I Quit Being a Stepmother (Cypress Gem) novel Chapter 55

Chapter 55

When Carter saw Rhea standing next to another man, that sharp jealousy made one thing crystal clear to him-

he loved her.

And he couldn’t bear the thought of anyone else standing by her side.

His voice was rough when he said, “You were the one who stood by me when I was at my lowest. No one else can compare to that.

“I know that things have gotten messy recently, causing you to misunderstand. But I don’t regret marrying you. I don’t regret the life we’ve built together. And I’ve never thought about divorce.”

Carter was never the kind of man to waste words on meaningless things. He was trying to make her stay. 1

Moreover, he had never once thought about leaving Rhea.

Lately, Carter had been treating Lauren with a bit more care, partly because she was the kids‘ birth mother and partly because she was going through a rough time. He couldn’t bring himself to stand by and do nothing.

But after taking care of the kids himself over the past two days, he finally understood just how much Rhea had been carrying on her own.

Rhea set the thin blanket down. “I’ve never had a problem with Lauren being around. When I married you, I knew I was signing up to be a stepmother for life. But you protected her so much that it started to feel like I was just a stand–in.”

Carter suddenly pulled her into his arms and said, “Honey.”

Rhea’s heart skipped a beat. It had been a long time since he called her so affectionately. 1

He continued, “I swear to you, I’ll protect our family. What I feel for Lauren is not romantic.”

He cared deeply about this family and the two kids. He had feelings for Rhea, too. 1

But after many years, what had once been love had settled into comfort and routine. The passion had dulled.

“Please, just calm down. Let’s not talk about divorce, okay?”

How could Rhea’s heart not stir? How could it not hurt?

She loved this man. That was why his actions cut so deep. She couldn’t go back to how things used to be.

Rhea said honestly, “As long as Lauren’s part of our lives, there will always be a wall between us.”

Carter heard her loud and clear. He gripped her shoulders and said, “I’ll take care of it. I won’t let anyone come between us. Just trust me this time.”

Rhea was feeling torn inside. She wondered if he would really follow through and truly cut Lauren off. 1

But this man, whom she had once loved with everything she had, was begging her to stay. How could she not waver?

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Chapter 55

+25 BONUS

Rhea didn’t answer. Instead, she just looked at him. (1

Carter’s voice softened as he said, “Get some rest. It’s your birthday tomorrow. I’ll make sure it’s a good one.

Don’t cry.”

Tears welled up in her eyes. She closed them and simply let him hold her.

Outside the room, Lauren had come by to see if Carter was sleeping in the master bedroom with Rhea. She had heard everything.

At that moment, she felt like the blood in her veins had turned cold. It seemed that Carter had genuinely fallen

for Rhea.

Lauren had only been gone for six years, and he had given his heart to someone else. Even worse, someone as proud as Carter had actually swallowed his pride to keep Rhea from leaving. 1

Lauren couldn’t believe it. A wave of pain surged through her.

Tears streamed down her face as she turned and left.

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