The next second, Heath ended the call.
As he stood before the towering windows of his Shalton penthouse, his striking features tightened with
faint displeasure.
He glanced down at his newly replaced phone but didn’t dial the number listed at the top of his contacts.
The old phone, along with the SIM card, had been shattered at the chapel that day.
He had initially planned to inform Veronica. After all, she was still his wife.
But over the past few years, he had given her more than enough lenience. Perhaps she had started to grow a sense of entitlement from it.
Maybe it was time she learned what it meant to be ignored.
Veronica remained unaware of Heath’s thoughts.
After a peaceful night’s sleep, she returned to Tate Group and handed in her resignation.
The process went smoothly.
When Heath gave her the position, it had only ever been a nominal role. No one in the company even
knew she was his wife.
As long as the handover was completed, she could leave without a ripple.
When the news got out, one of her colleagues remarked, “You’re quitting for your kids, aren’t you? They’re our or five–at that age, they’re super clingy. You always kept their photos on your desk. Even your
e had little charms shaped like their faces.”
ca paused.
had loved Heath deeply, and because of that love, she cherished Miriam and Samuel just as much. Even from miles away, she had always cared about Miriam and Samuel. But now…
She shook her head and smiled faintly. “It’s not because of them.”
Veronica meant what she said.
Tate Group was massive and had an international reach, but it dealt in construction materials and real estate, fields she was never passionate about.
She hadn’t taken the job out of passion–it was duty, plain and simple. As Heath’s wife, she had felt obligated to stay behind and look after his parents.
Now that she was walking away from the marriage, it was time to find work that truly suited her.
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She lowered her gaze and caught a brief flash on her phone. It was a banner ad for the “Cultural Aesthetic Expo–An Ode to Scent and Artisan Craft” exhibition.
The event featured fragrance blending, tea brewing, and a showcase of neo–Cinderone style design.
Something about it sparked her curiosity.
Not long after, she sent a message to her cousin, Calvin Dolton. “Can you help me get a ticket for this
event?”
Calvin replied within seconds. “Of course. But aren’t you always busy? Between looking after Heath’s parents and the twins, do you even have the time?”
Veronica hesitated briefly, then typed calmly. “I do. I’m divorced.”
There was a pause before Calvin replied, “Wait, seriously? You really divorced him? The Tates?”
He sucked in a sharp breath.
They were the kind of family who could afford to build an entire private playground in the heart of Shalton -just for Miriam and Samuel, with no one else allowed in.
Back then, Veronica had been an orphan, as her parents passed when she was still in college.
The Tates only agreed to the marriage because her grandfather had once done the family a favor they couldn’t forget. Otherwise, they never would have let Heath marry a professor’s daughter.
Even if her grandfather, Malcolm Dolton, was a renowned scholar in Mycenarian Studies and one of the most respected names in the field, it wouldn’t have made a difference.
“It didn’t sit right with me anymore, so I walked away,” Veronica replied with a smile.
Calvin couldn’t tell whether he felt regret or approval at the situation. All he could manage was a sigh. “But … can you really walk away from Miriam and Samuel?”
Veronica glanced at her phone.
After the children moved back to Shalton, she had gotten them both phones just in case they missed her and needed to talk. But over the past year, they never reached out unless she called them first.
They had a powerful family background and a new woman they already saw as their mother, so there was no reason for her to hold on just because they shared blood.
Back in Shalton, at the Tate residence, the nutritionist Amber Greene offered a kind reminder. “Samuel, Miriam, did you forget what your mom told you? No picky eating, remember? Your bodies need proper nutrition and a balanced intake of fat to grow strong. You shouldn’t have too many sweets.”
Samuel hesitated at the mention of their mother.
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However, Miriam didn’t care at all. “She’s past her call time already. She won’t even know.
“Besides, Ms. Turner said we’re just kids, and kids are supposed to be happy! And right now, nothing makes me happier than eating all these cupcakes.”
Just as she finished, Eleanor’s light laugh echoed from upstairs.
Eleanor came over to the children, gently tapping Miriam’s forehead with a smile. “You little rascal. Fine. If
cupcakes make you two happy, then have as many as you want.”
“Yay! Ms. Turner, you’re the best! I wish you could live with us forever.”
Their innocent cheers brought a soft smile to Eleanor’s lips.
Amber frowned slightly. She was just about to speak, but when her eyes landed on Eleanor, she quietly held her tongue.
She had assumed initially that Veronica was the lady of the house, but Eleanor moved through the house like she owned it, and the kids clearly adored her.
If she spoke up now, she risked offending the wrong person. And if Heath found out, it might not end well
for her.
However, Samuel felt uneasy.
The last time he ignored his mother’s advice, he ended up sick in bed for days.
He liked Eleanor. She was kind to him, and he really did love having her around. But Veronica had warned
him if he ate like that again, he would get really sick, and both she and Heath would worry.
ant to make them worry, not just for a few sweets.
It uneasy, so he was careful with what he ate.
e other hand, Miriam devoured her desserts. That night, she ended up with a terrible stomachache
er eating far too many frosted cupcakes.
She curled up on her bed, trembling from the pain, while her face twisted in discomfort. The paleness of
her cheeks made her look even more fragile as the cramps took over.
Heath rushed home the moment he heard Miriam wasn’t feeling well.
Miriam tugged pitifully at the hem of his coat, her voice choked with guilt. “Dad, is it because I was bad
that Mom made my tummy hurt? She said if I ate too many cupcakes again, I’d get cured by a witch.
“I didn’t mean to! I want Mom to come back and break the spell…”
What upset Miriam even more was that, whenever she felt unwell, Veronica would always make her warm and soothing soup.
Tears and snot streamed down her face as she cried.
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Eleanor stood nearby, biting her lip. In a remorseful tone, she said, “It’s my fault, Heath. I should’ve kept a
closer eye on her. I didn’t realize she’d eaten so many cupcakes.”
Miriam pouted, worried Heath would blame Eleanor. She quickly jumped in to defend her. “Dad, it’s not Ms. Turner’s fault. Mom forgot to call me and remind me! Mom doesn’t care about me anymore…”
Samuel blinked slowly, confused.
He remembered how sick he had gotten the last time he hadn’t listened to Veronica. After that, he made
sure to follow her advice.
Even if Veronica couldn’t compete with Eleanor in every way, she always cared deeply about everything
that concerned them.
Still, after thinking of how kind Eleanor had been to him lately, he couldn’t help but speak up too. “Dad, Mom used to remind us about this stuff. Miriam’s still little, so she forgets things. That’s not her fault.”
“I understand,” Heath said, his voice turning stern. “From now on, both of you need to listen to Ms.
Greene. No more overeating.”
He didn’t blame Eleanor at all.
If anything, his frustration was directed at Veronica. She used to be the one who reminded Miriam about
what to eat.
If Veronica hadn’t ignored them this time, Miriam wouldn’t have gotten sick.
Just because she was upset with him, she had started ignoring the kids and hadn’t even bothered to
check in.
That was unacceptable.
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