After the divorce he begged novel Chapter 40

Chapter 40

“What do you want?” Rebecca’s heart suddenly tightened as she spun around, giving Jeffrey a wary look.

Jeffrey met her eyes, calm as ever. “Relax, I’m not here for anything. Just wanted a casual chat.”

Rebecca’s hand slowly clenched tighter, her nails digging into her palm and reopening the old wound, it hurt, but she was numb to the pain..

“She started talking nonsense in front of me. That’s why I snapped,” Rebecca said, forcing her emotions down. She really didn’t want him stirring up chaos in her work and life.

Jeffrey drawled, “Back when I had your back, did you ever see me waste time reasoning with people?”

His words instantly shot down all the excuses Rebecca had prepared. She stood in the harsh glow of the streetlight while darkness loomed behind her, just like the uncertainty waiting in her future.

“If you think she’s the victim, go ahead. Make me pay her back, just like what you did at the hospital,” she said, clutching her bleeding hand tighter, desperately searching for one last shred of dignity to hold onto.

But this was Jeffrey; he was ruthless even to himself, let alone others. If he was pissed off, everyone else had to suffer with

him.

“If you want payback, knock yourself out,” Jeffrey said, stepping closer, his obsidian eyes fixed on her face. “But you still need to apologize.”

Rebecca felt her heart shatter. “Does it really have to be this way?”

“The choice is yours,” Jeffrey said, already thinking, ‘If she just plays cute and says she doesn’t want to apologize, I’ll let it

go.‘

But Rebecca wasn’t about to let him have his way. She steadied herself and forced a compromise for the sake of survival. “If I apologize to Andrea, will you promise not to tell my dad where I live, and stay out of my final interview?”

Even though PrimePlay Technologies had nothing to do with Jeffrey, if he got involved, they might still turn her down just to avoid getting on his bad side. Nobody wanted to offend someone that powerful over something trivial.

“Yes,” Jeffrey replied, his eyes clouded over with darkness.

“Alright,” Rebecca agreed, conceding for her own peace. “I’ll apologize to Andrea tomorrow. I just hope you’ll keep your

word.”

Jeffrey’s eyes turned icy. He thought, ‘She’d rather swallow her pride and apologize than show any softness. Not trying to be kind, she knows exactly how to get under my skin.‘

“Anything else?” Rebecca asked, her voice unusually calm. “If not, I’ll take Samuel home.”

Before Jeffrey could respond, a cheerful voice suddenly rang out. “Becky!”

Then lan appeared, jogging over to Rebecca with a bright smile, his whole body buzzing with energy.

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Chapter 40

“lan?” Rebecca was surprised. “What are you doing here?”

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“Samuel asked me to come pick you up,” lan said, glancing at Samuel and completely ignoring Jeffrey. “He said it’s not safe for you to be out alone at night, and he’s too little to protect you.”

Samuel waddled over on his short legs. “I asked lan to come.”

Rebecca hesitated for a second, not expecting that at all.

“Whoa, why’s your hand bleeding like crazy?” lan spotted the blood trickling from her side and couldn’t help but frown. “Did that old cut split open again?”

He remembered seeing the wound when they’d had dinner, and Rebecca had said it happened because of a piece of glass. Back then, it was already scabbing over.

Rebecca brushed off the blood without much care. “Guess I bent my palm too much and popped the old cut open again.”

Jeffrey finally saw the vivid red smeared across her palm, and his fingers instinctively tightened. She’d be clutching her hand, whining about the pain in no time before.

“Mommy, let me blow on it,” Samuel said, puffing gently on her hand, his big eyes filled with worry and tender care.

Rebecca gave his head a gentle rub. “Really, sweetie, it’s nothing. Doesn’t hurt at all.”

“No way that doesn’t hurt. The cut’s huge!” lan said, giving her a look. “Who was it that used to bawl their eyes out over the tiniest tumble?”

Rebecca could only pause, momentarily lost for words.

Seeing their intimate closeness, Jeffrey’s eyes deepened, and the air around him instantly grew colder by several degrees.

Samuel seemed to feel the sudden chill. He glanced over at Jeffrey and asked, “Dad, aren’t you going to blow on Mommy’s

hand?”

“Your blowing is enough,” Jeffrey said, his deep eyes lingering on Rebecca for a long moment before finally shifting to Samuel. He added, “Come here, son. Daddy has a question for you.”

Samuel looked a little confused but still walked over. Once they’d gotten some distance, he stared up at Jeffrey with big, innocent eyes. “Daddy, what do you want to talk about?”

“Why’d you ask lan to come over?” Jeffrey crouched down in front of him, doing his best to sound gentle as his big, warm hand rested on Samuel’s shoulder.

Samuel played dumb. “Huh?”

“Cut the act and answer me,” Jeffrey said, not fooled for a second.

“If you can’t protect Mommy, I’ll just find a new dad who can,” Samuel replied, super serious, even though his voice was still small and sweet. “lan’s pretty cool. I don’t mind if he becomes my new daddy.”

Jeffrey was momentarily speechless. Even though he knew Samuel was just trying to get a rise out of him, it still hit a

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Chapter 40

nerve.

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“I won’t stop you if you want to dump Mommy and find someone else,” Samuel went on, doubling down with a serious look. “But you better not interfere if I want to pick a new daddy for myself.”

“You just love winding me up, don’t you?” Jeffrey grumbled, giving his chubby cheeks a little squeeze.

Samuel, little but clever for his age, shot back, “You’re the one who upset Mommy first.”

Jeffrey tried to reason with Samuel. “When did I ever make your mommy mad?”

“Just now,” Samuel piped up, his childish voice full of certainty. “Mommy was smiling before she saw you, but after you two talked, the light in her eyes went away.”

Jeffrey didn’t expect Samuel to be so observant. “Really? So I’m the reason her eyes lost their sparkle?”

Samuel bobbed his little head. “Uh–huh.”

“Now who’s being unreasonable?” Jeffrey teased, poking the boy’s tiny head, but he still couldn’t help but be fond of the little guy.

Samuel declared, “Mommy’s the rule.”

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