About twenty minutester, Jeffrey returned.

He wore a simple white shirt that made his handsome features stand out. With his money, power, and looks, it was no wonder people found themselves

attracted to him.

“Jeffrey..” Andrea’s hands tightened at her sides. Her eyes were full of regret as she whispered, “I’m so sorry.”

Jeffrey approached her and gently pinched her cheek in an affectionate gesture. “There’s no need to apologize when everything is fine between us,” he reassured bher/b.

“I shouldn’t have tried to pay Reba to leave,” Andrea admitted, avoiding his gaze out of nervousness. “She’s your wile and Samuel’s mother, and I’m truly sorry for what I did.”

Jeffrey pulled her into a warm embrace and spoke with unusual tenderness, “I’m the one who should be apologizing to you.”

Both Andrea and Reba found themselves equally confused by this unexpected turn of events.

“This happened because I failed to make you feel secure in our rtionship, Jeffrey spoke in aforting btone /bas he released her from the hug “Next time, just talk to me. You bdon’t /bever bhave /bto lower yourself like this again

Andrea waspletely caught off guard. “You really don’t me me?” she asked.

“I don’t, Jeffrey replied calmly.

“Thank you, Jeffrey I promise I won’t do anything like this again,” Andres said, the relief evident in her voice as she realized he was letting it go.

Stl, she understood that bhis /bbwords /bhad been meant for Reba’s earsb, /bband /bthatst part was definitely a quiet warning for her too..

“Victor,” Jeffrey called, not even bncing /bReba’s way.

Victor was at his side instantly. “Mr. Hanson, what do you need?”

“Revoke all of Reba’s ess to the house, Jeffrey ordered. “That means room codes, security cameras–everything.”

“Right away,” Victor repliedb, /balready moving to make it bhappen/b.

Within minutes, Reba’s ess waspletely wiped. All the codes were changed, and the camera bfeeds /bwere cut off. From now on, she’d need Jeffrey’s direct approval just to stop through the door.

“I apologize for any inconvenience Andrea may bhave /bcaused you,” Jeffrey said bas /bhe pulled out 50 dors. “Consider thispensation bfor /byour trouble. bSince /bno actual harm was done, this should be more than sufficient,”

Reba was too stunned to even be angry. She knew Jeffrey might give her a hard time, but this kind of humiliation caught herpletely off bguard/b.

“bKeep /bit,” she said, her voice even. She looked at they like they were idiots. “You need it more than I do. Use it to get your heads checked–maybe then byou’ll /bbfigure /bout what’s wrong with you.”

She didn’t wait for a response, turning to head upstairs and grab her bag

Andrea’s face flushed with anger at the insult, so started toin to Jeffrey, but when she looked at him, she found his eyes, fixed on the bstaircase /bwhere Reba bhad /bdisappeared. There was something in his expression she’d never seen before.

It looked like admiration, or perhaps pride–imr to how a parent fell when the obedient child suddenly bstood /bup for themselves.

“Jeffrey,” bAndrea /bcalled out to him in a soft voice.

19:54 Sun, 14 Sept

Jeffrey turned his attention to her, his expression nowpletely neutral. “What is it?b” /b

“Nothing,” she said, knowing better than to push further.

Momentster, Reba came downstairs with her bag. She stopped beside Jeffrey, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “So, are we doing the usual bag check today? Or are you gonna wait buntil /bI’m out the door to use me of stealing bagain/b!”

“No need,” Jeffrey said, surprisingly letting it go. btrust you’re /bon your best behavior.”

Reba walked out without another nce in his direction.

The moment she left, Jeffrey’s phone bbuzzed /bwith a text from Timothy. [Mr. Hanson, we have a situation with Ms. Jensen’s mother.]

At the same time, Reba received a call from the hospital

“Ms. Jensen? Your mother’s taken ba /bturn for bthe /bworse. We need to prep her for surgery. You need to get here right away to sign the consent forms,” Timothy said urgently.

Reba raced to the hospital, her hands still shaking from that terrifying phone call

bShe /brushed into the doctor’s office, her voice tight with worry. “Dr. Johnson, how’s my mom?”

“She’s stable for now. But she needs surgery, Timothy bsaid/b, handing her the chart.

He exined gently, “It’s a high–risk procedure. If it works, she could wake bup /bbin /bba /bfew weeks. If not… she bmight /bnever breathe on her own again.”

Reba’s hands clenched around the medical chart, her heart pounding hard.

“Without the surgery,” Timothy continued softly, b“/bbshe /bwon’t make it through the month.”

“Do it,” Reba said without hesitation. “Save her. I don’t care what it costs.”

Timothy hesitated. He’d bheard /babout the tension between Reba and Jeffrey–the whole hospital was buzzing with rumors. There was no way she

could afford this surgery on her own.

“You’ll need toe up with the money in the next few days. We’re looking at least 150 thousand,” Timothy bsaid /bgently, noticing how worried she looked. “And if things take a bturn/bb, /bthat number could go bup/bb./bb” /b

Reba felt her heart drop bas /bshe heard the amount.

“I’ll make it work,” she said, the words heavy with the weight of what she was promising. Her mother would get this surgery, no matter what bit /bbtook/b. “Just please help her.”

Then y

byou/b!

should sign these consent forms, Timothy said, handing her the paperworkb. /bb“/bThis way, I can move bquickly /bif anything changes.”

She took the form and signed bwithout /bhesitation. But her bhand /btrembled so bbadly /bthat she bcould /bbarely hold the pen.

Noticing her distress, Timothy hesitated before offering. “If you can’te up with the money, you could always talk to Mr. bHanson/b. You’re still legally marriedb, /band he has some responsibility here.b” /b

Reba stayed quiet, her mind racing. He’s already blocked me from getting a jobs. Why would he pay now? Ho probably enjoys seeing me struggle aher

Het him!

As she finished signing, Reba turned to visither mother, unexpectedly spotting Jeffrey standing in the doorway.

He carried himself with that same polished confidence she remembered, his expression cool and detached as he entered. His eyes barely grazed over her before he approached Throthy for an update.

After Timothy finished exining, Jeffrey inquired about the cost, and Timothy provided him with the exact amount.

?

19:54 Sun, 14 Sept.

When he learned it was 150 thousand, he looked toward Reba band /bsaid in a tone that brooked no argument, “Come with me.”

Reba stood frozen in ce, not saying a word.

Jeffrey reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her into the next room.

“Any regrets?” he asked, watching her from his chair with that natural air of authority he always carried.

61%

Reba knew he was referring to their conversation from several bdays /bago. Pressing her lips together in that stubborn way of hers, she said, “Not a single one.”

Thinking she needed to be taught a lesson, Jeffrey pulled bher /bonto hisp. Though she immediately tried to jump back up, he held her firmly in ce.

“You know I like it when you behave,” he murmured, his hands sliding along her waist, appreciating how soft bher /bskin felt beneath his fingers.

She struggled against his hold, but he kept her trapped securely against him.

“Apologize properly and beg me nicely, and I might let this go,” he said, his thumb brushing across her lower lip, making her shiver. “I’ll take care of your mother’s treatment–all of it.”

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