Chapter 225

“Donald, are you sober now?” Jennifer asked.

Donald came to his senses. “Sorry. I heard you’re transferring to another hospital, so I had a drink during lunch.”

“I could tell. Don’t let it happen again,” Jennifer said, dabbing the corner of her mouth before turning to leave.

“Jennifer—” Donald’s voice was low and filled with pain. “I’m serious about you.”

Jennifer’s eyes glistened with tears. She fought to keep her composure. “Stop chasing me.”

Donald watched her walk away, then squinted slightly and headed straight for the hospital director’s office.

Teresa returned to Rosary Estates and heard a faint noise coming from the kitchen. Jennifer was making soup.

“You’re back, Teresa,” Jennifer greeted casually, as if their tension had never existed.

“Yeah,” Teresa replied, removing her gloves and pulling her phone from her bag. Jennifer’s phone on the table lit up with a notification, and Teresa’s eyes caught Jennifer’s new wallpaper: the family photo Evelyn had requested before leaving. Evelyn had asked Michael to take it. In the photo, Evelyn held Isabel, and Teresa and Hannah stood behind them. It was a simple family portrait of mother and daughters. Teresa had taken the photo with her phone and sent it to Jennifer, mentioning offhandedly that her smile looked nice. She hadn’t expected Jennifer to set it as her wallpaper. On the phone screen, Evelyn and Isabel’s faces were obscured by the date and time, leaving only Teresa and Hannah’s visible.

“What are you standing there for?” Jennifer asked, untying her apron and walking over.

“Nothing,” Teresa said coolly, stepping back slightly. “Your phone lit up just now. Someone messaged you.”

Jennifer dried her hands and glanced at her phone. “Well, it’s the telecom operator. It’s the end of the month, and my data has almost run out,” she said, emphasizing “the end of the month.”

Teresa didn’t respond. The end of the month marked her departure, and she had no intention of changing her mind. Without another word, she turned and went to her room.

After dinner, Jennifer decided to talk with Teresa.

“Teresa, I apologize for being so overbearing,” Jennifer said.

Teresa looked up, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. She couldn’t believe those words were coming from Jennifer.

Jennifer took a deep breath. “I’ve always been thinking from your perspective, trying to do what’s best for you, because raising one child is already exhausting enough. As your sister, I don’t want to see you struggling with two kids, especially when one of them is your ex-husband’s child.”

Teresa didn’t respond.

“But during the past few days in the hospital, I thought it over. If you really want to keep the baby,” Jennifer said, clenching her teeth and briefly closing her eyes, “then keep it. I know you can’t bring yourself to abort this baby. You just want someone else to call family, someone to be there for you. If you’re ready to face the challenges and have thought everything through, then go ahead and keep the baby. Your happiness is what matters to me. I don’t want this to ruin our relationship as sisters.”

After a long silence, Teresa finally said, “I know you mean well, Jennifer. I’m not a little girl anymore. I’m twenty-seven. Even if I regret it someday, at least it’s my decision. But what frustrates me is that you always try to… This is my baby, and it’s my choice whether to… I’ll take responsibility for my actions. You don’t need to carry that burden for me.”