I Quit Being a Stepmother (Cypress Gem) novel Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Arielle smiled and said, “It doesn’t hurt, Mom.”

She was trying hard to appear as though everything was fine. She was worried that Rhea would feel worse if she didn’t.

These days, Rhea’s tears only appeared for the two children. She wrapped her arms around them and picked them up. She asked, “Were you eating?”

“Yeah!”

Arielle clung tightly to Rhea’s neck. Her affectionate dependence irritated Lauren just to watch.

Rhea carried them to the dining room and took a seat.

Lauren said, “Rhea, Arielle said that she needed someone to feed her just now. She’s not a baby anymore. She should be learning to eat by herself.”

But Arielle immediately raised her head and said, “I said that was only when I’m sick. You got it wrong.”

Lauren looked a little awkward. “Oh, right.”

Rhea didn’t say anything. She simply picked up the spoon, ready to feed Arielle.

But Arielle took the spoon from her and said, “I can do it, Mom.”

Carter frowned. He wondered why she had insisted on being fed earlier.

Once again, he thought that Rhea was the one spoiling her too much.

Arielle took a bite, then kept looking up at Rhea as though she were afraid that she would disappear.

Rhea noticed her behavior and chuckled softly. “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere. Take your time. You need to eat so your body has the strength to fight the virus.”

“Okay!” Arielle eagerly stuffed more food into her mouth.

At that moment, the two rowdy children were all smiles. They were sweet and well–behaved.

Alisha couldn’t help but think that Arielle and Adrian had always been good kids.

But with Rhea gone, Carter being less than gentle, and Lauren–whom the kids clearly rejected–around, it was no surprise they were constantly upset.

After lunch, Rhea made sure that Arielle took her medicine.

“Come here. Let me fix your hair,” she said.

Arielle immediately walked over and turned around. Rhea’s hands moved quickly and skillfully. She brushed Arielle’s hair into a neat ponytail that wouldn’t get in her way.

Alisha had already messaged her about how the injury happened, and so, Rhea didn’t plan on asking more

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Chapter 46

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questions. She was only there to see the kids.

Once the two children had gone down for their nap, Rhea turned to a maid and said, “Please help pack my things.

The maids froze, wondering if Rhea was leaving.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

Lauren rushed to open it. “Mr. Coleman, welcome.”

The man at the door, Marcel Coleman, wore a black tunic and had a neatly trimmed beard. He gave off a very professional vibe.

Carter looked his way and nodded slightly. “Thank you for coming.”

“Don’t worry, Mr. Jamison. You can count on me,” Marcel replied.

The three of them sat down in the living room, and Marcel began pulling out some tools.

“Oh, right. I’ll need your birth date and time, Mr. Jamison. And your kids‘, too.”

Carter gave him his details, then added, “The children were born on August 12th.”

“What about their birth time?”

Both Carter and Lauren fell silent. Neither of them remembered the exact time the kids were born.

“Is that necessary?” Lauren asked as she stared at Marcel.

Marcel lowered his gaze. “I can work without it.‘

Then, he went on scribbling and drawing diagrams across a sheet of paper. Carter couldn’t understand any of it.

A few minutes later, Marcel suddenly frowned and said, “This isn’t good.”

“What’s not good?” Carter asked.

Marcel’s tone turned grave. “Mr. Jamison, you’ve been plagued with bad luck lately, haven’t you? Things slipping through your fingers at the last second?”

Carter glanced at Lauren subtly, then gave a nod. “Yeah.”

He did believe in geomancy, but that didn’t mean that just anyone could fool him.

Meanwhile, Lauren jumped in to flatter Marcel. “Mr. Coleman, that’s exactly what’s been happening!”

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