Chapter 93
Gabriel was usually a total troublemaker, so his suddenly going quiet was basically a neon sign that he was up to something shady behind the scenes,
Cleo looked worried. “Be careful, okay? If things get dicey, just come stay at my place. At least if we’re together, we can watch each other’s backs,”
Maxine shook her head. “It’s alright. As long as I’m careful with Jessica, we’ll be fine.”
She’d already caused Cleo enough trouble lately, and if Gabriel really sent people after her, the last thing Maxine wanted was to drag Cleo into danger too.
Over the weekend, Maxine took Jessica to get her passport and then stopped by the office. She planned to organize all the evidence she’d gathered recently and bring it home.
If she wanted to take Gabriel back to court, the video footage would be the key piece of evidence.
There were still a few people working late at the office. When they saw her come in, they all greeted her politely, and a couple of the younger women came over to play with Jessica.
Someone blurted out the question, “Maxine, is this your kid? She’s so cute! I always thought you only had a son. When did you have a daughter?”
The person next to her nudged her and whispered, “That’s not Maxine’s daughter. The little girl is… Ivanna’s daughter.”
Most people at the office had heard a bit about Ivanna’s situation. The woman looked a little embarrassed and gave Maxine an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Maxine, I just got back from a business trip.”
Maxine shook her head to show it was fine. Everyone at the office was pretty nice, and she knew there was no malice behind the comment.
With Jessica being looked after, Maxine quickly copied Gabriel’s files from her computer onto her own flash drive.
Once she’d safely tucked the drive away, Maxine headed next door to find Jessica.
Jessica was gnawing on a piece of beef jerky, her pockets stuffed to the brim with snacks. When she spotted Maxine, she lit up and proudly pulled out a treat from her pocket, offering it like a treasure. “Maxine, want some?”
Maxine smiled and gently patted her head. “That’s sweet, but you go ahead and eat. We’re heading out now.”
A girl nearby let out a surprised, “Wait, Maxine, you’re leaving already?”
Maxine nodded. “Yeah, I’m resigning. It’s a hassle bringing a kid today, so I’ll come back on Monday to pack up my things.”
Her coworker sighed, clearly worried. She’d heard about what Maxine was going through and tried to comfort her, “Don’t get too caught up in Gabriel’s case, okay? He’s in a whole different league from us. Plus, now that you’ve got a kid with you, you really need to be careful.”
She reached out and gave Maxine’s shoulder a reassuring pat. “You’re really good at what you do. No matter where you go, you’ll land on your feet. There’s no need to risk everything for this.”
Maxine just smiled at her. “Got it, sis. Thanks.”
She was right. Sometimes, knowing when to let go was best for everyone. But in this life, there were things she just had to stand up for. She owed it to Ivanna.
Maxine glanced at Jessica, who was looking up at her with wide, innocent eyes.
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17:16 Wed, 18 Jun
Chapter 93
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She was such a sweet little girl, inheriting all the best from her parents. Polite and well–mannered, Ivanna had raised her so well. Jessica should have grown up cherished by her parents, maybe even a little spoiled, holding her father’s hand as she walked toward the one she loved, living a happy and fulfilling life.
But Gabriel destroyed all of that.
Just because he was a member of the Jenson family, he thought he could ruin this family’s happiness.
There was no justice in that. Not in this world.
