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Chapter 20 An Excellent Opportunity
I glanced at the incessantly ringing phone, unsure how to describe my emotions. The timing was impeccable because she called just as Matthew left. I knew he must’ve called her and reported the situation as soon as he left.I calmly answered the call, "Yes, Ivanna?""What are you up to? Is Ava okay?" Ivanna sounded like she was in a great mood.Of course, she would be in a great mood. She must be taking advantage of last night’s argument between Matthew and me."It seems like you're free today to call me so early in the morning. " There was a hint of sarcasm in my tone."Well, I'm not a robot. Even I need to recharge and maintain myself!" Ivanna laughed. "Let's go out.""Ava isn't at school yet, so I'm just playing with her at home," I replied."Oh? That's great. Bring her along so I can spoil her a little. Since you weren't in a good mood last time, I didn't dare to talk to her for long," Ivanna teased me.After some thought, I figured the opportunity was too good to pass up. S
Chapter 21 My Best Friend's Keys
After touring around her house, I felt a bit disappointed. There wasn't even a pair of men's slippers in her place.I suspect she had tidied up since it took her two hours to come and pick us up. It was enough time for her to hide any evidence. I figured she had thought things through.Ivanna prepared a few snacks for Ava, perhaps because she sensed how distracted I was. She then turned on the TV, played a cartoon, and sat beside me. Soon after, she began to scrutinize me, making me feel uncomfortable. Then, she patted my hand, saying, "Let it out."My heart raced, and I looked at her defensively while withdrawing my hand. "Let what out?""Share what's on your mind," Ivanna encouraged as if trying to coax me.I sneered before saying, "What's on my mind? What do you mean?"I saw her mouth twitch. After a moment of silence, she stood up abruptly. "You stay here and play with Ava. I'll make something for you two to eat."After removing her coat and changing clothes, she went into
Chapter 22 Who Was That Woman?
I was in disbelief because the two keys didn’t match. I doubted myself then and wondered if I had wrongly accused Ivanna. Was Matthew seeing someone else, or did he have another trick with those keys?I didn’t expect this or know if I should feel relieved or frustrated. My mind went blank as a strange feeling crept into me. I suddenly felt the need to turn around and was startled as Ivanna calmly stood behind me.“Did you find what you were looking for?” She sounded like she had planned this whole thing.My lips trembled as I looked at Ivanna and felt I could no longer read her. Of course, I was embarrassed when she exposed me. Still, I stood tall and locked eyes with her, saying, “What are you trying to say, Ivanna? Why did you lie to me? What’s going on between you and Matthew?”Her calm demeanor caught me off guard, provoking my anger and embarrassment."I've never lied to you. I know what you're referring to. You want to talk about that day I saw Matthew at the teahouse." Ivan
Chapter 23 Recruiting Allies
Ivanna shook her head, saying, "The surveillance footage I got was too blurry. Also, I couldn't see the woman's face because Matthew's arms blocked her face.""Do you have the footage now?" I asked.She quickly sent me the footage, and I saw many people on the street that night. Matthew’s figure in the video was fleeting. He wore the same overcoat I had ironed for him, making his tall figure stand out in the crowd.His left arm was around a woman in a pink top. His large frame obscured her figure, so I zoomed in on the footage, but it made no difference. I still couldn’t make out the woman’s face."He's quite the schemer," I said as my tears clouded my vision.Ivanna silently approached and sat beside me before putting her arm around my shoulder. I held the phone, choking on my tears as I said, "That night, I saw his figure on a live stream on TikTok. I sent him the video link immediately."I paused, tried to calm down, and spoke again. "Matt found a restaurant, removed his jacke
Chapter 24 Vanished Into Thin Air
Sure enough, Matthew soon came to the office.With a composed smile, I asked, "Did Johnson call you? Where were you so early in the morning?""Yes, he called me. He said you were coming to work, and I was surprised you didn't mention it last night." He removed his coat, hung it up, and then looked at me. "I just went to check out a construction site on the way here."I explained, “It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I felt a bit free after sending Ava to daycare.”Meanwhile, Matthew approached and sat beside me. "I thought about something on the way back. You can go to the general office if you insist on working. I think it suits you well. It's flexible, no pressure, and it's also good to have someone overseeing company matters.""No, I'm going to the marketing department. That's where I'm best suited," I rejected Matthew’s arrangement, expressing my thoughts and seeming stubborn.I understood Matthew's intention to send me to the general office. It was just a nominal position,
Chapter 25 A Business Trip in Operose
I redialed Matthew’s number, but a mechanical voice informed me that the call couldn’t connect. I squatted in frustration, but the thought of my daughter’s fever struck me. Then I gritted my teeth, forced myself to stand, and returned to the lobby.I tried calling Ivanna when I arrived, but her phone was off too. I paced around in panic and wondered where those two could’ve gone. At that moment, I felt like my pleas were falling on deaf ears.Ultimately, I reluctantly called my in-laws. Although it was past one in the morning, and I didn’t want to disturb them, I had no other option. Sure enough, my mother-in-law answered and sounded alarmed, “Chlo? What’s wrong? It’s so late. Is something wrong?”I had trouble answering her question but soon apologized and told her about Ava’s high fever and that I had no cash. My in-laws said they would rush to the hospital and quickly hung up. When they arrived, the doctor had already put Ava on an IV drip and diagnosed her with acute pneumonia.
Chapter 26 The Voice on the Phone
I paused before snapping back to reality and realized she was right. I couldn’t lose everything without a fight or reclaiming what was rightfully mine. Even if I fought and lost, I wouldn’t regret it. At that point, my phone had stopped ringing.I stared into Ivanna’s calm eyes and gradually regained my composure. My thoughts began to clear, and I wiped my face, saying, “I get it now! I’m grateful to have a clear-headed person like you by my side. You constantly remind me of my priorities.”When the phone rang again, I had already sorted my emotions. Ivanna passed me the phone and nodded. “You’ve got this.”I took a deep breath and swiped the screen to answer the call, “Hey, honey. It’s about time you called. I need to ask you, where’s the money in our account? Ava had pneumonia, and I had to rush her to the hospital in the middle of the night.“Nothing was left when I tried to withdraw money from the card. What’s going on?”Ivanna smacked her forehead when she heard my words. How
Chapter 27 The Bruises on the Child's Body
I chuckled as I wondered what the good news could be. Ivanna didn’t specify the news due to time constraints, and I didn’t pry. Instead, we agreed to meet tomorrow.Meanwhile, everyone waited at my in-laws’ place for me to return for dinner. Surprisingly, Melanie was there.When Grace saw me, she quickly laid out the dishes, saying, “Dinner’s ready! Chlo, it’s been a while since you last joined us for a meal.”I smiled while washing my hands and helped with the dishes. The atmosphere was heartwarming with the whole family together. Henry asked Matthew about the project in Operose during the meal, but Matthew brushed it off.Without much thought, Grace asked Melanie, “What were you doing with your brother?”Immediately after, I noticed Melanie pausing and glancing at Matthew. He questioned, “You went to Operose too?”Melanie froze, seemingly off guard, as she hesitated before saying, “Uh…I went there with my friends!”However, Grace persisted, “Then why did you tell me you were w