Karen blinked in surprise before chuckling, "Is that all? You call this a lot? Ann, you must be pulling


    my leg." If her car had been bigger, she would have crammed it with even more goodies!


    Anthea handed Karen a mug of steaming coffee and said firmly, "Mrs. Christensen, when youe


    over to my ce, you''re forbidden from bringing anything with you! Or I''ll genuinely be miffed."


    Karen epted the coffee, her gaze sweeping around the room before she deftly changed the


    subject. "By the way, Ann, where''s your mom?"


    "You have to promise me first, then I''ll tell you."


    At the time, Anthea had simply felt a pang of pity for Karen and had reached out to help without


    expecting anything in return.


    Now, with Karen bringing over so many things, Anthea felt truly overwhelmed.


    Karen grumbled, "Ann, aren’t we good friends?"


    Anthea grinned, "It''s precisely because we''re not strangers that you shouldn''t bring stuff over."


    Karen''s eyes twinkled mischievously. "Then you''ve got to visit my ce too!"


    "Deal!" Anthea nodded.


    "Pinky promise!" Karen extended her little finger, "Pinky promise, hang on a hundred years, may the


    one who breaks it be a yellow-bellied pup!"


    Meanwhile, in Capital City.


    J called Gerard into her room.


    "Grandma, you wanted to see me?" Gerard asked, peering at her with curiosity.


    J gave Gerard a look, choosing her words carefully before speaking. "Gerry, how would you


    feel about your dad finding a new mom for you?"


    Silence filled the air, thick and palpable.


    Gerard was expressionless.


    Not shocked. Not angry. Not upset.


    His calmness threw J off, unable to gauge what was going through his mind.


    Just as J was about to say something else, Gerard spoke up, "Is this about Ms. Fletcher?"


    "Yes, yes, yes!" J nodded vigorously.


    Edna had always been so kind to Gerard, treating him as if he were her own.


    There was no reason for Gerard not to like her.


    Delia''s words from the day before had been a wake-up call.


    Had it not been for Delia''s suggestion, J might never have thought to get Gerard''s help.


    Gerard was Jonah''s Achilles'' heel.


    Jonah could ignore everyone else, but he couldn''t ignore Gerard.


    If Gerard epted Edna, then Jonah would have no choice but to ept his fate.


    As a mother, J didn''t want to see her son alone forever. As a grandmother, J couldn''t bear


    the thought of her beloved grandson growing up without a mother.


    Edna was kind and beautiful. In J''s eyes, no one else was a better match for Jonah.


    After a brief pause, J continued, "Gerry, do you want Ms. Fletcher to be your new mom?"


    "I don''t," Gerard''s voice was void of emotion.


    J was taken aback. She had always thought that Gerard was fond of Edna.


    After all, Edna had cared for Gerard so much when he was little.


    Gerard''s response was unexpected.


    "Why not?" J inquired.


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    "Because I have a mom," Gerard replied simply.


    J frowned deeply, "But your mother is gone!"


    Gerard just looked at J, "Grandma, you always say my mom is gone, but all my life, I''ve never


    seen her grave. There''s no memorial tablet for her in our family shrine. Tell me, is she really gone?"


    From a young age, Gerard knew he was different. He had a father who was a figure of prominence,


    and a mother he had never met.


    Once, he too had been curious why other kids had moms and he didn''t.


    Back then, J''s answer was that his mother had passed away and was no longer with them.