Chapter 1578
The bathroom door swung open, and Jason emerged with a broad grin that quickly faded when he spotted Kevin standing beside his wife. He stopped abruptly, the smile vanishing as he asked, "Hey, honey, who's this guy?"
Audrey was caught off guard by Jason's unexpected return. Instinctively, she shuffled a few steps away from Kevin, a hint of panic crossing her face as she stammered, "Didn't I mention him before? He's Bethany's kid, Kevin."
"Oh, right, now I remember," Jason responded, eyeing Kevin suspiciously. He wasn't thrilled about a supposed cousin dropping by unannounced, but decided to hold back since he was family. "So, you're Kevin. Audrey's mentioned you before. Good to finally meet you."
Kevin, taken aback by the turn of events, felt his irritation mounting. His expression hardened, unable to muster a polite smile. The cheerful demeanor he had earlier was now completely gone.
The living room buzzed with awkward tension. The three formed a triangle, with Jason and Kevin at opposite ends and Audrey caught in the middle.
She glanced from Jason to Kevin, her mind racing. Turning to Kevin, she said, "Kevin, this is my husband, Jason."
Reluctantly, Kevin greeted Jason and then made his way into the kitchen, carrying the two plastic bags.
Audrey watched Kevin retreat anxiously, worried he might lose his cool and spill the beans to Jason. She turned to Jason, with a hint of displeasure in her voice, and remarked, "Jason, why didn't you give me a heads-up about coming back? You completely caught me off guard."
"Why bother with a heads-up when I'm coming back to my own turf?" Jason laughed. "I wanted to surprise you. So, are you happy to see me back?"
More like shocked.
Audrey was still reeling, thankful that she and Kevin had been out shopping. If Jason had caught them getting cozy on the balcony earlier, it would've been a disaster.
"Why the sudden return, Jason?" She furrowed her brow. "It's not even New Year's yet. Did something happen with your dad? I've been swamped with school stuff and haven't had a chance to check in."
"Not much, just had some loose ends to tie up, and I missed you," Jason replied vaguely, eyeing Audrey. After a few months apart, Audrey seemed even more captivating. Her skin was glowing, her eyes enchanting, her tall, curvy figure a sight to behold. Back in the city, he'd been cozying up with Kassy, thinking she was on par with Audrey except for her smaller chest. But now, as he laid eyes on his wife, it hit him that Kassy and Audrey were in different leagues. Compared to the sophisticated and alluring Audrey, Kassy was just a young, immature girl.
"Is that so?"
A few months ago, Audrey might have been touched, but now, recalling the sex video on that USB drive, Jason's words felt insincere, even repulsive to her.
Seeing Audrey's composed reaction, Jason felt uneasy. He had expected her to be distant, given the strain in their relationship since she left Imperial City last time.
"So, why's Kevin here?" Jason attempted some small talk.
"Bethany's swamped with work lately and couldn't look after him, so she asked me to take care of him," Audrey hesitated before explaining. "He's crashing with me for a bit."
"What? He's staying with you?" Jason frowned. "Are you serious? He can't stay with you. Not a chance. I'll tell him to leave soon. You’re being naive. How’s it gonna look for a young guy and a woman to be living together? Not cool at all."
Seeing Jason jump to sending Kevin away as soon as he returned, Audrey grew irritated. She scoffed, "Jason, Kevin's my cousin. He's just sixteen, practically a kid. Plus, we live separately. It's not like we're sharing a bed. What's the big deal?"
"That's not the point. At sixteen, he's taller than me and looks like he's in his twenties," Jason shook his head. "Sixteen-year-olds these days are wise beyond their years. It's okay if he stays over for a day or two, but long-term is a no-go. Babe, I trust you, but it's not appropriate. You're a teacher, and having a teen boy around while I'm away, how's that gonna look to others? Tell him to pack up and leave this afternoon."
"It's easy for you to say. I promised Bethany I'd look after Kevin. If I kick him out now, where will he go?" Audrey challenged. "If something happens, can you handle it?"
"He's just a kid, nothing will happen," Jason shrugged. "If you're worried about explaining to Bethany, hand me the phone. I'll talk to her. A mom can't just focus on work and neglect her child, dumping the responsibility on others. It's not right. He's been crashing here, costing us a pretty penny each month."
"Jason!" Audrey exclaimed.
Audrey couldn't contain herself any longer. She burst out, "You're crossing the line. You're back for just a few days a year, and the moment you return, you start throwing orders around. Have you ever thought about me? About our family? When you're away, I sleep alone, every little noise outside keeps me up. Do you even realize that? When your dad visited Telehealth Hospital last time, I took a day off to take him to the doctor. I was swamped all day, and when I got back, there wasn't even a cup of hot water. Where were you then? Kevin was here. At least I had someone to talk to. I wasn't as scared sleeping alone. When I lug heavy groceries from the supermarket, he helps me out. What about you? What do you do? Other women have husbands they can rely on. Can I rely on you? Can you make me trust you? Say something!"
Seeing Audrey getting emotional, even teary-eyed, Jason panicked. He hadn't realized how tough things had been for her all this time. He hurriedly reached for Audrey's hand, attempting a smile, "Honey, I'm sorry. It's my bad. I didn't mean for Kevin to leave. Forget it. Please don't cry. Let's just pretend I never said anything."
Audrey, however, pushed Jason's hand away and headed straight for the sofa, sitting down coldly. "If you want to settle scores, Bethany gives me two thousand dollars a month for expenses. That's twelve thousand dollars in six months. If you want Kevin gone, give me ten grand now to return to Bethany, and I'll send Kevin packing immediately!"
Upon hearing about the expenses from Bethany, Jason’s demeanor shifted dramatically. He leaned in towards Audrey with a grin, "Oh, honey, why didn’t you mention this earlier? Bethany’s family. Why take money? That’s too formal. I don’t have ten grand on me right now. How about this, let him stay. I’ll be leaving in a few days anyway, and I don’t feel right leaving you alone."
"No need. If Kevin stays with me, won’t you be even more concerned? I’ll ask him to leave later," Audrey said icily. "If I happen to pass away at home one day, you’ll need to come back from Imperial City to handle the funeral."
Listening to Audrey’s sarcastic comments, Jason felt even more ashamed. Ultimately, he had no grounds to criticize Audrey. He clasped his hands together apologetically, "Honey, please don’t tease me. I truly didn’t grasp the situation. It’s on me. If you need to let off steam, go ahead, or I’ll do it myself." He even raised his hand as if to slap himself.
Observing this, Audrey grabbed Jason’s wrist, giving him a stern look. "That’s enough. Don’t make a fool of yourself. As long as you understand the situation with Kevin now, go rest. You’ve been on the road all day. I’ll check on the kitchen. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready." With that, she got up and made her way to the kitchen.
Despite Audrey's discontent with Jason’s hasty decision to send Kevin away, she and Kevin did have unresolved issues. Feeling somewhat insecure, she didn’t want to strain their relationship too much, especially since Jason had just returned. So, she provided an exit strategy for both of them and chose not to prolong the argument.
In the kitchen, Kevin was aggressively peeling a potato, his face drawn into a scowl as he silently cursed Jason. Why couldn't he just stay in Imperial City until New Year's? He had disrupted their cozy world of two by turning it into a forced trio. And not even the right kind of trio; it should be just him, Audrey, and his mother, without Jason’s interference.
“What are you up to, Kevin?” Audrey entered the kitchen, seeing Kevin nearly pulverizing the potato. She walked over, patted his head, and said gently, “Don’t be upset. I was taken aback by Jason’s return too. Plus, I spoke to him earlier, and he’ll be leaving in a few days. That scowl on your face, worried Jason won’t catch on, huh?”
“Audrey, I’m sorry. I’m just scared he’ll take you away,” Kevin, only sixteen, couldn’t hide his fears. Especially after Audrey inadvertently distanced herself from him earlier, he felt threatened.
Despite their intimate moments and shared experiences, their relationship remained clandestine. With Jason’s presence, his role as the third party would be exposed.
“Do you think Jason’s a bandit?” Audrey glanced back at the living room where Jason had already gone to the bedroom. She reached out and hugged Kevin tightly, comforting his wounded soul with her warmth. “Don’t worry. What’s meant for you, no one can snatch away. What’s not yours, you can’t hold onto. Just endure a few more days. Be good, okay.”
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