MasukThe 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
Carter stayed rational even at a moment like this. He knew that he couldn't break the Donovan family's rules."What's wrong with sitting there? Men and women have to sit separately," he said.Lauren clenched her fists. "But… I don't know anyone over there. It's so awkward.""Awkward? A little solitu
"Yeah. I heard that she's not leaving anymore. I've made plans with them. Shall we go?" Lauren asked."Sure. You—"Carter's driver, Glen Page, suddenly reminded him, "Mr. Jamison, Mr. Adrian and Ms. Arielle are already in Draventh."Only then did Carter remember. "We'll have to reschedule. Let's mee
The security guards looked at Lauren and her friends like they were no more than corpses. The women had never experienced anything like this."I was wrong… I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Zoe apologized through her tears.Lauren gritted her teeth, feeling utterly humiliated.Less than three minutes later,
Half an hour later, Carter and Lauren arrived at a small private hospital.Lauren said, "I'll head inside myself. The patients here are all women, so it'd be inconvenient for you to be with me.""Will you be okay on your own?" Carter asked, worried."Yeah. Hurry up and go check on the kids before co







