Hackett turned towards his desk and extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray, which already held a collection of butts.


    Suddenly, he let out a bitter smile.


    ""What''s wrong with me


    It has been four years since the divorce, so why am I so upset when my ex-wife has a new boyfriend?


    "It should be because Keith looks to unreliable. That''s why I so upset.


    "That must be it," Hackett thought.


    After all, Valeria was his ex-wife, so he couldn''t simply stand by and watch Valeria crap on her whole life with the wrong guy


    Reflecting on tonight''s dinner table conversation, Hackett realized he had acted impulsively


    In front of Keith''s face, he had revealed that Valeria had an abortion, which must hurt Valeria''s pride.


    However, his emotions had gotten the best of him, and he lost control of his anger then.


    Beep


    His cell phone rang


    Hackett nced at it, and it was Cheryl calling. He didn''t really want to take the call.


    However, the phone kept ringing, insisting that he answer.


    Slightly impatient, he picked up the phone and said, "What''s the matter?"


    "Hackett, are you still at the office? Are you still busy?"


    He sat in the swivel chair, his long legs ovepping on the desk "Well, I have to work overtime tonight. I won''t be able toe back for a while, so you can sleep first." "Alright, I n to visit my brother''s grave tomorrow. Will you apany me? It''s been a while since you''ve been there too


    Hackett was speechless. He knew Cheryl was intentionally reminding him not to forget the promise he made.


    Hackett pinched his brow and replied. "Ill pick you up tomorrow, Get some rest and sleep early


    "Okay. Also, don''t work toote. Make sure to get some sleep.


    "Alright."


    After ending the call, he immediately turned off the phone and tossed it onto his desk


    He wouldn''t forget Abbot''s words to him before Abbot''s death, but Cheryl''s constant reminders were starting to grate on his The next da


    After dropping off Alex at the kindergarten, Valeria headed to thew office.


    Just as she arrived at the office, she received a call from Keith. Thinking it was something urgent, she quickly answered, but... Chapter 32


    NOV


    "Let''s pick up Alex from kindergarten this afternoon and take him to the armusement park for a bit, and then we''ll go for dinner. What do you think of this n?"


    Valeria smiled and replied, "If you''re busy, we can do it some other time. You''ve just returned home, and your jetg han t even worn off. Besides, you''ll have to keep up with Alex at the amusement park. You know, ying with him is quite a physical job, and it can be very tiring


    Before she could finish her sentence, Keith interrupted her, saying, "Keeping promises is important, and don''t disregard it Just


    because he''s a young child. Otherwise, he won''t trust you over time. And when you try to make up for it, it might be too


    Suddenly, Valeria felt a pang of guilt


    As Alex''s mother, she hadn''t even considered her child''s emotional well-being.


    "Well, you''re right. Let''s take him out and have some fun today


    "Then you go on with your work, and let''s both pick Alex up from school this afternoon"


    "Okay."


    After ending the call, Valeria delved into her work, eager to finish her tasks for the day so she could spend quality time with her child in the afternoon, undistracted.


    Soon, it was time to leave work


    Valeria packed her things and drove her car to the parking lot


    To her surprise, a ck Maybach pulled up in front of her, and the window rolled down, revealing Keith''s face.


    "Get in. One car is enough for the both of us."


    She smiled, opened the door, and got in.


    Half an hourter, the car stopped outside the kindergarten gates.


    Valeria and Keith walked into the school to pick up Alex. She caught sight of her adorable son running toward her at first nce.


    She couldn''t help but smile. She crouched down, arms open, ready to embrace her little child.


    Unexpectedly, Alex leaped straight into Keith''s arms from behind and Keith effortlessly lifted him.


    Her smile froze as she watched, and she stood up, shaking her head slowly, giving Alex''s little behind a gentle pai. "You heartless little thing, all you care about is Keith. You don''t even look at Mommy"


    I haven''t seen Keith in a long time, but I can see Mommy every day"


    Alex clung tightly to Keith''s neck, resembling a father and son in their closeness.


    Keith embraced Alex and grinned. "It''s been a month, and you''ve put on weight and grown taller."


    "For sure! I''m a little man!" Alex eximed, extending his fist and sporting a smug expression at thepliment. "You''re such a good boy. How about we visit the amusement park first and then treat ourselves to something delicious?" "Yay! Hooray for Keith! Mommy''sing tool We will all go together!" Alex''s joy was evident. Valeria smiled gently. Her son Alex genuinely adored Keith. And she could see that it was a profound kind of love stemming


    from the depths of his heart,


    If Hackett knew, he would probably be utterly exasperated.


    But, thinking of him erecting his son''s gravestone, Valeria felt that Hackett deserved this annoyance!


    And then, Keith and Valeria spent two hours at the anusement park with Alex before looking for a restaurant to dine at


    They entered a restaurant and selected a window seat. The waitress brought a child seat, but Alex vehemently refused to sit


    on it.


    "Sweetie, it''s safer to sit in this one."


    Alex wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Mommy, l''in a big kid now. I don''t want to sit in that. That is for a little kid.


    Valeria was speechless. "Seriously, aren''t you just three years old she thought.


    She smiled and coaxed her son, "Alex, it''s fun sitting in this and eating. The food will taste better"


    Alex looked at his mommy as if she were speaking nonsense. "Mommy. I''ve told you countless times, don''t talk to me like I''m a baby. It''s so childish Childish...


    Her own son had justbeled her behavior as childish.


    Valeria battled the impulse to strike the little brat and abandoned the notion of letting her son upy a child seat.


    "Forget it. Let it go. You can sit down if you want, but I''m warning you. Be good, and don''t mess around."


    "Got it. Mommy. Stop nagging!" Alex obediently took his seat, resembling a miniature adult. He pored over the menu carefully as though he could read.


    Valeria removed the menu from before him. "What are you trying to decipher from a menu, my little illiterate? Let Keith make the order for you."


    "I can already read and write!" Alex huffed and pouted.


    Keith couldn''t help but smile as he observed the interaction between Valeria and her son Alex.


    However, right then, another pair of customers entered the restaurant. They were a couple, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, and they looked very striking. Valeria nced involuntarily in their direction and promptly froze.


    They were Hackett and Cheryl!


    What a bad coincidence!


    "What should I do now? I can''t possibly conceal Alex under the table," Valeria thought.


    Valeria''s panic surged, and she looked across the table at Keith seated there. "Keith, let''s find a different restaurant!"Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Keith caught her anxiety and directed his gaze toward the entrance. Understanding her fear instantly, he responded, "Alright."