Chapter 890 The Grand Finale: Many Years Later

Chapter 890 The Grand Finale: Many Years Later

A few years down the line, Chloe and her friends were all swamped with work, making it tough for their families to hang out together. So, they made a pact: no matter how busy they got, they'd always meet up on Christmas Eve.

Today was Christmas Eve. After the last batch of farm goods was shipped out, Rita rushed home.

Chloe and Luke, Phyllis and Charlie, and Marissa and Zachary, along with their kids, had all shown up early in the morning.

Rita had been tied up with shipments and felt pretty bad about not being able to spend time with them.

She floored it, turning a ten-minute drive into less than ten.

As soon as she pulled into the yard, the smell of food hit her, and she could hear the kids laughing.

The guys were busy in the kitchen, the women were sipping tea and chatting in the yard, and the kids were running around having a blast.

The whole scene was just perfect—warm and happy.

"Jacob, let's race with the puppy, okay?" A three-year-old girl was chasing a fluffy puppy.

A nine-year-old boy, Jacob, was right behind her, making sure she didn't fall.

Even though he was worried, he didn't want to ruin her fun.

Rita saw the two little ones and couldn't help but smile.

Jacob was a mini version of his dad, not just in looks but in how he acted. He was super mature for his age.

"Aunt Rita, you're back!" Jacob noticed her and greeted her politely.

Rita nodded, "Yep, go play, don't mind me. I'll go find your..."

Before she could finish, Jacob had already run off after the little girl.

Marissa came running over and hugged Rita tightly, "Rita, you're finally back."

Rita smiled, "Sorry. You know how it is with farm products. They have to be shipped out before Christmas, no delays."

In the garden, Chloe was lounging on a chair, soaking up the sun. "We didn't blame you. Come over, let's have some tea and chat."

Rita smiled, "Sure thing."

Phyllis, who was bringing out some fruit, chimed in, "Rita, your yard is gorgeous now, like a fairyland. I want to live here forever."

Rita said, "When I fixed up this yard, I made rooms for all of you. Stay as long as you want."

Over the years, Rita had expanded her land and her business had boomed.

Not only did she improve her own life, but she also helped nearby villages get out of poverty.

Once the road connecting the village to the outside world was built, farm products could be sold outside, and the villagers' lives got better.

Rita became a well-known boss in the area—single, beautiful, and wealthy, with plenty of admirers.

Phyllis teased her, "Look at our generous Rita."

Rita chuckled, "Stop teasing me. Compared to you guys, I'm way behind."

Phyllis's acting career was soaring, making her both famous and rich.

Chloe's comic company had become the top in the country, and she was making money even while lying in bed.

Marissa's jewelry designs had won international awards and were acquired by a famous luxury brand.

The four of them were killing it in their fields and didn't slow down just because they got married.

Joking aside, Phyllis asked seriously, "Rita, with so many people after you, have you thought about dating anyone?"

Rita laughed, "No way. I'm all about my career right now."

No matter what Rita decided, they had her back.

Phyllis handed a date to Chloe, "Chloe, didn't you sleep well last night?"

Chloe tried to keep her eyes open, "I slept fine. I've been sleeping a lot lately. Maybe I'm just carsick, I'll be okay soon."

Phyllis suddenly had a thought, "Chloe, could you be pregnant?"

Chloe, feeling drowsy, didn't catch on right away, "What?"

After a second, she realized what Phyllis meant and sat up, wide awake, "No way, absolutely not."

Marissa joined in, "You and Vincent don't have any issues, so it's normal to get pregnant."

Chloe said, "You don't get it."

Because Luke had seen how tough it was for Chloe to give birth, he had a vasectomy after she had Jacob.

After all these years without any surprises, how could she be pregnant now?

Chloe quickly called her private doctor to get tested ASAP.

The test results came back negative, and while Chloe felt relieved, there was a tiny bit of disappointment.

Sometimes, she still wished Jacob could have a sibling, but she also worried that having another kid might mean she'd end up neglecting Jacob.

As soon as the private doctor left, Charlie, wearing an apron, came out, "Honey, come here for a sec."

Phyllis asked, "What's up?"

Charlie said, "Just come here."

Phyllis walked over to him, "What's going on?"

Charlie whispered, "All these years, no matter where we have dinner, Evan's always been nearby, never able to join us. It's kinda sad. Could you talk to Rita and see if we can invite Evan to dinner today?"

Back then, not long after Evan returned to Girona, he sent divorce papers to Rita, and they completely cut ties.

After that, Rita got busy with work, and Evan threw himself into his job too. Under his leadership, the Smith Group's influence grew a lot.

Evan often came around here, but he never disturbed Rita's life, just watched her from a distance.

Phyllis glanced back at Rita, feeling a bit troubled, "What if Rita doesn't want him to show up? Bringing this up might just cause trouble."

Charlie suddenly hugged Phyllis, "Honey, I love you!"

He was super grateful he had come to his senses early; otherwise, he might be like Evan now, struggling to even have a meal with Phyllis.

Phyllis pinched his waist, "Don't get all lovey-dovey with me right now. Go finish cooking, I'm starving."

Charlie said, "The food's ready. Do you want to eat in the yard or inside?"

Phyllis replied, "It's such a nice day today, let's eat in the yard."

Charlie kissed her cheek and said, "You go sit down, I'll bring the food out."

Over the years, the three guys had gotten pretty good at cooking, and soon the food was on the table.

Rita raised her glass to toast everyone, "Thanks for coming to spend Christmas with me every year! Cheers to our friendship!"

Everyone raised their glasses together, "Cheers to friendship!"

After a drink, Phyllis looked at Jacob, "Jacob, thanks for taking such good care of my daughter."

Marissa said, "That's his future wife; of course, he takes good care of her."

Rita asked, "Have you two families really arranged a marriage?"

Chloe laughed, "We'll let them decide for themselves. If they want to be together when they grow up, we won't stop them. If they don't, we won't force it."

Luke didn't say anything, busy serving Chloe food.

No matter how many years passed, his love for Chloe only grew stronger.

Charlie, dissatisfied, said, "My daughter is so young, don't get any ideas about her."

His daughter was his treasure. The thought of her growing up and being married off to another man made Charlie very uncomfortable.

Phyllis, holding back her laughter, put some food in his bowl, "Our Jacob is so outstanding, who knows how many girls he'll charm in the future, and you're still complaining."

Charlie fell silent.

The couple looked at Jacob like parents-in-law looking at their son-in-law—one couldn't find anything to like, while the other liked him more and more.

Phyllis's daughter raised her chubby little hand, "Daddy, I want Jacob to hold me."

Charlie's face darkened, "Vincent, look at your son. Stop letting him charm my daughter every day."

Luke, putting the deboned fish into Chloe's bowl, casually said, "He knows his limits; he won't steal your daughter."

Marissa looked at the two little ones and gently touched her belly. In a few months, she would give birth to her baby. The process of having a baby was tough, but it was worth it.

Since Marissa was less than three months pregnant, it wasn't advisable to travel long distances. Zachary didn't want her to come this time, but he couldn't persuade her otherwise, so he brought her along.

He reached out and gently rubbed her back, "Are you tired?"

Marissa replied, "Not tired, I'm very happy to be with everyone."

Zachary smiled, "Silly girl."

At the table, there were three couples, with Rita being the only single one. But since they were all so close, she didn't feel awkward.

Having her career and friends by her side was the life Rita had always wanted.

No matter how tough the process was, she didn't mind, and she enjoyed the present moment.

The livelier it was on their side, the lonelier and more desolate Evan seemed as he hid outside the wall.

However, he didn't feel pitiful. Just being able to hear Rita's voice through the wall was a kind of happiness for him.

(The End)

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