When She Walks Away (Teresa) novel Chapter 168

Chapter 168

It was already 2 AM, and Teresa knew there were only two reasons Yolanda would call her at this hour: either she wasn’t feeling well, or Charles and Naomi weren’t around.

Tonight, it was the latter. Naomi had been injured, and Charles had taken her to the hospital.

Which meant, this time, Yolanda had no one to keep her company.

After Teresa laid out the facts, she hung up without caring what Sharon or Yolanda thought of her.

On the other end, Sharon was still holding the phone, completely stunned, when she heard the beeping sound of the call ending.

In Sharon’s memory, Teresa had always been so good to Charles and Yolanda, looking after them and fussing over every little thing.

But now, everything had changed.

Sharon understood perfectly why, and she never blamed Teresa for it.

Honestly, with a husband and kid like that, no one would want to stay.

But Sharon was just a servant at Joyacre Villa, so it wasn’t her place to say anything.

Just as Sharon put her phone away, Yolanda burst into tears again. She sat on the bed, kicking and thrashing around, wailing at the top of her lungs, “Mean mom! Mean mom! I don’t want her to be my mom anymore!”

Sharon watched Yolanda and couldn’t help but sigh in exasperation.

Back when Teresa looked after her, Yolanda had never thrown tantrums like this.

Now she’d grown temperamental, even lashing out at her own mother.

If she spoke like this at home, she would curse people in public.

Just thinking about that possibility, Sharon let out a heavy sigh.

Yolanda’s cries grew louder, and Sharon was about to comfort her when Ava walked into the bedroom.

“Sharon, what’s up?” Vivian asked, concern in her voice.

Sharon glanced at Vivian and said softly, “Yolanda had a bad dream.”

Ava came over and nudged Sharon gently. “Let me handle this. You go get some sleep.”

Sharon looked a bit lost. “Huh?”

Ava bent down, scooped Yolanda into her arms, then glanced back at Sharon. “Go get some sleep. I’m her grandma. Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

Sharon hesitated, then nodded. It made sense. Yolanda clung to Naomi most of the time, and when Naomi wasn’t around, she turned to Ava.

So letting Ava handle it was actually a pretty good call.

was

Sure enough, once Yolanda was nestled in Ava’s arms, her sobbing quieted.

After giving it some thought, Sharon left the bedroom.

Downstairs, she’d barely finished washing her feet when Ava came downstairs.

ya, how is Yolanda? Did you settle her down?” Sharon asked anxiously.

Ava’s face fell when she heard Sharon call her name. She corrected her seriously, “Sharon, I call you names out of respect, but when you call me Ava, isn’t it a bit disrespectful? I’ll be Charles’s future mother–in–law. Shouldn’t you show me more respect?”

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Chapter 168

Sharon was left speechless, not sure what to say.

Charles valued Naomi more than anyone these days. Ava kind of had a point.

Sharon didn’t feel like arguing with her, so she just asked, “Alright, then what should I call you?”

Ava thought seriously for a few seconds, then said, “From now on, call me Mrs. Whitney.”

Sharon was stunned. She felt Ava was really pushing it, but as a servant, she could only nod. “Okay.”

Besides, with Charles always siding with Ava, Sharon knew better than to go against her.

Sharon was about to let it go, but then she suddenly thought of Yolanda and asked anxiously, “Mrs. Whitney, how’s Yolanda now?”

Ava’s expression softened at the title. “She just needs soothing.”

Sharon doubted that. “Is that so?”

Come to think of it, Yolanda had been pretty hard to comfort lately, but Ava could calm her down in no time.

Then again, Yolanda was always fond of Naomi and Ava.

Thinking all that over, Sharon finally wished Ava good night.

The next morning, Teresa’s alarm had just gone silent when her phone rang again.

Without even checking the screen, she answered.

Teresa instantly snapped awake.

She figured Charles must be with Naomi right now, and without thinking, she blurted out, “I’ve got teaching ward rounds today. I really don’t have time to take Yolanda.”

The excuse was true, but her reluctance was just as real.

“I won’t be able to pick her up for the next few days,” Charles continued. “Could you stay at Joyacre Villa and look after her?”

Teresa couldn’t help but laugh at his request. “Busy? Do you mean overtime. Or is your grandfather sick again?”

Charles didn’t hide anything. He said straight up, “Naomi’s in the hospital. She’s not doing too well, and I need to stick around and take care of her.”

Teresa let out a cold, mocking laugh. “So for her, you’re gonna leave Yolanda behind?”

Charles tried to explain, “I’m not ignoring Yolanda. I just…can’t be in two places at once.”

Teresa’s anger flared. She hissed, “Charles, it’s all right here, isn’t it? What more is there to say? Naomi’s always first with you, isn’t she?”

When Charles tried to explain further, she cut him off. She snapped, “If you’ve got something to say, go tell Yolanda. Don’t waste your breath on me. I’m done listening.”

Then she hung up.

After hanging up on Charles, Teresa was in a foul mood all day.

She kept telling herself she didn’t care about Yolanda anymore, but deep down, she couldn’t let it go. Yolanda was her daughter. someone she’d brought into this world.

Now that Charles and Naomi weren’t around, what was Yolanda going to do?

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10:36 AM PP.

That question haunted Teresa all day long.

She got off work in the evening, and before she knew it, she was already driving toward the kindergarten.

By then, the place was almost empty, and the kids were pretty much all gone.

Teresa didn’t see Yolanda anywhere, so she walked up to the security guard out front. “Excuse me, has someone already picked up Yolanda Logan?”

The guard looked her up and down, his eyes full of suspicion.

Teresa almost said she was Yolanda’s mother, but stopped herself.

Yolanda had been at this kindergarten for ages, but not a single teacher or guard at the school even knew who she was.

A pang of sadness hit her, and she was about to leave when Monica’s teacher, Emilie Winslow, spotted her. “Teresa?” she called, surprised.

Teresa turned and smiled at Emilje. “Yeah, it’s me.”

Emilie walked over and asked, “Are you here to pick up Monica?”

Teresa shook her head. “Did anyone pick up Yolanda?”

Emilie blinked in surprise, frowning a little. “Yolanda? She didn’t show up at school today.”

Teresa was taken aback for a moment, then felt a wave of anxiety.

She worried that maybe Yolanda hadn’t come to school simply because no one was there to bring her.

Kindergarten might not be a big deal, but Teresa valued discipline. She didn’t want Yolanda to pick up any bad habits.

She couldn’t help but feel anxious.

Just as she was about to leave, Emilie called out again, “Teresa!”

Teresa turned back, a little puzzled, and asked, “Yes?”

Emilie smiled. “Monica is such a good kid, hardworking, kind, and loved by all her classmates. She’s a little angel. She brightens up the whole kindergarten.”

Teresa’s heart warmed at those words. She thanked Emilie for the compliment.

But then, she asked casually, “And what about Yolanda? Is she doing okay?”

Emilie frowned as soon as she heard Yolanda’s name.

After thinking for a moment, she replied, “Honestly, it might be her family situation. She’s grown bossy, often spits at other children. We’ve talked to her over and over, but she never listens. She’s pretty much got no friends left here now.”