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
At noon, Rhea packed a small suitcase and headed out with Nathan.On the way, Nathan glanced at her. "Haven't been in touch with George lately?"Rhea understood what he really wanted to ask. "No."She still couldn't face George or even think back to the question he had asked her that night. Over tim
The next day, Lauren had been sitting at her vanity since noon, getting ready. Just picking out clothes had taken her over an hour."These outfits are too cheap. They don't look luxurious enough." Lauren sighed.Scarlett said, "Ms. Thayer, you're beautiful. The clothes are just to complement you.""
Aiden, Peter, and Carter were all chatting with Rhea, completely ignoring Lauren, who was trying hard to make her tears fall.She clenched her hands tightly. She even wanted to let her tears fall right onto her plate. She wondered if they really hadn't noticed that she was crying.Scarlett finally
Devan, who had arrived after hearing the commotion, wisely chose to stay silent. He stepped back a couple of paces and kept to himself like an observer on the sidelines.Neither Scarlett nor Lauren had good intentions. The moment Carter was away, they flaunted their authority.Scarlett trembled. "No







