Chapter 431

Jennifer stared at Teresa, finally noticing the bracelet on her wrist. She frowned. "When did you get that bracelet? It looks nice—how much did it set you back?"

Teresa scoffed. "It's not like you paid for it."

Jennifer pressed her lips together, remembering the other deputy director in her department who always bragged about the bracelet her husband bought her for over thirty thousand. Looking at Teresa’s bracelet, which was nicer than her colleague’s, Jennifer figured it out. "Your ex gave it to you, didn't he? So, just because he gave you a bracelet, you're ready to throw away your peaceful life and tell him everything?"

Teresa shot back, "So what do you want me to do? Mike needs his dad. Even on his birthday, he has to tiptoe around and ask me if his real dad can be there. Don't you think your nephew deserves better?"

"He's just a kid. As long as we're there for him, isn't that enough? I've worked so hard to get here. Donald and I haven't even gotten married yet. If you come clean now, have you even thought about how I feel?"

Teresa let out a cold laugh. "You keep saying it's for me, but honestly, it's always about you."

"I'm only thinking about myself? That's a joke," Jennifer said, not bothering to argue anymore. She glanced at her phone. Yesterday, she'd called Evelyn; Evelyn said she'd come over.

Speak of the devil—Evelyn had just arrived downstairs. The security guard was stuck, unsure whether to let her in or stop her. Teresa didn’t want to make things difficult for the staff, so she told them to let Evelyn in.

"I heard from Jennifer that you're planning to come clean about Mike. I don't agree with you doing that," Evelyn said.

Teresa felt her heart go cold. "And what right do you have to disagree, Ms. Davis? Who are you to say no?"

Evelyn looked guilty. "I know you blame me for taking Jonathan's money and only telling you after I lost it all. That really was my fault."

"What?" Jennifer, who hadn't known about this, shot back sarcastically at Evelyn. "Do you even know how to be a mother? Why would you spend your daughter's ex-husband's money?"

Evelyn, knowing she was in the wrong, silently pulled out a bank card and handed it to Teresa. "There's a million dollars in here. I'll pay back the remaining 1.5 million bit by bit."

Teresa frowned. "Where did you get that much money?"

Evelyn answered honestly, "I sold my house in Fernlandia, and some jewelry too."

Teresa went quiet, unsure what to say.

Jennifer took a deep breath. She really didn't care whether Evelyn sold the house or not. "What matters now is that Teresa wants to come clean about Mike. You're her mom—talk some sense into your daughter," she said coldly, turning her back on Teresa and Evelyn.

Evelyn sat down next to Teresa. "You need to listen to her. She's right. Have you even thought about the consequences if you spill the truth now? What if the Lynn family calls off the wedding?"

"Who cares?" Teresa replied, her face blank. "It's not my wedding on the line."

"See?" Jennifer spun around and pointed at Teresa. "She treats me like I'm the enemy. She just can't stand to see me happy."

"Oh, please. Who's really the one who doesn't want the other to be happy? Jennifer, you're not a part of our family. Didn't you say you were done with the Johnston family?"

"If that's the case, you shouldn't have come back to Nareigh or called me your sister. Why do you have to meddle in everything? Don't you get tired of it?"

"Teresa," Evelyn frowned, "is that any way to talk to your sister?"

"Why can't I say it? She's the selfish one here. She's spending the money Donald's parents gave him for a car and claiming she's buying me a house. I bet she just wants to keep a backup plan for herself."

"You!" Jennifer's face went pale with anger. "Teresa, ever since your ex showed up, you've been more and more out of line."

"Alright, that's enough, both of you," Evelyn cut in, her head pounding, stopping the sisters before things got worse. "Let me say something fair.

"Even if you want to tell Jonathan the truth, you need to wait until Jennifer and Donald have their marriage certificate and the wedding is over. It won't be too late to say it then. But right now, absolutely not. If you stir up trouble in the Lynn family, her wedding will be off. By then, everyone in Nareigh will laugh at me—Evelyn Davis, married twice and still unwanted, with two daughters: one divorced, the other dumped before her wedding. I can't let that happen."

Teresa listened quietly until Evelyn finished, then shot back, "So your and Jennifer's reputations are all that matter? Have you ever thought about Mike or me? You're my mom—don't my feelings count for anything?"

"I'm thinking of you, too. Just think about it—if Donald marries Jennifer, it actually helps your reputation. Once everyone in Nareigh knows your sister and Donald are together, they'll see you and Jonathan are still on good terms. That way, if you want to move on someday, no one will think you're a woman of bad character."

"Evelyn's right," Jennifer, for once, agreed, glancing at Teresa. "Our reputations matter—a lot. Especially yours. You grew up in Nareigh; you know everyone here. If you ruin my wedding now, the whole city will say there's not a single decent woman in the Johnston family."

Teresa rolled her eyes. "Oh, now you remember you're a Johnston? No one's better at dodging responsibility than you."

"You!" Jennifer was so furious at Teresa's words that she stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Evelyn looked toward the door and sighed helplessly. "Can't you two just get along? Weren't you two close before?"

"We were, before we reconnected. But ever since then, she acts like being my sister gives her the right to control my life, to boss me around."

Evelyn sighed again. "She's just looking out for you. Aren't you worried Irene might take Mike away?"

Teresa was exasperated that Evelyn and Jennifer were saying the exact same thing. "Just go. I've got work to do. I'll pay Jonathan back the one million dollars myself."

"You stubborn girl," Evelyn said, giving Teresa's shoulder a squeeze before leaving. "Please, just wait until Jennifer and Donald get their marriage certificate and the wedding's over. It's only a few more days. Do you really have to stir up trouble on her big day? People will think you can't stand to see her happy, that you're trying to ruin her wedding out of jealousy. You'll ruin your own reputation, and Mike won't be able to stay here with you either."

Hearing that, Teresa fell silent.

"It's really that simple. Think it over, and don't be so impulsive," Evelyn said as she strode out of Teresa's office.