He spoke again, his voice trembling. “Why wouldn’t you let me have a child? You tried everything for a promotion. You lost your job, the baby miscarried, and you’re going to jail. Is it worth it?”

Jennifer thought, "Does it even matter if it is worth it or not? What’s the point now? What’s done is done. Nothing can change that."

Even now, Jennifer was as stubborn as ever. She still wouldn’t tell Donald the truth about the abortion. She only said, “Putting me in prison? I accept it.”

Everyone had to pay the price for their own mistakes, no matter what that price was.

Someone knocked on the door. “Time is up. Please leave,” the guard said from outside.

Donald stood up reluctantly and said, “Wait for me. I’ll see if there’s anything else I can do.”

“No need,” Jennifer replied. She spoke every word with quiet determination. “Don’t go begging Jonathan for my sake, and don’t ask Irene either. You don’t have to do any of that.”

She added, “Just go get the divorce papers, find a good wife, and start over. From now on, don’t get involved with me anymore.”

After saying that, Jennifer turned around and walked away, not sparing Donald so much as a single glance.

Once, Jennifer had been the woman everyone wished they could be. She was an overachiever, held a respectable position as deputy director in the gynecology department, got a public proposal from her boyfriend, and was treated well by her in-laws. Her sister bought her a car, and after marriage, she had a house of her own. Everything seemed so smooth and easy.

But now, she had unexpectedly been in such a miserable state.

At that moment, Jennifer felt a truth hit her hard: Anything that was never truly hers would have to be given back sooner or later. Anything that was beyond her grasp or understanding would be taken away in the end.

She used to be so domineering, arrogant, full of herself, always convinced she was right and thought she had all the answers. But now, her heart was battered. When she saw Donald cry, her heart hurt even more, and her eyes grew teary. With this, she stepped back into that tiny room.

After Jonathan got back to Forlisle Rose Estates, he took a quick nap in his room. He still had to head to the office later for a board meeting. The reason he rushed back to Forlisle Rose Estates yesterday was that he was worried about Teresa. He was afraid she might have complications with her pregnancy, that she and Michael wouldn’t sleep well, and that they might be scared.

Thus, as soon as the investigation by the Department of Justice wrapped up, he came straight home. As for everything else, Jonathan wasn’t too worried about it. Now that Teresa and Michael were right there with him, Jonathan could finally sleep in peace.

Michael tiptoed over to Teresa, cupped his hands around her car, and whispered in a low voice, “Mom, Mr. Lime is asleep. How about we make him a cake together to welcome him home?”

“Great," Teresa said.

With the nanny’s help, Teresa and Michael started making a cake together. Michael playfully smeared some cream on Teresa’s nose and giggled. “Mom, is the baby in your belly coming soon?”

“We still have about two months to go,” Teresa replied.

“When the baby is born, I’ll make a cake for him too,” Michael said.

“Great,” Teresa said. She put the cake batter in the oven together with Michael.

Once the cake was done baking, Teresa stood next to Michael, held his little hand, and squeezed cream onto the cake together.

They had no idea that Jonathan had already been awake.

He stood upstairs, watching them with a soft smile tugging at his lips. Right then, he wished he could hit pause at this moment, so he could soak in this happiness longer.

However, he had no clue what was about to happen next.