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    “Of course I should: Andrea gave a small, apologetic smile, and her tone sounded extra sincere. “Reba, Im sorry, I honestly didn’t know Lisa would take those words the wrong way. I’m really sorry?


    Reba didn’t even look at her. She knew Andrea had done it on purpose, but since there hadn’t been any real damage or harm, and Andrea wasn’t the main person responsible, there was no way to put her in administrative detention.


    Once the mediation was over, Reba walked out of the police station without a single nce back. Jeffrey stayed right by her side the whole way.


    “Reba!” Lisa, terrified of retaliationter, rushed to stop her. She cast a nervous nce at Jeffrey, who looked intimidating, and then blurted out, “I’m really sorry about what happened. I promise it won’t happen again.”


    “This is your problem. You don’t need to say it to me.” Reba tossed out the words and kept walking.


    If Reba were just some ordinary woman, Lisa’s apology would’ve been half–hearted at best. The only reason she sounded this humble now was because Reba was “Mrs. Hanson. Lisa was scared of retaliation and had no choice but to act this way.


    She stood there awkwardly, too scared to feel angry or wronged. All she could ho<b></b>


    pe for was not to end up on Reba’s radar.


    “She’s Reba, the Jensen family’s oldest daughter,” Andrea said slowly as she strolled over, her eyes full of contempt. “Apologizing to her won’t change a thing. Even if you got down on your knees and begged, she still wouldn’t care.”


    From the day Andrea met her, Reba had always acted like she was above everyone else. She was independent, different, and never really fit in. Yet somehow, all the girls in the dorm liked her.


    Andrea never got why they liked her, and thought maybe it was because of her money or the little gifts she sometimes handed out.


    “I trusted the wrong person and ended up hurting her. It makes sense that she looks down on me,” Lisa admitted. She had stopped trying to tter Andrea, and deep down, a bit of caution toward her started to take


    root.


    Andrea didn’t like the way that sounded. “Are you ming me now?”


    Lisa didn’t dare offend her. “I wouldn’t dare.”


    “Reba is Jeffrey’s wife, sure, but they’re about to get divorced,” Andrea said sharply. She couldn’t stand Lisa’s tone or attitude. “After that, whether you stay or go wille down to just one word from me.”


    Lisa kept her mouth shut but started piecing things together in her mind. After this wake–up call, she decided she’d never speak recklessly again without solid proof.


    “You’d better keep today to yourself,” Andrea warned as she turned to leave. She still didn’t want her own mess exposed. “If I catch even a hint of gossip at thepany, I’ll make sure Jeffrey fires you.”


    :


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    With that, she walked off in the same direction as Reba and Jeffrey. Just as they were about to get into the car, Andrea called out, “Jeffrey!”


    Jeffrey froze mid–step. Seeing his reaction, Reba picked up her <b>pace </b>toward the car, but Jeffrey’s long arm shot out, grabbed her wrist, and held her back.


    “Let go. I still have to get back to work,” Reba said. She didn’t want to stand around with them.


    “No, you don’t.” Jeffrey held her hand firmly enough to stop her from pulling away, but not enough to hurt her. “This afternoon counts as personal leave. You’ll still get paid.”


    Reba was speechless. Andrea stared at their closeness, and a heavy knot tightened in her chest. “I want you toe back to the hospital with me,” she said.


    “I’ve got other things to do. I don’t have time,” Jeffrey said tly.


    Andrea’s eyes locked on him, and she spoke straight out. “Is it really that you don’t have time, or is it that you just don’t want to make time for me?”


    Reba froze. She hadn’t expected Andrea to throw that out there. Jeffrey stared at her with those dark, unreadable eyes.


    “You promised me you’d take care of me and give me the life I wanted,” Andrea said without holding back. “Now you won’t even drive me back to the hospital yourself.”


    “The driver will take you,” Jeffrey said.


    “I don’t want the driver,” Andrea said, forcing down all her feelings. “I want you to take me. If you don’t, it means you don’t take care of me. If you don’t take care of me, it means you break your promise.”


    Jeffrey pressed his thin lips. Andrea felt uneasy when Jeffrey looked at her like that. But what he had saidst time made her realize he wouldn’t treat her the way he used to.


    So she decided to drag him into this with her. If she couldn’t be happy, she wouldn’t let others be happy either.


    “Or maybe you don’t care about promises at all?” Andrea asked, bringing up something he valued most. “If that’s the case, just say it. I’ll leave right now.”


    At her words, Reba felt Jeffrey’s grip on her hand loosen slightly. She nced at him, puzzled. What could make him make a promise to Andrea? He never makes promises lightly,‘ she thought.


    “You <i>go </i>back first,” Jeffrey said, pushing Reba into the car while keeping his emotions in check. “I’ll take her to the hospital.”


    Reba stayed quiet. She didn’t ask if he had exined everything to Andrea. She didn’t want to be involved. She just wanted to be out of this marriage as soon as possible.


    “Take Reba safely to Maple Garden,” Jeffrey told the driver.


    “Got it, boss,” the driver replied.


    12:27 Fri<b>, </b>Sep 26


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    The <b>car </b>started slowly and soon disappeared. Andrea looked at the empty roadside. “You gave the car to Reba. How are you taking me back to the hospital?”


    “I had Gregory send another car,” Jeffrey said calmly.


    Andrea swallowed the words on her tongue. She had expected him to re, scold, or get angry. But even though Reba had been gone for over ten minutes, he showed no sign of anger.


    It was as if nothing had happened, which made Andrea wonder if he was nning to give her a hard timeter.


    “The doctor said I can be discharged and rest at home,” Andrea said, trying to start a conversation. Later, help me with the discharge paperwork and then drive me back to Harmony Estate.”


    “Fine,” Jeffrey said. He sounded calm, almost like he was talking to a stranger.


    Nothing she said or did seemed to affect him, which made Andrea feel desperate, yet she couldn’t find any fault in him.


    “Do you resent me?” Andrea asked.


    Jeffrey tilted his eyes slightly, confused. Andrea’s hands tightened at her sides. “I asked you to take me back to the hospital, ruining your private time with Reba. Don’t you hate me? Don’t you have anyints about me?”


    “You once saved me,” Jeffrey said rationally. “I should help you when you need it.”


    Andrea let out a bitterugh. At that moment, she finally understood the saying “he drives you crazy, and then watches quietly as you lose yourself.”


    “Fine. After discharge, you stay at Harmony Estate and take care of me,” Andrea said. She didn’t believe he would always stay this cold and controlled. She didn’t believe she couldn’t find any fault in him. “Until I’m fully recovered.”


    Jeffrey’s gaze stayed on her. He didn’t say anything, but the pressure he gave off was intense. “If you don’t want to, you can just say it,” Andrea said slowly, word by word.


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