Chapter 229

Teresa looked at Truman, who had suddenly appeared. Her expression was calm, as if she had expected him. Truman couldn't help but marvel at Jonathan's annoyingly perfect appearance. Even drenched, Jonathan looked flawless, like a specimen he'd meticulously collected.

Truman released Teresa and said, "Mr. Lynn, Teresa asked me to take her away."

Jonathan's gaze was cold and unreadable as he stared at Truman. "What makes you think you can—"

"I've been her therapist since her marriage," Truman replied evenly. "I've been helping her deal with the damage caused by your marriage."

Jonathan's grip on Teresa's arm tightened. His displeasure was evident in his piercing gaze.

Truman glanced at Jonathan's long fingers and possessive hold and continued, "Teresa has been suffering from severe anxiety and depression ever since she married you. She told me countless times how unhappy she's been and how much pain she's endured. She wanted a divorce. She doesn't want to live like this anymore. She even said that marrying you was the worst mistake of her life. She's exhausted, completely worn down by you."

Jonathan's sharp gaze locked onto Teresa. His brows were deeply furrowed. However, Teresa remained stern. After a moment, she finally nodded. Jonathan slowly released Teresa's arm.

Truman continued, "When her grandparents passed away, and during the time she needed someone most, you weren't there for her. I was the one who stayed by her side. She hopes you'll let her go, so she called me earlier and asked me to come help her. She doesn't want you to keep bothering her."

Jonathan stared at Teresa, his gaze unwavering. His eyes began to redden. He shoved his hand into his pocket, gripping the ring he had recently bought so tightly that his knuckles cracked. Peter had gone with him to Archulea, where Jonathan had selected a diamond ring he thought Teresa would love among countless others. With that ring, Jonathan had returned full of hope, only to hear those heartbreaking words.

Teresa stayed silent for a moment. Then she nodded slowly. "Yes, that's how it is."

Jonathan was speechless. He said, "Take care of yourself and stay warm. Don't block me. If you ever need anything, just call me. This is all I can do for you now."

With those words, Jonathan turned around with great difficulty and walked away. As his car sped off into the rain at a reckless speed, Teresa's heart ached. She quickly called Benny. "Can you tell Jonathan to slow down? The roads are slippery. But don't let him know it's from me," she said.

"What happened between you two?" Benny asked.

Teresa replied, "Nothing. I just noticed he was driving too fast. Please, just tell him to be careful."

After Teresa hung up, the concern in her eyes was unmistakable, and Truman noticed it. With a guilty smile, Truman asked, "So, does this count as making amends? Can we still be friends after this?"

Teresa shook her head. Her expression was distant. "No."

The reason Teresa had asked Truman to come was simple. She knew Jonathan held a poor opinion of Truman. Truman was a psychologist, so his words carried weight, and Jonathan would be more likely to believe him. That marriage had indeed left Teresa deeply scarred, though she had exaggerated her condition just a little.

Truman said, "You know, you're overcomplicating things. If you kissed me in front of your ex-husband, it would hit him where it hurts and speed things up."

Teresa's expression turned icy and disgusted. "I have standards. I wouldn't use the trashy tactics Simona used."

Truman's face froze for a moment. "With such a sharp tongue, it's hard to imagine you ever struggled with depression."

Teresa said, "I have plenty in life, and there are..." Then, Teresa turned and walked upstairs. "I'll live well."

Chapter 224

Honestly, this one was surprisingly perfect. Teresa slipped the ring onto her finger—it still fit perfectly—with a tad of effort. She carefully placed it back in the box. She thought, Farewell, Jonathan. This time, it's truly goodbye. All the other problems had been sorted out. The only problem left was that she had no key. Now, Teresa just needed to have a talk with Michael, and then she could finally leave.

"Mommy, are we going on a trip?" Michael, who had been brought back from daycare, asked as Teresa busily packed their suitcases.

"We're going abroad to stay with Grandma and Isabel," Teresa replied gently.

Michael said with a hint of grievance, "Mommy, I don't like Grandma Sher's..."

Teresa paused for a moment. Then she said softly, "We'll stay for a few days and see. If we don't like it, we'll find somewhere else."

"But Mommy, I like Mr. Lime's big villa. It's so comfy," Michael added.

This time, Teresa stayed composed, though her heart ached. She steeled herself and brushed it off. "We'll see about that later."

"Mommy, is it just the two of us going to see Grandma? Isn't Jennifer coming with us?" Michael asked.

"No, she's not coming. She won't be staying with us anymore," Teresa answered.

One of the reasons Teresa had decided to leave was to put some distance between herself and Jennifer, whose controlling behavior and constant meddling had been suffocating. Teresa was determined to reclaim her life.

Michael nodded. "Mommy, so when are we leaving?"

"This weekend," Teresa replied honestly.

The little boy, blissfully unaware of the future, thought they would eventually return to Nareigh. However, this time, Teresa was leaving Nareigh with Michael, forever.