"Scumbag," Laura muttered, glancing at Stuart. Then she looked at Jeffery, her face immediately switching to a smile. "Jeffery, how about I treat you to something yummy?"
Jeffery's little face stayed blank. "Thanks, godmother."
"Come on, give me a smile." Laura pinched his cheek. "Oh my gosh, you're so cute!"
Jeffery just buried his face in Josephine's shoulder without a word.
Liam rushed over after wrapping up his surgery.
Five adults took Jeffery out for a fun meal.
Jeffery only seemed happy when he was with Josephine.
With everyone else, he kept a serious face.
But the more he acted like that, the more Laura wanted to tease him.
The meal was full of laughter.
After dinner, Steven came to pick up Laura.
Rex was with him.
Jeffery was just over four years old, after all.
After a long flight and seeing Josephine, he was exhausted and about to crash.
He barely kept his eyes open, glanced at the two tall men, then snuggled into Josephine's shoulder and slowly drifted off.
Even though he only took a quick look, it was enough for Steven and Rex to notice Jeffery had striking blue eyes.
Laura reluctantly kissed Jeffery before hopping into Steven's car.
As soon as she got in, she grumbled, "Why are you here again?"
Rex said, "I came to see Jeffery. Now that I've seen him, I can relax."
Laura asked, "What do you mean?"
Rex said, "I wanted to make sure the kid isn't Stuart's. Now that I know, I can chill."
"I knew you weren't just being nice, coming with Steven to pick me up." Laura rolled her eyes. "Even if Jeffery isn't Stuart's kid and Stuart's out of the picture, do you think you have a shot?"
"Where there's a will, there's a way." Rex lit a cigarette. "I'm confident."
Laura waved her hand in front of her nose. "Josephine hates guys who smoke."
"Stuart didn't smoke before?" Rex asked.
Laura said, "That's why they got divorced."
Rex went quiet.
He couldn't argue with that.
Steven chimed in, "You should cut down on smoking. Quit if you can; it's bad for your health."
Rex glanced at him. "Easy for you to say."
Steven said, "It's not easy for me either."
Laura looked over.
Steven quickly added, "Don't you know smoking is harmful? Besides, quitting for the woman you love—isn't that something you should do?"
Rex looked down on Steven.
A guy like Steven, bowing to Laura's pressure.
And Steven wasn't ashamed; he was proud of it.
It was a disgrace to men!
The next day, Rex used his connections at the local research institute to meet with Josephine.
He got straight to the point, "I saw your boyfriend. Foreigners often have different values from us, and I don't think he's mature enough to take care of you and Jeffery in the long run."
Josephine, having finished her work, was about to leave, wanting to spend as much time as possible with Jeffery.
So she didn't want to discuss these things with Rex at all.
She just wanted to leave quickly.
"Mr. Armstrong, I think I've made myself very clear before. I'm very happy with my current life, especially with Roy. We have a great relationship. Mr. Armstrong, you shouldn't badmouth him behind his back. Besides, who doesn't have flaws? Are you perfect?" Josephine shot back.
"I wouldn't say I'm perfect," Rex said, "But I have the confidence and ability to give you and Jeffery a better life. You don't like the smell of smoke; I can even quit smoking, which I've been doing for twenty years."
"That's really not necessary," Josephine said with a smile. "Mr. Armstrong, why put yourself through that? With your qualities, I don't think I'm a good match for you. You must be busy, and I need to get home, or Jeffery and Roy will be worried."
Josephine finished speaking and left. Downstairs, Roy was leaning against the car, waiting for her.
Roy and Otis knew each other, but they didn't get along well.
Otis was in the car, so Roy got out to wait.
He was a foreigner, good-looking, with chiseled features and bright blue eyes. Standing there, he attracted a lot of attention.
Roy was used to such admiring and envious looks.
Suddenly, he looked in a certain direction.
Someone was looking at him with hostility.
He saw Stuart.
He found Stuart somewhat familiar.
Roy thought for a few seconds and remembered, 'Wasn't this the guy who blocked our way at the airport yesterday, but Josephine ignored him?'
Roy looked over coldly, his eyes filled with the arrogance and confidence of a winner.
To him, Stuart was a loser.
Trying to take Josephine from him?
Stuart was delusional!
At this moment, Josephine came out.
Roy immediately went to her and said, "Darling!"
Josephine couldn't handle his enthusiasm and intimacy.
She was about to ask him to tone it down, but Roy leaned in, gently wrapped his arm around her waist, and whispered in her ear, "Your ex-husband is watching."
From Stuart's perspective, the two were intimately close, oblivious to the world around them.
He felt a pang of sadness and a self-mocking smile.
He had insulted Josephine and Liam's relationship more than once.
But now, how ironic it was!
Josephine and Liam were as innocent as could be.
His eyes had been blind back then.
Now, seeing her in Roy's arms, smiling sweetly, it pierced Stuart's heart.
"Josephine." Even though he didn't want to face such a scene, he still stepped forward and called out to Josephine.
Josephine glanced at him. "Mr. Haustia? What's wrong?"
Her unfamiliar address and cold tone.
Stuart handed her something. "In a few days, it's Grandpa's birthday. He insisted that you must come."
Looking at the gold-embossed invitation in his hand, Josephine took it. "Okay, I'll contact Grandpa."
Josephine finished speaking and glanced at Roy.
Roy immediately opened the car door.
"Josephine!" Stuart looked at her. "Jeffery is back. I wonder if I have the honor of taking him out for a meal."
Josephine pinched Roy where no one could see.
Roy immediately said, "Sir, do you want to take my son out for a meal? Sorry, he doesn't like meeting strangers."
His Veridiania wasn't very fluent, but his meaning was clear.
Stuart looked at his blue eyes, identical to Jeffery's, and couldn't help but look away, turning to Josephine. "Is that not possible?"
Josephine shook her head. "Sorry, I have to respect Jeffery's wishes and consider Roy's feelings. Mr. Haustia, if there's nothing else, we'll be going."
She nodded slightly.
Roy raised his hand to protect her head as she got into the car.
Before getting in, Roy gave Stuart a smile.
The car quickly drove away, and Stuart's tall figure stood there, unmoving for a long time.
Otis was driving, and Roy asked Josephine, "Josephine, I feel like our relationship, just being boyfriend and girlfriend, isn't enough. If we get married, they'll give up. What do you think?"