Chapter 2025 Sudden Troubles


    In the Dream Garden


    After Charles left, Melissa and Nancy busied themselves with the preparation of presents for the


    children.


    It took them about two hours before they were satisfied. They weren''t taking chances. After all, the


    happiness of two children depended on it.


    Melissa fiddled with the wrapping even after all they were done, smoothing out non-existent creases


    and arranging the bows to perfection. Nancy picked up on her hesitation. "Don''t worry, Mrs. Lu," she


    assured her. "They will like the presents. I am sure that the kids will be happy with these."


    Melissa nodded and gave her a small smile. Nancy was right. They had done all they could. Surely


    these were guaranteed to put a smile on the children''s faces.


    "All right. I''ll be going now."


    She bid Nancy goodbye and headed straight to Sheryl''s apartment. Her chest was pounding with


    anticipation. She couldn''t wait to see the two kids and their expressions when they saw what she had


    for them.


    It was a weekend, and there was no hurry. She had taken her time packing things that she thought


    might be useful for today.


    Sheryl''s home was less than an hour''s drive from the Dream Garden. But it took her two hours to arrive


    at Sheryl''s home today.


    Her car arrived at the same time Sheryl was taking her kids downstairs. The children were visibly


    delighted. Today was a good day. They were going to an amusement park.


    Melissa met them at the door. "Sher..." she greeted her warmly. Sheryl was surprised at her sudden


    arrival. The driver was standing beside Melissa, his hands full with presents.


    She had not expected her visit. She was flustered, but she held it in, not wanting to embarrass Melissa.


    Giving her a bright smile, she asked, "Aunt Melissa, what brings you here?"


    "I missed you and the two children," Melissa replied. She had an inkling of what the situation was, but


    she kept calm.


    "You brought so many presents! Thank you very much," Sheryl beamed. Melissa and the driver''s arms


    were full of gifts. She felt a little moved at Melissa''s thoughtful gesture.


    She turned to her children and said, "rk, Shirley, let''s help grandmother carry presents. And


    remember what you have to say to her."


    The children''s eyes were wide with delight at the sight of the mountain of gifts. "All right, Mom. Thank


    you, Grandma,"


    they said together.


    Melissa felt her chest warm with the joy in their faces. It was contagious. Before she knew it, she found


    herself returning their smiles.


    Sheryl had meant to go to the amusement park with the kids, but now that Melissa arrived, she was


    starting to consider changing for a third option.


    rk was visibly thrilled by his grandmother''s presents. "Grandmother, I like the presents so much!" he


    said.


    "Anything for you! Come on. Would you like to open them together?" The children squealed with


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    delight. Melissa bent down to open the gifts with them.


    Meanwhile, Sheryl stood quietly beside them and watched the joyful scene unfolding in front of her. All


    of a sudden, her smile vanished as thoughts of Charles fluttered through her mind.


    She shook off the unwanted thoughts and turned to her children once again, taking in their smiling


    faces. "Do you still want to go to the amusement park?" she asked.


    rk''s head shot up quickly at the question, and Sheryl barely managed to hold in a chuckle.


    "Of course!" he said eagerly.


    Sheryl couldn''t helpughing out loud at rk''s enthusiasm.


    "Alright. Let''s go!" Sheryl said, taking the children''s hands.


    Melissa stood up and asked hesitantly, "Could I go to the amusement park with you?" She wasn''t sure


    if Sheryl would agree, but she thought it was better for her to ask anyway. After all, she had already


    Sheryl understood Melissa''s desire to spend time with her grandkids, but ultimately, it was still up to the


    children. Turning to them, she asked, "What do you guys think? Do you want to go to the amusement


    park with your grandmother?"


    "Sure!" Melissa''s efforts had not been in vain. The children were gradually warming up to her, despite


    their troubled past. They were still unaware of what had happened between their parents, but Melissa


    had been especially kind to themtely. In their innocence, it was as if they had forgotten the bad things


    of the past and weed Melissa''s presence.


    With the approval of her children, Sheryl said nothing more and just nodded.


    Melissa was ted that the children agreed. She took children''s hands and led them to the car. She


    bent down to them, talking about anything and everything.


    As they got out of the apartment, Sheryl''s phone rang with a call from Phoebe.


    "Aunt Melissa, you can go ahead to the car. I have to take this call," she told the older woman. Melissa


    nodded and proceeded with the children while Sheryl answered her phone.


    "What''s the matter, Phoebe?" Sheryl steeled herself. Something was wrong. Phoebe would not be


    calling her right now for nothing.


    "Ms. Xia, there are some problems with the project of the Sess Company. Mrs. Zhao is quarreling


    with the leader. Could youe here now?" she answered, sounding almost helpless. Phoebe had no


    other choice but to call Sheryl. She felt bad knowing that she was supposed to be with her children, but


    the problem was urgent, and it was something that was out of her control.


    "Alright. I''ll be there," Sheryl replied. A sigh escaped her. Just a few minutes earlier, the day was going


    without a hitch, but it was as if her problems were determined to gate-crash what was supposed to a


    perfectly good day with her children. Her brows furrowed as she thought back on Phoebe''s words. Why


    was I arguing with the leader of the Sess Company?


    She turned to Melissa and her children. What now? She had promised the kids that they would be


    going to the amusement park today.


    Melissa noticed Sheryl''s troubled expression and immediately knew that something was wrong.


    "What''s the matter, Sher?" Melissa got out of the car and asked.


    "Aunt Melissa, an employee just called to inform me that there are some troubles with mypany, so


    I really have to go there now," she said, then turned to look to the direction of the car. "But I have


    promised the kids that I would take them to the amusement park today. I don''t know how to tell them.


    They''ll be so disappointed." Her shoulders slumped forward at the thought of her children''s smiles


    vanishing once they found out. They had been looking forward to this trip.


    Melissa looked at the children, who were almost bouncing with excitement inside the car, and then


    back to Sheryl''s crestfallen face. She understood her conflict. After thinking for a while, she said with a


    smile, "Let me exin it to them."


    Sheryl followed her to the car.


    "rk, Shirley, Mom has something important to deal with. Would it be alright if it would just be


    grandma with you today? We can y and look around all you want," she said gently, trying to coax


    them into agreeing.


    Shirley was visibly upset. "No, no! Mom promised to go to amusement park with me! She has to keep


    her promise," she insisted, her lips curling into a pout.


    "Shirley, I also want to go with you. But there is something wrong with thepany. They need me


    there to deal with it. I am so sorry, Honey," Sheryl apologized, holding back her tears. What Shirley said


    was true. She had made a promise, and she was breaking it now. How would her children be able to


    trust her if this kept up?


    "Shirley, please trust mom. You know she didn''t mean to break her promise. Besides, grandmother and


    I are still here. We can y with you. I''ll keep mom''s promise instead. If she deals with the problem,


    then she cane to join uster." rk smiled to his sister, trying to lighten her mood.


    With her brother''s words, Shirley was finally calm and nodded.


    "Okay. Let''s go to the amusement park with Grandmother." Shirley agreed, looking at Melissa.


    "Thank you, Sweetie. You''re such a good girl," Sheryl stroked Shirley''s head, still silently apologizing.


    She kissed the two children''s foreheads and watched the car as it drove out of her sight.


    When she could no longer follow them with her eyes, she drove straight to the Cloud Advertising


    Company.


    She had no idea what had happened. Her anxiety was building up inside her with every passing


    minute. In her haste, it took her only a few minutes to get there.


    The first thing she saw once she stepped inside thepany was the receptionist''s expression. Even


    that alone was enough to tell her that something was terribly wrong.


    "What happened?" she asked even before she waspletely in front of the desk.


    "Ms. Xia, you have to go upstairs now. Mrs. Zhao is arguing with the clients," the receptionist exined,


    her voice distressed.


    Sheryl nodded her head and went upstairs.


    She heard the echoes of indignant voices even before she reached the room. I was screaming.


    Meanwhile, the leader of the Sess Company merely grit his teeth in fury.


    Sheryl walked as fast as she could and stepped inside the room.


    "What''s the matter?" Sheryl stood in front of I.


    As soon as I saw her, her eyes went sharply to Phoebe.


    Phoebe trembled under the intensity of her gaze and exined in a hushed voice, "You were fighting


    with our client. I had to..."


    "Are you Sheryl?" The leader of the Sess Company addressed Sheryl, pointing an impolite finger at


    her. It was clear as day that he was looking down on her.


    "Yes, I am. What''s wrong?" Sheryl looked at him squarely, ready to hear their exnation.


    "Why don''t you ask Mrs. Zhao here, since she has been giving us the VIP treatment since earlier. You


    can just see how much she cares for the project," he sneered sarcastically. It was unbing for a


    man who wore such expensive clothes to be speaking in such a discourteous manner.


    "Sheryl, don''t even bother talking to him! We won''t ept their project. Phoebe, please show our


    esteemed guests out." I hadn''t expected that the situation would blow up to this intense of an


    argument. Now, even Sheryl had been dragged into it. She wanted nothing more than to send these


    men and their troubles away.


    Phoebe was more than willing toply. She turned to the representatives of the Sess Company


    and gave them a polite bow before gesturing to the door. "Our sincerest apologies, but it seems that


    this meeting will no longer proceed. Please be careful on your way out." She held the door open,


    waiting for them to leave.


    "You will pay for this," the leader of Sess Company growled, his eyes full of threats.