Chubby Mommy: Scheming Daddy, Surrender Now!-Chapter 160: Letting Bygones Be Bygones

Ruby Sullivan wiped her tears, let out a long sigh, and felt relieved. The current situation, no matter how bad, is still better than it was five years ago. Back then, she was heavily pregnant and had nothing at all. If it weren’t for the unborn child, she would have had no courage to live on.

Now, she has opened her mind and is determined to live well with Honey and Seth. At least, they should cherish every day they have together.

In the evening, Mama Bennett prepared Ruby Sullivan’s meal and wanted to take it to her, but Leon Sterling stopped her in the kitchen first, "Let me take it."

Mama Bennett hesitated for a moment, "Sir, let me do it. I can also ask the young lady what she wants to eat and prepare accordingly."

"I’ll ask for you," Leon Sterling insisted.

Ethan Sterling also walked into the kitchen, "Give it to me."

Mama Bennett looked at the two brothers, about to hand the tray to Ethan Sterling when Leon Sterling frowned and questioned, "Don’t you know she doesn’t want to see you?"

Ethan Sterling glanced at him, stepped forward, and snatched the tray from Mama Bennett, "Whether she wants to see me or not, we are still married now."

Leon Sterling watched his back and deliberately reminded him, "Soon, you won’t be."

Ethan Sterling pretended not to hear and walked away with the tray.

After lunch, Ruby Sullivan had been sleeping. A few minutes ago, when Seth and Honey came to see her, she had just awakened but felt lazy and didn’t want to talk to the kids, so she didn’t open her eyes.

The little ones thought their mom was still asleep, whispered something, and then quietly left.

Ruby Sullivan’s current physical state wasn’t much better than when she had just given birth five years ago. However, with years of fitness experience, she believed her recovery would be quicker now. Only after she’s recovered can she leave here.

She felt vulnerable and uneasy, just hoping this period would pass quickly.

Soon, she heard the door open, and the soft footsteps didn’t belong to the kids.

She turned her head and saw Ethan Sterling coming in with the tray. She realized the children had come to call her to eat.

Is it that late already? She was a bit surprised and glanced at the window, only to find it was dark.

"Hungry?" Ethan Sterling smiled.

Since they laid everything out in the open, his tone towards her had been gentle and polite, seemingly considerate, but Ruby Sullivan could sense the distance in his gaze.

Perhaps this time, he truly had a change of heart.

But she didn’t want to delve into it and accepted this almost imperceptible distance, feeling it made things a bit easier for both of them.

"Thank you." She took the soup he handed her.

"Is there anything you want to eat? I can have Mama Bennett prepare it for you. You’re like a post-natal woman now, things can’t be taken lightly."

Ruby Sullivan laughed at herself when she heard the words "post-natal," "Not so precious. Back when I actually had postpartum recovery, it wasn’t much." Back then, it was Faye Truman and Sasha Shaw who took care of her after she gave birth.

At that time, Faye Truman wasn’t yet the decisive head, and Sasha Shaw’s studio had just started. She felt bad letting them skimp and save to hire a maternity nurse, let alone go to a post-natal center.

Honey’s illness already required a lot of money. It was then that she first realized how true the saying "a hero might break over a penny" was.

Ethan Sterling saw her gaze drift into the past, knowing she was getting emotional again, thinking about the old days. He wanted to say sorry but couldn’t bring himself to say it. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

He was ashamed to apologize in front of her because he knew too many things couldn’t be solved with a simple apology.

"Then you really need to take good care of yourself this time." He lightly added.

Ruby Sullivan, recovered from her thoughts, continued to drink her soup without saying anything further.

"I’ve bought a second-hand villa near the hospital. It has an attic and a rooftop, close to the hospital where Dad is staying. There’s a fairly good kindergarten nearby, and Seth and Honey can attend school there. I’ve also arranged for a trustworthy Filipino maid to help take care of you and the kids. The house is under your name. I’ll cover all the expenses, no need for you to worry."

This house was chosen by Howard himself in Novaniel after Ethan Sterling decided on the divorce. While it’s an old house, the previous owner had it refurbished a few years ago. Howard even had the beds in the rooms replaced to make sure they would be comfortable when they move to Meridia.

Ruby Sullivan was a bit surprised, "Thank you."

"Also, the shares I bought from Miles Mona were purchased with my own money, nothing to do with The Sterling Group. The stocks were meant to be a gift for you, so you don’t have to worry about any subsequent issues."

Ethan Sterling mentioned this only to reassure her.

Ruby Sullivan was quite shocked, a bit doubtful of her ears. After a moment of silence, she tentatively asked, "Isn’t The Sterling Group always planning to acquire The Sullivan Group?"

"Indeed," Ethan Sterling nodded, "and a lot of groundwork, effort, and resources have already been invested." That’s why he was so furious at the shareholders’ meeting and had a major argument with them.

As for the rumors circulating in the office at that time, they were spread by Howard at his instruction—partly to let mindful people take them as important information and partly due to his own personal motives.

Acquiring The Sullivan Group was an essential step in Ethan Sterling’s advancement. Seeing the probability of Brandon Sullivan waking up getting lower and lower, he felt the time was right.

But she had returned, so after much hesitation, he decided to let go. The Sullivan Group was the legacy of The Sullivan Family, everything her father left for his daughter. He wanted to hand over the decisions to her, and fittingly, she wanted to come back.

He just hadn’t expected that dragging her into this marriage would harm her.

He looked at her surprised expression and smiled, "If I said I just didn’t want to waste time chasing you anymore and wanted to remarry you quickly, would you believe me?"

Ruby Sullivan blinked, shifting her gaze, "I know you wanted to marry me. I just thought your reason for it was profit."

Ethan Sterling gave a wry smile, "What profit could you bring me?"

Ruby Sullivan pressed her lips together, "If... I mean if you hadn’t given me the shares of The Sullivan Group, wouldn’t that be the profit I could bring you? So I didn’t expect you would really give me the shares."

Ethan Sterling raised an eyebrow, feigning magnanimity, "You don’t have to feel sorry. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been misunderstood by you."

Ruby Sullivan laughed too, even though she didn’t find it funny at all.

She looked up at him, feeling a little dazed. If they had had more calm and honest conversations like this earlier, would the outcome have been different?

She thought probably not. She couldn’t change the fact that young Ethan Sterling didn’t love her, nor could she change her own naive self from back then, so the outcome would likely still not be great if it all happened again.

"Then... let’s put the past behind us." She freed a hand and extended it to him.

Ethan Sterling looked at her hand, raised an eyebrow, "Sorry, I’m a germaphobe." He said this with a smile and took her hand, reluctant to let go for a moment.