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“Mr. Hanson,” Barry said, following Jeffrey closely, “shouldn’t you bring something with you? No one’s going to forgive you if you show up empty–handed.
“Shut up.” Jeffrey snapped.
Barry fell silent immediately.
When they reached the hospital room, Jeffrey told Barry to wait outside while he went in alone.
Reba thought May had returned, so she nced at the door and said, “What took you so long? Is it- But seeing Jeffrey, she shut down, her rxed attitude turning cold.
“How’s your mom?” Jeffrey asked, shamelessly striding over to show concern.
“She’s fine, Reba replied.
“Andrea spilled juice all over me this morning. I couldn’t take the smell and how sticky it was, so I went to shower. I left my phone in the bedroom <b>and </b>never thought she’d just walk in, Jeffrey exined.
“I don’t care what’s going on with you and her,” Reba said, holding back her emotions as she looked at him. “I just want to know why you decided to quit my job for me without even asking.”
“They only hired you because they wanted to take advantage of you,” Jeffrey <b>replied</b>. “If you really like that job, I can help you find another one.”
That lit a fuse inside Reba, hitting the rawest part of her nerves. She shot up from her seat, <b>voice </b>loaded with sarcasm. “Help me? Really?”
Jeffrey instantly picked up on the change in her vibe.
Reba snapped, her frustration boiling over, “Oh, so you think I can’tnd a job without you swooping in? Or that I’d totally fall apart if you weren’t around?”
“Neither,” Jeffrey replied, locking eyes with her. “I just want you to have it a little easier.”
Reba held back her reply, sighing inwardly, ‘Here we go again. He knows exactly how to hit my weak spots. without trying, then acts like it’s all for my own good. From the outside, I probably just seem dramatic, clueless <b>about </b><b>how </b>lucky I am.”
But back then, Jeffrey was the one who shot down Reba’s worth, who made it seem like she didn’t matter at all. That sting had been stuck deep inside her for ages, never going away.
“If there’s anything on your mind, you can tell me, Jeffrey said, reaching out and taking her hand gently, his voice soft and steady.
The calmer Jeffrey acted, the more agitated Reba felt inside. She had told him her thoughts many times, but it always fell on deaf ears.
Jeffrey offered, “If you can’t pur the Weed pr 1 can talk to Lace for you, where there and court he sounded. To hun, all de crinery was for Prince’s happiness, and working just made things harder for hee
him,
He didn’t want her to struggle What he wanted more than anything was for her to live a life full of joy where she didn’t have to worry about a thing
Reba had changed. After everything–the way he belittled her and shuffled money behind her back during their marriage–she couldn’t just trust and rely on anyone blindly anym
Now, she believed true security meant having both money and skills in her own hands. Even if her paycheck was tinypared to Jeffrey’s fortune, at least it was hers.
“It’s not about the job, Reba snapped, frustration rising. “You quit my job without even asking. Don’t you see how disrespectful that is? Every time you say I don’t need to work, it feels like you’re erasing my worth.
“You’re the CEO of Hanson Group, worth billions. Of course, my tiny ie means nothing to you.” Reba’s voice trembled with anger. “But that money is mine, not yours or anyone else’s. You don’t get to touch it or decide for me.”
Jeffrey went quiet for a moment, turning over everything she’d said. Then he finally spoke. “I shouldn’t have quit your job without talking to you first. But I’ve never once questioned your value.”
Reba didn’t hold back this time. All her frustration came spilling out. “Never questioned my value? So what was that crap during the divorce–telling me all the money <b>was </b>yours, and I didn’t deserve any of it?” <fna443> Get full chapters from </fna443>
“I only said that because I was angry, Jeffrey said, keeping his tone steady. “You brought up divorce, and I just lost my temper.
Reba snapped, sarcasm sharp in her voice, “Oh, really? <b>You </b>said you’d support another woman for life, and I’m the one who made you mad? What gives you the right to be angry<b>?</b>”
After that, the room went dead quiet. They stared each other down. <b>Reba</b>, fired up and stubborn as a bull ready to charge, and Jeffrey, cool and collected, not a ripple in his expression.
Jeffrey finally said, his voice heavier than before, “Choose me and mean it. I screwed up with Andrea, and you’re right, I owe you. But I’ll do whatever it takes to make things right.
“That’s enough,” Reba cut him off. She couldn’t stand to hear any more from him.
“The only thing that could <b>ever </be between us is ourselves, Jeffrey said, his voice weighed down. “Even if that means I’ve got to look after Andrea my whole life, I never stopped loving you, not for a second.”
Reba turned away, shutting him out. She wanted to ask if one promise could carry a lifetime and a marriage, but afterst time, she knew it was pointless. He’d never be honest.
“You can’t handle this, can you?” Reba said, frustration clear in her voice. “If anything happens to her, even at night, you’d drop everything and run to her. She’ll use your promise to control you. You can’t just cut her off, and we both know it.”
Jeffrey faltered, a heavy silence stretching between them. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet, almost selfish. “As long as our hearts stay together, nothing she does cane between us.”
10:33 Mon, Sep <b>29 </b>
“I’m disgusted,” Reba blurted out. “Even the air feels dirty wherever she’s around. Don’t act like you don’t know <b>what </b>she’s put me through.”
Andrea didn’t just spread nasty rumors about Reba at school. She joined in bullying her. Anyone in the dorm who stood up for Reba got punished, one <i>by </i>one. Reba’s senior year felt like dodging constant snide remarks <b>and </b>toxic gossip.
Guys <b>shoved </b>crude notes at Reba during lunch, bragging about their size and offering free hookups. Mid- lecture, filthy messagesnded in her textbook, inches from her <b>face</b>. Even her texts<b>, </b>emails, and calls were flooded. She was attacked from all sides.
Then came the deep fake videos–Al swapped her face into clips that spread across campus. It was her lowest point. When she couldn’t take it anymore, Reba told Amelia, who got Richard involved to stop it.
Andrea kept her tracks covered. At first, no one suspected her at all. Even her own phone got the same spam as everyone else, so she blended right in.
No one doubted Andrea until Amelia’s investigation proved she’d staged it all. Without clear evidence, the truth came out toote. That was the breaking point. Andrea and Reba cut ties for good.
anger.
“She
“When I finally confronted her about it, do you know what she said?” Reba’s voice shook with said, “What makes you so special? If we’re both just people, why should you get a better life? I’m going to tear down everything you’ve got.””
Jeffrey’s lips pressed into a tight line, his mood sinking lower with every word.
Back then, Gregory had done a full background check on Reba and Andrea’s history at school. The report mentioned all the vicious rumors and bullying.
Since it was marked “taken care of,” Jeffrey figured that chapter was closed and never brought it up again.
Reba’s anger red. “You say I never truly chose you?” <b>she </b>shot back. “If you were just paying a debt- sending money or hiring someone–I could swallow it for your sake.
“But you have to be the one doing it. Did you ever think how much that hurts me?”
“I’m sorry.” Jeffrey said quietly. That was all he could offer. He couldn’t break his word to Andrea, and he also couldn’t let go of Reba; she was the one bright spot he fought so hard to find.
He knew his heart was greedy, wanting both things at once. But if that was how it was, then he wasn’t about to stop now.