Chapter 951



“Miss Nixon, please know that Mr. Reeves never meant any harm by his words. He believes you might be struggling to provide the care Elma needs, so he feels it’s in her best interest to stay here. If we’re forced to go through the courts, I assure you Mr. Reeves is likely to win. You know how strong his case is. Should it come to that, Elma and her siblings would all be under his care, which means the kids would leave you.”

Kallie’s complexion drained of color, and her hands tightened into fists in her lap, her eyes flickering between defiance and despair as she faced Jake.

“So, is that what you want? To take the kids away from me? To hurt me however you can?”

Jake felt the urge to refute Kallie’s words, to say that wasn’t his intention at all. But Lacey, standing beside him and bearing the physical evidence of their conflict, was speaking on his behalf. To contradict Lacey now would only add to the discomfort of the moment. With a blank expression, he said, “I really hope it doesn’t come to that. And remember, I wasn’t the one who started this mess.”

His words hinted at layers of unspoken tension. Kallie’s response was a forced, bitter smile, her eyes brimming with tears. She couldn’t fathom why Jake harbored such resentment toward her. Was he simply searching for a convenient excuse to justify his behavior?

Regardless of his motives, Kallie found herself too drained to contemplate them any further. Jake had changed. He was no longer the man she once knew. His decisiveness had been legendary, always achieving whatever he set his mind to. This trait had always defined him. He had treated her so well in the past that she couldn’t help but lose sight of everything else, her judgment clouded by his now-gone affection.

Now, exhaustion crept over Kallie, compelling her to seek a middle ground.

“Either way, I need to see Elma now. Let’s agree that if you can’t find a way to treat her within a month, you’ll let her leave with me. If I fail to find a better solution, I’ll return her to you. We’ll keep this up until we see an improvement in Elma’s health. After she recovers, she and the other two children can choose who they’d like to live with.”

Kallie then fixed Jake with a significant look.

“Jake, you’ll be a great father and look after Elma, won’t you?”

Jake responded with a firm nod, his voice unwavering.

“Absolutely. She’s my little girl. Nothing in this world means more to me.”

Relief washed over Kallie as she observed Jake’s sincere demeanor. Although she couldn’t fathom why he seemed to resent her now, she took comfort in the fact that his feelings hadn’t soured toward the kids.

Having settled their agreement, Jake made arrangements for Kallie to visit Elma.

Lacey observed the developments with a mix of astonishment and dismay. She had secretly hoped that the strife over the kids would drive Kallie and Jake apart, leading to bitter conflicts or even a complete rupture.

However, the ease with which Kallie and Jake negotiated their agreement was not the outcome Lacey had envisioned. Disappointment clouded her face. This was not the discord she had hoped to witness.

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