Chapter 1801
At 9:30 in the morning, the weather was perfect, with bright sunshine and a clear blue sky.
Audrey and Caroline were riding in a van heading to the countryside. As they chatted, Audrey asked, "Caroline, you've been away from home for so long. Don't you miss your kids?"
Caroline's husband, Lucas, used to work in the mines but got into a fight with the foreman and was fired. After returning home, he argued with Caroline constantly. Eventually, Caroline had no choice but to go to the city to work and support the family. She met Kevin and started working at Bethany's clothing store.
"Of course I miss them, but what can I do? If I go back to the village, all I can do is farm. I have to make money to support the family," Caroline sighed. "I've called the kids a few times. Hearing them cry and call for me breaks my heart. Once you have kids, you'll understand. A woman's heart is split between her husband and her children."
Audrey thought about Caroline's ambiguous relationship with the village chief, Austin. She figured it was good that Caroline left; otherwise, if Lucas found out, things could get messy, and who knows what would happen to Chad.
She used to look down on Caroline for her affair, but now that she had been involved with Kevin herself, she felt she had no right to judge. She even shared Kevin with Alissa, which was arguably worse than what Caroline did.
People become more understanding once they've been through similar experiences. Audrey even started to understand Vanessa a bit. Since her affair with Kevin, many of her old beliefs and ideas had been shattered. She was trying to control her descent into depravity, not wanting to become a complete slut, though she knew it was futile. From the moment she first gave Kevin a hand job, there was no turning back.
The county road was rough, and the van bounced a lot. The seats were hard, making Audrey's butt numb. There was still an hour to go before they reached Maplewood, so she had to endure it. This was one reason she usually avoided visiting Chad's house.
West Stream Town used to be the poorest in Harmony County, but this year it developed a tourism industry and built a hot spring resort. With new roads and infrastructure, it was booming. Maplewood, once wealthy due to its coal mines, had declined as the coal industry struggled, and now West Stream Town had surpassed it.
Audrey took out her phone and checked the forum. She saw many messages from readers asking when the physical copy of "Love in White City" would be published. They promised to buy it immediately and asked Audrey to hold a book signing event.
Reading the enthusiastic messages from her readers, Audrey felt deeply moved. She had started writing out of interest and never expected so much support. She had recently finalized the publication details with a publisher in Oceancrest City, and they had sent her a sample copy. The book would likely be released after the new year.
This was her first time publishing a physical book, and Audrey was excited. She wondered how many copies it would sell—one hundred, one thousand, or more. When they finally reached Maplewood, Audrey's legs were sore, and even her chest ached from the bumpy ride. She got out of the van and discreetly rubbed her butt, the sensation reminding her of her first time with Kevin in Skyview City.
"Is your butt numb?" Caroline asked with a smile. "It's always like this the first time you ride in one of these vans. It's not too bad, though. When I was a kid, the ride to the county was even bumpier, and some people even had their belts break."
"Audrey, how are we getting to Birchfield?" Caroline asked.
Audrey blushed and frowned. She used to ride back with her husband on Jason's motorcycle. Last time, she and Kevin had walked part of the way from town and then hitched a ride, with Kevin holding her and pressing his cock against her. She had tried to resist Kevin's advances back then, but now it seemed laughable.
"Well, let's wait by the roadside and see if we can catch a ride to Birchfield," Caroline suggested, pulling Audrey to the roadside. They tried to flag down passing cars, but many drivers stopped to flirt with the two attractive women, only to say they weren't going to Birchfield, which frustrated Caroline.
Suddenly, a black car stopped in front of Caroline. A man with a sallow complexion leaned out the window and waved, smiling. "Caroline, hop in."
It was Austin, the village chief of Birchfield, and Caroline's secret lover.
"Austin, you've got a car now?" Caroline looked at the new car in surprise. "Did you buy this? What happened to your van?"
"That old van was too worn out, so I got a new car," Austin said, glancing at the tall Audrey beside her. "It only costs about fifteen thousand dollars, no big deal."
"Fifteen thousand dollars is no big deal? Austin, did you strike it rich?" Caroline's eyes widened. She dreamed of owning a car. While having a car in the county wasn't a big deal, in Birchfield, it was a symbol of wealth.
"No, just made some money with a business partner," Austin laughed. "Come on, get in. I'll take you home."
Caroline quickly pulled Audrey into the car, chatting with Austin and admiring the interior. Audrey, however, frowned, worried about Caroline's ongoing relationship with Austin. If Lucas found out, it would be a disaster, and she couldn't just stand by and watch.
Austin chatted with Caroline while glancing at Audrey in the rearview mirror. It had been over six months since Audrey last visited, and she looked even more beautiful, with a city woman's unique charm. Caroline seemed plain in comparison.
Chad was lucky to have two such beautiful daughters-in-law, especially Audrey, who was even more stunning than TV actresses. If he could have her, his life would be complete.
Austin's eyes lingered on Audrey's ample chest, and he felt a surge of heat in his lower abdomen. He drove slowly, wanting to look at her longer.
Audrey suddenly felt restless, shifting in her seat. Caroline leaned over and asked, "Audrey, are you feeling carsick?"
"No," Audrey said, embarrassed. "I need to use the bathroom."
"You should have said so earlier," Caroline said. "Austin, can you stop for a moment?"
Austin pulled over, and Audrey got out, blushing. It was winter, and the fields were bare. She saw a small hill in the distance and hurried behind it to relieve herself.
Caroline noticed Austin peeking towards the hill and pinched his arm. "What are you looking at?"
Austin quickly pulled back, laughing. "I wasn't looking. The ground is uneven, and I didn't want her to fall."
"Yeah, right. I know what you're thinking," Caroline huffed. "I'm warning you, Audrey is Jason's wife. Don't get any ideas."
"Come on, I only have eyes for you," Austin said, holding Caroline's hand. "Besides, she's a city teacher. Even if I wanted to, she wouldn't be interested."
"Good to know," Caroline smiled, though she knew Austin was just sweet-talking her. She wanted to remind him not to get any foolish ideas. Audrey wasn't someone who could be easily fooled, and it would be awkward if things went wrong.
As Audrey squatted, she suddenly felt a hand on her butt. She jumped up in shock and turned to see a five or six-year-old boy with a runny nose grinning at her. Embarrassed and annoyed, she said, "What are you doing?"
"I'm playing in the field. This is my family's land. Are you peeing?" the boy asked innocently. "Your butt is so white, whiter than my mom's."
Audrey didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She couldn't get mad at a child, especially since she was on his family's land. Besides, he was too young to understand, so there was no point in getting upset.
She quickly returned to the car, seeing the boy still watching from the hill. She felt a bit helpless. Life in the countryside was like this, no wonder Caroline wanted to move to the city.
Austin drove them to their doorstep. Caroline got out and said, "Austin, come in for a drink."
"No, I have things to do," Austin said, winking at Caroline before driving off.
Audrey and Caroline entered the yard, where Chad was sunbathing. Seeing the two women, he smiled and said, "Caroline, Audrey, you're back."
"Dad, where's my daughter?" Caroline asked, looking around.
"Oh, Lucas took her to visit some friends," Chad replied.
"Okay, I'll go find them," Caroline said, eager to see her daughter, and hurried off, leaving Audrey and Chad alone in the yard.
Audrey walked over to Chad and smiled. "Dad, how have you been feeling lately?"
"Pretty good. Lucas found a witch doctor who gave me a remedy. It's cheaper than going to the hospital," Chad said, moving his limbs. "See, no problems at all. Just my legs aren't great, so I can't go up the mountain. I wanted to catch a wild chicken for you."
Audrey chuckled. "That's sweet of you, Dad. But you don't need to go through all that trouble. Just take care of yourself."
Chad nodded, smiling warmly. "It's good to have you back, Audrey. The house feels more lively with you around."
Audrey felt a pang of guilt. She knew her visits were rare, and she wished she could do more for the family. "I'll try to visit more often, Dad. I promise."
Chad patted her hand. "That's all I ask. Family is important, and we need to stick together."
Audrey nodded, feeling a renewed sense of responsibility. She knew she had to find a balance between her life in the city and her obligations to her family in Birchfield.
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