Chapter 22
It had been raining frequently in Nimbus City lately, and even business at Jen’s had noticeably slowed.
Yet, every day for many days now, a Maybach had always been parked outside.
It stayed there persistently, never leaving.
“Ms. Jennifer, look at my drawing!” Clara bounced over with a crayon drawing in hand, but came to an abrupt stop when she saw Jennifer’s expression.
Clara asked carefully, “Are you sad again?”
Jennifer forced out a smile but didn’t respond. Instead, she took the drawing and asked, “What a nice drawing. Is this a bunny?”
“It is!” Clara nodded vigorously. Then, she turned around and pointed out the window. “Is it because those bad people are back again? Is that why you’re sad?” Kevin walked out from behind the bookshelf holding a cup of floral tea.
He silently stepped in front of the window, blocking the view across the street.
“Should we call the police?” he asked as he glanced toward the luxury car that had been parked there for a week.
Through the curtain of rain, the vague shapes of two small figures could be seen pressing against the window, staring hopefully toward the bookstore.
Jennifer shook her head and said coldly, “They’ll give up eventually.”
The rain grew heavier, and suddenly, the car door burst open.
Yvonne stumbled out with a large black umbrella that was too big for her and ran unsteadily toward the bookstore.
The rain soaked her skirt and leather shoes, but she didn’t care. She simply pounded on the closed door.
“Mom! Please open the door!” Her childish voice pierced through the rain as she sobbed. “I know you’re in there! Mom, you saw us, so why are you ignoring us? Do you really not want us anymore?”
Jennifer gripped the curtain so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
Kevin silently stood beside her and covered her trembling hand with his.
Jennifer suddenly steeled herself and said, “One last time. This time, I’m going to end things for good.”
She took out her phone, found the number she had long since blocked, and sent a message.
In the cafe, Jennifer chose a window seat and quietly waited for the three of them to arrive.
Not long after, Leonard walked in with the children.
Unusually, he wasn’t wearing a suit today. He was just wearing a wrinkled white shirt that clung to his frame, and dark circles were visible under his eyes.
The children looked pitiful too. They were dressed in dirty clothes and were visibly thinner.
“Mom!” Yvonne rushed toward Jennifer, but as Yvonne was about to reach her, Jennifer stepped aside.
“Sit down,” Jennifer pointed at the chairs across from her.
Leonard gulped as he said with a strained voice, “Jennifer, the kids haven’t been doing well these days. Their health wasn’t great to begin with, and without your
care-”
“I know,” she cut him off, pulling out an envelope from her bag. “These are the journals I kept on them. It contains everything from when they were born until now, including care instructions. There’s also a list of allergies and medical records. They’re older now, I believe you can take good care of them.” Leonard’s face turned ghostly pale. “What do you mean by this? I don’t want these, Jennifer. Don’t you understand? All we want is for you to come back?” Jennifer didn’t look at him. Instead, she laughed bitterly and slowly rolled up her left sleeve, revealing a ghastly scar. “Remember this? It’s from the glass that shattered when Yannick pushed me off the stairs. That night, I got 12 stitches at the hospital while you were happily at home with Samantha.”
Yannick’s face lost all color. He stared at the scar in horror as his lips trembled. “Mom, I didn’t mean to…”
Jennifer shook her head lightly, then lifted her skirt to reveal another horrific scar on her leg.
It was wide and jagged, as if a/chunk of flesh had been gouged out. “This was from the time Samantha and I were trapped in the elevator. You abandoned me without hesitation because you said she’s a dancer. I nearly lost my leg,”
Jennifer spoke softly, but her words were sharp. “All of you keep saying it wasn’t on purpose, just like when you falsely accused me of feeding you mangoes, and when you declared in front of everyone that you hated me.”
She looked at Leonard with a gaze full of contempt. “So what about me? Should all the pain I suffered be pushed aside just because you say you didn’t mean it?” Yvonne suddenly burst into tears and lunged forward to hug Jennifer. “But we know we were wrong now! Mom, please come back! We’ll never hurt you again!”
Jennifer looked at her crying daughter, but her heart remained calm. She was no longer held back by guilt.
She simply sat quietly, waiting for the crying to subside.
“I once…” She began slowly, forcing each word out painfully. “I once loved you both deeply. When Yvonne was born prematurely at only four pounds and eight ounces, I stayed beside her incubator for seven days and nights.”
Jennifer continued, “When Yannick was bullied at school and refused to go, I walked him to class every day. On every birthday, I baked your cakes myself.
“But love can be exhausted.
“When you pushed me down the stairs, said you never wanted to see me again, and chose Samantha to be your mom, things ended between us there.”
Jennifer stood up and placed money beneath her cup. “I came here today to tell you this. I’m not coming back. This isn’t a punishment. It’s just that I’ve started a new life, and I no longer want to be dragged down by my past. I have nothing to do with you anymore.”
She turned around and walked out, not faltering even as Yvonne screamed behind her. “Mom! Please! Don’t leave us!”
Jennifer pushed open the cafe door. Across the street, Kevin waited by the car with Clara in his arms.
The moment Clara saw Jennifer, she let go and sprinted over.
Clara threw herself into Jennifer’s arms and anxiously touched her face. “Are you okay? Did Jennifer bent down, picked her up, and kissed her on the cheek. “I’m fine. Let’s
go
hom
11
Kevin walked over and said nothing. He simply wrapped a gentle arm around her shoulder.
The three of them walked toward the car peacefully.
In the cafe, Yvonne’s cries gradually faded.
Leonard stared blankly out the window, watching Jennifer get into that unfamiliar car.
they bully you?”
He saw the little girl nestle close in Jennifer’s arms, and the man with glasses gently buckled her seatbelt.
Yannick tugged at his sleeve, his voice trembling with a fear he’d never felt before. “Dad, is Mom really not coming back?”
Leonard couldn’t answer. He had come with such certainty, but it was all completely gone now.
This time, it seemed like they had truly lost Jennifer.
