Chapter 65
When Brian came downstairs after changing clothes, Madeline sat beside Jacob with her usual smile. She praised, “Jake, you did great. What reward do you want?”
As soon as they were seated, Madeline began praising Jacob without once glancing toward Brian’s glass.
She needed to act natural so that Brian wouldn’t suspect she had spiked his drink.
The person who sold her the pills had assured her that they would awaken a person’s most primal desires.
Thinking of that, Madeline couldn’t help but feel anticipated. She casually chatted with Jacob and noticed that Brian picked up the glass and took a sip.
Madeline’s heart thumped like crazy as she thought, ‘It’s done. I won’t lose to Jessica. So what if she gave birth to Jacob? I will eventually become Mrs. Atkinson.
Ambition shimmered in her eyes. She hadn’t originally intended to drug Brian, but Jessica’s recent unpredictability made her feel too threatened. She had no choice but to resort to this desperate tactic.
Madeline wasn’t afraid of Jessica making a scene. In fact, the more scenes she created, the more her marriage with Brian would fall apart.
What Madeline hadn’t expected was that Jessica, who once grew jealous of her closeness with Jacob, now no longer seemed to care about Brian or Jacob. She even went so far as to initiate divorce proceedings.
Now, it was Brian who refused to let go and Jacob who wanted his mother back.
Madeline knew all too well that her relationship with Brian was cleaner than that of someone secretly harboring a crush.
Whenever she used her gambling–addicted father as an excuse to call for Brian’s help and cried pitifully into his arms, he had always pushed her away without hesitation.
“To Jacob’s health, happiness, and continued academic success,” Madeline said as she poured Jacob a glass of orange juice and raised her own glass with a cheerful toast.
Her vision swept across the glass in front of Brian. Madeline thought, ‘No matter what, I’ll make him finish the wine. I just hope I didn’t underdose it and ruin everything.
Brian’s gaze rested on Jacob. Seeing how genuinely happy his son seemed for the first time in days, he lifted his glass. Jacob also picked up his glass of juice for the toast.
Jacob smiled, “Cheers.”
“Cheers,” Madeline echoed as she clinked glasses with the two of them.
It was at that moment when Jessica entered the house, and what she saw was a perfect picture of their smiling faces, as if they were a real family.
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“Mrs. Atkinson, you’re back.” Sylvie was the first to notice Jessica standing in the doorway. She couldn’t help but exclaim aloud.
Hearing that, the three at the table simultaneously turned their heads in unison.
Brian’s eyes lit up for a brief moment upon seeing Jessica.
“Mom,” Jacob cried out joyfully. He leapt down from his chair, setting down his orange juice so hastily that half of it spilled across the table. However, he ignored it and jumped over.
In the past, he would have flung himself into Jessica’s arms without hesitation. But now, he stopped inches away from his mother, hesitating. “Mom, you’re back. I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to hurt you that day. Can you forgive me?”
Jessica took a deep sigh but said nothing. She watched the light in Jacob’s eyes begin to dim. In the end, she could not bear it. She reached out and gently ruffled Jacob’s hair.
Jacob assumed it meant forgiveness. He sniffled and ran off to fetch his perfect score test paper to show Jessica.
He looked up at Jessica, waiting for her praise. After a few moments of silence and no response, his expression dropped. Then, he ran off again and returned with an armful of items.
He spoke up, “Mommy, these are my gifts for you. Look, this pencil case was given by my teacher as a reward. I want to give it to you too.”
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Chapter 65
Sitting at the table, Madeline nearly dug her fingernails into her palm as she watched Jacob trying to please Jessica.
She thought bitterly, ‘No wonder Jacob refused to let me touch that pencil case. Turns out he saved it for Jessica‘
Seeing Brian’s eyes fixed on Jessica, Madeline finished the wine in her glass.
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