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
Carter had been in such a hurry that he hadn't even brought a gift. He walked into the Ravelle residence empty-handed.The moment he stepped inside, his gaze swept across the living room.George wasn't there.Instant relief washed over him. It seemed that the rumors were indeed fake. They had almos
Downstairs, Rhea raised an eyebrow when she saw how defeated Nathan looked. She asked, "What happened to you?""I never would've imagined that I'd one day witness my parents acting mushy to my face," Nathan deadpanned, his face blank."You can do it to them, too." Rhea wore a new dress and was lazil
When Kate looked up, her gaze was open and honest. Her words were just as straightforward. "I'm only human. Of course I'm jealous of Rhea. After all, she won over my crush of 12 years so easily. But some things are beyond my control."Such as Cynthia not liking Rhea, Marcus' little schemes, or even
At the Snider residence, the mood was tense.Steven and Bryan both looked grim. Cynthia remained silent, while George, who was sitting at the head of the table, fixed his gaze on her. He questioned, "Mom, what exactly are you trying to do?"Cynthia took a sharp breath. "I didn't expect this to get o







