Chapter 691: The Confession to Phoebe
Chapter 691: Chapter 691: The Confession to Phoebe
The Dream-Chasing Deer nodded. "They caught the killer. I heard he had a fight with his family and decided to take it out on society. How despicable!"
"To hurt other people just because you had a fight with your family... that’s so twisted," Renee Jennings said with a frown.
The Dream-Chasing Deer pursed her lips. "People like that should just go die."
It was a harsh thing to say, but it was true.
After the video call ended, The Dream-Chasing Deer sent Renee Jennings 288 yuan directly via private message.
The Dream-Chasing Deer: [Ms. Jennings, this is just a little something to thank you for your help.
Renee Jennings sent the money back: [Bambi, I appreciate the thought, but keep the money and buy Lucky some treats.]
She put down her phone just as a knock came from the study door.
Renee Jennings went to open the door and saw Zane standing there, his little head tilted up at her.
"Auntie!"
She smiled and asked, "What is it, Zane?"
The little guy answered, "Auntie, Miss Sawyer is here. She’s downstairs."
"Okay, I know," Renee Jennings said, nodding with a smile. She took Zane’s little hand. "Let’s go downstairs together."
In the first-floor living room, Sawyer was sitting on the sofa, a spread of various desserts and snacks before her.
Rhea Dempsey looked at her, a fond smile on her face. "Sawyer, you should come over and visit whenever you’re free. It’s so much nicer when it’s lively."
"Okay," Sawyer agreed with a nod. "I’ll come over often when I’m free."
"But don’t bring anything next time. You shouldn’t have," Rhea Dempsey chided gently. "Here, try some of the egg tarts and cookies I baked myself."
Renee Jennings walked over, amused. "My mom has gotten into baking recently. She’s obsessed with making egg tarts and cookies every day."
"That’s great. It gives her something to do every day." Sawyer picked up a bear-shaped cookie, and after just one bite, she gave a thumbs-up. "This is delicious! Aunt Rae, you’re amazing."
Rhea Dempsey had been receiving compliments like this for a while now, but she never got tired of hearing them. She felt a sweet warmth inside but remained humble on the surface. "Oh, it’s nothing. It’s not that I’m so skilled, it’s just that these aren’t hard to make."
Sawyer had a serious look on her face. "For someone clumsy like me who can’t even wrap a dumpling properly, it’s really difficult."
"You don’t know how to make dumplings, Sawyer?" Rhea Dempsey asked in surprise.
Sawyer nodded, a little embarrassed. "That’s right, I don’t."
Rhea Dempsey slapped her thigh and declared, "Alright then, we’ll make dumplings for dinner tonight! I guarantee we’ll teach you how to make them, Sawyer."
"Okay!" Sawyer’s eyes instantly lit up. "That would be great!"
That evening, the whole family got together to make dumplings.
Sawyer discovered that even Zane and Jasmine’s dumplings looked better than hers.
She was determined to learn how to make dumplings properly.
Rhea Dempsey patiently taught her step-by-step, and Sawyer slowly got the hang of making good-looking dumplings.
After dinner, Renee Jennings took Sawyer for a walk around the villa complex.
It was quiet all around. Sawyer looked up at the moon, half-hidden by dark clouds, and pursed her lips before saying softly, "Renee, your family has such a wonderful atmosphere."
"Come by and hang out whenever you’re free," Renee Jennings said. Then, she suddenly remembered the message The Wisdom Tree had sent today and quickly pulled out her phone.
He still hadn’t replied.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Renee Jennings’s eyes.
Just then, her phone screen flickered to life. It was a call from Rhea Dempsey.
Renee Jennings stared for a second, then answered the call. "Mom, what’s wrong?"
Rhea Dempsey’s anxious voice came through the phone. "Renee, Wendy Lowe just called. She told me she just confessed everything to Phoebe, but Phoebe couldn’t accept it and ran off! We have no idea where she is now."
Hearing this, Renee Jennings soothed her in a soft voice, "Mom, don’t panic. I’ll call Summer and ask her."
"Okay, please ask her," Rhea Dempsey said, her voice now tinged with a sob. "Let me know as soon as you hear anything."
"I will," Renee Jennings said. After hanging up, she immediately dialed Sylvia Brooks’s number.
The phone rang for a moment before Sylvia Brooks’s gentle voice came through. "Renee, have you eaten?"
’From her tone, it seems Phoebe Sawyer hasn’t contacted her.’
Renee Jennings’s voice grew more serious. "Summer, I’ve already eaten. I just heard from my mom that Auntie Winnie has confessed to Phoebe."
"Phoebe knows the truth?" Sylvia Brooks asked, astonished. "Is she okay?"
"We don’t know yet." Renee Jennings’s brow furrowed slightly. "Auntie Winnie called my mom and said Phoebe ran out. I don’t know if she’ll try to contact you later."
"Okay, I understand," Sylvia Brooks said calmly. "I’ll wait and see. If she doesn’t contact me in the next half hour, I’ll call her."
"Alright, let’s stay in touch." Renee Jennings hung up the phone and met Sawyer’s gaze, which was full of concern.
Sawyer asked, "Renee, did something happen?"
"My mother’s biological daughter, Phoebe Sawyer, is back in the country," Renee Jennings explained succinctly. "Her mother, Wendy Lowe, just told her the truth."
Sawyer’s eyes flickered as she quickly put the pieces together. "So, Summer is a mutual friend of yours and Phoebe’s?"
"Yes," Renee Jennings said, already dialing Rhea Dempsey’s number again. "Mom, Phoebe hasn’t contacted Summer. I’ll let you know when I have more news."
After she hung up, Sawyer said, "Renee, we should go back and check on Aunt Rae."
"Good idea," Renee Jennings agreed, and the two of them turned and headed back.
**
The night was dark and deep, and the sound of wind whistling and rustling through leaves filled the air.
Phoebe Sawyer, wearing only her house slippers, ran out of the villa complex, crying all the while.
’I wish this was all just a dream...’
It was hard to run in slippers, and before she knew it, Phoebe Sawyer tripped and fell.
She fell to the ground, scraping the delicate skin of her palms on the rough asphalt and drawing fine beads of blood.
But it was as if she couldn’t feel the pain. She pushed herself up from the ground and kept running.
The sound of the wind faded, replaced by the sad conversation echoing in her ears.
"Phoebe, there’s something Mommy has been wanting to tell you for the past few days, but I just haven’t known how to bring it up."
"What is it, Mommy? We’re family. You can just tell me."
"Phoebe, you have to remember, no matter what happens, I will always be your mommy. My love for you will never change."
"Mommy, why are you suddenly saying this?"
"Phoebe... the truth is, we’re not related by blood. Back when you were born..."
"Not related by blood? Mommy, what does that mean? I don’t think I understand."
Wendy Lowe lovingly stroked her daughter’s long hair and explained gently, "Phoebe, even though we aren’t mother and daughter by birth, I know our relationship won’t be affected by this at all, so... I think you have the right to know the truth."
Phoebe Sawyer was stunned for a long time before she managed to force a smile that looked worse than tears. "Mommy, you’re joking with me, right? How could we not be mother and daughter?"
"Phoebe, Mommy never thought something like this would happen either." Wendy Lowe’s eyes filled with regret as she choked back a sob. "Fate can be so cruel."
Tears were already streaming down Phoebe Sawyer’s face.
She didn’t know how to face it, so she broke down and ran out of the house.