I Quit Being a Stepmother (Cypress Gem) novel Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Adrian asked, “Mom, you’ll still come home at night, right?”

Rhea closed her eyes, letting her tears fall freely. “I will.”

“Yay!”

Rhea wished she could steel herself and let go of her feelings for the two kids immediately and decisively. But even though it was hard, she had to do it.

Carter was right. She was just the stepmother.

Lauren was back now. So, she should step aside.

That afternoon, Rhea’s mood was heavy. She napped for two hours.

When she woke, the kids were gone.

“Where are the kids?”

Alisha hesitated before saying, “M–Mrs. Jamison, while you were napping, Mr. Jamison took them out.”

That was normal. She figured that they were probably keeping Lauren company.

Rhea gradually calmed down. But then Alisha added something that sent a spike through her chest. “Ms. Jamison still had a bit of a fever when she left.”

Her fever hadn’t broken yet. Where could Carter be taking them?

“Did they go to the hospital?” Rhea asked.

Alisha shook her head. “I don’t think so. The bodyguards were carrying gifts.”

They were clearly visiting someone.

Still, Carter was their father. He wouldn’t put them in harm’s way.

Worry nagged at her, but she didn’t call him. Then, her phone rang.

It wasn’t Carter. It was a Draventh number.

Her heart skipped a beat as she answered, “Hello?”

After a few seconds of silence, a calm, steady male voice came through. “This is George.”

Rhea was surprised. “George? Did something happen at home?”

She had only met George a few times as a child, always in Nathan’s company. They had never had any private contact with each other.

So when he called, she instinctively thought something was wrong at home.

“No,” George replied. “I’m in Colburn on business, Nathan asked me to bring you something.”

Nathan sent her something? That hadn’t happened in six years!

Rhea’s excitement bubbled up. “Where are you? I’ll come find you.”

Chapter 18

“Right outside your house.”

+25 BONUS

Five minutes later, Rhea jogged to the neighborhood entrance.

A car with Draventh plates was parked by the road, hazard lights blinking. A ride like that was rare in Colburn, except for Carter’s two cars.

Rhea hurried over.

The window rolled down.

When she saw the man in the back seat, she froze in surprise.

It had been years since she had last seen George. She had always known him to be even better–looking than Nathan, but now, nearing 30, he carried a calm, quiet confidence.

Rhea snapped out of it and smiled. “Hey, George.”

George’s deep brown eyes scanned her face.

Her eyes weren’t swollen, and her voice sounded normal, which meant that yesterday couldn’t have been too rough.

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