I Quit Being a Stepmother (Cypress Gem) novel Chapter 294

Chapter 294

+25 BONUS

Lauren glanced at Arielle, her gaze sharp, almost like she was looking at an enemy.

Arielle, sensitive as children are, immediately shouted, “Dad, she just glared at me!”

Lauren’s heart skipped a beat. “…I didn’t!”

Carter closed his eyes briefly. “Just say what you want to say.”

Lauren picked up her glass. “So much has happened recently. I went from having nothing to you giving me a stable home. You made me feel what it’s like to have a family. I’m truly grateful to you. But I also know that you’ve developed opinions about me for various reasons. I want to sincerely apologize for that.”

Carter felt a slight stir inside and lifted his eyes to look at her.

Lauren’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she smiled through them. “I’m sorry. I’m not a good mother nor a competent partner. I did things that went against my nature, like clinging to you and not leaving your side, because I loved you. I just wanted you to care about me more.”

After saying that, she drained her glass in one gulp. “But I was wrong. I kept bringing past habits into our present life, assuming that we were still the same as before. When we were dating, I got used to clinging to you.”

Lauren gave a self–deprecating laugh. “It’s my fault. I forgot that you already have someone you love. Being so attached to the time spent with you made me forget my original intentions. I came back just to see the kids at first. I overstepped. I’m sorry, Carter.”

Then, her tears fell naturally, at just the right moment. Her every word pierced Carter’s heart effortlessly. (1)

Lauren had made mistakes because she loved him and wanted to be with him again. That reasoning struck a chord with him.

“Lauren, I-

She looked at him expectantly.

“Dad, Mom loves you too, but she didn’t do anything wrong. She’s such a good mom, yet she left this home. She must have been so upset,” Arielle unexpectedly cut him off.

Carter’s fleeting softness vanished instantly.

Lauren clenched her teeth and glanced coldly at Arielle.

This little brat! How did she end up having a child who only got in her way?

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Chapter 294

+25 BONUS

Carter frowned.

Arielle was right. Rhea had loved him deeply and sacrificed so much, yet she had been forced to leave because he had pitied Lauren’s situation.

Pain flared in his chest. He gripped his glass and took a long gulp.

“Carter, there’s no deep grudge between us. If you say you need me to leave to make things easier for you, I won’t interfere with your life. I just hope you don’t misunderstand me. My concern made me act irrationally.”

“You scolded me and Adrian. Was that out of concern, too?” Arielle shot back.

Lauren was momentarily speechless. “I…”

Arielle didn’t understand what “irrational” meant, but she grasped the word “concern“.

Lauren had scolded her and Adrian many times before. She knew that it was definitely not a show of

concern.

Arielle’s words reminded Carter. Lauren was not only an unfit mother. She had likely never even

tried to be a good one.

Rhea, as a stepmother, had managed everything so well, but Lauren couldn’t. This meant that she simply didn’t want to.

At that instant, all the compassion Carter had just felt vanished.

“Arielle, eat more fish.” Carter ignored Lauren. “Chew slowly.”

Lauren inwardly seethed. Her hatred for Arielle burned through her.

Fortunately, once Arielle went to bed, Lauren tried again. “Carter, let’s have one last drink. I’ll leave after this.”

Tears streamed down her face. In the end, she choked on a sob and slumped over the table, crying

until her shoulders shook. 1