LOGINThe seatbelt clicked into place, and Carter let out a quiet breath.Meanwhile, Arielle and Adrian watched as Lauren's figure faded into the distance. A dull ache rose in their chests.They couldn't help wondering why every mother they had ever had eventually left."Dad?" Adrian's voice was barely ab
Lauren let out a laugh right after.Perhaps some people just weren't meant to be together.So, after the family event, she invited Carter and the kids out to dinner. The restaurant she chose was on the pricier end, and she'd planned to spend half a month's salary on that one meal.At dinner, Arielle
Resting her chin on one hand, Lauren continued to tutor Adrian and Arielle, her tone patient but firm. "Look, this one's a grammatical error."The kids were bright, and they picked things up fast. Lauren nodded, pleased with their progress. "Not bad. You two definitely take after your dad.""Were yo
"Make sure you save it for me, okay? Don't sneak any for yourself. I'm saving up for a house," Lauren said.Affording a mansion was out of the question in this lifetime, but an apartment in an upscale neighborhood might be possible. Still, in a city like Draventh, even that wasn't easy.Lauren wasn'
A dull ache stabbed through Lauren's chest. All of a sudden, she sprang up from the ground, threw herself into Carter's arms, and let out a raw, anguished cry.She broke down completely. Her wails were hoarse and filled with grief as they tore through the air.Carter, Arielle, and Adrian were all sp
On the drive to Colburn, Carter watched the streets and buildings roll past outside the window.This was the city where he had spent most of his life. He'd grown up here, and every street seemed to hold a piece of his past.Out of nowhere, Lauren asked, "You must've shared a lot of memories here wit
Kate's gaze flicked briefly to the phone in Elena's hand.Noticing that, Elena tapped the screen and said into the receiver, "I'll hang up now. We can talk later."However, she didn't actually press the button to end the call. She just rested the phone on her lap. "Go on."Only then did Kate lower s
Kate said slowly, "I don't think she truly loves you. She's only feeding her vanity. Otherwise, why would she have hidden her background from you from the start? She probably just wanted to see your regret upon learning she's the Ravelle family heiress, to satisfy herself."Carter clenched his fists
Following decorum, George should have been seated with Steven.Yet at this moment, he disregarded his status entirely and sat with Rhea, speaking to her in a gentle, intimate tone."You're not fat." George scooped some food onto her plate. "You're skin and bones. Where's the fat?"The words drifted
To everyone's surprise, Kate actually smiled and nodded. She said, "Yes, I did it."Gasps erupted throughout the room.Evie froze. A second later, her hand flew across Kate's face. The slap rang out so sharply that it made everyone's cheeks burn.Even Rhea hadn't expected Evie, who had always spoile







