I Quit Being a StepMother Novel

" Make sure you save it for me , okay ? Don't sneak any for yourself . I'm saving up for a house , " Lauren said . Affording a mansion was out of the question in this lifetime , but an apartment in an upscale neighborhood might be possible . Still , in a city like Draventh , even that wasn't easy . Lauren wasn't in any rush , though . She would be content as long as she could afford a place before retirement . All she wanted was a place where she could live out her days in peace . As for Arielle and Adrian , she'd never once imagined relying on them in the future .

Since they worked in the same company , Carter had naturally noticed how much Lauren had changed . He simply never brought it up . That quiet routine went on for more than a year and a half until Lauren finally collapsed . She had come down with a fever . The night before , she'd been running errands for the project team in the middle of a downpour . By the time she made it back to the villa , it was already past 2:00 am . She couldn't even get out of bed the next day . Carter usually gave her a ride to work every morning , but that morning , she was nowhere to be found .

It wasn't until Arielle went in to check on her that they realized that she had fallen ill . " Dad , her face is all red . She's burning up ! " Arielle shouted . Carter came in right after , and before long , Lauren was lying in bed with an IV drip . But after just one day of rest , she was already trying to drag herself back into the office . Over the past year or so , she'd managed to save more than a hundred thousand dollars . It was all real money that she had earned through sheer effort . That was enough to buy , at best , a third of a bathroom . But she was only in her early 30s .

There was still time . " What are you doing here ? " When Carter spotted her in the office , his brows drew tight . " You're supposed to be on leave . If you drop dead here , the company's not going to take responsibility . " Naturally , life mattered more than money . Without it , there'd be no money to make in the first place . Lauren dragged her feverish body home . She couldn't just lie there , though . With each shallow breath burning her chest , she shuffled into the kitchen with a mask on , planning to make some seafood pasta .

But by the time the three of them - father and kids - came home , washed up , and sat down to eat , they immediately dug into the pasta . Half a pot of seafood pasta was gone in no time. Lauren didn't get to have a single bite . " Was it good ? " she asked . Arielle nodded eagerly . " Yeah , it was great ! " Carter glanced up from his plate . " You haven't eaten yet ? " 1/3 He assumed that she'd already had her share and had left the rest for them . " I'm sorry about that , " he said , dropping his gaze . " If you want something , just ask the chef to make it . " " It's fine .

I'm just glad you liked it . " Lauren wasn't the least bit upset . Honestly , there was a kind of satisfaction in seeing them enjoy her cooking . The next morning , as soon as she opened her eyes , Lauren spotted Carter setting a bowl of oatmeal and some pills on her nightstand . Then , he turned and left without saying a single word . Despite that , Lauren felt a slow warmth rising in her chest as she stared at the steaming bowl of oatmeal . " Dad , we've got exams tomorrow , " said one of the kids . " Then do your best . If you score well , there'll be a reward , " Carter promised .

" Okay ! " Their cheerful voices carried through the hallway . Lauren closed her eyes for a moment . Her heart began to beat with quiet life again . She'd gotten used to this life somehow , and after more than a year , it felt like she had truly settled into this home . That night , the kids came home , ate dinner , and sat in the living room , revising for their exams . Meanwhile , Carter was still working overtime and hadn't returned home yet . " Need help with anything ? " Lauren asked , appearing beside them . Arielle looked up . " Yeah . Some of it is confusing .

" Lauren walked over and sat beside her . " Show me . Let's see where you're stuck . " " It's Albish , " Arielle said . Lauren raised a brow . That was her area of expertise and right up her alley . After a couple of hours of coaching , Arielle and Adrian were staring at her with wide eyes , awestruck . They wondered if Lauren had always been that good at Albish . Her accent sounded smoother than their teacher's ! Sara Lili Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion.

She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland's breathtaking cold.