Chapter 56 She'd Battled Depression
The thought of losing custody to the father was not new to Juniper; in fact, she had prepared herself for it. As long as Magnus would allow her to occasionally visit Jennifer, she knew that Jennifer would have a better life with him.
"I mean, if Jennifer were with Magnus, she wouldn't miss a crucial surgery that costs a hundred thousand dollars. Ophelia, I can't provide for Jennifer anymore; she needs a level of care I just can't afford," Juniper said self-deprecatingly.
If only she were in good health, she would fight tooth and nail for custody against Magnus.
Even if the odds were against her, she'd still fight.
"But with you, Jennifer's life would be richer in countless ways. After all, she's only six. A child can go without a father, but without a mother, she truly has no home. Besides money, what can Magnus offer her? And if he marries Mary…"
"Jennifer gets along great with Magnus, and she really likes him too."
"What? How did they even...?"
Juniper recounted how Magnus and Jennifer had come to meet.
Ophelia was dumbstruck. "That's quite the coincidence, huh?"
"Yeah, I never expected Jennifer to take such a liking to Magnus. But maybe it's for the best, getting used to the idea early on."
When the time comes for goodbyes, Jennifer wouldn't be an inconsolable mess.
If she were to break down crying, Juniper wouldn't have the heart to leave.
Ophelia looked at Juniper with surprise, "Juniper, have you really decided to give Jennifer's custody to Magnus?"
"What choice do I have? Magnus will eventually find out about Jennifer's existence, and he'll take custody. I can't compete with him."
Unable to compete, she resigned to her fate.
Just like how she spent a week coming to terms with the possibility that she might only have six months to live.
Bear it a little longer, everything passes.
Jennifer's still young; in a few years, she won't cling to her mother like she does now.
Ophelia felt that ever since Juniper returned from S City, there was a desolation in her eyes that seemed to speak of a profound loss.
Her mind went back to the emergency rescue three years ago and her heart skipped a beat.
She grasped Juniper's hand and asked, "Juniper, with everything that's happened between you and Magnus, are you feeling okay?"
Juniper knew what she was worried about.
She just smiled and said, "My depression's been cured for a while now, don't worry so much. And that emergency visit three years ago was because of an accidental overdose on sleeping pills, not what you think."
"Really? You have to tell me if there's something on your mind, don't bottle it up. You know you're my best friend, and I can't afford to lose you."
Juniper, looking into Ophelia's concerned eyes, hesitated and finally responded with a simple, "Okay."
Why drag Ophelia into her suffering?
...
At the bar.
Robert sat in the booth, steadily downing one drink after another.
When Magnus arrived, he saw the array of emptied glasses covering the table.
Just as Robert reached for his next drink, Magnus snatched it from his grasp and slammed it back onto the table.
"I'm not rushing you to the hospital for a perforated stomach."
The man settled himself in the booth next to Robert.
Undeterred, Robert picked up his glass, tilted his head back, and drained it in one go, smirking at Magnus, "Damn, Magnus, you really don't play fair. When you got out of the jail, Michael and I threw a party for you, and when your stomach was bleeding, who rushed you to the hospital?"
"You've been inside for three years. Three years with no alcohol, and the moment you get out, you knock back three bottles of whiskey. You're tougher than I am."
Robert never considered himself as hardcore as Magnus, but tonight, he wasn't about to let anyone stop him from drowning his sorrows.
Magnus poured himself a glass of vodka and took a sip.
His long, slender fingers rapped against the glass, "So, what's going on?"
It wasn't common to see Robert driven to drink like this.
Swigging his liquor, Robert clenched his jaw, "I'm getting divorced."
"That's a new one on me."
Magnus raised an eyebrow, his posture relaxed as he clinked his glass against Robert's and took another sip.
The hard drink was sharp and stung his throat, making the man's brow furrow.
Robert was irked by his overly calm reaction.
"Come on, man! Have you got no heart? I just said I'm getting divorced!"
Magnus glanced at him coolly, bluntly stating, "Never been married, so I wouldn't know what it feels like to get divorced."
Robert almost choked!
"That's your idea of consolation? But you know, it sounds like you've got it worse than me. At least I have a grave to lie in. You? A lone wolf, cold in the wilderness."
"I don't see you too heartbroken. I've got work to do. How about I head back to the company?"
Magnus stood up, signaling he was about to leave.
Robert grabbed his arm, "No, don't go! Who am I going to vent to if you leave?"
"Was it your call, or hers?"
"I brought it up. She probably didn't see it coming."
"The reason?"
Magnus had a cool, poker face, seeming more procedural than concerned.
Robert laughed, "Why do you sound like a cop?"
"Do you have any feelings for Ophelia at all?"
Magnus didn't ask much, but every question he posed cut right to the heart of the matter.
Robert was caught off guard and fell silent. He realized... he had never really thought about that.
At first, he thought the Perez family in the capital city was prestigious enough, although they weren't quite on par with the Browns, they seemed like a good match.
Ophelia, a journalism graduate from the University of the Capital, was well-educated, beautiful, and always sweet-talking the elders.
"You know my family was pressuring me back then. So, I thought all right, let's just settle. Fast forward two years, I’ve been married for two goddamn years without so much as sharing the bed with her. To top it off, out of the blue, she brings in some kid, about six or seven years old, and tells me it's her daughter with her first love. I was so pissed, I didn't think twice before I filed for divorce," he spat out.
Robert's anger simmered as he took a generous swig of his drink.
Magnus tapped his glass, pondering, then spoke in a hushed tone, "First love, huh?"
"Yeah, that Thomas Hawthorne guy. Still hasn't come back to the States. If he did, I'd at least get to see the face of the man who’s had her heart all these years. I'd appreciate the sight!"
"No use, buddy. You're divorced."
Stunned, Robert looked at him. "Are we still brothers?"
"What's the use if you can't get over a first love?"
Clutching his glass with a grim expression, Robert had to concede, "Fair point. Nobody knows the power of a first love better than you."
He had never been bested when it came to matters of the heart.
Magnus clenched his teeth, "If you stay silent, nobody will know what you're thinking."
Robert's phone buzzed.
He glanced at the screen with a hint of impatience, "Who's calling me at this hour?"
Nevertheless, he answered the call.
A familiar melodious voice came through—"Mr. Robert, this is Juniper."
"Juniper?"
Holding his drink, Magnus was taken aback for a moment.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
