I Quit Being a Stepmother (Cypress Gem) novel Chapter 24

Chapter 24

An unbearable coldness filled her completely.

Adrian, who had been holding everything in, suddenly snapped. “My mom is the best! Don’t talk about her like that! Get out, all of you!”

He was trembling with fury, like a puffed–up kitten, standing guard over sick little Arielle and his hurt mother.

Adrian’s sudden outburst stunned Carter. “Adrian, you…”

“You get out too!” Adrian shouted, pointing at the door. “You never take Mom’s side. You let people bully her. I don’t like you!”

Rhea stood frozen, staring at Adrian. It seemed that her little man had grown up.

She pulled Adrian into her arms and said, “I’m okay, sweetie. Don’t cry.”

But Adrian burst into tears in Rhea’s arms. All the fear and helplessness came crashing down the moment he felt safe in her arms.

Arielle had fainted, Rhea wasn’t there, and Carter didn’t protect them. Adrian had been so scared.

But Rhea always said that he had to be strong and protect Arielle. So before Rhea arrived, he had kept everyone away from Arielle, except the doctor.

He didn’t even let Carter get too close.

Rhea held him in her arms, comforting him. Her heart ached, yet there was a flicker of comfort in that pain. What was she still clinging to? The kids she raised had turned out wonderful, That was enough.

As for Carter? She was done.

Rhea pulled out her phone and dialed the number that had appeared just that morning.

The man’s voice came through, low and calm. “Hello?”

It was George.

“I’m at a private hospital in the city center. I need to take the kids to another hospital. Could you send someone to pick us up?”

Rhea reached out to him because she knew that Carter would never let her leave with the kids alone if she tried.

George replied, “Give me ten minutes.”

With that, he hung up.

Carter stared at Rhea and asked, “Where are you taking them?”

Lauren looked scared. “Rhea, Arielle is already sick. Please don’t drag her around again. I’m begging you.”

She was talking as if Rhea were the bad guy again.

Rhea didn’t even spare Lauren a glance. She looked straight at Carter. “We’re still married. That makes me their legal mother. I have every right to take them.”

Lauren grew flustered, and her eyes brimmed with tears. “But I’m their birth mother!”

+25 BONUS

Chapter 24

Rhea continued to ignore her. “I’m the one who raised them. I care about them. I won’t let anything happen to them. So if you have a shred of humanity left, move.”

Arielle had always been delicate. Rhea had taken years of care to help her grow stronger. She knew that if this fever persisted, it could become serious. The only way to keep them safe now was to get them away from Carter and Lauren.

Carter frowned as Lauren clung to his arm, crying. “Carter, they’re my kids. How can you let her just take them? Arielle’s burning up. I feel like I’m dying inside!”

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