"Fine, you''ve got three days. Don''t y any tricks on me when the timees!"


    The man was about to hang up.


    Quincy felt a sting of injustice. Why were so many guys willing to bend over backwards for Dorothy?


    This was ten million dors, not just a thousand! And to hand that over without any guarantee, he must really be smitten with Dorothy. "Wait a sec! Can you at least tell me your name?"


    "Why do you wanna know?"


    "No big reason, just curious. We''ve made a deal after all, knowing your name isn''t too much to ask, right?"


    The man was silent for a few seconds, and just when Quincy thought he wouldn''t divulge his name, he suddenly spoke up.


    "Lane."


    "What?"


    "I said, my name''s Lane."


    ...


    As night fell, Everett hadn''t returned.


    Usually, if he wasn''t home by this hour and hadn''t gotten in touch, it meant he was probably out ying some charade with Quincy. Dorothy wasn''t upset, more contemtive than anything.


    Another person, like Heather, had to get hurt before realizing they''d loved the wrong person, before understanding Everett was unattainable. He would always stay by her side.


    Abigail and Langston had finished their homework and were now chattering about their day at school, their lively banter bringing the house to life.


    Perhaps this was the reason people.


    had kids. Not so much for the help they could provideter in life their duty of care, but for moments


    like these, making life


    Complete.


    "Mommy, why isn''t dad back yet?" Langston came over, clutching hisptop as if he couldn''t bear to be apart from it for a moment.


    Dorothy replied while taking his


    soon! Langston, you can''t be on the


    about your eyesight?"


    "I was trying to fix a bug in the system, but every time the progress bar hits 50%, it freezes and then tells me there''s a memory ipatibility!"


    "Well, you''ll have to wait for him then. No more screen time until he''s back."


    Langston pouted, "It''s dad''s fault! If


    he hadn''t made my mentor take a job, he could have helped me fix it! Now, he''s busier than dad and doesn''t even have time to talk to me"


    "Your mentor?"


    "Yeah! Byte 7! Dad got him a job, and now he''s so busy all the time!"


    Langston blurted out everything before realizing his mom might not know about dad meeting Byte 7.


    He tried to make a run for it but Dorothy pulled him back!


    "Mommy... I really don''t know anything!"


    Dorothy smiled, "I''ll give you a chance toe clean, don''t waste it."


    Langston''s eyes darted around before he spilled the beans, promising solemnly afterward, "Mommy, I swear I was forced into this by dad! I had no choice!" Seeing her son''s earnest expression, Dorothy couldn''t help but smile.N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content.


    "I didn''t say I was mad, what are you afraid of?"


    "You''re really not mad?"


    Dorothy nodded, "Not mad, don''t worry."


    She patted her son''s head softly, saying gently, "I know your dad can get a little jealous sometimes, better than anyone."