Chapter 326
Rosita gazed at her with wide, innocent eyes.
She had waited fourteen years for this moment.
At last, she could see Lauren finally getting what she deserved.
But even this wasn’t enough. Lauren’s current misery still fell short–she wasn’t nearly wretched enough yet.
She always liked clinging to men? Well, now she could see what that got her.
Rosita studied Lauren’s hollowed cheeks, secretly feeling a surge of satisfaction.
On the outside, though, she forced her eyes to redden, putting on a show of wounded concern. “I swear, I never meant to abandon you. I thought Mr. Prescott would take good care of you…”
“Gavin? He stopped caring a long time ago!” Lauren let out a bitter laugh, her jaw clenched as she recalled the moment Gavin found out about her pancreatic cancer–he’d tossed her a check for fifty thousand and walked away without a second thought.
She remembered, too, how she’d been the one to test positive for HIV, and still, every time she slept with Gavin, she insisted on protection, worried for his health.
Looking back now, the irony stung. Gavin had never been worth her loyalty.
“Mom, here’s fifty thousand,” Rosita said, handing Lauren a debit card. “It’s all I have left right now.”
“Garry isn’t giving you any money?”
“He only married me to find a suitable stepmom for his son.”
Rosita’s voice wavered, thick with a feigned sorrow. “Honestly, I wanted to come back these past four years, but Garry wouldn’t allow it. If I hadn’t agreed to marry him, he wouldn’t have let me return at all.”
Lauren raised an eyebrow, surprised. “Why would Garry do that?”
“Because he and Stewart are bitter rivals,” Rosita explained. “Stewart loved me, so Garry tried everything to take me from him. There was nothing I could do. If marrying Garry could help Stewart, I was willing.”
Lauren fixed Rosita with a skeptical look, but Rosita’s performance was convincing.
“And now that you’re back, Stewart hasn’t tried to find you?”
“There’s nothing left between us.” Rosita dropped her gaze and let tears fall. “Four years ago, Garry manipulated everything, making Stewart believe I’d betrayed him. Stewart was so hurt–he won’t even let me see Irwin anymore.”
“Mom, I’ll work hard now that I’m back. Don’t worry, I’ll earn enough to pay for your treatment.”
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Chapter 326
Lauren scrutinized Rosita for another moment, searching for cracks in her story, but found
none.
She sighed. “Fine. I’ll use this fifty thousand to pay my current bill, but I still owe too much. Figure something out and transfer me another hundred thousand by Monday.”
Rosita lowered her eyes, the flicker of disgust in them quickly masked by obedience. “Okay, I understand.”
“I need to get back to the hospital,” Lauren said with a weary sigh. “Have your driver take me.”
“Of course.” Rosita stood and moved to her mother’s side. “Let me help you, Mom.”
“Daisy, have the driver bring the car around. Take my mother back to the hospital.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Rosita supported Lauren out to the garden.
The driver pulled the car up, got out, and opened the door.
Lauren climbed in. Rosita stood at the curb, waving goodbye.
The door shut, and the car pulled away.
Watching the taillights recede, Rosita’s lips curled into a cold, satisfied smile.
Stewart stayed in the old town for an entire week.
During that time, Briony treated him like he was invisible. He came and went as he pleased, but she barely acknowledged his presence.
She went about her day as usual, completely unfazed by Stewart’s shameless habit of freeloading at every meal. She simply let him be.
James, of course, wasn’t thrilled with Stewart hanging around, but once he realized Briony was deliberately giving Stewart the cold shoulder, he didn’t bother to kick him out either.
Carney and Gwendolyn White, the elders of the house, had gone from awkward at Stewart’s constant presence to utterly resigned.
As for little Nina, she was thoroughly exasperated. Every day, she’d ask, “Mom, when is that man going to leave? Why does he come over all the time? Doesn’t he have his own kitchen?”
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