âHe promised me heâd go on the blind date.
Karen said with an eye roll. âYeah, he did. Showed up and told the girl right off the bat that he has
belonged to someone else and that heâd never love her despite the marriage. They could tie the knot
only if she was cool with that. Who would marry a guy like that?â
Dorothy looked down, an uncomfortable weight settling in her heart.
âI donât deserve what heâs doing for me.â
âKenneth thinks you do, and no one can tell him otherwise!â Karen patted her shoulder. âHey, donât
stress about it, Dorothy. Kennethâs a grown man. Whatever choices he makes, he makes them willingly.
No oneâs forcing his hand. And you shouldnât feel guilty. I certainly donât blame you for any of this.â
She was always clear about whom to love or hate! She wouldnât reproach Dorothy just because
Kenneth was Kenneth.
âDo you think itâd be better if I kept my distance from him?â
âNo way. He was abroad before and never committed to anyone.â
Dorothy lifted her gaze. âThatâs because he was busy taking care of Langston for me. Now, heâs free
from babysitting, and Iâll just fade from his world.â
âIf that were true, Kenneth probably wouldnât have agreed to go abroad! He left to help you out with
Langston, right?â Karen paused, sensing something amiss. âWait up! You said you wonât need his help
with Langston? Did the Lopez family find outâ¦?â
âMhm,â Dorothy nodded faintly. âTheyâre taking the children.â
âWhat the heck? They think they can just take them?â Karen exploded. âYou gave your life to deliver
the children, but what has the Lopez family ever done? They think they can just swoop in and claim
them? Dream on!â
âIt was my decision.â
Karen blinked in confusion. âWhat?â
Dorothy exhaled deeply. Her long lashes casting shadows that hid the turmoil in her eyes.
âEverettâs father convinced me that the kids would be better off with the Lopez family. Theyâd have
brighter futures, whereas I could only offer them ordinary lives. He made sense.â
Besides the promise to see Everett, Dorothy was seriously considering Jonathanâs words.
She knew hardship all too well. Growing up, she was always trapped by money. While other kids had
their fill of good food and warm clothes, she was grateful just to have a full belly. Others could pick
prestigious colleges or study abroad, while she had to settle for a secondâtier school because of a
measly scholarship.
Dorothy knew the kids wouldnât suffer as she had if they stayed with her, but they would still be far, far
below what the Lopez. family could offer.
She couldnât be that selfish.
âBetter for who? Have you even told Everett? Heâd never agree!â
Dorothy grabbed Karenâs sleeve urgently. âYou mustnât tell Everett about this!â
âWhy not?â
âByte 7 said they could recover the surveillance disk in a month. Iâve got it all planned out. Once I have
the video, Iâll go for the public, blast it all over domestic and international media. Iâll use the court of
public opinion to pressure the Lopez Corporation while simultaneously filing criminal charges against
his parents. The Lopez family is deeply rooted; I need to make a big scene to get a fair verdict. Butâ¦â
Karen pursed her lips, and her face troubled. âYou can never be with Everett if you ever get into those.
Can you⦠can you really give him up?â
After all, it was insane for a daughterâinâlaw, before even getting married, to plan for her motherâinâ
lawâs sentence to death!
Dorothy forced a smile but said nothing. She was at a loss for words.
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