<b>Chapter </b><b>51 </b>


    Samuel wanted to refuse Jeffrey. He wanted to take care of his mom himself.


    Before he could insist, Jeffrey lifted him up and carried him to the bedroom, adding a threat. “If <i>you </i>don’t get ready for bed properly, I’ll tell her tomorrow that I’m the one who brought her home.”


    “You…” Samuel was a little surprised.


    “Hurry,” Jeffrey urged him.


    Samuel stood still. “I’ll wait for you to finish.”


    Jeffrey didn’t say more. He went to the bedroom, bringing makeup remover with him. He carefully removed Reba’s makeup, making sure to be gentle around her eyes and lips.


    He finished by wiping her face with cleansing tissue until no residue remained.


    Watching this, Samuel couldn’t help but think back to how Jeffrey used to let Reba rest afterte–night events, gently removing her makeup in the same way.


    ‘Everything feels the same as before. So why has their rtionship changed?‘ Samuel wondered.


    Noticing Samuel standing in a daze, Jeffrey sent him out. After changing Reba into sleepwear, he went to Samuel’s room and teased, “Why the old–man expression?”


    “Dad,” Samuel said, sitting cross–legged on the bed.


    Jeffrey raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”


    Samuel asked seriously, “You still like Mommy, right?”


    Jeffrey paused for a moment, his body freezing.


    “I don’t know why you’re with anotherdy,” Samuel said, his face unusually serious, “nor do I understand what makes her more important than Mommy. But since you still care about Mommy, why give up on her?”


    “I didn’t give up on her,” Jeffrey replied, his lips parting slightly. “Whether it was at the start or now, she’s the one who brought up the divorce. As long as she looks back, even now, I can let everything go and remarry her.”


    Though young, Samuel understood a lot. “Being with thatdy means you’re either abandoning Mommy or forcing her to give up first.”


    Jeffrey frowned slightly, disagreeing with this interpretation.


    “I want to ask you a question,” Samuel said, giving his father another chance, especially after seeing how he treated Reba earlier.


    Jeffrey seemed distracted. “Go ahead.”


    “Who matters more, Mommy or thatdy?” Samuel asked, staring at Jeffrey with his round eyes, which were <b>full </b><b>of </b>


    9


    <b>36</b><b>% </b>


    unspoken thoughts.


    Jeffrey pressed his lips into a thin line. Emotionally, Reba mattered more. Rationally, Andrea took priority. Without her saving him years ago, there would be no Jeffrey Hanson, not to mention his marriage <i>to </i>Reba.


    Samuel didn’t get the answer he hoped for. His heart felt a little hurt. “Can you cut off contact with that woman?”


    “No,” Jeffrey replied, his tone t.


    With that answer, Samuel’sst bit of hope faded. He unfolded his crossed legs and pulled the nket over himself with small hands, formally issuing an eviction notice. “You should leave. Don’t make that woman wait anxiously at home.”


    Jeffrey reached to tousle his hair, but Samuel deliberately dodged it. The motion of his hand made Jeffrey’s chest tighten painfully.


    “From now on, I only have Mommy. Don’te again,” Samuel said stubbornly. “I’ll find a dad who loves both me and Mommy. Just pretend I’m dead.”


    Jeffrey’s finger tapped Samuel’s head lightly. “Stop talking nonsense.


    Samuel yanked the edge of the nket and pulled it over his entire body, physically rejecting any contact.


    Jeffrey adjusted the nket, exposing Samuel’s head to let in fresh air.


    Seeing Samuel deliberately close his eyes, Jeffrey said gently, “Rest well. No matter what happens between me and


    Mommy, our love for you remains unchanged.”


    Samuel kept ignoring him, his eyelids firmly shut in fake sleep.


    Jeffrey bent down and ced a soft kiss on Samuel’s forehead. “Good night.”


    When Samuel still refused to speak, Jeffrey turned off the light. As the door closed, Samuel’s usually bright eyes opened in


    the darkness, now clouded withplicated emotions.


    After leaving Samuel’s room, Jeffrey went to check on Reba. She was peacefully asleep in the same position.


    He sat by the bed, watching her calm, sleeping face. Her steady breathing looked so peaceful, like she was following his every wish. He instinctively cupped her cheek. ‘Why couldn’t she be this well–behaved when awake?‘ he thought.


    He didn’t leave right away. Though he knew that drunk Reba would sleep soundly until morning, anxiety kept him alert for any emergencies.


    He sat in his shirt from 9 PM until after 4 AM. Only when Reba’s brows furrowed, showing signs of waking, did he silently exit the bedroom, grab his coat from the sofa, and head downstairs.


    Perhaps Samuel’s words had affected Jeffrey. A restless unease settled in Jeffrey’s chest once he was out of Reba’s ce.


    Instead of going back to Harmony Estate, he called Stanley to meet him.


    <b>13:16 </b><b>Fri</b><b>, </b><b>19 </b><b>Sept </b>00<b>. </b>


    24 ?? <b>36</b><b>%</b>￠


    “Stephen,” Stanley said, yawning loudly, “Do you know what time it is? Staying up until 4 AM with you doesn’t mean I can wake up at 4 AM. What’s so urgent?”


    “It’s fine. Go ahead and sleep.” Jeffrey only then realized the time and started to hang up.


    Stanley jolted awake. Normally, such abruptness would have earned him a grudge, but this time, nothing followed.


    “What’s wrong?” Stanley pressed, not hanging up. “Did something happen?”


    Jeffrey’s tone was t. “Nothing. Go back to sleep.” With that, the call ended abruptly.


    Stanley’s unanswered questions lingered. He redialed.


    20


    The phone kept vibrating in Jeffrey’s hand. He knew it was Stanley calling, but his mind was too consumed to answer the call or decline it. He hadn’t felt this way since that incident years ago.


    When Stanley’s first call went unanswered, he didn’t insist. Instead, he got up, threw on some clothes, and left the house. Even without confirmation, he knew exactly where to find Jeffrey at this hour.


    Twenty minutester, in a VIP lounge at the Hanson Group’s gship entertainment club, Jeffrey was leaning back on the sofa with his eyes closed.


    He was alone with a car key and a phone on the ss table in the private room.


    Stanley stormed into this scene. He walked over to Jeffrey quickly and mmed his keys down. “Spit it out. What’s


    wrong?”


    Jeffrey’s deep, unreadable eyes opened, showing a hint of surprise when he saw Stanley.


    “Don’t look at me like that,” Stanley said, his tone casual. “I’m here for the drama and to see why our almighty man is wearing such an expression.”


    <b>13:16 </b><b>Fri</b><b>, </b><b>19 </b><b>Sept </b>