Chapter 345
Teresa thought about it for a moment and then said , “ You’ll have to ask Miriam . She’s taking the kid back and giving him to her cousin . ”
Benny asked , “ What do you mean ? Aren’t you going back to Nareigh ? ”
Teresa replied , “ Okay . ”
Benny became quiet for a while . “ Really ? I thought you were going back . Jonathan told me you should go back .”
Teresa replied , “ I might not go back . Miriam will . The kid’s going with her . Like you said , he’s not my own , so I don’t have to be too involved in his life , right ? ”
Benny fell silent again .
Teresa’s words left Benny with nothing else to say . He sighed .
Benny said , “ Alright then . I’ll get in touch with Miriam . ”
After hanging up , Teresa was about to take a break when the doorbell suddenly rang .
She never expected it to be Jennifer – Teresa was stunned .
Before Teresa could even close the door , Jennifer strode right in .
Jennifer said , “ When we were on the phone , I heard a bus . The next stop was Jadeleaf Apartment . I looked up this neighborhood and figured you might live here . I bought off the security guy . Honestly , the management here is shit . They told me everything , even your apartment number . ”
Back in Nareigh , the security team of Rosary Estates actually did their job .
Teresa was furious . “ What are you trying to say ? You just have to be involved in every part of my life ? Are you happy now ? Yes , I live here . You found me again . I have nowhere else to hide . Satisfied ? ”
She pointed at the door , demanding that Jennifer leave .
Jennifer stayed calm . “ Teresa , you’re being paranoid . What I mean is , this place isn’t safe – the environment is bad and the security is even worse . You’re here alone . You’re so pretty . It’s too dangerous . ”
Teresa didn’t say a word . She just snorted . Jennifer continued , “ I’checked it before I came – there is a school around here , right ? You bought this house for Mike’s schooling , didn’t you ? ”
Seeing that Jennifer acted like she knew her very well , Teresa became even colder .
Teresa said , “ Wow , so the ‘ normal ‘ you checked if my place is around a school . Only you get to decide what normal people are like , huh ? ”
Jennifer said , “ Do you really have to talk to me like this ? We are sisters . Do we have to be like this ? ”
Jennifer had come here alone , without Donald . She just wanted to have a calm and serious conversation with Teresa .
But Teresa left her no choice .
Teresa might have a reason to stay here before . But after Jennifer found her again , even her last safe place didn’t feel safe anymore .
Teresa was on the verge of breaking down . “ I have no family to rely on . I only have my child now . Hannah , I already gave up everything for you . What els do you want from me ? ”
Tears welled up in Jennifer’s eyes . She said , “ I am your family ! You’re my only sister . Of course I want you to be happy .”
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08:51 Mon , 20 May
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A single tear slid down Jennifer’s cheek , but she quickly wiped it away .
Suddenly , they heard a voice . “ Mom . ”
The childish voice broke the tense silence .
Teresa turned around and saw Michael , who had woken up at some point . He ran over on his short legs and threw himself into Teresa .
Jennifer smiled , staring at Michael , who had grown much taller , “ Hey Mike , I’m here with you . Aren’t you happy ? ”
Michael shook his head and looked up at Teresa , terrified .
Michael asked , “ Mom , is she going to live with us again ? ”
Teresa shook her head , trying to reassure him .
She put her arm around his shoulders . “ See ? We don’t want to live with you . When we did , we were always on edge , scared we’d say something wrong and make you mad . ”
Jennifer took a deep breath and exhaled slowly .
She said , “ I know I used to be too controlling . Sometimes I just couldn’t keep my temper .”
She gently patted Mike’s head . “ Don’t be scared of me , Mike . Your mom and I are your only family .”
But Michael just hugged Teresa even tighter , still looking terrified . “ Jennifer , don’t be mean to my mom . I’ll protect her . ”
Jennifer’s heart ached . She said , “ Mike , I’m not here to be mean to you . I want to take you and your mom back to Nareigh .”
Michael’s eyes lit up like two little light bulbs . He looked at Teresa , excitement shining in his eyes . “ Mom , are we really going back ? ”
Teresa could tell that Michael wanted to go back a lot .
Nareigh had great public facilities and the houses there were way nicer . Teresa couldn’t argue with that – even if she could make herself adapt to tough places , she couldn’t change what her child wanted .
“ Let’s go back to Nareigh . ” Jennifer said , enunciating each word , “ I can protect you now . You can live however you want . ”
Teresa was speechless .
She said to Michael , “ Go back to your room . I’m not going to argue with your aunt . Be good , okay ? ”
Once Michael left , Teresa said to Jennifer calmly and coldly , “ Let’s talk , just the two of us . ”
Jennifer stepped into Teresa’s room , looked around , and sighed , “ This room isn’t even as big as your walk – in closet back at Rosary Estates. Why put yourself through this ? You’re only punishing me . ”
Teresa said , “ But it’s peaceful here . No nagging , no lectures , no one would judge everything I do . And most importantly , Mike doesn’t have to tiptoe around you anymore . ”
Jennifer said , “ What … ”
She had to admit that she had done something wrong before . She and Teresa used to argue all the time , and Michael would always overhear them .
Jennifer said , “ I have my own house in Nareign . I won’t be living with you two . Jonathan came to me . He won’t pester you again . And I promise , I w be living with you either .”
Teresa looked at Jennifer and asked , “ You really can’t stand him , can you ? Then why are you with Donald , his cousin ? ”
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08:51 Mon , 26 May
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344
Teresa thought about it for a moment and then said , “ You’ll have to ask Miriam . She’s taking the kid back and giving him to her cousin . ”
Benny asked , “ What do you mean ? Aren’t you going back to Nareigh ? ”
Teresa replied , “ Okay . ”
Benny became quiet for a while . “ Really ? I thought you were going back . Jonathan told me you should go back .”
Teresa replied , “ I might not go back . Miriam will . The kid’s going with her . Like you said , he’s not my own , so I don’t have to be too involved in his life , right ? ”
Benny fell silent again .
Teresa’s words left Benny with nothing else to say . He sighed .
Benny said , “ Alright then . I’ll get in touch with Miriam . ”
After hanging up , Teresa was about to take a break when the doorbell suddenly rang .
She never expected it to be Jennifer – Teresa was stunned .
Before Teresa could even close the door , Jennifer strode right in .
Jennifer said , “ When we were on the phone , I heard a bus . The next stop was Jadeleaf Apartment . I looked up this neighborhood and figured you might live here . I bought off the security guy . Honestly , the management here is shit . They told me everything , even your apartment number . ”
Back in Nareigh , the security team of Rosary Estates actually did their job .
Teresa was furious . “ What are you trying to say ? You just have to be involved in every part of my life ? Are you happy now ? Yes , I live here . You found me again . I have nowhere else to hide . Satisfied ? ”
She pointed at the door , demanding that Jennifer leave .
Jennifer stayed calm . “ Teresa , you’re being paranoid . What I mean is , this place isn’t safe – the environment is bad and the security is even worse . You’re here alone . You’re so pretty . It’s too dangerous . ”
Teresa didn’t say a word . She just snorted . Jennifer continued , “ I’checked it before I came – there is a school around here , right ? You bought this house for Mike’s schooling , didn’t you ? ”
Seeing that Jennifer acted like she knew her very well , Teresa became even colder .
Teresa said , “ Wow , so the ‘ normal ‘ you checked if my place is around a school . Only you get to decide what normal people are like , huh ? ”
Jennifer said , “ Do you really have to talk to me like this ? We are sisters . Do we have to be like this ? ”
Jennifer had come here alone , without Donald . She just wanted to have a calm and serious conversation with Teresa .
But Teresa left her no choice .
Teresa might have a reason to stay here before . But after Jennifer found her again , even her last safe place didn’t feel safe anymore .
Teresa was on the verge of breaking down . “ I have no family to rely on . I only have my child now . Hannah , I already gave up everything for you . What els do you want from me ? ”
Tears welled up in Jennifer’s eyes . She said , “ I am your family ! You’re my only sister . Of course I want you to be happy .”
1/3
08:51 Mon , 20 May
344
A single tear slid down Jennifer’s cheek , but she quickly wiped it away .
Suddenly , they heard a voice . “ Mom . ”
The childish voice broke the tense silence .
Teresa turned around and saw Michael , who had woken up at some point . He ran over on his short legs and threw himself into Teresa .
Jennifer smiled , staring at Michael , who had grown much taller , “ Hey Mike , I’m here with you . Aren’t you happy ? ”
Michael shook his head and looked up at Teresa , terrified .
Michael asked , “ Mom , is she going to live with us again ? ”
Teresa shook her head , trying to reassure him .
She put her arm around his shoulders . “ See ? We don’t want to live with you . When we did , we were always on edge , scared we’d say something wrong and make you mad . ”
Jennifer took a deep breath and exhaled slowly .
She said , “ I know I used to be too controlling . Sometimes I just couldn’t keep my temper .”
She gently patted Mike’s head . “ Don’t be scared of me , Mike . Your mom and I are your only family .”
But Michael just hugged Teresa even tighter , still looking terrified . “ Jennifer , don’t be mean to my mom . I’ll protect her . ”
Jennifer’s heart ached . She said , “ Mike , I’m not here to be mean to you . I want to take you and your mom back to Nareigh .”
Michael’s eyes lit up like two little light bulbs . He looked at Teresa , excitement shining in his eyes . “ Mom , are we really going back ? ”
Teresa could tell that Michael wanted to go back a lot .
Nareigh had great public facilities and the houses there were way nicer . Teresa couldn’t argue with that – even if she could make herself adapt to tough places , she couldn’t change what her child wanted .
“ Let’s go back to Nareigh . ” Jennifer said , enunciating each word , “ I can protect you now . You can live however you want . ”
Teresa was speechless .
She said to Michael , “ Go back to your room . I’m not going to argue with your aunt . Be good , okay ? ”
Once Michael left , Teresa said to Jennifer calmly and coldly , “ Let’s talk , just the two of us . ”
Jennifer stepped into Teresa’s room , looked around , and sighed , “ This room isn’t even as big as your walk – in closet back at Rosary Estates. Why put yourself through this ? You’re only punishing me . ”
Teresa said , “ But it’s peaceful here . No nagging , no lectures , no one would judge everything I do . And most importantly , Mike doesn’t have to tiptoe around you anymore . ”
Jennifer said , “ What … ”
She had to admit that she had done something wrong before . She and Teresa used to argue all the time , and Michael would always overhear them .
Jennifer said , “ I have my own house in Nareign . I won’t be living with you two . Jonathan came to me . He won’t pester you again . And I promise , I w be living with you either .”
Teresa looked at Jennifer and asked , “ You really can’t stand him , can you ? Then why are you with Donald , his cousin ? ”
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08:51 Mon , 26 May
344
COM .
66 %
Jennifer said , “ How could our situations be the same ? Your ex – mother – in – law was a nightmare . My future mother – in – law is actually pretty decent and nice . She , at least , is gentle . ”
Teresa gave an unconvincing smile . “ Your future mother – in – law ? Sounds like you’re going to get married . ”
Jennifer replied , “ That’s the plan . We love each other .
“ The only thing I cannot get over is you . Finding you made me so happy . I really hope you’ll come back with me .”
66 %
Jennifer said , “ How could our situations be the same ? Your ex – mother – in – law was a nightmare . My future mother – in – law is actually pretty decent and nice . She , at least , is gentle . ”
Teresa gave an unconvincing smile . “ Your future mother – in – law ? Sounds like you’re going to get married . ”
Jennifer replied , “ That’s the plan . We love each other .
“ The only thing I cannot get over is you . Finding you made me so happy . I really hope you’ll come back with me .”