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Chapter 120. If I Were You, Jennifer, I’d Settle Down And Refrain From Bothering Me
“Jennifer and I don’t share the kind of relationship you might think.”
Mae’s hand jerked slightly, causing a few drops of the coffee to escape the cup and land on the back of her hand. She concealed any trace of darkness that crept into her eyes beneath her lowered lashes and responded with a nonchalant “Oh.”
As she took another sip from her coffee, the bitter taste of the Americano filled her mouth, causing her brows to furrow. She couldn’t help but feel that today’s coffee was slightly more bitter than usual.
Mark’s question cut through the air, challenging her nonchalant demeanor. “You don’t believe it?” The words were tinged with a hint of displeasure that didn’t go unnoticed by Mae. He didn’t know why, but he was a little less than happy with Mae’s indifference.
The expression on her face shifted, but her indifferent attitude remained as she replied, “It’s not a matter of belief, but rather a lack of interest.”
Mae locked eyes with Mark, a faint smile gracing her lips. “I’ve already divorced you, Mr. Smith, so I see no reason to concern myself with your relationships with other women. It’s not my business anymore.”
Saying this, she paused and added, “Furthermore, I hope we let bygones be bygones, that we can both leave unnecessary past events behind us and move on.”
Mae finished, her thoughts drifting to the past, to a matter that was known to only a few. The incident involving Mark forcing her to abort her child remained a closely guarded secret. Not even Victoria, her closest confidante, was aware of it until she had told her about it a few days ago. Obviously, Rebecca didn’t know about it either. If she had mentioned it to her, she would likely have confronted Mark, creating even more tension between them.
Yet somehow, Jennifer knew about it. Mae’s sneer remained internal. The only person who could have disclosed that secret was Mark himself.
Mae’s intentions remained shrouded in mystery to Jennifer. She couldn’t understand why Mark had chosen to reveal their past to her. Was it simply a calculated move to use her as a pawn in his emotional games? To Jennifer, it seemed as though he was disguising his genuine feelings for her as a mere joke, a way to test her reactions or manipulate her emotions.
And now, he had the audacity to claim that he had no ties to Jennifer whatsoever. The very idea of it was infuriating. It didn’t matter that in his past life, he might have shown such deep emotions for Jennifer. It didn’t matter that he might have been willing to go to great lengths for her. And now had the audacity to claim he had no connection to her? It stung.
Mark, however, misunderstood her intentions. “He interpreted Mae’s words as another attempt to distance herself from their shared history, not realizing that there was a lot more to the story than met the eye. His face twisted into an expression of displeasure as he struggled to make sense of the situation.
“Mae-” he began but was interrupted by the sudden ringing of Mae’s phone. His gaze involuntarily shifted to the device as Mae picked it up. A warm smile crossed her face as she answered the call. “Hello?… Oh, you’re back?” Mae’s expression held surprise and a hint of joy. “When will you arrive?” The person on the other end of the phone seem to have said a time as Mae raised her hand to look at her watch.
1108
Run Away From
She then replied to the person on the other end of the phone, “I’ve just finished a few things on my end; I’ll be able to pick you up from the airport… Yes, our little one has been eager to spend the New Year with you… All right, see you soon.”
Ending the call, Mae turned her gaze toward Mark. The warmth had faded from her expression, replaced by detachment. “This is the second time today. I’ve prescribed some medication for Jennifer; make sure she takes it as instructed.”
She spoke to Mark with cold precision, then turned away, heading towards Jennifer’s ward. Mark remained rooted in place, his face a storm of emotions.
“It’s almost time, let’s go in.” Mae dropped these words, turned around, and walked in the direction of
the ward.
Mark stood still and didn’t move, but his face sank to the point of dripping water, although he didn’t know who the other party was, Mae’s phone had flashed the name “Sandra’s Daddy.” He knew that Sandra was Mae’s daughter, but this new piece of information jolted him–Mae’s daughter had a biological father.
The thoughts raced through Mark’s mind. What about Coach Langley, whom Mae had mentioned? Just how many men were in Mae’s life?
The four years she had been away had transformed her into someone he hardly recognized. The irony wasn’t lost on him–he had searched the world for her, driven by desperation, while she seemed to be thriving in the company of other men.
Mark had refrained from prying into Mae’s personal affairs. Even though it pained him, he hadn’t investigated the identity of Coach Langley. But the appearance of “Sandra’s Daddy” changed the game. He felt a pang of jealousy, his heart churning with a mixture of emotions.
Recalling Mae’s evident excitement on the phone and the closeness that had seeped into her voice, Mark’s heart felt like a heavy weight in his chest. He couldn’t shake the feeling of being left out, of being replaced by others in her life.
The realization hit him hard–his best friend’s advice to toughen up and let go had become a bitter joke, a stark reminder of his vulnerability.
Mark’s thoughts remained inscrutable to Mae. She was solely focused on resolving matters concerning Jennifer.
As she entered the room, she found Jennifer sitting on the bed, her phone set aside hastily upon seeing Mae’s arrival.
Jennifer’s eyes subtly shifted to the empty space behind her, half–expecting Mark’s presence, but he was nowhere to be seen. Jennifer’s heart began to race with anxiety.
Regret started to creep into Jennifer’s mind. Had she been too impulsive in her confrontation with Mae? Would Mark misconstrue her intentions and believe that she was intentionally trying to provoke Mae?
He had already clearly warned her not to play any games, and she was afraid that this time…
No, there was no need to be nervous. She just had to bite the bullet and tell Mark that Mae had deliberately slandered her.
She reminded herself that she was carrying Mark’s child–surely he wouldn’t do anything to harm her. Thinking this, Jennifer’s heartbeat settled.
Eréhusband.
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She looked at Mae, who was removing the silver needles from Jennifer’s body. She did so with the same silent efficiency as before. There was no attempt at any conversation, just like before. Afterward, Mae handed over a prescription and uttered, “Take this three times a day. I’ll come back after seven days.”
Jennifer, however, refused to accept the piece of paper. She looked at Mae, her gaze icy, and spoke with a biting tone, “Mae, you’re quite generous, taking care of your ex–husband’s child from another woman.”
With Mark absent from the scene, there was no longer any reason for her to put up a facade for Mae.
Although her efforts to unsettle Mae’s composure had been in vain, Jennifer found a different tactic, saying with a chuckle, “Mr. Smith agreed to my terms. How can I break my promise? If I go back on my word, who’s to say Mr. Smith won’t do the same?”
She delivered these words with apparent nonchalance, yet they hit Jennifer like a heavy blow, jolting her to reality. The realization dawned on her – Mae’s presence was a result of her negotiation with Mark regarding the divorce.
Once she nullified the agreement, the terms of Mark’s divorce from Mae would be…
Jennifer couldn’t bear the thought. Contemplating this, Jennifer’s gaze darkened, overshadowed by a surge of jealousy.
Mae continued, “If I were you, Jennifer, I’d settle down and refrain from bothering me. The worst–case scenario is that I’ll quit the contract and remarry Mark. Care to wager on whether he’d agree?”
Her lips curled into a triumphant smile, dealing a sharp pang of defeat to Jennifer. Mae’s victory seemed to pierce through Jennifer’s eyes, stinging them red.
Jennifer recalled Mark’s words to Rebecca in the hospital room that day. “If you don’t want Mae to interfere, fine. I’ll void this deal with her and marry her again right away.”
Those words still echoed vividly in Jennifer’s mind, haunting her thoughts.
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11:08
Pua Auru Pezza
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