From Sneers to Cheers: Anthea’s Ascent (Anthea )

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

Karen accepted 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 place too!"

"Deal!" Anthea nodded.

"Pinky promise!" Karen extended her little finger, "Pinky promise, hang on a hundred years, may the one who breaks it become a yellow-bellied pup!"

Meanwhile, in Capital City.

Janet called Gerard into her room.

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

Janet 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 Janet off, unable to gauge what was going through his mind.

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

"Yes, yes, yes!" Janet 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, Janet 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 accepted Edna, then Jonah would have no choice but to accept his fate.

As a mother, Janet didn't want to see her son alone forever. As a grandmother, Janet couldn't bear the thought of her beloved grandson growing up without a mother.

Edna was kind and beautiful. In Janet's eyes, no one else was a better match for Jonah. Content © provided by NôvelDrama.Org.

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

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

Janet 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?" Janet inquired.

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

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

Gerard just looked at Janet, "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, Janet's answer was that his mother had passed away and was no longer with them.