Chapter 800

“It’s nothing!” Lena said, shoving her phone away. Which, of course, meant it was definitely something. But if she wasn’t ready to talk, I wasn’t going to push. Probably something to do with Nate.

That lingering connection—the one where things are over but not really over—was something I understood too well. Like me and Jace. Even after all this time and starting over, there were still threads that tied us together. It wasn’t love anymore, but the history, the complications… those don’t just disappear.

When Lindey found out I was pregnant, she showed up with a basket of supplements.

“This is wonderful! You’re going to be a mom!” she gushed, her joy practically lighting up the room.

“Rea, the hospital’s no place to stay. You’re not eating right here. Come home and let me take care of you,” she added.

Her excitement wasn’t about me being the daughter-in-law she’d once wanted. It was because she still saw me as the daughter she’d raised, even though this child had nothing to do with the Johnston family.

Yes, they were involved in my parents’ deaths—I’ll never forget that. But I also can’t deny the care they gave me during the ten years I lived with them. Guilt-driven or not, it was real, and I benefited from it.

“Lindey, you already have your hands full taking care of Matthew. Adding me to the mix would be too much,” I said gently. “And honestly, being at the hospital is better—if anything happens, the doctors are right here.”

This wasn’t about my anger over the past. It was about Jace and Wayne. Jace’s feelings for me still lingered, and Wayne’s… well, they were way too intense. Moving back into their home would have been a disaster waiting to happen.

But honestly, the past had left scars I couldn’t ignore. There was a wall between me and the way things used to be—a line I couldn’t cross, no matter how much Lindey cared.

Her face fell, disappointment dimming her expression. The gray at her temples seemed starker under the harsh hospital lighting.

She let out a soft sigh but managed to pull together a smile. “You’re right. Okay, then I’ll bring you food every day.”

Chapter 200

I started to protest, but the look in her eyes stopped me. She didn’t say it, but her gaze begged me not to push her away completely.

“Lindey, that’s very kind of you. Thank you,” I said instead.

Her face lit up instantly, her smile so wide it deepened the wrinkles around her eyes. I stared for a moment, caught off guard. I didn’t remember her having those wrinkles before.

“Matthew was so happy when he heard you’re having a baby,” she said, her tone brimming with excitement. “His spirits lifted so much, he even ate a few extra spoonfuls of cream soup.”

Her words hit me like a weight. Spoonfuls of soup? Was his condition really that bad now? I wanted to ask, but the memory of what he did to my parents stopped me cold. The words caught in my throat, and I stayed silent, my gaze dropping to the floor.

Sensing the shift in my mood, Lindey quickly moved on. “Anyway, I’ll take care of everything for the baby. You don’t have to worry about a thing, Rea. I’ll find the best caregiver, the best…”

She kept going, her voice brimming with warmth and determination, like she’d move mountains just to make things perfect for me.

“Lindey,” I said softly, cutting her off.

She stopped mid-sentence, looking at me.

“In our next lives,” I said, my voice calm but sincere, “if we meet again, I’ll be your daughter.”