Dailey spoke with indifference, "You're going to Africa."
With that, he strode out of the room.
Primo didnât even have time to ask why.
Quinn stepped in to replace Primo and drove Dailey back to his place.
The commotion had left Daileyâs clothes sticking to his wounds.
Quinn was carefully tending to them.
Just as he was about to apply some ointment, the doorbell rang.
Not many people knew where Dailey lived, so visitors were rare.
Dailey gestured for Quinn to answer the door.
Quinn opened it and was momentarily stunned to see who it was. Remembering what happened to Primo, he dared not speak or move.
When Dailey noticed Quinn hadn't returned for a while, he got up to investigate.
He came face to face with Christine.
There was no need to guess; Gregory must have helped her get up here.
"I thought I made myself very clear," Dailey said.
Christine hadnât even washed her face; she had rushed to buy Daileyâs favorite food.
It wasnât that she wanted to reconcileâshe just felt an overwhelming sadness and guilt. Perhaps when Daileyâs wounds healed, her guilt would too.
"You canât have spicy seafood now, so I got something sweet and sour for you. Your favorite sweet and sour pork."
Dailey blocked her at the door, his eyes cold and sharp.
"Christine, what do you want?"
Christine set the food down in the entryway, "Just bringing you some food. If you donât want to see me, Iâll go. But remember to eat."
"And about your injury... if Quinn is too rough, I couldâ"
"Christine."
His voice turned even colder. "You wanted the breakup. I let you go. Donât push your luck."
"..."
Christine left.
Quinn, hiding behind the door, didn't dare to speak or move.
Dailey pointed to the food on the table. "Throw it away."
Quinn moved to do as instructed, but a hand with pronounced knuckles snatched it back.
Quinn rubbed his nose awkwardly.
A futile act.
...
Back at Elmwood Villas, Christine packed up her things to move back to her own small apartment.
Jane noticed her gloomy expression. "Did Dailey give you a hard time?"
Christine shook her head. "Itâs my fault. Even though he got hurt saving me, I wanted to take care of him. But I forgotâI was the one who insisted on the breakup, who said all those harsh things to make him stay away."
"So, like you said, I should just pay for his medical bills. Thereâs no need for me to personally take care of him."
Jane chuckled, "Listen to you, sounding all forlorn."
Christine sighed, "An ex should be like theyâre dead. He saved me, so I should treat him like a Good Samaritanâgive him medical expenses, compensation, and nothing more."
"What if heâs dating a debutante and they misunderstand?"
Jane felt a slight twinge of jealousy in Christine's words but didnât mention it. "Stop overthinking. Iâll treat you to something good tonight."
Christine hugged her. "Youâre the best."
...
In late January, a heavy snowfall blanketed Vista Town.
It had been years since theyâd seen snow this deep, reaching up to their calves.
Christine and Jane visited their company to hand out gifts and year-end bonuses to their employees.
For the physical store staff, the bonuses were doubled.
The two then grabbed lunch at the mall before heading back to Elmwood Villas, where they built a snowman with Mira.
Christine playfully put some snow on Miraâs face, causing her to wrinkle her nose from the cold.
Mira couldnât talk yet, so she just patted Christine with her tiny hands.
Christine turned to Jane and joked, "Mira is so much like Gregory. When she frowns, she looks like sheâs about to lay down the law."
Jane had also noticed Mira was taking after Gregory.
The little girl smiled sweetly but was already up to mischief in her mind.
Jane teased Christine, "If you ever have a son and he dates my daughter, heâs bound to be bullied. Brace yourself."
Christine shrugged it off, "Men should be managed by their wives anyway."
After some effort, they crafted a sizable snowman.
Bella handed Mira a carrot, guiding her hand to make a nose for the snowman.
Christine used grapes for eyes, while Jane wrapped a scarf around it, completing the snowman.
With the snow as a backdrop, the four women gathered on the terrace for a cozy tea session.
Christine asked Bella, "Bella, are you and Mr. Shaw planning a wedding?"
"Jane can design your wedding dress."
Christine disagreed, nibbling on a roasted orange. "Love knows no age. A wedding doesnât have to be tied to age."
Jane agreed, "You should have a simple ceremony. Itâs your first marriage, after all, just a bit delayed for career reasons."
Bella felt a bit awkward, "You two young ladies, stop teasing me. Raleigh and I have decided against a wedding."
Bella and Raleigh had discussed wedding photos but hadnât set anything in stone.
"Weâll see after the New Year," Bella said.
"Whatâs happening after the New Year?"
Gregory approached through the snow and playfully smacked the snowmanâs head, knocking it off.
He was met with four disapproving glares from the women.
"..."
Under their threatening stares, Gregory quickly fixed the snowman and even found a wool hat to place on its head.
As he picked up Mira, she gave him a playful slap on the cheek.
Lost Me, Gained Regret (Jane and Bryant Ferguson)
ï¤Chapter 874 His Charming Wife ï¤Chapter 10 Dominant Boss: Call Me Hubby, My Dear ï¤Chapter 250 Finn Shows up Amidst Many Obstructions Gregory arched an eyebrow and grinned, "Alright, if youâre upset, just hit me. Youâre becoming more like your dad every day."
Christine exchanged a knowing look with Jane.
Jane sighed, accepting the undeniable strength of genetics.
...
On New Year's Eve, Christine tidied up her little apartment, embracing a minimalist approach.
She planned to have dinner with Jane, so she cleared out her fridge and organized everything.
After shutting off the utilities, she locked up and headed to Elmwood Villas.
Along the way, she bought some gifts and toys and clothes for Mira.
Zoe had gone home for the holidays.