I Quit Being a Stepmother (Cypress Gem) novel Chapter 65

apter 65

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“I don’t think that’s necessary,” George replied. He turned to Rhea and said, “Happy birthday. Take care of yourself. There are many people who care about you.”

That line grated on Carter’s nerves.

Many people cared about Rhea? Who? Did that include George?

As George finished speaking, his gaze casually swept over Carter. Then, he stepped into his car.

The door closed, and one by one, the bodyguards within the Jamison residence began to file out. The cars‘ hazard lights flashed brightly, glaring harshly into their eyes.

Inside the Jamison residence, Anthony looked at Lauren and suddenly said, “Ms. Thayer, you certainly enjoy a crowd. Wherever there’s noise, you’re always in the thick of it.”

Peter immediately jumped in, “Hey, don’t bully a woman!”

Lauren’s smile nearly cracked. “What do you mean by that?”

Anthony raised an eyebrow. “If I remember correctly, you used to live abroad and had quite a few connections with nobility, didn’t you?”

Lauren’s face drained of color.

What was he saying? How did he know…

Without waiting for her to respond, Anthony turned and walked away.

When he reached the front entrance, he paused beside Rhea and leaned in to speak in a low voice. “Ms. Ravelle, just say the word, and I’ll have every single one of them ‘escorted‘ out.”

Rhea closed her eyes for a moment. Then, she said, “There’s no need for that. Thank you, Anthony.”

Anthony gave a slight shake of the head. He couldn’t believe that those people dared to trample all over Rhea. This bunch of arrogant fools didn’t know their place.

The convoy slowly pulled out of the neighborhood, but the impact of their arrival had already left its mark.

At the very least, Lauren’s old classmates no longer dared speak recklessly.

They might not know the others, but George? Even if they hadn’t met him, they had definitely heard of him. He was a prominent figure in Draventh–someone countless people were eager to win over.

Lauren clenched her fists. She had assumed that Rhea had no friends, backing, or connections. She had assumed that getting her out of the Jamison household would be a walk in the park.

But now, George had appeared out of nowhere.

As Rhea was pulled inside by the two children, Lauren deliberately said, “Rhea, I didn’t know you were close with Mr. Snider. It’s quite something for him to come all the way here this late just to bring you birthday gifts. Not everyone gets the chance to meet him, you know.”

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Chapter 65

+25 BONUS

The remark was clearly for Carter’s ears.

At that moment, the guilt and attachment in Carter’s gaze faded, replaced by scrutiny. A seed of doubt had taken root in his heart, making him wonder if Rhea was hiding something.

“It’s getting late, so we won’t be staying for dinner. Happy birthday, Mrs. Jamison!” one of Lauren’s friends said.

“Yes, yes. We’ll let you all chat in peace.”

Lauren’s friends quickly found an excuse to leave.

Even Mia was unsettled by the intimidating display earlier. “Lauren, let me help you to your room so you can

rest.”

Lauren kept glancing back as she walked. She couldn’t help but wonder how Rhea even got the chance to meet someone like George.

Could it be… the same way she once did? (1

The living room fell silent.

Lately, Carter had been haunted by a strange, uneasy feeling. But he refused to believe that Rhea would betray

him. 1

He looked at Rhea and smiled faintly. “It looks like I really underestimated you. Not only could you summon the geomancers from Aethermark Sanctuary so easily, but you even had George deliver your birthday gifts personally. The way he looked at you didn’t seem all that innocent.”

His voice suddenly dropped cold as he approached. “Rhea, I think you owe me an explanation. What exactly is your relationship with these people from Draventh?”

At that moment, the same suspicion that had crossed Lauren’s mind suddenly surfaced in his as well. There was only one way for an ordinary woman to know people far beyond her own social standing. 1

She must have sold her body. 1