After the divorce he begged novel Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Chapter 38

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“You should focus on your work. No need to come back just for me,” Andrea said, her tone soft and considerate now that she’d gotten what she wanted. “It’s really nothing serious. I’ll be fine after a little rest.”

“Alright,” Jeffrey said, not insisting.

They chatted a bit more, checking in on each other, before ending the call.

Stanley knew all about Jeffrey’s complicated history with Rebecca and Andrea, but he didn’t expect him to go this far. “You do realize Andrea’s lying, right?”

“What exactly are you trying to say?” Jeffrey’s gaze was unreadable.

“Let me put it simply.” Stanley leaned in, choosing his words carefully. “Andrea’s what you’d call an angelic bitch. Sweet on the surface, but calculating underneath.”

Jeffrey looked unbothered. “Yeah.”

Stanley was stunned by his simple response.

“It was Andrea who started the fight with Rebecca, not the other way around. Aren’t you going to sit her down and talk some sense into her?” Stanley pushed, hoping to make him reconsider.

Jeffrey turned his eyes back to the monitor, where Rebecca was nervously watching the operating room doors. His tone remained cool. “Is this really your first day knowing me?”

“I get standing up for your own, but you’ve got to look at the facts,” Stanley said, shaking his head. “Honestly, there’s something seriously wrong with Andrea’s behavior.”

“Let the law worry about justice,” Jeffrey said quietly, barely moving his lips. “My job is to protect the people I care about.”

Stanley bit back whatever he was going to say. He knew Jeffrey had always been the type to shield his people.

Like before, when Rebecca was wronged, Jeffrey didn’t bother asking for the details. He just showed up and made it clear he was there to support her, no matter who was right or wrong.

Back then, Stanley had thought Jeffrey was a stand–up guy, always backing his people no matter what. But now, with Rebecca wanting a divorce, Andrea had somehow become “his person,” and Jeffrey was blaming Rebecca without caring

about the facts.

His protectiveness was one thing, but something about it felt off.

“Just be real with me,” Stanley said, his suspicion growing. “Are you into the angelic bitch type or what?”

Jeffrey gave him a look but stayed silent. He wasn’t into that type. Andrea wasn’t an exception, even though she had helped him out before.

He was acting this way because Rebecca’s attitude had gotten under his skin. He was sure that if Jessica had said the same things Andrea did today, promising Rebecca she could break free from him, Rebecca wouldn’t hesitate to leave.

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For Jeffrey, Andrea was just a way to make his point clear–he wanted Rebecca to see what choice was really best for her.

“Aren’t you worried that if Rebecca ever comes back, she’ll hold all this against you?” Stanley asked, steering the

conversation in a new direction.

Jeffrey paused for a second.

“Dude, you know women never let things go,” Stanley reminded him.

“I spelled it out for her from the start,” Jeffrey replied after a moment. “If she chooses the harder road, she has to face the

consequences.”

Stanley shot him a look but didn’t push any further. Deep down, he figured Rebecca would never come back. If she cared even a little, she wouldn’t be working as a dance teacher at the Reed residence and risking getting played like that.

After a while, Stanley glanced over at Jeffrey, trying to make his point clear. “Is Andrea really that important to you? Important enough to give up on the woman you’ve been doting on for five years?”

“Yeah,” Jeffrey said, his eyes darkening.

“What if Rebecca doesn’t come back after the cooling–off period?” Stanley asked, hitting him with the harsh truth.

Jeffrey’s hand, resting by the computer, tightened slightly, and his lips pressed into a thin line. ‘She’d have to be an idiot not to come back. She isn’t stupid,‘ Jeffrey thought to himself.

“Before you do anything you can’t take back, really think it over. Between the two of them, who’s really worth it?” Stanley pressed, speaking frankly since they were like brothers. “Honestly, Andrea can’t even compare to Rebecca when it comes

to character.”

Jeffrey shot him a cold stare.

“Forget I said anything.” Stanley instantly shut up.

Jeffrey had always been the smartest of the group, but once he fixated on something, there was no talking him out of it.

About half an hour later, the operating room doors finally swung open.

As soon as the doors opened, Rebecca jumped to her feet and rushed over, anxiety written all over her face. “Dr. Johnson, my mom…”

“The surgery went very smoothly,” Timothy replied, removing his mask and offering her a gentle smile. “Come by every day to talk to her and keep her company/ She should wake up within two months at the most.”

“Really?” Rebecca asked, her eyes lighting up with hope.

Timothy nodded, his smile reassuring. “Really.”

“Thank you so much,” Rebecca said, her voice trembling with emotion as she bowed deeply to Timothy and the entire surgical team. “Thank you all for everything you’ve done for us.”

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When her mom was wheeled into the hospital room, Rebecca finally felt a wave of relief wash over her, like the weight that had been hanging over her head had lifted.

The staff helped her mom get settled into bed and went over the care instructions. Once they were done, Timothey turned to Rebecca and said, “Come to my office, and I’ll go over everything with you. The nurses will take care of things here.”

Rebecca thanked the nurses once more and followed Timothy.

In the office, Timothy sat down and started going through her mom’s medical chart. His brow furrowed with concern, and he looked even more troubled than before.

Rebecca noticed his worried expression and immediately felt her anxiety spike. “Is there something else wrong with my mom?” she asked, her voice tight with worry.

Timothy stood up and poured Rebecca a glass of water, setting it gently in front of her.

Seeing this, Rebecca’s anxiety only deepened, her heart racing.

“Her condition isn’t complicated. We just need to wait for her to wake up,” Timothy said, sitting back down, though there was something unreadable in his eyes.

Rebecca pressed, “Then what is it?”

“Before the surgery, I told you the fee was 150 thousand dollars,” Timothy said slowly, trying to ease her concern. “But right now, we can’t predict how much post–op care will cost. You remember that, right?”

Rebecca nodded. “Yeah, I remember.”

Timothy steadied himself before continuing, “At the moment, daily expenses could range from 1,000 to 1,500 dollars. So, for a month…” He didn’t finish the sentence.

Paying thousands of dollars each month for medical bills was a nightmare for regular people. Even though Jeffrey had transferred some money into her mom’s prepaid account, Rebecca still had to work to earn it herself.

“It’s fine. I’ll work for it,” Rebecca said, feeling some of the weight lift now that the surgery was over. “As long as she wakes up, I’ll earn whatever I need to.”

Timothy almost told her the truth that even if she couldn’t pay, her mom’s treatment wouldn’t be cut off, but he kept quiet. One wrong word, and he’d lose his job for getting involved in personal matters, and it wasn’t worth the risk.

“I’ve got some cash saved up. I’ll put it into the account soon,” Rebecca said, trying to reassure him. “Don’t worry, I won’t fall behind on any payments.”

After selling her ring, she’d covered the hospital deposit and rent, with a few thousand left over. She had earned another 1,000 dollars from illustration work, and her dance teaching would bring in 500 dollars a week.

If she passed her final interview, she’d have a steady paycheck soon. Plus, she could take on more art commissions and part–time work. After all, it was only two months. She could push through.

Chapter 39