Chapter 192

Teresa frowned. “Let’s take it one step at a time and see how things go.” But that was out of the question for Jennifer.

Jennifer admitted she was fixated on that childhood promise, dreaming of a happy life with Teresa. The first step toward that dream was leaving Narigh and starting fresh in a new city. Jennifer would never get married. She and Teresa would raise Michael together, teaching him their values and giving him the best education. Sure, Jennifer had secretly hoped Michael would be a girl, but he was Teresa’s child, and that was what mattered most.

Jennifer had never disliked him—not even for a second. If anything, she was terrified of the idea that Michael might grow to resent her.

Right now, Jennifer was even more determined than Teresa to keep the child’s existence a secret. If the truth came out, Teresa would lose everything, and Jennifer would lose her job and be left with nothing. No one truly understood how much Jennifer cherished what she had—her career, her sister, and her nephew. She had so little in her life and couldn’t afford to lose any of it.

Jennifer was so close to leaving—just one step away. But now Evelyn had been abandoned by her man and left without any support. Teresa couldn’t possibly turn her back on Evelyn. Jennifer was just waiting for the day Teresa would genuinely decide to leave. And yet, their plans would be derailed by someone so irrelevant.

‘Benny? Damn it. Why did he steal a kid’s hair? Seriously, no one would do as he did,’ Jennifer wondered. Jennifer felt the same disdain for Benny as she did for Donald. Birds of a feather, indeed.

Suddenly, a name surfaced in Jennifer’s mind. Jennifer had added Miriam to a group chat but hadn’t added Cheryl yet, so she sent Cheryl a friend request. Cheryl quickly accepted. Considering they were about to become family and Donald had feelings for her, Cheryl took the initiative to say hello.

Jennifer didn’t waste time. “I remember you’re pretty free these days, not really working a serious job.”

Cheryl: [Excuse me? I’m an illustrator. How is that not a serious job? Just because you might marry Donald doesn’t mean you can look down on me.]

Jennifer: [Sorry, I didn’t mean to insult you. Also, I won’t marry Donald. I just need your help with something.]

Cheryl: [What kind of help? If it’s anything shady, I’m not interested.]

Jennifer: [It’s something simple. It’s for Teresa and Mike. Besides, you wouldn’t want your pregnancy to become public knowledge, would you?]

Cheryl groaned. [Seriously? You two are the same, always holding this over my head. So annoying.]

Jennifer offered: [Next time you come to the hospital for a check-up, I’ll give you a prenatal yoga DVD as a thank-you gift. How about that?]

Cheryl rolled her eyes and replied: [Forget the DVD. This Saturday is Donald’s birthday. Just spend time with him, okay? I’ll do whatever you want. I just can’t stand seeing him so down because of you. Please, just give him some attention.]

Jennifer didn’t respond. Cheryl sent a voice message. “Come on, Jennifer, just give Donald a shot. Let me introduce him to you. He’s really tall and has a great physique. His hobby is playing badminton. He’s a Pisces, and he can be a bit love-struck at times. You might not believe in astrology, but his sign really suits him. Anyway, he’s an amazing guy. He gets along with everyone and has a great personality. People say he’s kind-hearted, caring, and genuinely nice. He helps old ladies cross the street and donates to kids in poor rural areas. He’s just a really good person. Give him a chance, will you?”

Cheryl: [Try spending time with him. He’s not bad-looking at all—handsome and cheerful. But lately, he’s been so gloomy at home because of you.]

If it were about Jonathan and Teresa, Cheryl wouldn’t have done all this. After all, Jonathan was her cousin, and his temper made Cheryl hesitant to speak up. But Donald… successfully unlocked! Cheryl couldn’t bear to see Donald so melancholic every day, recreated, and even a bit self-conscious because of Jennifer. The words hit Jennifer like a jolt, her eyes flickering with a trace of unease.

‘Donald, of all people, feeling insecure because of me?’ she wondered. Jennifer’s heart sank. “He is warm, cheerful, and kind—everything I am not. If anyone doesn’t measure up, it’s me.”

While Jennifer was lost in thought, Cheryl, still waiting for a reply, called her via voice chat. Jennifer ignored the call and texted back: [Got it, I’m heading to bed.]

Cheryl: [Alright, it’s settled then, Jennifer. This Saturday, Donald’s birthday—don’t forget. Welcome! Thanks in advance from the Lynn family.]

Jennifer didn’t reply. That night, she couldn’t stop thinking about Donald. But she knew that if she let herself waver, leaving Nareigh would no longer be an option.

Friday came quickly. Over the past couple of days, Teresa had been busy arranging Evelyn’s discharge from the hospital. First, she picked up Isabel and brought her to Rosary Estates. Later, Jennifer would drive over to pack Evelyn’s belongings from the hospital and bring her back home.

“Mommy,” Michael’s curiosity was piqued by the unfamiliar little girl. He gave her a once-over and asked, “Who’s she?”

Teresa answered honestly, “She’s your aunt.”

“What? No way.” Michael puffed up his cheeks and glared at Teresa. “You’re joking, right? She’s just a little kid, even younger than me. Why do I have to call her aunt?”

“She’s your grandma’s daughter, so she’s my sister. Grandma will be here soon, too. You’ve always asked me about my parents, right? Well, you’ll finally get to meet them,” explained Teresa.

Michael’s eyes widened as realization dawned on him. He looked up at Teresa and asked, “Mommy, is that why you’ve been going to the hospital these past few days? Was Grandma sick?”

“That’s my clever boy. You figured it out so quickly,” Teresa said, playfully rubbing his cheeks with both hands.

“Mommy, is Grandma okay now? Are Grandma and, well, Aunt Isabel going to live with us from now on?” he asked.

“For now, yes,” Teresa replied with a gentle smile. Meanwhile, Isabel, sitting on the sofa, let out cheerful sounds as she crawled toward her handsome nephew, her tiny hands reaching out to grab his clothes.

Michael sighed in resignation, “Mommy, I can’t call her Aunt. She’s just a baby who doesn’t even talk yet.”

“Alright, it doesn’t matter,” Teresa said with a chuckle. Even Teresa found it strange to call Isabel her sister. Isabel was younger than Teresa’s son, and Teresa was older than Isabel by over twenty years.

The elevator dinged, and footsteps grew closer. Teresa took a deep breath, bracing herself to introduce Michael to Evelyn—and to endure whatever scolding might come her way.