She Quit Her Family and Found Herself novel Chapter 165

Originally, Hulda had planned to wait until the weekend, find a quiet time, and personally drop the cards off. After all, anything involving finances needed to be handled cleanly.

But after that ridiculous circus at the press conference and the reception, the very last thing she wanted was to have any personal contact with Herbert ever again, outside of strictly professional boundaries.

Even though she had never once swiped either of the cards and didn't even know their credit limits, they were still monetary assets. Hulda made sure to wrap them up meticulously before handing the package off to the courier.

Watching the delivery guy walk away, she let out a long, exhausted sigh of relief.

This time, the line was drawn. The boundary was absolute.

From now on, whatever happened in Herbert Jewell's life had absolutely nothing to do with her!

As for Miles... he was her son, and as a mother, she would never abandon her responsibilities. Assuming, of course, that Miles still needed her.

Given how fiercely the boy clung to Sylvie Sinclair, it was highly likely he wouldn't want his real mother around anyway.

Thinking about it still caused a familiar, dull ache in her chest. But that pain no longer drove her to the brink of hysteria. She could shoulder the grief, and she would simply fill her life with more meaningful things to drown it out.

Given enough time, she knew she would eventually view all of this with total indifference.

Hulda Atherton was never a woman who looked backward!

...

At the hospital, Herbert sat rigidly by Sylvie's bed, but his mind was completely consumed by images of Hulda.

Hulda's icy detachment.

Hulda's ruthlessly bureaucratic tone.

Hulda standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Caspian Sterling.

She hadn't actually wanted to fake a fainting spell, but if she hadn't done it right then, Hulda would have blurted out the truth about the divorce in front of everyone!

Just then, Callie Yates called.

Assuming it was about Miles, Herbert quickly answered.

The moment he picked up, Callie's voice came through. "Sir, your wife just sent a same-day courier package to the house. It's wrapped incredibly tightly, so it must be something extremely valuable. It requires your personal signature. When do you think you'll have time to come back?"

A look of 'I knew it' instantly washed over Herbert's face. "Understood. I'm heading back right now."

Hanging up the phone, he turned to Sylvie. "I need to run home for a bit. Stay here at the hospital. Once your observation period is over, I'll come back to pick you up."

Hearing that, a sudden, inexplicable panic gripped Sylvie's heart.

But before she could even open her mouth to beg him to stay, Herbert had already walked out of the room.