Chapter 124

Jennifer had already wrapped the ravioli while Teresa helped her cook them. There were two fillings: beef and pork.

While serving the ravioli, Jonathan's image flashed in Teresa's mind. She remembered the time he ate spoiled ravioli and ended up in the hospital with acute gastroenteritis. It was the start of winter, and now it was almost Christmas. The next time they ate ravioli would be New Year's Day.

The piping hot ravioli were served. Teresa and Jennifer enjoyed theirs with tomato sauce, while Cheryl and Michael preferred theirs plain.

"Mommy, there are so many ravioli. Can we invite Mr. Lime to eat?" Michael's gentle words suddenly made Teresa frown. She put down her fork and exchanged a glance with him.

Michael crossed his arms, snorting, "Hmph! I was just asking. Don't look at me like that."

Cheryl chuckled. "Exactly. Can't the kid ask? After all, kids are powerfully persuasive."

Teresa glanced at Cheryl, who immediately fell silent. Shifting her gaze back to Michael, she said, "He's too busy to come. Isn't it enough for you to have three beautiful women keeping you company at dinner?"

Michael sniffled, "Mr. Lime always eats without any beautiful women to keep him company. How pitiful!"

Jennifer interjected, "Mr. Lime? Could it be..." She trailed off, looking at Teresa, who nodded silently.

Teresa ruffled Michael's hair and sighed, "Didn't we agree you're going to be obedient?"

Michael lowered his head, saying, "I've been very obedient and patient. I've only sent Mr. Lime a simple greeting text message!"

Teresa immediately felt anxious, wondering what he had sent. This kid was always sneaking around and causing trouble for her.

Michael explained that he used his own phone to send it because he had Jonathan's number. He sent Jonathan a message with a cheering emoji: [Merry Christmas.] It was sent fifteen minutes ago, and Jonathan still hadn't replied.

Just as Teresa reached for his phone to take it away, Michael's ringtone chimed.

"Mike?" A deep, magnetic male voice came through. Teresa remained silent and reluctantly handed the phone to Michael.

Michael happily put his phone to his ear. "Mr. Daddy Lime! Why aren't you replying to my messages, huh?"

"I just saw your message. Merry Christmas to you too," Jonathan said.

Michael chuckled goofily. "Mr. Daddy Lime, have you eaten? Did you have any ravioli?"

It was quite noisy on Jonathan's end as he mentioned he was eating.

Michael asked again, "What kind of ravioli did you eat? Who did you have them with? Are there any pretty ladies with you?"

Teresa discreetly poked Michael's shoulder, hinting for him to stop talking nonsense, but Michael ignored her.

Jonathan replied that he was having ravioli with his mother, grandfather, and family members, and that he had seafood and beef ravioli.

Michael frowned, saying, "Then you should eat more! A man needs to eat well to have the energy to work!"

Jonathan smiled faintly and replied, "Have you eaten? Are you still staying at Miriam's place?"

Michael said, "I've eaten! I'm not staying there anymore because Mo-" Under Teresa's watchful gaze, Michael corrected himself, "I'm staying at Ms. Johnston's house now. We're at Rosary Estates."

Jonathan was silent for a few seconds. "I see."

He suddenly asked, "What did you all have for dinner?"

Michael got excited. "I had ravioli too! Mo- I mean, Ms. Doctor came over to make them. Three beautiful women ate with me. Bet you don't get that kind of treatment!"

"Doctor?" Jonathan's usually calm tone became quite unsettled. "Is Ms. Johnston's cold not better yet?"

Michael huffed, "Ms. Doctor is Mo-, I mean, a friend of Ms. Johnston's. I don't know how they know each other."

"Okay," Jonathan said. "I've got something to do here, so I'll hang up now."

"Goodbye, Mr. Lime!" Michael said.

After the call ended, Michael was on the verge of tears. He threw himself into Teresa's embrace, his fists pounding her arm. "It's all your fault! You made me call you Ms. Johnston, so I was stuttering. Mr. Lime must've hated me."

Teresa noticed Michael cared so much about his image. Who did he inherit that from? He didn't even stutter earlier and spoke just fine.

Michael covered his ears, refusing to listen. He was very angry, and there was no way to soothe him.

To calm him down, Teresa went to the bedroom and brought out an item. Jonathan had brought a necklace with a pendant representing Michael's zodiac sign for him from a business trip.

"This is what Mr. Lime got for you during his business trip to Shaville. Are you happy now?" Teresa asked.

Only then did Michael stop crying and examine the necklace. "So beautiful! Why are you giving it to me only now?"

Teresa protested, "Miriam just gave it to me today. I was planning to secretly put it around your neck tonight."

Michael fell asleep contentedly, hugging the necklace.

Jennifer was about to leave, and so was Cheryl, as her family had called, asking her to return home for dinner. She couldn't stay at Teresa's place tonight.

Jennifer said, "I'll drive Cheryl home."

Cheryl replied without hesitation, "Thank you, Dr. Nelson. I can't drive. Otherwise, I would've had Teresa take me."

"Mmm." Jennifer felt sorry for Teresa, so she offered to drive Cheryl home.

At Cheryl's house, Donald was preparing to pick up Cheryl when he saw Jennifer's red Toyota and paused for a moment. It wasn't until the headlights flashed in Donald's eyes, and Cheryl got out of the car, that he completely ignored her and fixed his gaze directly on Jennifer.

"How did you end up driving Cheryl home?" Donald asked.

"It was on my way," Jennifer said. "I'll be leaving now."

Donald grabbed her wrist, saying, "Come in and have dinner before you go."

Jennifer pulled her hand back coldly, replying, "No need, I've already eaten."

She drove off, and Cheryl waved her hand in front of Donald several times before he snapped back to reality. Cheryl seemed to have discovered something significant.

"Do you like Dr. Nelson? Wow, I just remembered, you also work at Nareigh Maternal and Child Health Hospital. Dr. Nelson is your colleague, right?" she asked.

Donald tapped Cheryl lightly on the head, asking, "How do you know Jennifer?"

Cheryl replied, "It's because Teresa knows Dr. Nelson, so I met Dr. Nelson through her. Come on, tell me. Do you like Dr. Nelson? Do you have feelings for her?"

Donald was speechless. He pinched her cheek and changed the subject, saying, "Did you go see Teresa again? She hasn't remarried Jonathan yet, so stop bothering her every day."

Cheryl grinned playfully. "Well, if I can't bother Teresa, can I bother Dr. Nelson instead?"

Donald was speechless. He reached out to ruffle Cheryl's hair and said, "You little rascal."