Chapter 7
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She kept searching for her scribbled note.
Grover watched her, his expression even more detached than hers when she saw them together.
He knew Tracie would come back.
With her living expenses cut off by Rodger, she had nowhere else to go. She couldn’t survive without money.
Grover treated Tracie like she was invisible, not even daring to glance at her. Instead, he looked at Juliana and Wendi and asked, “What do you want for lunch today?”
Wendi didn’t answer.
She was pouting, glaring at Tracie in frustration.
Juliana gave Tracie a cold glance before quickly turning her attention back to Wendi.
Then she smiled slightly. “We still need to visit Oliver at the hospital later. Let’s just keep it simple with some home- cooked dishes. How about… fish soup? I had it at your company the other day, and you said it was a special appetizer your housekeeper makes, right?”
Fish soup.
That was Tracie’s specialty.
When she was eighteen, she had sold fish soup at a street stall, struggling through a time when she had nothing.
After marrying Grover, she often made this dish for him.
He loved it.
Despite being such a self-disciplined man, every time he ate fish soup, he ate until he was stuffed.
But today, Tracie learned that Grover had claimed it was made by the housekeeper and even served it to Juliana.
In the Stanton family, Tracie’s life was clearly less valued than that of the housekeeper.
Grover briefly glanced at Tracie, then turned his gaze back.
“We won’t have that today. Let’s pick something else,” he said lightly to Juliana.
“Anything works,” Juliana nodded.
She bent down to look at Wendi. “Wendi, what would you like to eat?”
Still glaring at Tracie, Wendi didn’t answer Juliana.
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Chapter 7
Instead, she suddenly shouted in her childlike voice, “Mom!”
Tracie looked up at Wendi.
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“You didn’t give Juliana her favorite gemstone necklace, and now you won’t give Oliver a blood transfusion. Do you know Oliver could die? How can you be so cruel? I don’t want you to be my mom anymore! I want Juliana to be my mom! Go away!”
Tears streamed down Wendi’s face.
She was furious and heartbroken.
‘How could I have such a cruel mother?’ she wondered.
Tracie finally found the note.
She tucked it into her bag.
Then, standing up, she looked at Wendi and asked in a calm, soothing voice, “Tell me, Wendi, is it that you’ll only be happy if Juliana is your mom?”
“Of course!” Wendi replied through her tears, nodding firmly.
“Okay,” Tracie said quietly.
“What?” Wendi didn’t understand.
“You can choose Juliana to be your mom. Your happiness and growing up in a healthy environment are what matter most.” As she spoke, Tracie stood up and began to walk toward the door.
Wendi stood frozen.
She thought Tracie would fight her decision to have Juliana as her mother.
She expected Tracie to react the same way she had when she had taken the gemstone necklace from Juliana.
In truth, Wendi had wanted to upset Tracie.
But she didn’t expect Tracie to leave so calmly.
“Only if you make Juliana’s favorite fish soup, apologize to Juliana, apologize to Lesa, and then go give Oliver the blood transfusion after lunch… will I not make you leave!” Wendi shouted.
Tracie paused and turned around.
But instead of looking at Wendi, she turned her gaze to Grover.
She almost forgot to ask Grover when he would sign the divorce agreement and when they would go to get the di- vorce license.
Just as she was about to speak, Juliana shrugged nonchalantly and said, “No need to apologize to me. I’m not that pet- ty. You should go apologize to little Oliver at the hospital…”
“Shut up!” Tracie replied, her tone calm but firm.
“What?”
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“This is my house! You’re standing here, holding my husband’s and my daughter’s hands, criticizing me. Do you want me to call the police and have you arrested for being a mistress?”
