After the divorce, he begged

Chapter 270

A2

“No.” Jeffrey said, watching Rebecca step out the front door through the closed car window. He hesitated for a

moment, then said, “Let's go.”

“Con, we're already here,” Barry protested, not wanting to leave just yet. “Let's at least see her.”

Jeffrey shot him a look.

Barry immediately shut up.

The car started up.

Barry turned his head, rolled down the window, and waved at Rebecca.

Before Rebecca could even say thank you, the car had already disappeared from her sight. But for a brief

moment, it seemed as if she spotted someone in the back seat, looking well-dressed and refined.

“Dad's such a jerk!” Samuel complained, watching the car drive away with Rebecca. “I just made him mad, and

now he won't even cout to say goodbye.”

“He was in the car?” Rebecca asked.

Samuel nodded. “Yeah.”

Rebecca paused, her eyes flickering with uncertainty.

Samuel shot her a quick sideways glance. When he realized she wasn’t angry, he suddenly bounced up. “Oh no!”

Rebecca's chest tightened with worry. “What happened?”

“The stuff | brought back from Jelasburg is still in his car!” Samuel blurted out, his face painted with worry as he

dashed away on his little legs. “I'll go get it!”

Rebecca tried to call out and tell him to wait, but he was already halfway across the yard.

Rebecca hurried after him, pulling out her phone to call Jeffrey.

Jeffrey picked up almost instantly. “Hello?”

“Samuel left something in your car. Can you pull over for a second?” Rebecca said, spotting the black car still

moving ahead. “We'll cget it.”

Jeffrey didn’t hesitate. He turned to Barry and said, “Pull over.”

Barry replied, “Got it!”

In just a few seconds, Barry parked the car.

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Chapter 270

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After the car stopped, Barry spun around with a mischievous grin. “Bet you're wishing you just got out and said

hi to Rebecca, huh?”

Jeffrey didn’t even bother to answer, just stared silently at him.

“Should | just turn the car around?” Barry kept talking, completely missing that Jeffrey was still on the phone.

“You know, you could just make up sexcuse to head back in and grab a cup of tea.”

Jeffrey shot him a cold look, clearly unimpressed.

Barry pulled his neck back in and muttered, “Forget | said anything.”

The next second, someone knocked on the window.

Someone knocked on the window.

Before Jeffrey could even say anything, Barry had both the front and back windows down.

“Hey, could you pop the trunk?” Rebecca called out to Barry, standing by the car.

Barry blinked in confusion.

Barry gaped, eyes wide in disbelief.

He whipped his head around to stare at Jeffrey, completely stunned.

‘Hold on, was that actually Rebecca calling the boss just now?‘ Barry wondered, his mind reeling.

Jeffrey gave him a look like Barry was a total donkey, and while Barry was still confused and flustered, Jeffrey

finally said, “Open the trunk.”

“Oh-got it!” Barry snapped out of his daze, quickly unlocking the trunk.

Now that things had cto this, Jeffrey opened the car door and stepped out.

He glanced over at Samuel, who was digging around in the trunk, then his eyes settled on Rebecca.

He pressed his lips together, but in the end, he didn’t say a word.

“Ms. Jensen,” Barry greeted as he hopped out of the car.

Rebecca shot him a sideways look. “Mm.”

“It’s already past eleven-thirty. Any chance | could grab a bite at your place?” Barry said, shamelessly trying to

play matchmaker for her and Jeffrey. He didn’t even blink before lying, “Swear | haven't eaten all day, I'm

starving.”

Rebecca looked over at Samuel, then shifted her gaze to Jeffrey.

Before Rebecca could respond, Jeffrey broke in first, “We've got a lunch meeting coming up, remember?”

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“What lunch meeting-" Barry began, but Jeffrey shot him a look so deadly he instantly choked back the rest.

“Right! Lunch meeting. Wow, my memory’s a mess today.”

“What lunch meeting? You toldthis morning you're leaving for an overseas business trip tomorrow and | can’t

go with you,” Samuel piped up, clutching the little box and blowing up Jeffrey's story on the spot. “Rebecca, he’s

totally trying to trick you!”

Jeffrey was completely lost for words.

“This kid really just soldout,’ Jeffrey thought, both annoyed and secretly amused.

Barry flashed Samuel a secret thumbs-up, practically bursting with pride at the kid's boldness.

“There's food at my place. If you don’t mind, just cin and help yourself,” Rebecca said coolly.

“No, thanks,” Jeffrey said, noticing her distant expression and the fact that he wasn’t exactly welcome. “I've got

to go inspect the branch office later. You all enjoy. I'll head out now.”

Barry was gobsmacked.

‘Can you believe this? She's literally offering him food at the door and he still says no!‘ Barry thought,

exasperated.

Jeffrey completely ignored Barry's reaction. “Get in the car.”

“Alright,” Barry replied, sounding totally deflated.

Once they'd driven a while, Barry finally dared to speak up. “Mr. Hanson, seriously, why'd you turn Rebecca

down when she invited you for lunch? You know that’s a quick way to kill your chances with her!”

Jeffrey didn’t say a word.

‘If I really stayed for lunch, that'd make things even worse,’ Jeffrey thought to himself.

He knew Rebecca too well-she didn’t actually want him there. She only offered because Samuel was around; she

didn’t want the kid picking up on the tension between them.

His intuition was right on the mark.

At this point, Rebecca preferred to keep her distance from him.

Though escaping the stifling pressure of a marriage she’d been forced to stay in did bring a sense of relief, deep

down she still couldn’t fully let down her guard. All she really wanted was for them to live separately, without

interfering in each other's lives.

“Did you get everything?” Rebecca asked.

Samuel shook his head. “Nope, that’s it.”

Rebecca took his hand and headed back. She knew Samuel did it on purpose, but she didn’t say anything.

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Chapter 270

Barry was muttering to himself, “When did Samuel even stash his stuff in the trunk? Didn't we pick up the car at

the airport and never open the trunk?”

“He put it in when we popped the trunk just now, Jeffrey replied, knowing exactly what happened.

Barry could only stare in disbelief.

First he was confused, then just plain frustrated that Jeffrey still wasn’t getting it.

‘Samuel's out here setting up the perfect assist, and Mr. Hanson won't even make a move. Seriously, it's enough

to drivenuts!‘ Barry thought, ready to tear his hair out.

After that day, Rebecca and Jeffrey went right back to living their separate lives-two parallel lines, never

crossing, with zero connection.

Rebecca was learning to handle things solo in Honnala, while Jeffrey was just existing in Jelasburg, like a zombie

going through the motions.

As for Samuel and Amelia, Samuel threw himself into his own little passions, while Amelia kept busy with stuff

Rebecca couldn’t even begin to guess at.

One was all about his interests, the other wrapped up in mysteries Rebecca was totally out of the loop on.

One blink and a week had already slipped by-now it was the fifth of the month, just like that.

Rebecca was just clearing her breakfast dishes when her phone buzzed. Max Quinn was on the line. “Get over to

Quinn Group,” he said. “I've got something lined up that'll really put you to the test.”

Rebecca didn’t hesitate. “Sure,” she replied.

Max’s voice grew more serious. “The moment you see the assignment, it counts as yours-no backing out. And

listen, you're not allowed to ask anyone for help. This one’s all on you. Even that fancy ring your grandpa gave

you? Useless this time.”

This was the Quinn family’s rite of passage for the younger generation—a sink-or-swim challenge to prove their

worth.

Pretty much everyone in the big Honnala families knew the deal.

And it wasn’t just Max and Liam-kids from all the other top families in town had to take this challenge, too. It was

a pure solo test, nothing but your own skills.

“I know,” Rebecca said, calm as ever-she’'d been ready for this since day one.

“Maybe you should hang out with your aunt a bit longer, pick up smore tricks,” Max suggested. He knew

she hadn't grown up with this stuff, and this whole thing was tough for her.

“No need,” Rebecca shot back, steady as a rock. Those thirty-something nights toughing it out really taught her

something. “I'm coming right now.”

Max's voice turned a bit icy. “Alright.”

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Rebecca hung up and set off with Mark.

Rebecca had just set foot in Quinn Group when someone immediately texted Liam: [Rebecca’s at Quinn Group.]

Liam shot back: [Yeah.]

Without missing a beat, he scrolled through his contacts and dialed up someone, eyes full of that ‘let the show

begin‘ vibe. “Tto drop that news story | told you about before. Make sure it goes as wide as possible.”

“Got it,” cthe quick reply.

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