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
When Carter left the teahouse, his steps were almost unsteady.Glen helped him into the car. "Mr. Jamison?"Carter closed his eyes. His voice came out hoarse as he said, "To the private hospital.""Understood."As Glen drove, Carter's brow remained furrowed.All his life, when his parents were alive
Carter clenched his fists. "Liam, someone must be trying to stir up trouble to get at me! Lauren is just a friend, and she's lost both her parents. She was unwell, so I, as her childhood friend, accompanied her to the hospital. We weren't alone. We had a couple of other friends with us!"Liam shot h
"What will outsiders think of the Ravelle family now that they know how my daughter has been treated? How will you make things right when you've done something so despicable, Carter?" Liam was genuinely angry now.Carter felt a chill run down his spine. "Liam…"Liam stood and walked to him. "I under
Back at the Ravelle residence, Liam took a drag of his cigarette after ending the call with Carter.Nathan sat across from him, still in awe of the way Liam had interacted with Carter thus far. He thought that his father was a master at keeping his emotions hidden, masking his disgust and aversion s







