When Her "Death" Couldn't Break Him

Chapter 1218 I Deserve A Reward

“I contributed to our win, didn’t I?” Nathaniel asked, leaning a little closer to Cecilia with a mischievous smile.

Luckily for her, they were now sitting in a private car and not the crowded coach bus from earlier Otherwise, half the parents would have seen Nathaniel teasing her so openly.

Cecilia’s cheeks flushed as she tried to maintain her composure.

“You don’t need any extra praise,” she muttered, her voice low. “As a father, it’s your job to cheer your child on and help him win.”

Nathaniel, not one to give up easily, pressed further. “No. I think I deserve a reward too,” he said with smirk.

A reward!

Cecilia’s eyes widened as she met his playful gaze. Her heart raced, and she wasn’t sure how to respond Jonathan, however, seemed to have had enough of their back–and–forth.

“Fine.” Jonathan interjected with a frown. “Next time. I just ask Mr. Zachary to join me for the parent- child activities. He won’t make such a fuss about rewards

The boy’s blunt words hit Nathaniel, and he was momentarily at a loss. Jonathan, sensing his small victory looked at him with a mix of envy and triumph. “Isn’t that a better idea, Mr. Rainsworth be added dearly trying to prove a point.

The tension between the two–one older, one younger–was almost palpable. Nathaniel sighed in defeat leaning back in his seat. “All right, fine. Forget it,” he said, giving in.

Cecilia exhaled in relief, thankful Jonathan had put an end to Nathaniel’s teasing. He always seemed to understand her so well.

After arriving back at the preschool, the teacher gave a few final instructions to the children, who then scattered to reunite with their parents. Darren approached them just as Cecilia was about to leave.

“Nathaniel, are you heading back with your wife? How about we grab a quick meal together?” Darren suggested.

Cecilia glanced at him and hesitated before answering. It’s not really convenient right now?

She knew about Darren’s complicated relationship with Madeline, and bringing him along would only cause trouble. Darren, sensing the rejection, looked disappointed. It was rare for him to extend an invitation, and even rarer to be turned downL

Zachary, ever the mediator, patted Darren on the shoulder with a grin. “How about we head to my pl instead?”

As they made their plans, Jonathan waved goodbye to Cecilia “Mommy, be good while you’re at home. okay? Don’t forget to take your vitamins,” he reminded her with an air of seriousness beyond his years.

Cecilia smiled, waving back. “I’ll remember.”

she should have had children of her own by now. But her husband, Zeke, had never treated her with any real love or respect, let alone talked about starting a family.

“Ceci, I’m truly envious of you,” Meredith said softly. “You’ve got a wonderful husband and such an understanding son.”

Cecilia could yourself sense the weight of worry in her friend’s voice. “Meredith, you should think more about yourself. You deserve to be happy too. Believe me, my life wasn’t always this great.”

Meredith nodded, her expression pensive. She had done her homework on Cecilia before they became friends, and she knew that Cecilia hadn’t had an easy past. It served as a reminder that real change could only come when one decided to take control of their own life.

As they parted ways, Meredith got into the car with Conrad. The boy was still fuming from earlier and wasted no time voicing his frustrations

“When we get home, I’m telling Grandpa, Grandma, and Dad how you’ve been bullying me!” Conrad shouted, his face red with anger.

Meredith, exhausted and no longer willing to cater to his tantrums, responded with an unusual calmness. “Go ahead, tell them.

Why should I raise another woman’s kid? This boy is nothing but an ingrate

Conrad blinked, momentarily taken aback by her indifference. In the past, every time he threatened to tattle on her, Meredith would go out of her way to make amends. But this time, something had changed.

“Fine!” he snapped. “Don’t blame me when I’m not nice about it!”

Meredith didn’t respond. Her gaze drifted out the car window, where the late afternoon sunlight filtered through the trees. It had been a long time since she had truly taken in the world outside.

“Say something! Are you deaf?” Conrad demanded, growing more irritated by her silence. In a burst of anger, he reached over and yanked at Meredith’s hair, his small hand tugging hard.

Conrad had grown used to behaving this way. His grandparents and father despised Meredith, so whenever they saw him acting out or hitting her, they never intervened. Sometimes, they even laughed.

But Meredith had reached her breaking point. With swift precision, she pulled Conrad’s hand away and landed a sharp smack on his bottom.

The boy stood there, stunned, his eyes wide in disbelief After a few moments of silence, he burst into loud, uncontrollable sobs.

“Wah, wah! You’re bullying me!” Conrad wailed, his tears streaming down his face.

Meredith remained calm, ignoring his outburst.

When they finally arrived home, Conrad wasted no time rushing to his grandparents and father, eager complain. As expected, they immediately sought out Meredith, ready to scold her.

But before they could say a word, Meredith calmly presented Zeke with a document. “Zeke,” she said, her voice steady, “I want a divorce.”