After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan) novel Chapter 767

“My dad wants us home for dinner, but honestly, it’s not like we have to be on the dot.”

Jordan finished trying on his suit and muttered, “I don’t even want to go back.”

Natalie tried to soothe him, her voice gentle. “You still need to show your dad some respect. They’re married now. There’s nothing we can do about it. We have to accept it first, then figure out what to do next.”

“What matters now is keeping Dad happy,” she said. “If we keep fighting him, we’re just pushing him closer to that woman. He already favors her.”

She went on, “And we need to act like the grown-ups here. We should show Kevin we care.”

Natalie really stressed the word “care.”

“He’s probably about to start summer break, right?” Jordan caught her meaning.

“Still, every time I see that smug smile on her face, I just want to tear her apart,” he grumbled.

Natalie shook her head. “No matter how mad you get, you have to hold it in. Remember, keeping your dad happy is what’s important.”

Jordan let out a heavy sigh. “I used to think Dad spoiled Cynthia, buying her houses and shops. Now I realize she was actually a decent stepmom. She was with Dad for twenty years, never fought over anything. She only took what he gave her.”

He and Natalie had always envied what his dad did for Cynthia, but they hadn’t understood the real threat was Deborah.

Jordan had done his homework. Deborah had way more than Cynthia ever got. She had a bunch of properties in her name, shops too. His dad gave Deborah a million a month for living expenses.

A million. Every single month.

He didn’t even give Natalie that much.

Dad didn’t spend that much on the whole family.

But with his mistress, he was ridiculously generous.

No wonder Cynthia insisted on the divorce as soon as she found out about the affair.

She was completely heartbroken.

Jordan felt the bitterness himself. If he weren’t so afraid of Kevin and his mom taking over everything, he might have cut ties with his dad and walked away from the Lane family.

But he couldn’t do it.

He answered, just as expected.

“Call Natalie and tell her to come home,” Jackson grumbled through the phone. “Why is she spending so much time at her parents’ place? She’s married now, but she’s always over there.”

Natalie’s face turned stormy as she listened.

Before Jackson remarried, she could go visit her parents every single day and he never said a word.

Now, with a new wife around, even a short visit was too much.

So unfair.

“Natalie’s with me,” Jordan said coolly. “We’re coming back together. It’s just dinner, Dad. No need to make a big deal out of it.”

“The food’s ready,” Jackson said. “Deborah cooked everything herself. She wants you to try her cooking. Hurry up and get home. We’re all waiting on you two.”

Without waiting for a reply, Jackson hung up.