Chapter 138 Choosing Clara\u00a0<\/p>\n
Whenever Clara spoke about Scarlett to her teachers and friends, she would instinctively straighten her posture and lift her chin with visible pride, her eyes shining with unmistakable admiration and devotion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
straps of\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett couldn\u2019t help but smile affectionately at the sight, but then her gaze drifted to Vanessa. Her own daughter stood slightly behind Clara, partially hidden. Vanessa clutched the her backpack so tightly her small knuckles turned white, her head bowed low, her slender shoulders trembling almost imperceptibly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She had clearly been crying.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A sharp, twisting pain shot through Scarlett\u2019s heart. She wanted to call out to Vanessa, to offer some comfort, but the words seemed to lodge in her throat, thick and unspoken, and she forced them back down.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Clara happily walked out of the school gate and eagerly grabbed Scarlett\u2019s hand.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Snapping out of her thoughts, Scarlett magically produced a pink doll from behind her back- the exact one Clara had been begging for-and handed it to Clara. \u201cLook what I found-the toy you\u2019ve been wanting.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Clara took the doll and jumped up and down with pure delight. \u201cThank you, Auntie! You\u2019re the absolute best!\u201d she exclaimed, her voice ringing with joy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After showering Scarlett with thanks, Clara insisted she crouch down. She wrapped her small arms tightly around Scarlett\u2019s neck, covering her cheeks with quick, affectionate kisses and gentle pats.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa watched from inside the school grounds, her grip on her backpack straps tightening unconsciously. She glared at Clara, her young eyes burning with a mixture of resentment, jealousy, and raw anger.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That was her mom. Why did Clara get all the hugs and kisses? Why was her own mother here to pick up Clara and not her?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa felt deeply wronged and furious, a hot, bitter feeling rising in her chest, but Scarlett seemed to be ignoring her completely, and no one appeared to notice just how upset she was.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett gently ruffled Clara\u2019s hair, smoothing it back into place with a tender touch, and said softly, \u201cClara, don\u2019t forget to say goodbye to your teacher.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Clara turned and waved cheerfully at her teacher. \u201cGoodbye, Ms. Monroe! See you tomorrow!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then Scarlett took Clara\u2019s hand firmly in hers, and the two of them walked off into the curtain\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Chapter 138 Choosing Clara\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
A\u00a0<\/p>\n
86\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
of rain, each holding an umbrella\u2014one large, one small\u2014their figures gradually blurring into the gray afternoon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa stood frozen at the school gate, watching Scarlett and Clara turn the corner and disappear. She reached out, her small hands gripping the cold, wet iron bars of the gate, and cried out with all her might, \u201cMom!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the rain was falling too heavily, its steady drumming drowning out her voice, and Clara was chattering so excitedly that Scarlett didn\u2019t hear Vanessa\u2019s desperate call at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lily arrived a few minutes late and nearly bumped into Scarlett just as she was leaving.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMrs. Stewart,\u201d Lily greeted Scarlett respectfully, adjusting her own umbrella.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Clara immediately stopped her animated chattering and looked up curiously at Scarlett, waiting to see what would happen.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLily, thank you for coming. Vanessa is still waiting inside. Please take her straight home, help her wash up early, and make sure she doesn\u2019t spend too much time on her phone before bed,\u201d Scarlett instructed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She clearly wasn\u2019t fully at case, giving Lily detailed instructions as if trying to maintain some control from a distance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lily looked as if she wanted to say something several times, her mouth opening slightly, but Scarlett didn\u2019t give her the opportunity, turning her attention back to Clara.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cClara, let\u2019s go home now,\u201d Scarlett said to Clara, her voice softening again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Clara nodded obediently. \u201cOkay, Auntie.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
With that, Scarlett took Clara\u2019s hand and led her to the car without a backward glance, not seeing the small figure still pressed against the gate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The car quickly drove away, its taillights disappearing into the rainy evening.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Lily went to collect Vanessa, she found the little girl in tears, her small body shaking with sobs, completely falling apart emotionally.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even after getting into the car, Vanessa continued to cry, refusing to let go of her backpack as if it were a lifeline.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lily held her close, trying everything to comfort her. \u201cSweetie, your dad is busy with work, and Mrs. Stewart has her own matters to attend to. Please don\u2019t cry, alright? I will make you some french fries when we get home, how does that sound?\u201d she offered, stroking the child\u2019s hair.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa clung to Lily, not listening to a word, just repeating over and over between ragged sobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Chapter 138 Choosing Clara\u00a0<\/p>\n
0:0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMom doesn\u2019t want me anymore\u2026 She doesn\u2019t want me\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
86\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lily was growing increasingly flustered, at a complete loss for what to say or do to ease such a deep hurt.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t until Vanessa had cried herself to exhaustion, her small body going limp, that she finally looked up at Lily with red, swollen eyes and mumbled weakly, \u201cLily, I miss Sabrina.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
If Sabrina were here, she thought miserably, she wouldn\u2019t have been left waiting alone with no one to pick her up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lily couldn\u2019t help but gently remind her, \u201cSweetie, Mrs. Stewart is your real mother. She\u2019s the one who loves you the most.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, she\u2019s not my mom,\u201d Vanessa insisted, her voice trembling but firm. \u201cI don\u2019t want a mom like her. Sabrina is my real mom.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
*****\u00a0<\/p>\n
After Scarlett brought Clara home, the little girl rushed straight to the kitchen to reheat the pancake she had made that morning with such pride.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She carefully brought it out on a small plate and watched expectantly as Scarlett took her first bite, her eyes wide with hope.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To be honest, it was a bit cold in the middle and slightly burnt at the edges, but Scarlett finished the entire piece anyway, praising Clara warmly for her effort while gently suggesting small improvements for next time, like cooking it a little slower.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Clara listened attentively, taking every word to heart, and promised earnestly, \u201cI\u2019ll make an even better one for you next time, Auntie!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
After dinner, the family sat together in the cozy living room, chatting comfortably as the rain continued outside.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Scarlett went upstairs later to wash up, she picked up her phone from the bedside table and was startled to see over a dozen missed calls-all from Vincent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was still processing this, a sense of foreboding settling in her stomach, when her phone lit up again-another call from Vincent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A gut feeling told Scarlett that something urgent must have happened, so she answered immediately, her heart beginning to race.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The moment the call connected, Vincent\u2019s voice came through-harsh, impatient, and filled with barely restrained anger. \u201cScarlett, what the hell are you doing? Why haven\u2019t you been answering your phone?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Chapter 138 Choosing Clara\u00a0<\/p>\n
:\u00a0<\/p>\n
486\u00a0<\/p>\n
86\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
His aggressive tone instantly put Scarlett on the defensive, erasing any concern and replacing it with sharp irritation. She retorted sharply, \u201cVincent, what I\u2019m doing is none of your business, is it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cVanessa is sick,\u201d he snapped, clearly having no interest in arguing and going straight to the point, his voice tense with urgency. \u201cYou need to come see her. Right now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.1K\u00a0<\/p>\n
14:41 Sat, Jan 10\u00a0<\/p>\n
Awakened Housewife Ignore Betrayer\u2019s Begs\u00a0<\/p>\n
Editorial Board: Our editorial team works behind the scenes to refine each chapter, maintain consistency, and deliver the best reading experience.<\/p>\n
Silent Dreams Never Die \u2014 Author: John Miller 138 Chapter 138 Choosing Clara\u00a0 Whenever Clara spoke about Scarlett to her […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[81],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27502","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-impossible-condition-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27502","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27502"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27502\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27502"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27502"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27502"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}