“You knew Mom would be upset, but you still did it. So much for caring about her like you say,” Samuel said seriously, his big, round eyes ring at Jeffrey with obvious annoyance.
Jeffrey lifted his brow with a yful smirk. He thought, ‘Didn’t expect the kid to catch that.’
“Anyway, I’m telling Mom everything,” Samuel insisted, refusing to get tricked. “She deserves to know what you’re really like.”
Jeffrey replied, “And then what?”
Samuel shot back, “Then she’ll stay away from you, and you’ll never be my dad.”
“And how’s that any different from now? All you’re doing is making her upset and not bringing any happiness at all,” Jeffrey said, squatting down to meet Samuel’s gaze, his usual mind games in full swing.
He continued, “Looks like you don’t really care about her as much as you say.”
Samuel tried to argue, only to realize he’d walked right into Jeffrey’s trap.
He thought, ‘Damn it. He’s too scheming!‘
Samuel thought fast, and after a long pause, he finally blurted out, “Keep acting like this and you’ll end up losing your son.”
“Doesn’t matter. You never even acknowledge me as your dad, anyway,” Jeffrey said, giving a thin smile with amusement flickering in his eyes.
Samuel shot back, “No one’s gonna visit your grave after you pass away.”
Jeffrey grinned. “Don’t worry, I’ll make all the arrangements before I die. By then, you’ll have to wait in line just to visit me.”
Samuel didn’t know what to say.
Money might not make ghosts work for one, but it sure could hire people to visit one’s grave.
“Got anything else to say?” Jeffrey’s tone stayed smooth and gentle. “If not, just admit you’re beat and forget everything you saw, heard, and learned.”
“You really think I can’t out–talk you, huh?” Samuel shot back sincerely.
Jeffrey answered coolly, “Right now, yeah.”
“So what if you keep winning in these debates?” Samuel snapped back, his voice ringing clear. “Mom still won’te back to you, and you’re still not my dad.”
Jeffrey was speechless. He thought, “That hurts. No wonder he’s my son.
7:54 <b>Sat</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>27 </b>
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Just <b>as </b>Jeffrey was about to win Samuel over, the bedroom door swung open, and Reba stumbled out, still half–asleep.
Seeing the two of them standing there in a weirdly harmonious but equally strange way, Reba felt confused. She asked, “What’s going on here?”
She thought, ‘Why did Samuel drag a small chair here? Are these two having some deep father–son chat or
what?‘
“Mom!” Samuel ran over and clung to her. “You’re up.”
Reba tousled his hair. “Mm–hmm.”
Samuel tipped his head up and said, “Dad and I were discussing who’s gonna visit his grave when he’s gone.”
Reba stared,pletely baffled.
She narrowed her eyes at Jeffrey, suspecting nonsense. She thought, ‘Talking about this in the morning with our son? What’s wrong with him?‘
“Dad said if he drops dead young, there’ll be a crowd lining up to visit his grave,” Samuel piped up, sounding extra petty. “If we don’t stick around, we’ll have to fight for a spot at his grave.”
Samuel thought, ‘Dad moved me away in the middle of the night, and I just twisted his words <i>a </i>bit. That’s fair.
Reba snapped fully awake, her eyes filled with a whirlwind of emotions as she turned to Jeffrey.
“I didn’t say that,” Jeffrey quickly defended himself.
Samuel shot back, “You said yourself that we’d have to wait in line just to visit your grave.”
Jeffrey’s words died on his lips. He thought, ‘What a cunning boy!’
“Samuel’s just a kid. Don’t say things like that around him,” Reba said, realizing they probably did talk about this. “Don’t go jinxing yourself…”
Jeffrey and Samuel were both confused.
Then, with a mischievous grin, Samuel shot his dad a look that said loud and clear, ‘See? Even Mom’s rooting for an early funeral for you.‘
Jeffrey caught the look and understood what he wanted to say. He thought, ‘I didn’t know he was such a little
brat.
He didn’t press the issue, just nodded slightly to Reba. “Got it.”
Reba didn’t say anything more. Once she was sure Samuel had woken up by himself, she headed back to the bedroom to wash up, finally convinced thatst night’s odd feeling had just been her own imagination running wild.
With Reba gone, it was just the two of them left standing outside the door,
Samuel didn’t hesitate<b>. </b>“I’ll support Mom no matter what she decides.”
Jeffrey already knew how this would end, so he stayed out of it. To him, it never mattered if he agreed or not. Once Reba set her mind on something, there was no changing it.
He had all the time in the world. No rush.
After breakfast, Reba <b>was </b>about to leave for the Reed residence to tutor Emily. Jeffrey offered to drive her, and though Reba wanted to refuse, she knew getting from Reba’s Manor to the nearest taxi spot on foot would easily take half an hour.
Jeffrey caught her hesitation and said, “Samuel’sing with us. It won’t just be me giving you a ride.”
For once, Samuel agreed cheerfully. “Yep!”
With that, Reba didn’t insist.
Reba had just slid into the car when Jeffrey’s phone suddenly lit up. She nced over and saw the caller ID: Andrea.
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Samuel didn’t hesitate. “I’ll support Mom no matter what she decides<b>.</b><b>” </b>
Jeffrey already knew how this would end, so he stayed out of it. To him, it never mattered if he agreed or not. Once Reba set her mind on something, there was no changing it.
He had all the time in the world. No rush.
After breakfast, Reba was about to leave for the Reed residence to tutor Emily. Jeffrey offered to drive her, and though Reba wanted to refuse, she knew getting from Reba’s Manor to the nearest taxi spot on foot would easily take half an hour.
Jeffrey caught her hesitation and said, “Samuel’sing with us. It won’t just be me giving you a ride.”
For once, Samuel agreed cheerfully. “Yep!”
With that, Reba didn’t insist.
Reba had just slid into the car when Jeffrey’s phone suddenly lit up. She nced over and saw the caller ID: Andrea.