Starting Over, Standing Tall - Chapter 11

She gave him whatever he wanted.

He loved sweets.

Vivian bought him all kinds of candy.

Over these five years, his diet consisted mostly of candy and his grades remained average.

He had so many cavities now.

His new teeth were no match for the original ones.

Billy covered his mouth, crying out in pain.

“Mommy, my tooth hurts. Can you take me to the doctor?”

Before, he had thought I was a bad mom for not letting him eat candy.

Now he understood my intentions, but it was too late.

I had no compassion.

My voice was distant.

“I’m not your mother. Go to Margaret if your tooth hurts.”

Since he learned to speak, he had never called me mom.

When he saw the maids teasing me, he would clap.

Sometimes I even wondered if he was really my son.

But now it was all clear.

If Billy truly loved me, I wouldn’t have had the heart to leave him, and I would have stayed in that broken marriage.

Billy realized I had changed, and he didn’t dare approach me.

Instead, looking at Noah pleadingly, “Sarah, I know you’re used to life in Hong Kong and don’t want to go back. I can work here, too.”

“If you’re not feeling well, I can take care of you.”

He reminded me that Lander’s group had a branch in Hong Kong.

“Noah, take Billy back. I don’t need you anymore. I have someone else and he’ll take care of me.”

Mentioning my senior, I smiled, though rarely.

Noah’s eyes were filled with hurt.

“Sarah, do you know who he really is? He probably hasn’t told you his true identity yet. He doesn’t really love you.”

My senior’s real identity.

I was stunned for a moment.

No matter who he is, it doesn’t change how I feel about him.

I dismissed him.

Noah left with a scowl.

“Sarah, I won’t give up. I’ll make you love me again.”

But I wouldn’t give him the chance to make Noah give up completely.

I skipped the engagement and married my senior.

I had underestimated Noah’s methods.

Before the wedding, I was changing in the dressing room.

As I turned to reach for the zipper, a hand helped me zip it up from behind.

His fingers brushed against my skin.

I turned to see the man’s face in the mirror and my smile froze.

“Noah, what are you doing here?”

“Sarah, come with me.”

He hugged me tightly from behind, his eyes burning with intensity.

I struggled and heard his dangerous words.

“Imagine if I take you here and everyone sees it. Will your good senior still marry you?”