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“Mr. Hanson,” Barry said, following Jeffrey closely, “shouldn’t you bring something with you? No one’s going to

forgive you if you show up empty-handed.

“Shut up.” Jeffrey snapped.

Barry fell silent immediately.

When they reached the hospital room, Jeffrey told Barry to wait outside while he went in alone.

Rebecca thought May had returned, so she glanced at the door and said, “What took you so long? Is it- But

seeing Jeffrey, she shut down, her relaxed attitude turning cold.

“How's your mom?” Jeffrey asked, shamelessly striding over to show concern.

“She's fine, Rebecca replied.

“Andrea spilled juice all overthis morning. | couldn’t take the smell and how sticky it was, so | went to

shower. | left my phone in the bedroom and never thought she’d just walk in, Jeffrey explained.

“I don’t care what's going on with you and her,” Rebecca said, holding back her emotions as she looked at him.

“I just want to know why you decided to quit my job forwithout even asking.”

“They only hired you because they wanted to take advantage of you,” Jeffrey replied. “If you really like that job, |

can help you find another one.”

That lit a fuse inside Rebecca, hitting the rawest part of her nerves. She shot up from her seat, voice loaded with

sarcasm. “Help me? Really?”

Jeffrey instantly picked up on the change in her vibe.

Rebecca snapped, her frustration boiling over, “Oh, so you think | can’t land a job without you swooping in? Or

that I'd totally fall apart if you weren't around?”

“Neither,” Jeffrey replied, locking eyes with her. “I just want you to have it a little easier.”

Rebecca held back her reply, sighing inwardly, ‘Here we go again. He knows exactly how to hit my weak spots.

without trying, then acts like it’s all for my own good. From the outside, | probably just seem tic, clueless

about how lucky | am.”

But back then, Jeffrey was the one who shot down Rebecca's worth, who made it seem like she didn’t matter at

all. That sting had been stuck deep inside her for ages, never going away.

“If there's anything on your mind, you can tell me, Jeffrey said, reaching out and taking her hand gently, his

voice soft and steady.

The calmer Jeffrey acted, the more agitated Rebecca felt inside. She had told him her thoughts many times, but

it always fell on deaf ears.

10:33 Mon, Sep 29

Chapter 169

Jeffrey offered, “If you can’t pur the Weed pr 1 can talk to Lace for you, where there and court he sounded. To

hun, all de crinery was for Prince’s happiness, and working just made things harder for hee

him,

He didn’t want her to struggle What he wanted more than anything was for her to live a life full of joy where she

didn’t have to worry about a thing

Rebecca had changed. After everything-the way he belittled her and shuffled money behind her back during

their marriage-she couldn't just trust and rely on anyone blindly anym

Now, she believed true security meant having both money and skills in her own hands. Even if her paycheck was

tiny compared to Jeffrey's fortune, at least it was hers.

“It's not about the job, Rebecca snapped, frustration rising. “You quit my job without even asking. Don’t you see

how disrespectful that is? Every tyou say | don’t need to work, it feels like you're erasing my worth.

“You're the CEO of Hanson Group, worth billions. Of course, my tiny incmeans nothing to you.” Rebecca’s

voice trembled with anger. “But that money is mine, not yours or anyone else's. You don’t get to touch it or

decide for me.”

Jeffrey went quiet for a moment, turning over everything she’d said. Then he finally spoke. “I shouldn't have quit

your job without talking to you first. But I've never once questioned your value.”

Rebecca didn’t hold back this time. All her frustration cspilling out. “Never questioned my value? So what

was that crap during the divorce-tellingall the money was yours, and | didn’t deserve any of it?”

“I only said that because | was angry, Jeffrey said, keeping his tone steady. “You brought up divorce, and I just

lost my temper.

Rebecca snapped, sarcasm sharp in her voice, “Oh, really? You said you'd support another woman for life, and

I'm the one who made you mad? What gives you the right to be angry?”

After that, the room went dead quiet. They stared each other down. Rebecca, fired up and stubborn as a bull

ready to charge, and Jeffrey, cool and collected, not a ripple in his expression.

Jeffrey finally said, his voice heavier than before, “Chooseand mean it. | screwed up with Andrea, and you're

right, | owe you. But I'll do whatever it takes to make things right.

“That's enough,” Rebecca cut him off. She couldn’t stand to hear any more from him.

“The only thing that could ever cbetween us is ourselves, Jeffrey said, his voice weighed down. “Even if that

means I've got to look after Andrea my whole life, | never stopped loving you, not for a second.”

Rebecca turned away, shutting him out. She wanted to ask if one promise could carry a lifetand a marriage,

but after last time, she knew it was pointless. He'd never be honest.

“You can’t handle this, can you?” Rebecca said, frustration clear in her voice. “If anything happens to her, even

at night, you'd drop everything and run to her. She’ll use your promise to control you. You can’t just cut her off,

and we both know it.”

Jeffrey faltered, a heavy silence stretching between them. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet, almost

selfish. “As long as our hearts stay together, nothing she does can cbetween us.”

10:33 Mon, Sep 29

Chapter 169

“I'm disgusted,” Rebecca blurted out. “Even the air feels dirty wherever she’s around. Don’t act like you don’t

know what she’s putthrough.”

Andrea didn’t just spread nasty rumors about Rebecca at school. She joined in bullying her. Anyone in the dorm

who stood up for Rebecca got punished, one by one. Rebecca’s senior year felt like dodging constant snide

remarks and toxic gossip.

Guys shoved crude notes at Rebecca during lunch, bragging about their size and offering free hookups. Mid-

lecture, filthy messages landed in her textbook, inches from her face. Even her texts, emails, and calls were

flooded. She was attacked from all sides.

Then cthe deep fake videos-Al swapped her face into clips that spread across campus. It was her lowest

point. When she couldn't take it anymore, Rebecca told Amelia, who got Richard involved to stop it.

Andrea kept her tracks covered. At first, no one suspected her at all. Even her own phone got the sspam as

everyone else, so she blended right in.

No one doubted Andrea until Amelia's investigation proved she'd staged it all. Without clear evidence, the truth

cout too late. That was the breaking point. Andrea and Rebecca cut ties for good.

anger.

“She

“When | finally confronted her about it, do you know what she said?” Rebecca's voice shook with said, “What

makes you so special? If we're both just people, why should you get a better life? I'm going to tear down

everything you've got.””

Jeffrey's lips pressed into a tight line, his mood sinking lower with every word.

Back then, Gregory had done a full background check on Rebecca and Andrea's history at school. The report

mentioned all the vicious rumors and bullying.

Since it was marked “taken care of,” Jeffrey figured that chapter was closed and never brought it up again.

Rebecca's anger flared. “You say | never truly chose you?” she shot back. “If you were just paying a debt-

sending money or hiring someone-I could swallow it for your sake.

“But you have to be the one doing it. Did you ever think how much that hurts me?”

“I'm sorry.” Jeffrey said quietly. That was all he could offer. He couldn’t break his word to Andrea, and he also

couldn't let go of Rebecca; she was the one bright spot he fought so hard to find.

He knew his heart was greedy, wanting both things at once. But if that was how it was, then he wasn’t about to

stop now.

10:33 Mon, Sep 29

Chapter 1701

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