After leaving the Morgan estate, Renee Jennings and her friends started talking.
"That Yvonne Morgan is ridiculous," Michelle Fuller said with disgust. "To think she’s blaming Mrs. Morgan!"
"The one who really disgusts me is Zoe Morgan." Renee Jennings opened the car door, got into the passenger seat, and buckled her seatbelt as she spoke. "She thinks that since Yvonne Morgan is Zachary Morgan’s biological daughter, he would never abandon Yvonne no matter what."
Sylvia Brooks, sitting in the back, agreed. "Exactly. She’s just absurd, acting like she’s the victim. If I were Mrs. Morgan, I’d have killed her."
Renee tilted her head, glancing back toward the Morgan estate through the car window. "Maybe she’s doing that right now?"
"Did we leave too early then?" Michelle Fuller chuckled. "We missed the good part."
"Do you want to go back and watch?" Renee asked, amused.
"No way," Michelle said, stepping on the gas. "The rest of the day is our girls’ time."
The car slowly drove out of the gated community where the Morgan family lived.
Sylvia Brooks was about to book a table at a private kitchen recommended by a friend. Recalling that Faye Wyatt was a fan of private kitchens, she asked, "Should we invite Faye?"
Renee said softly, "Sure. Should you ask her or should I?"
Sylvia: "You do it."
"Okay, I’ll just call her." Renee dialed Faye Wyatt’s number. The phone rang for a long time without an answer. "Faye’s probably busy. She’s not picking up."
"Then leave her a message?" Sylvia suggested. "It’s still early, anyway."
"Yeah," Michelle chimed in.
"Okay." Renee nodded and left Faye Wyatt a message on WeChat.
It was four hours later when Faye Wyatt saw the WeChat message.
The sky had grown completely dark. A lone crescent moon hung in the night sky, casting a pale, cold light.
"Renee, I’m so sorry. I just saw my phone. Have you guys already wrapped up?" Faye Wyatt’s voice was full of apology.
Renee Jennings and her friends had more or less finished eating and were about to leave when Faye Wyatt’s call came in.
She raised an eyebrow slightly and joked, "Faye, we were waiting for you. Good thing we didn’t give up."
"I was asleep, and my phone was on silent," Faye Wyatt explained. "You all must have finished eating by now."
"Faye, did you just wake up? You haven’t eaten, have you?" Renee put the call on speaker and silently mouthed to Michelle and Sylvia, ’What do you think?’
The two exchanged a look and made an "OK" sign.
Renee’s lips curved into a smile. "Actually, we haven’t eaten either. But it’s a little late for a private kitchen now. How about we go somewhere else?"
Faye Wyatt was surprised. "You’ve been waiting for me this whole time?"
Renee made up an excuse. "Not really. We just had afternoon tea a while ago, so we weren’t hungry."
Faye Wyatt had actually guessed the truth. Her voice softened as she said with a smile, "Then let me treat you all to a late-night snack."
"Okay!"
"I’ll hang up for now and send you the address."
"Okay, see you in a bit."
After hanging up, Faye Wyatt changed into an aqua-blue blouse and pants set and went out.
She took the elevator downstairs and sent Renee the address of a Western restaurant.
Once in her car, her phone screen lit up again.
She thought it was Renee. But after unlocking it, she saw a voice message from Zoe Morgan.
Faye Wyatt pressed her lips together and hit play.
Zoe Morgan’s hoarse voice came through. "Fanny, are you free right now? I’m so sad."
Faye Wyatt closed her eyes for a moment, then tossed the phone onto the passenger seat and drove out of the parking garage.
* * *
The Morgan Estate.
Yvonne Morgan was slumped over the bar, pouring glass after glass of wine down her throat.
’Why did God let me be reborn?’
’Why are you toying with me like this?’
In her past life, she had been thriving. Then, on Christmas Day, she suddenly woke up and found she had returned to her twenty-three-year-old self.
’I thought I would have an even smoother, more successful life than before, but I never imagined everything would change!’
’Damn it, damn it all to hell!’
A flush of anger appeared on Yvonne Morgan’s face, and she violently smashed the wine bottle against the wall.
The sound of shattering glass startled Zoe Morgan next door.
She pounded on the door in a panic, her voice filled with worry. "Yvonne, what’s happening? Please don’t do anything stupid! Don’t scare your aunt!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Yvonne Morgan grabbed another wine bottle and threw it at the door.