I Quit Being a Stepmother (Cypress Gem) novel Chapter 213

Chapter 213

Liora was with Rhea. She nodded and said, “This one looks nice.”

Rhea scrutinized it. She didn’t really like it because it looked a bit like her and Carter’s wedding rings.

“Hi, we’d like to try these matching rings.”

That voice…

Rhea looked up to see Lauren and a wheelchair–bound Carter.

Liora frowned. She couldn’t believe that the two pieces of trash were actually looking at matching rings.

Carter sensed their eyes on him and glanced at them out of the corner of his eye. He was surprised, as he hadn’t expected to run into Rhea there.

He instinctively pushed away the rings in front of Lauren and wheeled himself over to Rhea. “Rhea?”

His tone was unnaturally soft and gentle.

Marcus had told him that all he needed to do was hold on to Rhea. He didn’t need to worry about

anything else. Naturally, how Marcus would make things work was his own business.

Rhea didn’t even spare Carter a look. She said to the sales clerk, “I’ll take the first ring I tried.”

“Of course, Ms. Ravelle.”

Rhea slipped the ring on her finger and swiped her bank card. Then, she turned to leave.

As she and Liora brushed past them, they heard Carter say to Lauren, “We’ll get both these designs since you like them. You haven’t been in a good mood lately, and some jewelry might cheer you up.”

“That’s too much. One is enough,” Lauren said.

Carter said tenderly, “It’s not too much. Spending on you is the least I can do.”

Lauren looked blissful, but Liora felt sick to her stomach.

Rhea stopped her from doing anything. She said in a low voice, “He’s messed up. Let’s just go.‘

Once they were out of the mall, Rhea called Nathan. “Nathan, have someone find out whether Carter has been in contact with anyone special lately.”

Carter’s behavior had been out of the ordinary. And how had he gotten into Draventh without alerting anyone?

1/3

Chapter 213

+25 BONUS

That night, as soon as Rhea got home, Ruby waved her over. “Mrs. Cain is celebrating her birthday tomorrow. I want you to attend the party with me.”

“Do we know the Cains well?” Rhea asked.

“It doesn’t matter, because we have to go either way. Mrs. Cain is Kate’s aunt.‘

Rhea had almost forgotten about that. “Alright.”

Several luxurious cars pulled up outside the Cain residence. It was a display as grand as the one at Luciana’s birthday bash.

“Mrs. Ravelle, Ms. Ravelle! Please, this way!”

Rhea and Ruby walked into the Cain residence together. However, as soon as they stepped inside, they saw Lauren seated in a place of honor.

Ruby stopped short. If Rhea’s marriage to Carter hadn’t been kept a secret, there was no way Ruby would have let Lauren steal the spotlight at an event like this. But now, barely anyone knew about their marriage.

Seeing them arrive, Priscilla Palmer, Marcus‘ mother, hurried forward to personally welcome them. “Mrs. Ravelle, come have a seat.”

Lauren sat to the side, her smile poised and elegant as she held her head high. She was a far cry from the cautious woman she’d been during Luciana’s birthday celebration.

Smiling, Priscilla took her hand and introduced her to everyone. “Allow me to make the introductions. This is Lauren Thayer, the fiancee of my son’s new business partner, Mr. Carter Jamison of Colburn.

“The two of them have just moved to Draventh, so I hope you’ll all show them some care for my sake. You can just address her as Mrs. Jamison.”

Lauren got up and nodded politely at the crowd. “It’s nice to meet everyone.”

Her words were met with silence, but she was unfazed. She soon met Rhea’s gaze, and her eyes crinkled as her smile widened.

Regardless of whether Rhea was the heiress of the Ravelle family, she would have no choice but to bite her tongue in this moment.

After all, if she made a scene, the Ravelle family’s reputation would be trashed. Everyone would

2/3

Chapter 213

+25 BONUS

mock her for becoming a stepmother at such a young age.

And so, Lauren deliberately rested her right hand, adorned with a couple’s ring, on her abdomen. She pretended as though she and Rhea were mere acquaintances and said, “What a coincidence seeing you here, Ms. Ravelle. We just met yesterday.”