I Quit Being a Stepmother (Cypress Gem) novel Chapter 626

On the drive to Colburn, Carter watched the streets and buildings roll past outside the window.

This was the city where he had spent most of his life. He'd grown up here, and every street seemed to hold a piece of his past.

Out of nowhere, Lauren asked, "You must've shared a lot of memories here with Ms. Ravelle, huh? Doesn't it make you sad to come back here?"

Her eyes glinted with mischief as she waited for his reaction.

In truth, Carter felt nothing at all. He looked at her expressionlessly and replied, "And what's that got to do with you?"

After a brief pause, he murmured under his breath, "I suppose it does have something to do with you."

Carter wondered whose fault it was and realized that it was mostly his.

After all, everything had happened because of him.

If it weren't for him… Well, forget it.

That was all in the past.

Rhea was married now, with a child and a happy family of her own.

When they finally arrived in Colburn, Carter didn't bother visiting the places he used to frequent. He saw no reason to reconnect with his past friends.

Instead, they went straight to the cemetery where Lauren's parents were laid to rest with some fruits and wine they'd bought along the way.

Lauren watched Carter walk ahead with shopping bags in hand. She slowed her pace, and her eyes drifted to the kids walking in front of her, thinking that this was what a family of four would've looked like.

Lauren's fingers curled into fists.

So this was how close she had once been to happiness.

"Dad, who are we visiting?" Arielle asked when she caught up to Carter.

That morning, Carter had told her and Adrian to skip school at the last minute, then dressed them both in black.

Carter stopped in front of Lauren's parents' headstones, having spotted them right away. "We're visiting your maternal grandparents."

Maternal grandparents?

When Arielle heard that term, the first thing that came to mind was Ruby and Liam.

But these two headstones didn't belong to them.

Arielle turned to glance at Lauren, who walked up behind them.

The smile Lauren had worn earlier was gone. She wordlessly stepped forward and bowed deeply before the headstones.

Carter stepped up to the headstones. "Mr. and Mrs. Thayer, these are your grandkids. We brought them here to see you."

Arielle and Adrian straightened up obediently. "Hello, Grandpa. Hello, Grandma."

They understood, in their own way, that the cold headstones marked two people who had once been related to them.

Carter did not linger to make small talk. He took the kids' hands and led them out of the cemetery.

Lauren stayed where she was, kneeling before the grave and sobbing until she could barely stay upright.

Now, she was left all alone in this vast world as she struggled just to get by.

She didn't blame anyone but herself. It was all her fault.

Every step that had led her to this point had been her own doing.

"Still crying? I guess you don't want chicken wings, huh?" A familiar, gruff voice cut through her sobs impatiently.