Brian could tell Jessica wasn’t beingpletely honest, but seeing how clearly she didn’t want to talk about it, he didn’t dare push

    for answers.

    Instead, Brian spent the entire ride chatting about various amusing things that had happened to him recently, trying his best to distract her.

    Jessica half-listened to his stories, but her mind kept wandering back to Madeline.

    ‘With all those creditors after her, she still managed to shake them off ande after me. She really must hate my guts,’ Jessica thought. ‘Or maybe someone helped her deal with all that debt, so now she’s got the time and energy to mess with me again?’

    The thought made Jessica look up at Brian, who was still desperately searching for things to talk about. Her mood grew even

    worse.

    The moment they pulled into the residentialplex, Jessica unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car without a word. She walked away without even saying goodbye.

    Brian watched her retreating figure and knew for certain that she was really angry. “Jake, what do you think I did wrong this time?” Brian asked,pletely baffled. He was so frustrated he was actually asking Jake for advice.

    Jake looked just as confused and helplessly shook his head. They stared at each other before both letting out identical sighs.

    Jessica went home and buried herself under the covers, sleeping away most of the afternoon until that heavy feeling in her chest finally lifted. In the evening, she had just woken up and climbed out of bed when she heard the familiar knock at her door.

    After a moment’s hesitation, Jessica got up and opened it.

    “Just woke up? Let me heat up some milk for you,” Brian said when he saw her in pajamas with messy hair.

    Jessica automatically stepped aside out of habit. She watched Brian navigate the kitchen like he owned the ce, and it suddenly hit her what she’d just done. She pressed her lips together in annoyance.

    Just then, someone tugged on her sleeve. She looked down to see Jake staring up at her with hopeful eyes. “Can you check my homework, Mom?”

    That was when Jessica noticed Jake was holding two thick workbooks in his hands. She frowned, “Didn’t your dad already look at

    it?”

    ‘Why does everythinge to me? Do I look like I have nothing better to do?’ Jessica thought irritably.

    “I did check it, but I’m worried I might have missed something. I was hoping you could give it another look,” Brian said as he came out of the kitchen carrying the warm milk.

    Jessica wanted to tell him that first-grade homework wasn’t exactly rocket science. Brian, who graduated from a prestigious foreign university, couldn’t possibly miss anything. But when she saw Jake’s expectant face, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.

    “Come on in,” Jessica sighed.

    A few minutester, Jessica found herself juggling a ss of milk In one hand and homework in the other. Sure enough, she actually found two mistakes, which made her re at Brian in frustration.

    14:36 Mon, 25 Aug

    ‘Are you doing this on purpose?’ Jessica thought.

    Brian yed dumb and chuckled as he turned to Jake. “See, Jake? I told you your mom is the most thoughtful one.”

    Seeing this, Jessica wanted nothing more than to p the homework book right across his face.

    567

    Fortunately, Brian didn’t push his luck any further. He immediately got up and headed back to the kitchen to continue cooking. He still had dinner to make.

    Jessica nced at the man bustling around in the kitchen, then looked away and focused on exining Jake’s mistakes to him.

    When Brian finished washing the dishes and turned around to see them working together, his eyes filled with warmth. ‘If only this couldst forever,’ he thought.

    It wasn’t just a one-time thing. After Jessica agreed to help check Jake’s homework that first time, Brian showed up at her door every single day afterward.

    He’d bring Jake over right after homework time and use every trick in the book to shamelessly convince her to help with the checking.

    His payment for this service was cooking Jessica’s dinner.

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    14:36 Mon, 25 Aug