Chapter <b>170 </b>


    “I don’t want an apology. I want you to…” Reba stopped herself as soon as she saw the look in Jeffrey’s eyes.


    No matter how guilty or indebted he felt, if Reba mentioned divorce again, Jeffrey would still stick to what he’d told her that night.


    “Let’s not talk about this,” Jeffrey said, wrapping his arms around her. His heart ached with the weight of his regrets. <b>For </b>the first time, he wished Andrea had never saved him.


    If Andrea hadn’t pulled him from the water and just let him drown, none of this mess would’ve happened. Reba would’ve had a happy life, with Amelia always by her side.


    But Jeffrey couldn’t bring himself to do anything to hurt Andrea.


    Reba shoved him away, her eyes reddened. “Don’t give me that fake concern.”


    “I’ll try to minimize the hurt you have to go through, Jeffrey said, his gaze deep and unreadable. “As for Andrea, I’ll find a time to talk to her.”


    But that was never what Reba wanted.


    Meanwhile, May and Barry were standing outside the door, eavesdropping on every word. “Jeffrey is honestly the worst, May muttered to Barry.


    Barry gave her a weird look.


    ‘Was I wrong?” May thought to herself.


    “I’m Mr. Hanson’s bodyguard. Isn’t it kind of inappropriate to talk badly about him right in front of me?” Barry <b>said </b>seriously.


    “I’m just asking you, aren’t I? May retorted.


    Barry paused, mulled over for a while, and then <b>said</b>, “Mr. <b>Hanson </b>isn’t heartless; he’s <b>just </b><b>stuck </b><b>in </b>a <b>tough </b><b>spot</b>. He truly cares about Ms. Jensen and feels responsible for Andrea”


    May felt speechless. In her eyes, Barry’s words just showed that Jeffrey was a scumbag.


    Remembering that May was Reba’s friend, Barry quickly added, “Please, don’t worry. We’ll make sure Ms. Jensen <b>doesn’t </b>suffer, not even a little.”


    “Didn’t she just suffer a second ago?” <b>May </b>didn’t hesitate to call him out.


    “Well, that’s just how rtionships grow,” Barry insisted, scrambling to defend Jeffrey. “After a fight like this, they’ll understand each other more and love each other even deeper.”


    May crossed her arms, shooting Barry a look that said she wasn’t buying it.


    “I’m serious” Barry stressed.


    “Then I hope your rtionship keeps getting hotter every single day. May replied, clearlyying on the


    Barvy felt a pang of resignation, but wanting to score points for Jeffrey, he epted it anyway. “Alright, thanks for the blessing.”


    May shook her head, thinking Barry was hopeless. She swallowed her feelings and entered the room.


    May looked at Reba’s angry face, then at Jeffrey, and said, “Young people’s drama isn’t my thing, but if you truly love someone, you can’t bear to see them that sad.


    “You’re absolutely right, Jeffrey replied.


    May hugged Reba tightly, whispering softly in her <b>car</b>, “Don’t let someone unworthy mess with your


    mood.”


    Reba nodded slightly.


    Seeing them together like that, Jeffrey felt a rock just sitting <b>on </b>his chest.


    For the past five years, whenever Reba was down, she’d always dive straight into Jeffrey’s <b>arms</b>, ranting and venting nonstop about every little thing that was eating at her.


    Now, remembering how she’d shoved him away without even thinking twice, Jeffrey felt his heart get twisted in agony. “You guys take your time. I need to handle some stuff, so I’m heading out.”


    “Suit yourself,” May said.


    Jeffrey shot Reba onest look, shoved all those messed–up feelings deep down, and strode out of the


    <b>room</b><b>. </b>


    Once they were out of sight, May turned to Reba. “Do you actually want to divorce Jeffrey?”


    “Yeah, but he won’t let me,” Reba muttered.


    “Just be ready to walk away anytime,” May said, giving her some reassurance. “When your mom wakes up. she’ll help you leave him. She’ll handle the divorce for you.”


    Reba blinked, curious. “Mom? How-


    “That’s all I’m telling you, so don’t ask for more,” May cut her off, not wanting to get into details.


    “Alright,” Reba said. As long as she could get away, she didn’t really care about anything else.


    They hung around the hospital for quite a while before finally leaving. Just as Reba stepped outside, her phone lit up with a call from Stanley.


    Stanley said anxiously. “Hey, Reba, Jeffrey’s gotten himself drunk. Can youe pick him up? He won’t stop mumbling your name.”


    Reba didn’t hesitate for a second. “No way.” She knew that Barry was with Jeffrey. If anything happened,


    Barry’d handle it.


    “He’s really not doing well. Stanley tried to say more


    Reba cut him off, “Not my problem, and then hung up


    touched


    Stanley stared at his phone and then shot a look at Jeffrey, who hadn’t whed a single drink “Man, you wile can be pretty ruthless when she wants to be


    Jeffrey shot Stanley a re.


    “Did you two have a fight? Riley teased, raising an eyebrow like she was front row at a show


    “No, Jeffrey replied.


    “Sounds like a fight to me, Riley concluded.


    Jeffrey just stared at her, speechless.


    Riley was totally enjoying the drama. “So what set it off this time? Is it Andrea again, or something new?


    “Curious about my issues? How about you tell me about your teacher, Amelia?” Jeffrey smoothly changed the subject. “No matter how hard you hide it, I found out.”


    Riley raised an eyebrow. “Huh?”


    Jeffrey poured himself a drink. “<b>Drop </b>the act. May spilled the beans. She said Amelia’s <b>a </b>hacker and used to have a kid apprentice back when she was younger.”


    “Beats me what you’re even talking about,” Riley replied, sounding totally uninterested. <fn5695> Readplete version only at Find[?]ovel</fn5695>


    Jeffrey waved it off, not in the mood to argue. “When Amelia wakes up, whose side are you on?”


    Riley just leaned back, easygoing as ever. “Told you before, Amelia’s not my mentor.”


    “Well, make sure you don’t let her take Reba away when the timees, Jeffrey said, seeing through Riley’s little act. “You’re <b>just </b>as good a hacker as she is. If you can’t block her…”


    Riley’s eyes flicked up, epting the reality that Jeffrey really did know what was up.


    H


    “Try and look into Amelia’s past,” Jeffrey told Stanley. “If you can’t dig up anything, see if you can get something out of Riley’s mentor or Ryan.”


    Seeing Jeffrey so dead serious, Riley immediately knew he was onto everything. “So, what’s the connection between May and Amelia?”


    Jeffrey


    gave her a sideways nce. “Enough pretending?”


    “Didn’t you already guess?” Riley shot back.


    Jeffreyid it out, knowing Riley wasn’t actually close to the real Amelia. “They’re BFFs.”


    名零回


    “How do you even know <b>Amelia’s </b>gomma help Reba leave? <b>Stanley </b>asked, brows furrowed. Ister she sull


    “Turer


    Jeffrey just ran his fingers along the tim of his <b>ss</b>.


    Amcha had always been there for Reba. If Reba wanted nut, Amelia would do whatever it took to get her away. And with Ryan in her corner, nothing could stop them.


    “Sounds like you guys really went at it this time.” Riley guessed.


    “When haven’t they?” Stanley rolled his eyes, used to Jeffrey and Reba’s constant drama. “If you’re worried Reba might leave, why not fix the real issue? Sometimes promises need to bend.”


    Jeffrey quietly downed his drink. Every time he and Reba shed, he considered ways to make Andrea <b>give </b>up, maybe by paying her off instead of caring for her daily.


    It wouldn’t have been difficult, but he just couldn’t bring himself to cross that line. He didn’t want to fall into the same pit as Marcus.


    AD