Chapter 219


    Chapter 219


    “I guess I’ll skip this time. You guys go ahead and enjoy.”


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Mary was clearly not pleased. “It seems like you all don’t care about me anymore. Just because I’m


    getting older, everyone thinks they can push me around.”


    Leanne couldn’t help butughed. “How am I pushing you around? Don’t be so stubborn.”


    “You said you were workingte yesterday, and today, when you’re not, you still won’te over. It


    feels like you’re just brushing me off.”


    Leanne had no choice but toy it all out. “Curtis and I are getting a divorce. It’s not right for me to


    come back now.”


    “What does your divorce have to do with me?” Mary’s logic was crystal clear. “So what if you’re


    divorced? This isn’t your inws’ house anymore; it’s your home. What’s wrong withing home for a


    meal?”


    Mary was quick with her words, and Leanne found herself speechless.


    “Fine, how about I take you out tomorrow, would that be okay?”


    “I don’t want to go out with you.” Mary’s voice turned sullen. “You couldn’t evene to visit me during


    the holidays. It’s like you’ve forgotten about me.”


    Leanne scratched her brow in frustration.


    Just then, Maddox Richardson took the phone, his serious voiceing through.


    “Anne, you grew up here. This is your home. It’s the holidays,e home for a meal.”


    Twenty minutester, after freshening up and changing, Leanne headed downstairs and got into the car


    back to the Richardson Manor.


    On the way, her phone kept buzzing with messages from her friend group.


    Joy was stuck in her hometown because she couldn’t find a ticket back. Her mom had set up a blind


    date for her on Christmas Day, inviting the guy over to their house.


    Right now, she was venting in the group chat.


    Selina, ever the supportive best friend, started ranting. “Your mom setting you up on a blind date on


    Christmas Day? She’s out of her mind! She thinks she can just set you up with any men. You’re a city


    beauty, for heaven’s sake!”


    Then Joy sent a photo of the guy.


    Selina replied immediately, “Hold on. Forget what I just said. You’re not in his league.”


    Leanne was surprised. “Austin? What’s he doing in your hometown?”


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    Joy replied, “How should I know! He said his aunt lives here and he came to visit with friends, ended up


    getting dragged into this blind date by her.”


    Leanne said, “Talk about fate, huh?”


    Joy replied, “Fate my foot! I was in my pajamas, hadn’t even washed my face or did my hair. When my


    mom mentioned a blind date, I chomped down on three cloves of garlic, hoping to scare him off. Now


    I’ve been sitting here, grinning like an idiot for half an hour. Never been sodylike in my life!”


    Leanne couldn’t stopughing, “Thanks for the firstugh of my year.”


    Selina, who had no idea who Austin was, panicked. “Who? Why am I thest to know?”


    Leanne kept it short: “Her boss.”


    Selina sent a long voice message that just consisted of her hystericalughter.


    With Joy’s story keeping her entertained, the ride seemed to fly by.


    And as fate would have it, just as Leanne arrived at the Richardson family estate, another car pulled in


    right behind hers.


    It was Phillip Richardson’s.


    Out of courtesy, Leanne waited for Phillip to get out of his car and greeted him, “Hey, Phillip, Merry


    Christmas.”


    Phillip nodded slightly, “Merry Christmas, Anne!”


    It should have been a simple exchange, but then, a thought crossed Leanne’s mind about something


    Curtis had once joked about.


    Suddenly feeling awkward, she wasn’t sure whether she should exin herself to Phillip.


    She worried that not exining might lead to misunderstandings, yet exining might just make things


    worse.


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