Chapter 231
“I just woke up!” answered Lillian.
“Yeah. Me too!” Kevin exclaimed.
Stacey pinched their cheeks with a smile and said, “The day is starting to break. Go wash up so we can head downstairs for breakfast.” Lillian and Kevin were still too young to take care of themselves completely, but Stacey did not completely deprive them of their ability to be hands–on. She patiently taught them how to brush their teeth and use toothpaste. Feeling good, Stacey wasn’t in a hurry and took her time until Lillian and Kevin were all cleaned up.
Stacey was quite busy over the next few days. She had left on vacation some time ago, so she needed to catch up on company matters to get back on track. There were drafts from the design department that needed to be personally reviewed. It was necessary as the designers might slack off without random checks. Carter’s Jewel did not completely prohibit designers from slacking off, but without regular inspections, a lack of oversight could lead to a lazy attitude. Over time, this could degrade the quality of the design drafts and ultimately affect the reputation and quality of the entire Carter’s Jewel’s designs. During this round of checks, Stacey discovered a serious problem. One of the designers had copied another company’s work. Her expression darkened immediately. Fortunately, the plagiarized design had not been officially adopted yet, so no final product based on it had been produced.
Stacey promptly called a meeting for all the designers at Carter’s Jewel to address the plagiarism issue. After the meeting, she instructed that the offending designer should settle her wages with the finance department and Carter’s Jewel would not hire her again. Stacey’s decision was swift, but Nancy Dawson, the employee leaving due to the plagiarism, was discontented. Before leaving, she gave Stacey several hostile glares. Stacey could not shake off Nancy’s gaze even after work. She felt a chill running down her spine. Although she was just an employee, Stacey could not afford to be lenient with plagiarism. Carter’s Jewel’s longstanding reputation could not be compromised by someone like that.
Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye, and it was time for Jeremy to be discharged and return to the country. Moreover, Christmas was approaching bringing excitement to everyone. To make it even better, Jeremy was not returning to Strico but was coming directly to Hivalis to see Stacey. Hayden mentioned that Jeremy had been eagerly counting the days until his return. Stacey was also excited by the thought of seeing Jeremy. She immediately cleared her schedule and set aside a day to pick him up from the airport.
They hadn’t seen each other for half a month. When Jeremy spotted her, he immediately ran into her arms, brimming with excitement. Lillian and Kevin also adored Jeremy very much. Seeing Jeremy, they also came over. They mimicked how Jeremy hugged Stacey, wrapping their arms around him. As a result, Stacey found herself surrounded by a circle of children. Fortunately, Gwen and Marie arrived shortly and separated Lillian and Kevin, easing the crowding around Stacey. Hayden arrived as well, holding a suitcase and looking pleased.
“How is Jeremy’s recovery?” Stacey asked with a smile.
Hayden glanced at Jeremy and nodded with a smile. “Everything went well.”
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Stacey’s face lit up with anticipation. She looked at Jeremy and said eagerly, “So will Jeremy be able to learn to speak in the future?”
Hayden nodded and answered, “Yes.”
Stacey mused, ‘Oh my god!‘ Thrilled, she immediately squatted down. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation as she looked at Jeremy. “Jeremy, can you say my name?” Jeremy said nothing.
Hayden chuckled. “Let’s practice slowly when we get back. Jeremy isn’t quite ready yet.”
Hearing this, Stacey nodded in a hurry. “All right.” They headed directly to Carter Villa.
On the other hand, after a month of “cooling off,” Queenie was still unwilling to give up. Knowing that Jeremy would return home after being discharged from the hospital, she went to Hoggard Villa and waited for him. Unfortunately, despite waiting all day, she did not see any cars returning. Disappointed and exhausted from standing for hours, Queenie hesitated for a long time before finally deciding to leave.
Unexpectedly, as Queenie approached her parked car, she noticed her cousin Edith’s car parked next to it, with Edith sitting inside. Edith’s gaze was filled with unwillingness and hatred, and she made no effort to conceal her emotions. “Queenie, how shameless can you be? He clearly does not want you anymore, yet you are still hanging around his house. If word gets out, won’t the Leavey family become a laughingstock in high society?” Edith mocked in a harsh tone. She couldn’t understand why her grandparents favored Queenie so much. Edith thought, ‘Is it because Queenie is the first–born granddaughter of the Leavey family? She’s such a fool and a hopeless romantic. How could someone like her inherit the Leavey family’s assets?‘
Queenie’s expression turned grim, and she fixed her cold, unyielding gaze on Edith. A glint of anger sparkled in her gaze. “Get lost!”
Edith chuckled derisively and said sarcastically, “Queenie, your fury is truly laughable.”
“You!” Queenie trembled with rage.
Edith stared into her eyes and uttered word by word seriously, “Queenie, someone like you does not deserve to inherit the Leavey family’s assets. If you did, the Leavey family would be doomed.” After finishing her harsh words, Edith ignored the fuming Queenie and drove away quickly.
Queenie stood still, and her anger smoldered fiercely. She left Hoggard Villa and returned to her mansion, feeling completely exhausted as she stepped through the door. Opening the refrigerator, Queenie grabbed a bottle of beer and collapsed onto the couch. As she drank, her mind wandered aimlessly. Despite her foggy mind, memories from the past kept resurfacing. The times she spent with Elden during high school and university were so sweet that even now, they brought a smile to her face. However, as cherished as those memories were, the thought of Elden’s infidelity only deepened her heartache. She was consumed with rage, thinking, ‘Why is Elden like this? Why did I
fall for someone like him?‘
Anger dominated her thoughts. After finishing the beer, Queenie threw the bottle against the floor, shattering it into pieces. A bit drunk, she stumbled to her feet and accidentally stepped on shards of broken glass. The sharp, searing pain made her cry out, instantly clearing her mind. Queenie came
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to a stark realization that she could not give up. She had to remarry Hayden and ensure that Elden regretted his actions.
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