Chapter 172: "You... You Bought a Villa?
Chapter 172: Chapter 172: "You... You Bought a Villa?
"You’re not going to have her back?" Zoe Morgan raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly.
Zachary Morgan looked toward Aria Sinclair, his brow furrowed in thought. "Is Dad still in the dark about this?"
Zoe Morgan nodded. "That’s right, Dad still doesn’t know."
Aria Sinclair said worriedly, "Yvonne’s engagement to the Rhodes family is just around the corner. I’m worried that bringing that child back will have... repercussions..."
"You’ve thought of everything, Rue," Zachary Morgan said, his expression full of approval.
Zoe Morgan’s gaze flickered between the two. "So, your plan is...?" she asked hesitantly.
"We still need to discuss this with Vincent," Zachary Morgan said gravely.
Zoe Morgan walked out of the villa and dialed Yvonne Morgan’s number as soon as she got in the car.
"Auntie~" Yvonne Morgan’s sugary voice came through the receiver.
A faint smile appeared on Zoe Morgan’s face. She said softly, "Yvonne, I just left your house. Your parents did go see Renee Jennings’s parents yesterday, but they didn’t mention anything about her coming home."
"Oh, really..." Yvonne Morgan’s voice was tinged with apprehension.
Zoe Morgan chuckled. "Your mother said that no matter what happens, you’ll always be her precious daughter. So don’t let your imagination run wild anymore."
"I know," Yvonne Morgan said in a soft voice. "Auntie, thank you for being so good to me. You always make me feel so secure."
"Silly girl," Zoe Morgan said with an amused laugh. "Of course I’d be good to you."
"Love you, Auntie." Yvonne Morgan hung up the phone. The corners of her lips curled into a smug arc as she turned and walked back into the lavish, neon-lit private room.
**
「Saturday morning.」
Renee Jennings held a meeting at home.
Rhea Dempsey and Dalton Jenson sat on the sofa. One held Zane, the other held Jasmine. Bella and Pippi were perched on the armrests on either side.
Diana Jennings sat in a separate armchair, with Blueberry and Cici nestled obediently on her lap.
Slider’s habitat tank had also been moved to the center of the large coffee table.
Rhea Dempsey and Dalton Jenson looked at Renee Jennings standing in front of the TV, feeling a little uneasy.
’Why is she so serious? What is she going to say?’
"No need to be so tense, everyone." Renee Jennings said with a wide grin. "I’ve called this meeting today to announce some good news."
"What good news?" Diana Jennings looked curious.
Renee Jennings waved the folder in her hand. "I’m going to do something big today."
"Stop keeping us in suspense and just say it," Rhea Dempsey urged impatiently.
Renee Jennings raised an eyebrow. "I’m getting the keys to the house I bought today, and I wanted to invite you all to come along."
"You bought a house?" Dalton Jenson stared at her in shock.
Rhea Dempsey was also in disbelief. "You... When did you buy a house?"
Diana Jennings was surprised, too. The two children and the furry kids blinked curiously.
"A while ago." Renee Jennings looked at Rhea Dempsey. "Mom, didn’t I show you my property deed last time? You said I had a fake one made to tease you."
Rhea Dempsey frowned, thinking back carefully. "I think... I think that does ring a bell."
Her eyes suddenly widened. "So the property deed was real?"
"Of course it’s real." Renee Jennings nodded matter-of-factly.
Rhea Dempsey murmured, "But I remember the address on it was for a villa."
"It is a villa." Renee Jennings looked at them expectantly. "My appointment to get the keys is at eleven. Go get changed, quickly!"
Dalton Jenson still couldn’t believe it. "You... You bought a villa?"
"Yes," Renee said simply.
"Where did you get so much money?" Dalton Jenson asked with a frown.
Renee Jennings raised her eyebrows. "I won the lottery."
Dalton Jenson was about to say more, but Rhea Dempsey reached out and patted his shoulder. "Oh, stop fussing. Hurry up and get changed."
With that, she got up and walked toward the bedroom.
Dalton Jenson immediately followed behind her.
Diana Jennings looked at Renee, her eyes filled with a gentle smile. "Renee, congratulations."
"Thanks, Sis." Renee leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "From now on, no more talk about moving out. Our family is going to live together forever."
"Mm," Diana Jennings nodded, touched. "Renee, thank you."
**
A red BMW sped down the road. Dalton Jenson sat in the front passenger seat, feeling light and airy, as if he were floating on a cloud.
"I can’t believe I’m actually going to be living in such a luxurious villa!"
"Me neither." Rhea Dempsey, holding Jasmine in the back seat, recalled the villa they had just seen and couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. "Our daughter really made us proud. A villa that beautiful... it’s beyond my wildest dreams!"
Diana Jennings said with a smile, "Renee is just amazing."
Blueberry and Cici were also discussing the villa.
"It’s so spacious! It’ll be great for playing ball!"
"And we can have running races!"
Renee Jennings held the steering wheel, glancing at her family’s expressions in the rearview mirror as she drove, her own eyes filled with joy. "From now on, things are only going to get better for our family!"
"That’s right! Let’s go out to eat tonight!" Dalton Jenson said excitedly. "My treat!"
Rhea Dempsey reached out, patted his shoulder, and teased, "Where would you get the money? You’re not taking us to the food court, are you?"
"Hmph, who are you looking down on?" Dalton Jenson opened his WeChat balance. "See? I’ve got over eight hundred!"
"Where did you get so much money?" Rhea Dempsey snorted. "How dare you hide a secret stash of money from me?"
"It’s not that!" Dalton Jenson quickly explained. "This is the allowance our two daughters gave me."
Rhea Dempsey rolled her eyes at him. "Aren’t you something."
After a lamb hot pot dinner, Dalton Jenson’s allowance was down to just over two hundred.
Back home, Dalton Jenson went to give Zane a bath, while Renee sat on the sofa with Jasmine, taking selfies.
Ten minutes later, Rhea Dempsey came to call for her. "Jasmine, time for your bath!"
"I’m coming." Jasmine got down from Renee’s lap. "Auntie, I’m going to take a bath now."
"Okay." Renee patted her on the head. "Jasmine is such a good girl."
By the time Renee came out from her shower, everyone else had already gone to their rooms to rest.
She sat cross-legged on the sofa. Blueberry padded over with a bag of potato chips. "Renee, these are for you!"
"Why?" Renee had noticed that the furry kids had been trying all sorts of ways to feed her these past few days.
Blueberry blinked its big, round cat eyes and meowed shyly, "Because... I love you, you love me, we’re a happy family..."
’This was the song that old bastard, Slider the turtle, taught us. I wonder if Renee likes it.’
Renee was speechless.
’Why is it singing all of a sudden?’
"Renee, why aren’t you saying anything?" Blueberry looked at her anxiously. "Was my singing that bad?"
"Not at all." Renee quickly shook her head. "It was lovely."
Next, Cici, Bella, and Pippi also brought her snacks and sang the same song.
Renee praised them one by one and even gave them treats as a reward.
Slider was also about to perform, but was interrupted by the urgent ringing of a cell phone.
Renee answered the phone, her tone cheerful. "Michelle~"
"Renee!" Michelle Fuller’s voice was frantic. "Something’s happened to my grandpa. I need your help with something."