Chapter 18
“Nothing,” Kenneth lowered his gaze, concealing the disappointment in his eyes and took Michelle to eat as usual.
This meal was unusually quiet. Michelle sighed softly and called to the person across from her, “Kenneth.”
“Hmm?” Kenneth, lost in thought, didn’t react immediately and looked at Michelle.
“I no longer love Parker. I’ve repaid the Smith Family for their kindness in raising me. As for him marrying Janet, I don’t care,” Michelle said each word sincerely.
She genuinely no longer cared about these matters. People need to look forward. What happened in the past should be left behind.
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Kenneth was stunned for a moment, not understanding why Michelle suddenly explained this to him. He grew a little flustered, “Michelle, I didn’t mean to reprimand you. I just feel bad for you,” Kenneth said, his eyes involuntarily reddening as he spoke.
Although Michelle had never told him much about her past, he couldn’t help but investigate. Upon learning about the awful things Parker and the Smith Family had done to her, Kenneth was furious.
Even the rumors about Parker’s affair with his
sister–in–law some time ago had been fueled by Kenneth from the shadows. He genuinely believed Michelle deserved better.
Seeing this man, who was always cold and
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reticent before outsiders but treated her so well, with reddened eyes, Michelle felt amused and helpless.
She gently smoothed the furrows on his brow, “Kenneth, have I ever told you that you look very handsome when you smile?” Michelle said with a light chuckle. “So, don’t always keep a straight face, okay? Smile more, like the way you smile at me and Mom at home.”
The company employees privately referred to him as the ‘grim reaper,‘ but only Michelle knew that Kenneth was not frightening at all, just a soft–hearted man who pretended to be tough.
He was even a little childish and endearing. As if his secret thoughts had been exposed, Kenneth’s ears turned red. “Alright,” Kenneth
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smiled faintly.
The phone on the table vibrated and Kenneth glanced at it briefly before his expression stiffened.
“What’s wrong?” Michelle asked curiously. What kind of message could make the usually composed Kenneth react like this?
After hesitating for a moment, Kenneth decided to tell her the truth, “The marriage alliance between the Browning and Smith families has invited Diesel Family to attend.” The atmosphere fell silent for a moment.
Kenneth waited patiently for Michelle’s response, feeling a subtle tension in his chest.
After a sigh, Michelle said, “Let’s go. It’s also a chance to say goodbye to the past completely.”
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“Alright, I’ll follow your lead,” he said.
After moving into the Browning household, Janet was treated with disdain by everyone, including the housekeepers.
Parker, on the other hand, barely came home, spending his days at entertainment venues and neglecting work entirely.
The entire Browning Group relied on Leo alone, who was so busy managing the company and dealing with the flood of gossip about Parker’s nightlife that he ended up in the hospital several times within two months.
Yet Parker remained unrepentant, repeatedly pushing everyone’s limits. Janet spent her days weeping, though her pregnancy had started to show.
After seeing that she had made it past the
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three–month safety period, Mariska’s attitude softened somewhat. She pampered Janet with the best food and care, afraid of causing any harm to her precious grandson.
Only then did Janet’s days improve slightly, though she would still be furious every time she saw news about Parker’s affairs.
One rare day, Parker came home and though he was drunk, Janet was overjoyed and hurried over to support him. “Parker, why did you drink so much?” Janet asked with
concern.
In his drunken haze, Parker mistook Janet for Michelle and murmured hoarsely,
“Michelle …”
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