I Quit Being a Stepmother (Cypress Gem) novel Chapter 182

Chapter 182

Rhea’s gentleness no longer belonged to Carter. Her voice carried a coldness that came naturally.

Carter wasn’t used to her being so distant. “Rhea, there’s no deep grudge between us. I just want to… apologize for what I’ve done.”

Apologize?

Rhea opened her eyes and shifted to lean against the headboard.

Carter wanted to apologize? Was he hit in the head?

Staring at the ceiling, she said flatly, “I don’t need your apology.”

He stayed quiet for a long time. “Even if we’re getting divorced, we don’t have to end things like strangers who can never meet again. At least we were happy once. Let’s have dinner together. Call it… a goodbye dinner.”

If she could divorce him cleanly, without any lingering mess, Rhea would gladly do it.

She had hidden her identity all these years to avoid Carter stirring up drama. She hated loose ends.

What she wanted most was to finalize the divorce and never cross paths with him again in this

lifetime.

“Fine. Where?”

At 4:30 pm that day, by the time Rhea arrived at a fancy restaurant, Carter was already waiting.

The private room Carter reserved was spacious and bright. So, there was no need for them to have

any close contact.

The moment she walked in, Carter thought that she looked even more beautiful. Her whole

seemed refined.

Seeing her now as the Ravelle family’s heiress, he finally realized just how radiant she was.

But Rhea wasn’t dressed up for him. She was just wearing clothes she had bought years ago.

“Rhea.”

She frowned. “Just say what you have to say. There’s no need to call my name.”

presence

For some reason, George suddenly came to her mind. It was the same act of having dinner, yet the feeling was worlds apart.

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Chapter 182

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Only now did Rhea understand how much she despised Carter. She hated him so much that even hearing him speak her name made her skin crawl.

“You’re right.”

Carter gave a faint smile, lacking his usual edge. “I guess I should be calling you Ms. Ravelle.”

Her eyes flickered. It seemed that he believed her.

“Who I am has nothing to do with you. After our divorce is finalized, no one will ever mention us in the same breath again.” Rhea wasn’t in the mood to eat anything.

Carter studied her. “We weren’t like this back then.”

Rhea laughed mockingly. “Like you said, it was back then.”

The more he looked at her, the more distant she seemed. And when he realized it, panic stirred in his

chest.

He didn’t want this.

Deep down, Carter didn’t want the divorce at all. What he wanted was for Rhea to stop being so

jealous and learn to accept Lauren.

“If I told you I’m willing to cut ties with Lauren, would you—

“Stop,” Rhea cut him off coldly.

Her gaze was filled with disgust as she looked at him. “You’ve said that more than once, haven’t you? Carter, you keep going back and forth. Do you think I wouldn’t be able to find another man after leaving you?”

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