<b>Chapter </b><b>37 </b>


    <b>30</b>%


    Reba thought to herself, ‘No way is this about sleeping her way to the top. Jeffrey isn’t that ridiculous.


    “You can ask him yourself,” Andrea said, pretending to stay calm. “I promised him I’d keep it to myself.”


    “If you’re not gonna tell me, then there’s no point in this partnership,” Reba said, practically driving her away. “Just stick to being his side chick.”


    “Reba!” Andrea hadn’t expected her genuine offer to be shut down so coldly.


    Reba tilted her chin, pointing at the “No Loud Talking” sign on the wall.


    Andrea clenched her fists and whispered, “Can’t you see that Jeffrey just treats you like his ything? As long as he’s not done with you, you’ll never get away.”


    “Are you done?” Reba already knew all of this.


    “I can help you get a normal life,” Andrea insisted. “Once you’re free from him, I’ll finally have him all to myself. It’s a win-


    win.”


    “Seriously, do you have no shame?” Reba was honestly tempted to p her.


    Andrea said righteously, “I’m helping you here.”


    Reba was done with the conversation. “Get lost.”


    “Think it over.” Andrea stood up, gripping her bag tightly. “Since you disagree today, I’ll find a way to kick you out. When are you going to start using your brain?”


    Reba grabbed her bag and threw it at Andrea.


    Andrea screamed, clutching her forehead where the bag had hit her.


    Reba shot her a re that could cut ss.


    “What do <i>you </i>think you’re doing?” Andrea’s anger red, her eyes turning sharp and cold.


    Reba said with a cold face, “Last warning. If you don’t get out, next time it’ll be the chair flying at you.”


    “You’ll pay for this. Just wait,” Andrea spat, her re sharp as a knife. “You’ll regret it.”


    Reba didn’t spare her a second nce. After Andrea stormed off in her heels, Reba bent down to pick up the bag from the floor, feeling aplicated mix of emotions inside her.


    Sometimes Reba admired Andrea’s shamelessness, actually convincing herself that being the mistress meant helping the wife. That level of audacity really did make her and Jeffrey a perfect match. No wonder Andrea was fine with Jeffrey being two–timed.


    Right then, Reba’s phone lit up with a ding. It was a message from an unknown number. [Your glory days are over.)


    13.04


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    Reba immediately blocked and deleted the number. She knew it was Andrea. For a mistress to talk to her that way was honestly unhinged, and as for her so–called terms, Reba didn’t believe a single word.


    ‘If evenn and Jessica couldn’t change Jeffrey’s mind, how could Andrea, a nobody with no family, no brains, and no background?‘ Reba thought. ‘After all these years, Andrea’s ego is still as inted as ever.”


    Little did Reba know, Jeffrey had been watching the whole time, catching every word and gesture in detail.


    On the top floor of the hospital, in one of the offices, Jeffrey and Stanley sat in front of aputer, watching the surveince feed from outside the operating room.


    They’d been there since Reba’s mom was wheeled in, just making sure the surgery went smoothly and maybe seeing if Reba would spill anything ton. Instead, they got a front–row seat to the full drama between Reba and Andrea.


    Stanley awkwardly cleared his throat. “Um…” He thought, ‘If I’d known this, I wouldn’t have bothereding!


    They didn’t seen, but an awkward scene happened.


    Jeffrey’s deep eyes briefly flicked over to Stanley.


    “Guess Reba still can’t let go of you,” Stanley said, scrambling to say something. “Andrea made her a great offer, and she didn’t take it. She must still be into you.”


    Jeffrey shot him a look like he was stupid.


    “What? Why are you looking at me like that?” Stanley muttered.


    Jeffrey didn’t say anything. If Reba had been the type to take Andrea’s offer, she would’ve taken his a long time ago.


    “Judging by what Andrea said before she left, she’s probably going to try to mess with Reba.” Stanley changed the subject, still not getting what was going on in Jeffrey’s head. “Aren’t you going to say anything to her?”


    Jeffrey replied quietly, “About what?”


    “Tell her not to target Reba,” Stanley said. “Reba’s already divorced you, and she doesn’t care about you anymore. If Andrea goes after her, she’s just looking for a fight.”


    Jeffrey’s eyes darkened instantly, and the room seemed to get colder.


    Stanley’s heart started pounding. ‘I’m just stating the facts here. Why does he look mad again?‘ he thought.


    “She can do whatever she wants,” Jeffrey said, his voice cold and his mood unreadable. “No matter what trouble she causes, I’ll always have her back.”


    Stanley blinked. “Wait… Who are you talking about, Andrea or Reba?”


    “Who do you think?” Jeffrey answered unhurriedly.


    “Seriously, is something wrong with you?” Stanley pointed to his head, totally confused. “You divorced Reba because


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    of Andrea, but now Andrea’s going after Reba, and you’re actually backing Andrea up?”


    “I only stand up for my own people,” Jeffrey replied simply.


    Stanley tried to reason with him. “Look, don’t forget that Andrea is only making trouble for Reba because you keep sticking your nose in her life.”


    “And?” Jeffrey didn’t even blink.


    Stanley stared at him,pletely baffled. ‘Seriously? What do you mean? No sane person would pull this stunt,‘ he thought.


    “It’s her decision,” Jeffrey replied, his eyes focused on the surveince feed, his intense gaze colder than usual. “If she doesn’t want to deal with it, she can alwayse back to me. I did leave her a way out.”


    Stanley smirked. ‘A way out? Yeah, right. Sounds more like a dead end to me,‘ he thought. ‘Any sane person with a shred of dignity would rather live on the streets than take that way out.”


    Just as Stanley was about to try onest time to reason with him, Jeffrey’s phone rang. The screen lit up with Andrea’s


    name.


    Jeffrey answered, and Andrea’s whiny, pitiful voice came through. “Jeffrey, where are you?”


    “At the office,” Jeffrey replied, soundingpletely calm.


    Stanley couldn’t help but roll his eyes. ‘Wow, the guy’s really good at lying through his teeth,‘ he thought.


    “I went <i>to </i>the hospital today. I just wanted tofort Reba and make sure she wasn’t too worried. But the moment she saw me, she got all mad and threw her bag at me,” Andreained, her voice shaky.


    She added, “She hit me right on the forehead. Look, it’s all scraped up.”


    “I’ll send a doctor over to check on you<i>,</i><i>” </i>Jeffrey said, his tone soft and patient. “I’lle back as soon as I’m done here.”


    <i>“</i>Okay,” Andrea replied<i>. </i>But before hanging up, she added, “By the way<i>, </i>Jeffrey, could you not go after Reba about this? She only snapped because she was upset. She’s not usually like that.”


    “I don’t care how she’s feeling,” Jeffrey said smoothly<i>, </i>his tone still mild. “All I know is she hurt you.”


    “But…” Andrea tried to argue.


    “Alright. Go home now,” Jeffrey said.


    Stal


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