Chapter 310

This must be how all displaced souls feel. For the first time, the loneliness of displacement truly struck Teresa.

“We all have our battles,” Rebecca sighed. “I grew up without my parents—put myself through school, scraped by. Now I’ve got stability, but life never stops testing you.” Being an adult meant endless compromises.

Teresa said, “I really want a drink, Rebecca. Do you get how I feel?”

“Not a chance,” Rebecca said firmly. “I get it, but no drinking until that baby’s born.”

Carrying a child changed everything. Every choice now carried double the weight. Teresa knew that. She cradled her belly. “Be kind to Mom, little one.”

“Is your firstborn a boy or a girl?” Rebecca asked.

“A boy,” Teresa replied. “This time, I’m hoping for a girl.”

“Classic,” Rebecca chuckled. “The grass is always greener.”

“Girls are easier, aren’t they?”

“Depends on the kid,” Rebecca said. “No guarantees.”

“True enough,” Teresa agreed. Then she asked about the baby’s gender.

“Not twins, but too early to tell. Another month, maybe.” She paused. “Are you considering an abortion?”

“No,” Teresa said sharply. “I’m just curious. This baby is mine. Boy or girl—it doesn’t matter.”

“Then be patient,” Rebecca said. “The surprise will come.”

Teresa smiled. The way Teresa dipped her chin when smiling made Rebecca think of Jennifer. She shared that same gesture. Yet, where Jennifer’s gaze carried a sharp elegance at the corners, Teresa’s eyes softened into crescent moons—their features holding no true mirror image.

After some idle chat, Teresa prepared to leave. Before leaving, she paused. “Would light exercise be alright?” She explained, “My son’s school is having its annual family sports day.”

“You’d better not run or jump. Ask a friend to go to the sports day for you,” Rebecca advised.

“Alright, I get it,” Teresa replied.

Rebecca, a few years older, had taken to treating Teresa like a younger sister. “You’re so pretty. Don’t stay single. Go find yourself a new guy, you totally could.”

Teresa shook her head. One marriage was more than enough.

Rebecca sighed, sliding a fruit basket toward her. “Take these for your son. I don’t really eat fruit. If you need help, just come find me. I’m at the clinic on Mondays and Wednesdays.”

“Thanks,” Teresa said and left.

When Teresa returned home, it was already evening. She went to the kitchen and began to prepare dinner. Michael fiddled with her phone and ran up to her. “Mom, you are chatting with Jonathan!”

Teresa snatched her phone back, scrolling through the messages. Relief washed over her—no strange texts from her son. She quickly changed the passcode.

She fixed him with a stern look. “Go play with your tablet. Don’t sneak my phone again, or I’ll really get mad.”

Michael pouted. “I just wanted to check if Jonathan texted you. Mom, why’s Jonathan’s contact name so weird? What does it mean?”

Teresa had changed Jonathan’s contact name to “Soused Doggy.” That was because he was always drinking and blacking out.

Michael pointed at the name. “Mom, what’s a ‘Soused Doggy’?”

“Uh… It’s ‘Snazzy Doggy’,” Teresa blurted. “It means he’s… good-looking!”

Michael crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. “Hmph, don’t try to fool me. I know the word ‘snazzy.’ That’s not it.” He peered closer. “Is that ‘Silly’? Why’d you call him ‘Silly Doggy’?”

“It’s not ‘Silly Doggy’!” Teresa groaned. “Fine, I’ll change it. Okay?”

Michael tapped his chin thoughtfully. “How about… ‘Good Doggy’?”

“Good Doggy it is.” Teresa typed the new name with exaggerated flair.

She scrolled through their short chat history and remembered she’d once said, “Whoever initiates their conversation becomes the dog.” After that, they hadn’t spoken again. She thought he had probably come back to Nareigh.

“Mom,” Michael tugged her sleeve. “Can I message Jonathan and ask for another autograph? Heidi tore up the last one.”

“He’s probably asleep by now,” Teresa said, glancing at the time on her phone. “Don’t worry, I’ll ask him tomorrow.”

With Children’s Day around the corner, Teresa headed to the mall after work to buy a gift for Michael. She also bought two athletic shirts.

Ivy, tagging along, raised an eyebrow as she saw Teresa buy a kid’s T-shirt. “Who’s the kid’s T-shirt for?” she asked.

“Oh, my neighbor asked me to grab it for her kid,” Teresa answered.

Ivy smirked and leaned in. “Don’t tell me you’re planning to wear one as a crop top.”

Teresa rolled her eyes. “They’re children’s sizes. What’s wrong with you?”

“With your figure, you could totally rock it as a tight top.” Ivy waved her hands at Teresa’s chest. “Flaunt what you’ve got. If I had your figure, I’d be posting selfies every hour on Facebook. But you? Never see you update anything.”

Teresa shrugged. She actually used to love posting updates, but ever since Truman tracked her Facebook posts and started stalking her, she lost all interest in sharing her life online.

At that very moment, on the penthouse floor of the building, Jonathan was in the midst of an interview with a financial magazine. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows stretched the breathtaking panorama of Everport.

The interview centered on youth entrepreneurship—a topic Jonathan spoke on with particular conviction, given that he himself was only thirty years old, at the peak of his prime.

Jonathan said, “Every young person who’s brave enough to start a business deserves applause and recognition, no matter how things turn out.”

“Then Mr. Lynn, what’s your entrepreneurial success formula?” asked the host.

“Your own abilities, opportunities, and reliable alliances as well,” Jonathan answered.

“Ah, the trifecta—competence, catalyst, and collaboration,” the host smiled approvingly.

Jonathan nodded. He was polite, yet he still exuded a powerful aura.

“Mr. Lynn, you once said that your drive for success was to earn someone’s approval. Have you gotten that person’s recognition now?”

A familiar figure flashed through Jonathan’s mind. His eyes softened, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. “Yes.”

“But from the look on your face, it seems like you’re still not completely satisfied—maybe even a little disappointed. Why is that?”

“When you gain something, you’re bound to lose something else,” Jonathan murmured.