I Quit Being a Stepmother (Cypress Gem) novel Chapter 209

Chapter 209

Peter said nothing.

Lauren turned to leave. This time, she still didn’t hear Peter’s questions or calls to stop her.

She gritted her teeth, her usual calm and composure on the verge of shattering.

She didn’t know what was wrong with everyone. Why wasn’t anyone stopping her? Lauren wondered if she had made a mistake somewhere.

Filled with anxiety, she couldn’t make sense of it at all.

After a few steps, she stopped, turned back, and started to strike up a conversation again. “Peter, will you promise me?”

Peter suddenly smiled. He knew that her earlier display was all an act.

Without mercy,

he said, “Just leave if you want. You never had anything solid with Carter anyway. He’s done just fine these past years without you. It’s only when you showed up that things started going wrong.”

Back then, when he sided with her, he spoke to Rhea without any restraint. Now that he disliked Lauren, his words cut just as sharply.

Lauren felt as if she had been struck. “You… really think all this is my fault? I’m a mother! I just wanted to see my kids. I never interfered in Carter and Rhea’s marriage. I never targeted her.”

“Really?” Peter scrutinized her. “You know what you’ve done.”

With that, he turned and walked toward the Jamison residence.

Lauren stood there alone, a chill spreading through her chest.

Her biggest leverage to stay by Carter’s side had always been the children. Other than that, it was the friends they shared.

But now, Peter seemed unwilling to be manipulated by her anymore.

She refused to let it happen.

Carter’s phone buzzed with a WhatsApp notification. He picked it up and read the message.

It was from Lauren. “I’m leaving. Watch out for Peter. He might be in contact with Rhea.”

Peter and Rhea were in contact?

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Chapter 209

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At that moment, Peter entered the house and approached Carter. “Carter, how’s your leg?”

Carter turned off the screen. “It’s fine. I just need some time to heal.”

As he spoke, he couldn’t help sneaking glances at Peter. He knew that Peter had always disliked Rhea. But lately, Peter had been subtly undermining Lauren.

It didn’t make sense to Carter.

“Peter, how do you see Rhea compared to Lauren?” Carter asked.

Peter replied honestly, “I don’t know if these things were really Rhea’s doing, but at least from what I’ve seen, she takes responsibility for her actions. But Lauren probably won’t.”

“What do you mean?” Carter narrowed his eyes.

He despised betrayal from anyone, including Rhea. And if Peter, his longtime friend, were secretly in contact with Rhea, he wouldn’t forgive him.

“That day outside the ward, I saw Lauren smash a glass and cut her hand with a shard. Yet, she told you that she broke it while rushing to see you. What do you make of that?”

Carter couldn’t believe what he heard. He froze. “No way. She’s terrified of pain. Why would she cut herself? How does this benefit her?”

Peter shrugged. “Well, you’re defending her now. Since you’re fine, I’ll get going. My parents are keeping a close watch on me. Anyway, just stay away from Lauren. Haven’t you noticed? Ever since she came back, trouble just keeps following you.”

Without waiting for a reply, Peter walked off. He had just passed by on his way to the office and stopped to check on Carter.

Once out of the Jamison residence, Peter’s chest felt tight with frustration. He got into his car and drove straight to the hospital to find Aiden.