Chapter 213
Hank turned his head to look inside the house. He had come back alone last night. His return home was only due to the urging of his parents and sister; otherwise, he would have stayed at his parents’ house a few more days, indulging in carefree outings with Jessica. Liberty typically avoided visiting her in-laws, as she was often criticized by her mother-in-law and sister-in-law. After enduring this several times, she decided not to visit them unless absolutely necessary. This was the only reason Hank felt bold enough to go out with Jessica without guilt.
During the few days he took off to recover at home, Jessica visited him after work to take care of him. She brought him numerous supplements and delicious meals, which significantly strengthened their relationship. If Jessica had insisted on him divorcing Liberty to be with her officially, they might have already been intimate.
Although Hank did not get to fully enjoy Jessica, it only made him appreciate her more. The things he could not have always seemed the most desirable.
Jessica understood this well. Even though she and Hank were close like a married couple, she maintained a boundary because she did not want to fully give herself to him.
He lied.
In reality, the couple had slept in separate rooms after he returned home yesterday. It wasn’t because Liberty kicked him out, but because he felt guilty and afraid. He worried that if he fell asleep, he might end up in serious trouble. Liberty had not apologized to him either; instead, she warned him that if he dared to be violent with her again, she would chase him down the street with a kitchen knife, ensuring he would lose all his dignity.
Hank was genuinely intimidated by Liberty’s toughness. Before coming back, his
His parents reminded him that Liberty would retaliate strongly, so he should refrain from hitting her in the future. They recognized that it was impossible to predict who would win in a conflict between a husband and wife. Jessica smiled as she thought, “Liberty truly is pitiful. She was abused by her husband, yet she still apologized to him. She must have strong feelings for Hank. Additionally, she is unemployed and entirely reliant on him for support. Who would have guessed that the Liberty Hunt, once celebrated in the company as an exceptional woman, would end up like this?” Jessica reflected on how devoted and submissive Hank was to Liberty. He often showered Jessica with gifts to make her happy, but his financial support for Liberty had dropped from three thousand to one thousand five hundred since they decided to share expenses. Jessica was aware of Hank’s substantial income; despite his high earnings, he only allocated one thousand five hundred for Liberty’s living costs, while being generous to her, which greatly pleased Jessica’s vanity.
Hank texted, “I’ll see you at the office, babe.” He then heard his son’s cries, ending the conversation with Jessica. He stubbed out his cigarette and stepped inside from the balcony, saying to Liberty, who had just emerged from the kitchen, “Don’t worry, Liberty. I’ll go get Sonny.” Liberty did not object and allowed him to enter the room to tend to their son.
After Hank awkwardly changed Sonny’s clothes, he brought him out and said to Liberty, “Liberty, please prepare the milk formula. I don’t know how to do it.” He was uncertain about the right proportions of water and milk powder to use. Serenity appeared from the kitchen and said, “I’ll handle it.”
As soon as Sonny saw Serenity, he reached out for her, eager to be held. Serenity had no choice but to take him in her arms. Hank felt a bit embarrassed, sensing that his son preferred Serenity over him. Serenity carried her nephew into the room to continue caring for him.
Prepare the milk formula. Hank found himself with nothing to occupy his time. Unable to stay at home, he told his wife, who was still occupied in the kitchen, “Liberty, I’m heading to work. Traffic tends to be the worst on Mondays, so I’ll leave early to avoid it.”