After I Stopped Loving Him novel Chapter 1136

Cynthia had nothing left to say to that.

Her daughter was a grown woman, fully capable of holding her own, and she had Harold by her side. As a mother, she truly had nothing to worry about.

"Go on, then. Don't miss your train."

"Mom, we'll head to the station now."

Isabella and Harold left swiftly.

Cynthia only departed after watching them go.

Given the massive scene Natalie had made at her ex-husband's wedding reception, it didn't take a genius to figure out how everyone would view the Lane family now.

But none of that was her problem anymore.

That was Jackson's choice.

Jordan and Natalie needed someone to make their lives miserable anyway, and that someone was Deborah.

Indeed, Natalie's stunt had completely obliterated Deborah's joy, plunging her straight from heaven down to hell.

When she and Jackson toasted the guests, the looks people gave her made her stomach turn. When she tried to make conversation with the elite wives, they completely ignored her, only exchanging polite, superficial pleasantries with Jackson.

After the banquet ended, on the ride home, Deborah's face was as dark as thunder. She complained bitterly to her husband, "Jackson, your son and daughter-in-law did that on purpose! They deliberately chose the day of our wedding to barge in and publicly humiliate me."

"My reputation wasn't perfect, but it wasn't terrible either. Thanks to their little show, my standing is entirely ruined! How am I supposed to face anyone now? People are going to call me a toxic woman and say I can't tolerate the children from your first marriage."

"When the truth is, they're the ones who can't tolerate me! I desperately wanted to coexist peacefully. I wanted to be a good stepmother."

Deborah shoved his shoulder lightly.

Jackson finally opened his eyes. "This ends here. I don't want to hear another word about it."

"You and your sister were far too arrogant. Deborah, just because I stay quiet doesn't mean I'm blind. Jordan and Natalie may not tolerate you, but can you honestly say you tolerate them?"

"Deborah, I dote on Kevin, and I promised you both a stable life. But Jordan is my son too, and my bond with him is far deeper than my bond with Kevin."

Jordan was twenty years older than Kevin.

Although Jackson felt Jordan wasn't exceptional—merely a competent placeholder—and believed his youngest son showed more promise, Jordan was still the protégé he had personally mentored. He had no desire to become enemies with his eldest son.

Nor could he afford to. Jordan had the backing of his in-laws, and Kevin was only eleven. It would be years before Kevin came of age, and even then, he couldn't take over the company immediately. For the next decade or more, Jackson had to rely on his eldest son to share the burden of the empire.