Chapter 25

Teresa glanced down and inquired, “Is there anything more?”

Jonathan held her gaze, his tone serious. “We were a couple once. If you ever need anything, I’m here for you.”

A faint smile graced Teresa’s lips as she eased her hand free. “The promises to Grandma and Grandpa were to bring them joy. Don’t stress over them. I’ve got things covered, so no need to worry about me.”

She subtly established her boundaries, prompting him to let go of her hand. A brief flash of disappointment shadowed his face as he replied, “Got it?”

Teresa nodded, her voice gentle. “Drive safe,” she told him before walking towards the community’s entrance.

Jonathan lingered, his eyes tracking her until she was out of sight.

Standing alone in the hallway, Teresa brushed away the tears streaming down her face, certain they were only because of her longing for her grandparents, nothing else.

Upon entering her home, Teresa was greeted by her son, who ran towards her with a beaming smile.

“Mommy,” Michael said, his eyes sparkling with questions. “I spotted you getting out of a black car. Whose was it?”

Teresa was taken aback; she hadn’t expected Michael would notice such things. “That was my boss’s car,” she replied, trying to keep it simple.

Michael scrunched up his face, trying to grasp the concept. “Boss? Like a big, fancy boss?”

Teresa chuckled and explained, “A boss is someone who’s really good at their job, even better than Mommy.”

Michael cuddled into Teresa, his voice full of innocence. “Then you should marry him! The TV says you should marry someone who’s really impressive, someone who can earn lots of money!”

Teresa cleared her throat, her voice turning serious. “Michael, what kind of shows have you been watching?”

“Just cartoons, Mommy?” he replied, grinning and wiggling his tongue playfully.

With her son finally asleep, Teresa settled back into managing her online shop. The kids’ clothes section was really taking off, outpacing the women’s side. She was optimistic that she’d be able to return Miriam’s initial investment in just a month with both shops doing well.

As the busy days flew by, Thanksgiving snuck up on her—a holiday she wasn’t too keen on, especially when it came to family gatherings.

She came across a Facebook post from Evelyn featuring a picture of Evelyn with her new spouse, Charlie, and their little girl, with a caption that said, “I’m truly blissful. Love you, honey.”

Charlie wasn’t the tall, handsome type like Philip; he was more of a short, stocky guy.

To Teresa, Evelyn’s joy was what truly counted. She extended her best wishes for Evelyn’s new chapter of marriage and hoped that Charlie would be a gentle and caring partner.

The phone in Teresa’s hand buzzed, and she saw Edward’s name pop up on the screen. She frowned but answered the call.

“Hey, Teresa, it’s Edward,” Edward’s anxious voice crackled over the phone. “Are you at Rosary Estates?”

Teresa’s reply was brief and to the point. “Yes, what’s up?”

Edward chuckled lightly. “I’m actually right outside your place. Thought I’d drop off some Thanksgiving presents for you!”

Teresa was caught off guard. “Edward, I thought I made it clear Jonathan and I are no longer together.”

After a brief pause, Edward spoke up. “Hayden asked me to deliver these. They got you a bunch of stuff. I’m already here, and it’s getting pretty cold. Which unit are you in?”

Teresa paused, her thoughts spanning. For two years, she had kept Michael away from public places to prevent any unplanned encounters—as with Jonathan. She wasn’t about to start by allowing Jonathan’s cousin into her home.

Chapter 23

She took a deep breath to steady herself and suggested, “Edward, could you maybe just leave the gifts with the doorman for me? I’ll get them later.”

Edward glanced at the towering stack of items and frowned. “This is a lot to handle alone. I’ll give you a hand bringing it in,” he said.

“Thanks, but no, you can’t come in!” Teresa responded quickly, her voice firm.

Edward’s confusion was clear. “Teresa, is there a guy over or something? Why the secrecy?”

Teresa found herself speechless. The man at her place wasn’t who Edward thought. With a sigh, she informed him, “I’m a bit preoccupied at the moment,” and quickly disconnected the call, not giving Edward a chance to respond.

On the tenth floor, Teresa peeked through the curtains and spotted Edward pacing near his car, his phone to his ear.

Shortly after, her phone vibrated with a text from him: [Teresa, lemme know when it’s good for me to come up. Gotta leave this stuff or there’ll be trouble when I get back home.]

With a sigh, Teresa glanced at the persistent Edward, who wouldn’t accept her rejection. She fantasized about tossing a rock to shoo him away: “What point is he trying to make by lingering here!” she pondered.

“[Mommy,” Michael’s sleepy voice interrupted her thoughts as he stumbled out, rubbing his eyes. “Good morning, Mommy.”

Teresa ushered him back towards his room. “Hold on, kiddo. Stay in your room for a sec.”

Michael’s face showed his confusion. “Why can’t I come out?”

“Shh… we’ll chat about it later,” Teresa whispered, giving him a gentle nudge back into his room. She then picked up her phone and dialed Miriam’s number.