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
The nurse snapped, "You were supposed to ring the bell to have the IV switched out! You're her mother! How could you fall asleep?"If she hadn't sensed something amiss and come to check, Arielle might have bled to death!Just then, Carter came home from work, and the scene before him was the first t
Carolyn was stunned by Lauren. She wondered if this was the kind of person they referred to as a "tough one".Rhea didn't bother with pleasantries. She looked right at Lauren and said flatly, "Well, you've seen me now. Time to leave."The only reason she had let Carter into her home was to tell him
When Carter left the villa, his mood was dark and heavy. He vaguely remembered Rhea back in prep class. She was quiet, always on her own, gentle by nature, and never the type to flatter the powerful or look down on others.He wondered if a few years of living in luxury had changed her.All his life,
Rhea used to say that she loved Carter. But now, with the divorce looming, she didn't look the slightest bit sad. In the blink of an eye, she had moved into a new villa and was driving a Rolls-Royce Ghost.Lauren pressed her lips together. "Carter, that car isn't cheap. Does Rhea really have that ki







