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
"I don't think that's necessary," George replied. He turned to Rhea and said, "Happy birthday. Take care of yourself. There are many people who care about you."That line grated on Carter's nerves.Many people cared about Rhea? Who? Did that include George?As George finished speaking, his gaze casu
Oddly enough, it made Carter compare the two women. And at that moment, he thought that Rhea really had been overly emotional these past few days.He never judged people by background, but sometimes, he felt that someone's upbringing did shape their perspective.The difference between Lauren's and R
The real competition officially began.Rhea leaned in and whispered a few things to Louie. The latter nodded, looking like he would follow her lead.From his seat in the back left, Carter caught the exchange, and it irritated him.This pre-bid conference wasn't meant to announce the successful bidde
"What?" Carter thought he must have misheard Rhea. He knew that he hadn't treated her well these past few days, but how could she bring up divorce so easily?He tried to explain. "Lauren has no family left. All she has are those two kids. She's in a tough spot right now. I can't just stand by and do







