Filed to story: The Disguised Billionaire and His Accidental Wife Novel
Hank was waiting outside, but he kept staring at the two women in the café for fear that Liberty would suddenly go mad and beat up Jessica.
He was relieved when he saw Jessica coming out and hurried over to meet her.
“Jessica, she didn’t do anything to you, did she?”
Jessica touched her face and said, “Just the slap from earlier. After you left, she didn’t touch me again.”
Hank was slapped by Liberty too.
He was distressed as he said, “Jessica, I won’t let her touch you ever again.”
He then asked, “What did she say to you?”
Jessica looked around. The two of them were standing on the sidewalk with many passersby, but no one paid any attention to them.
When she saw Hank’s concerned eyes, she asked, “Hank, do you want to see me suffer?”
“Why would I want to see you suffer? I want to divorce Liberty because I don’t want you to suffer anymore.”
Hank took her hand. “Jessica, did she yell at you? I’ll go in there and settle this with her.”
“No, it’s not that.”
Jessica pulled Hank back, who was about to enter the cafe. She said softly, “Hank, I don’t want to be Sonny’s stepmother.”
Hank turned to look at her.
“Didn’t you say that Sonny is cute? You said that you like Sonny very much and that you’re willing to raise Sonny with me.”
Hank raised his voice a little. He was afraid that others would look at him, so he lowered his voice and said, “Jessica, I know I’m putting you in a difficult position of being Sonny’s stepmother before we’re married. But Sonny is my son, my flesh and blood, so he must stay with us.
“Don’t worry. I’ll send Sonny back to my hometown so my parents will take care of him. My parents have also agreed to it, so he won’t affect us. We can still have our privacy.”
Jessica was silent for a while before she said, “Do you think I can’t bear a child? I’ll have my own child one day, so I’ll definitely be biased toward my child because Sonny’s not mine. I can’t treat Sonny equally.
“Other people will also call me a vicious stepmother. Do you want me to be reproached by others?
“Your parents can help you take care of Sonny now, but they’re getting older, so how many years can they care for Sonny? In the end, Sonny will still have to come back to us.”
Hank said nothing.
“Hank, let’s not fight for Sonny’s custody, okay? I really don’t want to be a stepmother as soon as I marry you. If you give up on Sonny’s custody, you just need to give three thousand dollars a month for child support. You don’t have to do anything else and just watch as Liberty raises your son for you. Isn’t that great?
“Sonny will always be your son, so it doesn’t matter who takes custody of him. He’ll still address you as his dad all the same when he grows up. As long as you pay for child support, he’ll also fulfill his responsibilities as your son when you get older. You won’t have to worry about so many things!
“Liberty said that if you give up on Sonny’s custody, she won’t ask for your help when Sonny goes to college or gets married. She’ll bear all of those as his mother. That’s a lot of money.”
Jessica pouted and said, “Anyway, I don’t want Sonny to share too much of your fatherly love with my future child.”
She did not want Hank to spend his money on Sonny.
Jessica hoped that Hank’s future income would be spent on their small family–her and her children.
“Liberty gave birth to Sonny, so she’ll definitely do her best to raise him and educate him well. It’ll be better for Sonny’s development. If you fight for Sonny’s custody, your parents will take care of him. Do you think your parents can educate Sonny well?
“A lot of grandparents spoil their grandchildren. Of course, if you want to see Sonny become someone who achieves nothing in the future, then forget what I said. I just think it’s better for Sonny to follow Liberty. You’re so busy with work, so how can you have time to teach Sonny?
“Children need a lot of attention and care. It takes a lot of effort to educate and nurture them. If Sonny didn’t turn out to be successful, others will put the blame on you and me. They’ll call me an evil stepmother and that’s why you don’t care for Sonny too.
“I’m already suffering so much with you. Do you want me to bear more grievances?”
Hearing Jessica’s words, Hank said in a tangled voice, “I promised my parents that I’ll take custody of Sonny.”
If he gave up on Sonny’s custody, he would not know how to explain it to his parents when he returned home.
“Sonny is your son, not your parent’s son, so only you can make this decision. If you give up on Sonny’s custody, they’re still Sonny’s grandparents. They can still visit him whenever they want.”
Hank said nothing.
He had no time to care and nurture Sonny.
Jessica refused to resign and be a housewife after marriage like Liberty. If he sent Sonny back to his hometown for his parents to care for, Sonny would feel abandoned, which would be bad for Sonny’s growth.
Hank had never taken care of Sonny, but he still wanted the best for his son. Hank also hoped that Sonny would become successful in the future and make him proud.
“Liberty is now using the café owner’s laptop to print the divorce agreement. If you’re willing to give up on Sonny’s custody, you can go through the divorce formalities this afternoon. Then, you’ll be single again, and we can be together openly.
“Hank, we’re still young, and we’ll have our own children in the future. We can even have two or three of them. The chances of Liberty getting married again are quite low with the way she looks right now. Sonny gives her the will to live, so you should allow her this as someone who used to love her.”
Hank was successfully coaxed by Jessica, so he decided to give up on Sonny’s custody. He then considered his parents‘ feelings and said, “You can go in and tell Liberty to give me another day to think about it. I need to convince my parents so they won’t trouble Liberty.
“I’ll transfer the money to her as per her request tomorrow at two o’clock in the afternoon. Then, we’ll go to City Hall for the divorce procedures.”
Jessica thought that since it was only a day, she agreed and said, “I’ll go in and talk to her.”
Hank was convinced, so he believed he could also persuade his parents.
As Jessica was going in, Liberty came out.
She was holding two copies of the printed divorce papers with her name signed and her fingerprints stamped on them.