would rather take her money and give it all to their daughter-in-law… What a family she had. Dean hugged his mother and said softly, “You didn’t do anything wrong, Mom. I know you’re tired. You’re doing this for me to live a better life. I’ll study hard and be a useful person when I grow up. I’ll become someone you can rely on and protect you. You won’t have to be tired ever again.”Rhea embraced her son’s thin figure. She said happily, “My son’s the best. I’m content so long as you’re healthy and safe. As for your grades… You’ve improved a lot. I’m happy.”Not every child was good at studying; some could be clever but simply did not perform well academically. However, not a single child would be deemed stupid. They perhaps excelled in areas other
After finishing the soup, Rhea put the bowl down and wiped her mouth. Then, she told Dean, “Go upstairs and rest. You still have school tomorrow.”Dean was mature. He understood Rhea did not want him to hear what she had to say. He went upstairs after saying goodnight. Rhea watched as Dean walked up the stairs. When he was out of sight, she whispered to her in-laws, “I know you two are concerned about Dean and me, but there are only a few eligible bachelors in Wiltspoon, and they’re younger than me.“Aside from those men, there is one that seems suitable. He’s older than me by a few years and is still unmarried. He’s great, but he has a scar on his face. You might find him a little scary at first.“He has a company and a net worth of tens of billions of dollars. He’s richer than our family and has good character. He won’t think of taking our family’s assets.”Rhea’s in-laws exchanged glances. Old Mrs. Torres asked, “Who is it? Do I know him?”“You two are familiar with him. He
“Duncan doesn’t even mind that Liberty’s a divorced woman with a son. Everyone knows that he treats her son well. His love for Sonny is sincere.“He’ll be a caring father toward his stepson, and he doesn’t mind that his wife is a widow or a divorcee. He’s the most suitable person for me.“Even Liberty, a mediocre divorcee, can find a man who’s a hundred times better than her ex-husband. I’m much more capable than her. Am I not good enough for Duncan?“So what if Duncan and Liberty are lovers? As long as they aren’t legally married, I still stand a chance. I’ve confirmed that Duncan will be able to recover from his injury. The doctor said he could recover fully by next year if he consistently persisted in his physiotherapy.”Rhea thought she was better than Liberty and more suited for Duncan. She wanted to fight for herself and Dean. She would not need to worry about him mistreating Dean if she married Duncan. Rhea felt jealous whenever she witnessed Duncan’s affection for Son
“This isn’t something that takes a day or two. Don’t worry or overthink. I’m no longer an impulsive young girl. If the situation is disadvantageous for me, I’ll retreat immediately. I won’t let it affect our family’s image or Dean.“It’s late. Please rest up. I feel full from the bowl of soup, so I’ll go on a stroll before sleeping to aid digestion.”After speaking, Rhea stood up and walked outside. Old Mrs. Torres said, “You’ve been working the entire day, Rhea. Don’t go too far, and turn in early. You have to head out early again tomorrow.”Rhea had countless meetings and documents to handle every day. Managing a company by herself was exhausting. Old Mr. and Mrs. Torres dared not call her during the day unless it was urgent. She simply had no time to answer calls. Even if Dean called her, she would say she was busy and hung up. “I know. Please go and rest.”Rhea walked out of the house. Old Mr. and Mrs. Torres watched her leave. After exchanging glances, they sighed
No matter how major the deal was, Liberty still had to eat her fill before she went in to discuss.Liberty laughed and replied with a voice note, “I got up late today. I would be late if I only left for the office after breakfast, so I thought I might as well pack my breakfast and have it in the office. By the time I finish eating, it’ll be right about time for my morning meeting. Anyway, don’t worry about me. I’m thinking of coming back this weekend to spend some time with Sonny.”Serenity hummed in interest. Liberty did not send her anything else, so she did not disturb her sister further.Liberty was much busier than she was now. Her business was at least stable now, while Liberty’s was just taking off.Liberty packed breakfast for herself and arrived at the office, eating it as quickly as she could before her morning meeting started.Then, she sent Duncan a voice note saying, “Last night, I dreamed that a faceless woman came and told me that you didn’t want me anymore and told