After the divorce, he begged

“What kind of attitude is that?” Candice scolded Rebecca, her expression sour. “Is this how the Jensen family

Taught you manners?”

Rebecca didn’t respond. She just shot Mark a look.

Before Mark could say anything, Marcus stepped in first. “Don’t mind what Candice said-her words aren't the

nicest sometimes. We're here for a reason today”

Rebecca honestly didn’t think there was anything important to discuss with them. She couldn't let go of all the

previous grudges, and after what she'd heard yesterday and everything, Stanley had confided in her, keeping

her cool around these two was just impossible.

“So, what's your connection with the Quinn family and the Guzman family in Honnala?” Marcus cut straight to

the point.

“What exactly are you trying to ask?” Rebecca met his eyes, even more distant than she used to be.

Marcus glanced at the area, then suggested, “Want to talk inside?”

“No, Rebecca shot back, not bothering to soften her tone. “We're not nearly close enough forto invite you in.

If you've got something to say, just say it here”

Back when she married Jeffrey, they did everything they could to block it and barely tolerated her, acting like she

was invisible.

If Jeffrey hadn't always shielded her, those past five years would've been hell-she would've been picked on

nonstop by the whole Hanson family.

“Don’t you think the way you're treating your elders is a little disrespectful?” Marcus's face turned grim. “No.

matter what, like it or not, we were still your family.”

“Funny, when you tried to take Samuel away, didn’t you say you weren't my parents anymore?” Rebecca shot

back, never one to forget a grudge-she remembered every single word from back then.

Marcus's gaze was cold and sharp, like the edge of a blade.

Candice looked downright spiteful.

Neither of them liked Rebecca, but with her newfound status, they had no choice but to try to get close to her.

“We lost our heads back then, Marcus finally managed to tamp down his temper. “Honestly, we were just worried

Samuel wouldn't be happy living with you. If we'd known your grandpa was Sebastian Quinn and your father was

Mr. Guzman, we would've handed you custody without hesitation-even if you'd kept quiet

about it.”

Rebecca just looked at them in silence, her eyes indifferent.

What's his angle, trying to fix things now? Rebecca wondered. ‘Even if | admit I'm connected to the Quinn and

Guzman families, after everything they've done, there's no way | could ever actually trust them again!”

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‘So why are they suddenly bending over backwards, swallowing their pride just to talk to me?‘ she thought,

almost amused by their desperation.

“Why didn’t you ever say you were connected to the Quinn family and the Guzman family?” Marcus went on. “If

we'd known, we would've pulled out all the stops for your wedding, made it a real spectacle.”

“Anything else?” Rebecca shut him down immediately, no patience for chit-chat.

Marcus's face darkened.

He couldn't believe it-he’d already humbled himself this much, and this damn girl still wouldn't give him an inch.

‘So what if she’s got the Quinn family and the Guzman family backing her? Big deal-she’s still nothing but an ill-

mannered brat!" Marcus fumed inwardly.

“If that's all, | actually have a question for you two,” Rebecca said, her gaze sweeping over them. “I heard you

used to toss Jeffrey into the ocean or the river just to teach him how to swim. Is that true?”

Marcus didn’t even hesitate. “Yeah.”

He admitted it without a second thought.

Rebecca stared at him. “Weren't you ever worried he might drown?”

“He’s a Hanson-he’s not that easy to kill,” Marcus replied, zero concern showing on his face.

“He’s a human being!” Rebecca was stunned-how could any parent be this cruel? ‘Did they really see him as

expendable?’ she thought angrily. “A single rogue wave could’ve ended his life right then and there!”

“It's not your place to tellhow to raise my son,” Marcus shot back, his expression ice-cold. “Look at him- he’s

perfectly fine, isn’t he? Don't think just because you're Mr. Guzman's daughter you can just waltz in here and

meddle with other people’s family business.”

It hit Rebecca all at once-no wonder Jeffrey couldn't let go of that promise.

It wasn’t just the pain of losing a childhood friend. Getting dragged out of the water at his lowest-he’d literally

been saved from drowning and felt like he'd been brought back to life.

Anyone who could be so brutal to a little kid was never going to be decent people.

“Mark, show them out,” Rebecca said, her chest tight with anger.

Mark didn’t hesitate-he moved in right away.

Marcus and Candice started to protest, but Mark cut them off and firmly shoved them into the car.

The driver clearly didn’t want to leave, but under Mark's glare, he started the engine and drove off. In no time,

they were out of Rebecca’s sight.

“Now that she’s found herself a real big-shot dad, she’s suddenly acting tough, huh?” Marcus grumbled, still

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pissed that he was being treated like this after all these years. “Back then, she used to be all timid and soft-

spoken around us-like a little bird, afraid of even making a sound.”

“Honestly, | don’t see the point. Why are you even wasting your ton her?” Candice scoffed, clearly annoyed.

“If she really is from both the Guzman and Quinn families in Honnala, she’s loaded with leverage now,” Marcus

said, eyes shining with pure greed.

“What does it matter? She's already split from Jeffrey,” Candice shot back, her face pinched. “I'm telling you,

she’s trouble-people like her have no place in the Hanson family.”

“Have you seen how much she took off Jeffrey after that divorce?”

“If she ever tries that stunt again, we're screwed.”

The more Candice spoke, the more upset she got, her expression turning downright nasty. It was obvious she

couldn't get over all that money Jeffrey had handed over to Rebecca.

“If she married into the Hanson family with both the Quinn and Guzman clan names behind her, we'd be

unstoppable-the other old money families would eat our dust,” Marcus muttered, eyes gleaming with pure

calculation. “We'd rule the top spot for a hundred years, easy.”

Candice shot back, fully convinced: “Jeffrey doesn’t need her-trust me, he could do just fine all on his own.”

“Why waste tgoing around in circles when a marriage alliance could hand us everything on a silver platter?”

Marcus laid it all on the table, no shin his game.

“They just split up-there’s no chance they're patching things up anytsoon,” Candice scoffed, her voice sharp

with resentment. “She couldn’t even bother to show her face when Jeffrey was dealing with trouble. Instead of

sitting around hoping for a miracle, let's put our faith in Jeffrey leading the Hanson family to new heights.”

Marcus stared out the window, voice low and scheming. “If those two aren't getting back together, we've still got

Stephen.”

Candice gaped at him. “Seriously... Stephen?”

Marcus nodded, “Yeah.”

Candice stared at him like he'd lost it. “Are you crazy? She's already messed up one of my boys-now you want

her to drag the other down, too?”

“Jeffrey steering the Hanson family ahead and Rebecca bringing us benefits aren't at odds,” Marcus mused,

growing more confident in his scheme. “Go ahead and call Stephen-tell him to chfor dinner tonight.”

Rebecca had absolutely no idea they were cooking up such an outlandish plan behind her back.

As their car disappeared from view, she headed for her bedroom, memories from long ago swirling up in her

mind.

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55)

Most of those memories were hazy, but suddenly, she could see a young Jeffrey thrashing in the water, crying.

out for help-each shout softer than the last, his hopelessness swallowing him whole...

Not a single soul paid him any mind.

Even now, with Jeffrey finally calling the shots, Marcus and Candice still treat him this way. Rebecca couldn't help

but wonder-when he was just a powerless kid, what kind of nightmare did he survive back then?

‘Stanley probably only knows a fraction of what really went on, Rebecca thought, a chill running down her spine.

Who knows-maybe every tJeffrey brushed off what happened, he was hiding years of darkness, the kind of

pain no one ever saw, a childhood with no warmth and absolutely no hope.

“Boss,” Mark grinned, immediately picking up on her mood. “Are you feeling bad for your ex-hubby?”

Rebecca just blinked, flabbergasted. “What?”

‘Ex-hubby?’ Now that’s a weird way to put it.

Mark reminded her, “Don’t forget what | told you before we cover.”

Rebecca said flatly, “Remind me.”

Mark repeated word for word, “No matter how miserable Jeffrey looks, or how bad things get, don’t lose your

head and blurt out anything lovey-dovey. It’s fine to care or check on him, but you need to keep up that usual

cool distance until the very end.”

Rebecca was silent, just staring at him.

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