Chapter 1070
Evelyn sighed. “Jonathan, I know you’ve always been a kind man, but sometimes kindness can be both your strength and your weakness. You know as well as I do. You can’t please everyone, and you can’t always have things go as you wish. Both families have agreed to stay out of each other’s lives after that kind of thing. Why did you come back to Teresa? I can’t just stand by and do nothing, either.”
“What do you mean, ‘that kind of thing’?” Teresa shot back at Evelyn. “Is it fair to put all the blame on him just because of Jennifer? Besides, it’s not like I’ve gotten back together with him. I’m just paying rent to stay there. My sons do nothing wrong, and all they want is to have their dad in their lives. I just hope you can respect my choices and my personal life.”
Evelyn went quiet. In the end, she said to Teresa, “If you still think of me as your mother, then end things with him. Don’t embarrass yourself.”
Jonathan furrowed his brows and looked at Teresa. But this time, Teresa didn’t back down. “I don’t want to hear it. I’m an adult, and I have the right to make my decisions. We’re just co-parenting the kids, and I don’t have to explain myself to you anymore.” With that, she took Jonathan by the hand and pulled him away. They had lost the mood to take Michael to play.
“Mom! Did Grandma bully you?” Michael asked, his little heart all tied up with worry for Teresa.
Teresa reached out and ruffled his hair. “No, she didn’t.”
Michael patted his chest in relief, and then wrapped his arms around Teresa’s waist. “That’s good. I was scared Grandma might get mad and hit you.”
“How could she? Grandma is good to me,” Teresa replied with a smile.
Jonathan looked at Teresa’s face in the rearview mirror. She was smiling, but he could see the hurt she was trying to hold back–and it made his heart ache for her.
As night fell, Jonathan went to meet Evelyn alone. He explained, “Evelyn, maybe you don’t know the full story about today. I was the one who asked Teresa and the boys to move over to my place, because during the day, Teresa is usually out, and Felix is still so little. I just couldn’t relax, leaving him with a nanny. So, we talked it over and decided to co-parent them together. Teresa is independent. She didn’t want to move in. Even when I offered to sign the house over to her, she still insisted on paying me rent, and I agreed. Now that I’m back in the country, I can spend a lot more time with my boys.”
Evelyn finally understood what was going on. “If you miss your sons, just have them stay with you for a few days. But Teresa is divorced from you. It’s not appropriate for her to be living with you anymore.”
Jonathan raised an eyebrow. “So, you want me to take the kids away and leave her all alone in that big, empty house? Do you think that’s any better?”
Evelyn fell silent again.
Jonathan went on, “I know Isabel will be starting kindergarten soon, and I can make sure she has the best environment possible. All I ask is that you treat Teresa a little better.”
Evelyn fixed her gaze on Jonathan. “So, are you trying to buy me off, or threaten me? I’m not the kind of mom who’d trade my daughter’s happiness for anything. All I want is for you to stop dragging Teresa into this.”
Jonathan sounded a bit annoyed. “I can back off, but only if she’s doing well. But are you just going to turn a blind eye to how much Teresa has suffered?”
“What could she possibly be upset about?” Evelyn blurted out. In Evelyn’s mind, Teresa had it way better than Jennifer or Lucas. She was wealthier than any of her siblings, and she even owned her place. Lucas, Jennifer, and Isabel had nothing to their names.
Jonathan’s gaze grew angrier. “You always go out of your way for everyone–Isabel, even Jennifer, who isn’t even your real daughter. But have you ever once thought about how Teresa feels in all this?”