Chapter 475

With that, Jennifer opened the car door and asked Evelyn to get out and take a taxi home. As night fell, Donald came home and found Jennifer sitting still on the sofa, looking lost. He hurried over and asked, “Is everything alright?”

It took Jennifer a long moment to regain her composure. She nodded, her eyes downcast and weary. Though her voice was calm, it couldn’t hide how drained she felt. She said, “Yes. I’ve just been tired lately.”

“Don’t think too much,” Donald said. “Life doesn’t always go our way. Just treat the rough patches as catalysts for the journey. All you need to consider is how to be my beautiful bride.”

After that, Donald kissed Jennifer’s forehead and held her hand. Jennifer let herself sink into his arms. She whispered, “Donald, hold me a little tighter.” It felt like only in his embrace could she truly believe there was still someone in this world who loved her so much.

“Okay.” Donald wrapped her in his warmth. The night deepened around them. The dark room was filled with the sound of sobbing, which drew Jennifer’s attention. In a shadowy corner, she spotted a little girl whose face looked vague. The girl crouched helplessly on the floor, her hair drenched from the rain, shivering from the cold.

As Jennifer approached, she realized the girl was her younger self. She stared, but suddenly the scene shifted. Someone tugged at the hem of her dress.

“Mommy,” called a child whose face was a blur.

Jennifer froze in shock. She asked, “Who are you?”

“Mommy, I’m your baby. Don’t you want me?” said the child.

“I–I never said I didn’t want you.” Jennifer instinctively placed a hand on her belly.

“Mommy, you’re lying. You don’t want me. Otherwise, why won’t you tell Daddy about me?” asked the child.

Jennifer replied, “Be–because I haven’t figured out how to tell him yet.”

The child said, “You can’t fool me, Mommy. You still don’t want me. You’re going to get rid of me, aren’t you?”

“No, I haven’t made that decision. I’m still thinking…” She pulled her dress away from the child’s grasp. The scene shifted again. Another person reached out from behind and tugged on her sleeve. A voice sounded: “Aunt Jennifer, it’s me, Mike.”

“Mike.” Jennifer turned and saw Michael.

She was about to ask Michael where his mother was, but his lips trembled, and he burst into tears. Michael said, “Aunt Jennifer, why don’t you let me see my dad? You’re a bad person.”

Jennifer replied, “I’m not, Mike. I’m doing this for you and your mom. Your dad is the bad one, and so is your grandma.”

But Michael acted as if he couldn’t hear her. He kept crying, saying he wanted his dad. He begged, “Please, Aunt Jennifer. Just let me have a dad. I promise I’ll be good.”

“Mike, why are you crying? Aren’t you doing just fine right now?” asked Jennifer.

“Aunt Jennifer, I’m not fine. I want my dad. Do you really hate me that much?” Michael cried harder.

Jennifer was about to comfort Michael when the child behind him, whose face was vague, started crying too. The muffled sobs of the children were really getting on her nerves.

Jennifer shouted, “Stop it! Stop it! Just stop crying!”

Suddenly, Jennifer jolted awake from the nightmare. Her forehead was drenched in sweat. She found the bedroom empty, her pajamas soaked through, and Donald already gone. A note on the table said he had gone to the hospital.

Jennifer slowly regained her composure and glanced around. There were no children, no crying. She thought, ‘So it was just a dream. Why did I have such a nightmare?’