I Quit Being a Stepmother (Cypress Gem) novel Chapter 75

Chapter 75

That night, the villa was bursting with life. The ladies gathered around a table with drinks and food piling up.

Their jokes had Rhea laughing so hard that she had to hold her stomach as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“You should’ve called us yesterday. We could’ve celebrated your birthday together,” Maeve said.

Just hearing the word “birthday” left Rhea frozen inside.

“You did all the work, and that other woman got the reward,” Carolyn slurred slightly, clearly upset for Rhea.

Evelyn suddenly frowned. “I swear I’ve heard the name Lauren Thayer somewhere before.”

“Many people have the same name. Plus, Lauren’s a pretty common name,” Maeve said.

Evelyn waved her hand. “No. I have a good memory. I remember someone mentioning a ‘Lauren Thayer from Colburn‘. Let me ask my brother.”

She whipped out her phone and shot off a WhatsApp message.

Rhea suddenly remembered something. “Oh shit! I don’t have enough bedding for everyone!”

Carolyn grinned. “Let’s all squeeze into one bed then.”

Rhea nodded. “That works too!”

When they were younger, they would often pile onto one bed. Their families were well acquainted, and the ladies frequently gathered for social events.

That whole night, the five of them laughed nonstop.

They ordered some late–night snacks and sat together eating, joking, venting, and sharing their dreams.

There was a light in Rhea’s eyes again. She had been missing this kind of life for too long.

The more she let herself feel it, the more bitter those six wasted years tasted.

The only thing that could still melt her heart was A

rielle and Adrian. No matter what, they were her children.

Just then, her phone buzzed with an incoming video call on WhatsApp. She picked it up and was surprised to see Arielle’s name on the screen.

After stepping out of the room, she answered it. “Arielle?”

“Mom! It’s me!”

The room on the other end of the call was dark, lit only by a small nightlight,

Rhea blinked in confusion. “How’d you even log onto WhatsApp?”

“Dad gave us the smartwatches. I asked Ms. Berry how to use it so I could call you.”

On the tiny screen, Arielle and Adrian squeezed together, both staring wide–eyed at Rhea’s face through the

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Chapter 75

+25 BONUS

watch.

Rhea had actually been the one to buy them the watches back when they were younger. However, they had played with them too much, so she had taken them away.

Most days, she would rather just play with the kids herself.

That was probably why, unlike most of their classmates who had glasses by now, Arielle and Adrian still had perfect eyesight.

“Mom, we miss you.” Arielle pouted.

Rhea felt a soft warmth inside. “I miss you guys too.”

Adrian leaned in, whispering, “Mom, are you coming back?”

The words sat on Rhea’s tongue but refused to come out. Her eyes shimmered with tears.

Arielle seemed to understand. “Don’t cry, Mom. We’ll always wait for you. And we’ll always love you.‘

However, her tears betrayed her true feelings.

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“Mom, I got hurt,” Arielle added, suddenly unable to hold back her emotions. She was only six. She was still just a child, needing comfort and love from her parents.

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