Chapter 440

Teresa handed Cheryl a glass of water and glanced at Serena, who was sitting on the couch. “How’d you get here?”

“Me?” Cheryl blinked. “Of course, I took a cab. I can’t drive, and I don’t even own a car.”

“You came all the way from Lonisburg? What do you need from me?” Teresa asked.

Cheryl grinned. “Teresa, I have to go home today. My parents have been nagging me forever, but I can’t exactly show up with my daughter. So I’m begging you to watch her for me.”

Teresa sighed, shaking her head in a mix of disbelief and resignation. “I thought you were finally going to bring her home and face the music.”

“Like I’d ever have the guts,” Cheryl said, looking pitiful. “My parents would kill me.”

“So you come running to me?” Teresa said. “Last time I gave you over twenty thousand. I’ve done my part. And I’m not even Jonathan’s wife anymore. If you need help with your kid, shouldn’t you be asking Jennifer?”

The mention of Jennifer made Cheryl fume. “When I had Serena, she wouldn’t even stick around for a few days. She left me in the hospital and just walked off, telling me to handle my own problems. I can’t even begin to understand her.”

Cheryl downed her water and slammed the glass on the table. “If I leave Serena with Jennifer, who knows if she’ll even take care of Serena properly? No way. I don’t get what Donald sees in her. I seriously regret setting them up.”

“I have to look after Mike, and I’ve got work to do. I don’t have the energy to babysit little Serena for you,” Teresa said, shaking her head. After all, kids at this age were always a handful—crying, fussing, and needing their diapers changed constantly. There was never a moment’s peace.

Cheryl pressed her hands together, begging, “Teresa, please. You’re so kind and amazing, the best. For keeping Mike’s secret all this time, can’t you just help me out and watch Serena for half a day? I promise I’ll be back before dark to pick her up.”

Teresa pressed her lips together, hesitating.

Seeing Teresa waver, Cheryl immediately clung to her arm and, with a mischievous grin, reached out to poke her chest.

Teresa rolled her eyes and brushed Cheryl’s hand away. “Show some respect, will you?”

Clutching her hand, Cheryl pouted dramatically. “So you’re really going to leave us out in the cold? Fine, I’ll just leave with Serena. No one wants us…”

“Haven’t found Serena’s dad yet?” Teresa asked.

Cheryl shook her head. “That jerk—slept with me and never even bothered to check in. I’ve made up my mind. I’ll raise my daughter on my own and just pretend he’s dead.”

Teresa gave Cheryl a thumbs-up. “That’s the spirit. Keep it up.”

“Wait… Teresa, are you praising me or making fun of me? How can you treat me like this? Back when you married Jonathan, I was your bridesmaid. And now you’re just leaving me hanging,” Cheryl said.

Suddenly, she heard her phone ring and began frantically searching through her pockets. But the ringtone wasn’t coming from her phone but from Teresa’s. When Teresa saw the caller ID, her heart skipped a beat—it was Benny, as expected. She held up a hand to silence Cheryl, answered the call, and stepped into the bedroom to talk.

Benny’s voice came through. “You’re home, right? My client gave me some organic superfoods. I don’t really need this stuff and thought I’d bring it over for you.”

Teresa replied, “I already have plenty at home, I can’t finish them all. Why don’t you give them to Miriam?”

Benny laughed. “Come on, I’m way closer to you than to Miriam. Whenever I get something good, you’re the first person I think of, you know? Besides, a cup of coffee.” I’m already at your door. At least let me in for…

Teresa gritted her teeth in frustration. ‘Nice one, Benny—showing up this early in the morning. You must have figured there’s no way I wouldn’t be home at this hour.’

Just then, a baby’s cry drifted through the door, faint but unmistakable. Teresa quickly covered the phone’s mic, but Benny had already heard it. He asked, “Why do I hear a baby crying?”

Teresa replied, “No, you must’ve misheard.”

“No way, there’s definitely a baby there with you.”

“Cheryl’s here,” Teresa said quickly, thinking on her feet. “I’ll send her down. You can give the stuff to her.”

“What?” Benny was caught off guard for a second.

“That’s settled then,” Teresa said, hanging up before he could say more. Then she opened the door and saw Cheryl cradling Serena, rocking her gently. Cheryl apologized, looking flustered. “I’m so sorry, Teresa. I didn’t mean for this to happen. She must have wet herself, and that’s why she’s crying. I’ll go change her diaper right away.”

“Wait up.” Teresa grabbed Cheryl’s hand. “I’ll take care of her—just hurry downstairs. Benny’s coming over. He heard Serena crying earlier and thinks I’m hiding a baby here.”

Cheryl caught on right away. “Benny just won’t give up, huh? Fine, you look after Serena, and I’ll go deal with him.”

“Yeah, just watch what you say, okay?”

Cheryl nodded and headed downstairs. Then Teresa went to change Serena’s diaper.

With a fresh diaper, Serena was all comfy, kicking her legs and grinning up at Teresa. Teresa couldn’t help but smile back. Even though Serena was still tiny, it was clear she had Cheryl’s eyes.

“Mom, who was crying just now?” Michael shuffled over in his muffin pajamas, rubbing his eyes.

“Oh, you’re awake. Did the noise wake you up?”

Michael dropped his hands, spotted Serena on the bed, and instantly perked up. He hurried over. “Mom, did you secretly have a baby sister for me?”

“No, silly, that’s your Aunt Cheryl’s baby.”

“Wow, Aunt Cheryl had a baby!” Michael squatted down, cupping his face as he stared at Serena. “But Aunt Cheryl promised to get me a puppy.”

Teresa grinned. “Luckily she isn’t here, or you’ll be in trouble.”

Michael reached out and gently poked Serena’s cheek, and then his own, looking a little put out. “Mom, her skin feels better than mine.”

Teresa was once again amused by his innocent words.

Cheryl hopped right into the passenger seat next to Benny, pulled a cactus toy out of her bag, and handed it over. “Here, Benny, try this out. Just press it and it’ll wiggle and make noise.”

Benny gave it a press, and the cactus started squeaking and squirming. Cheryl grinned. “Pretty funny, right? Doesn’t it sound just like a baby crying?”

Benny raised an eyebrow, studying her face. “Trying to distract me, huh?”

Cheryl blinked as if she knew nothing at all. “What are you talking about?”

Benny unbuckled his seatbelt. “Wait here. I’m going to see Teresa for a minute.”