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
Rhea couldn't bring herself to spend the night under the same roof as Carter, not even if they were in separate rooms.After she left, Carter stayed behind with the kids.The reason he had snapped at Scarlett the night before was that he didn't want her loud voice to wake them.As for why he had sta
"Elena, try this." Lauren pushed one of the specialty dishes toward her.Elena waved her hand. "There's no need to be so polite. Help yourselves."Marcus was chatting with Carter.Lauren leaned closer to Elena. "I'm really glad you're in Draventh. I don't have a single friend here. We're around the
A long time passed.Scarlett couldn't hold back any longer. "Ms. Thayer, you can't just let Rhea stay here like this. Look at her! She's practically trying to seduce Mr. Jamison! Women like that need a good scolding to learn their lesson!"Lauren's mind spun with a hundred wild scenarios, terrified
Sweat beaded on Lauren's forehead within seconds. She didn't know what Dexter was doing there or what she was supposed to do."Lauren?" Elena called out.Lauren was so nervous that she didn't even know where to look. "Um, I…""Take a seat. Don't stand on ceremony," Elena said.Kieran was already cha







