The Best Revenge It Wasn't Even Your Child novel Chapter 533

Lorinda was gone.

She didn’t take anything except Jasper and her ID. Everything else stayed exactly where it was, like she’d just stepped out for a minute instead of for good.

Alexa stayed behind to take care of Catherine. She made lunch, then knocked gently on Catherine’s door.

“Catherine, lunch is ready.”

Catherine hadn’t come out of her room all morning. Her head felt like it might split open, but she couldn’t even say if it was because Lorinda had left or because of the harsh things Latonia had said.

She kept thinking, She’s one of the Lee family too. Who else could she be? But at the end of the day, she was just Lanny’s mom. That was all.

“Catherine, you need to eat, no matter what. Lanny still needs you.”

Alexa had no idea what really happened. She’d heard arguing that morning but stayed in her room, then Lorinda had come in, scooped up a sleeping Jasper, and told Alexa to stay with Catherine. No explanations, just a quiet promise she wouldn’t be coming back.

Maybe it was just another fight, but this time felt different. Lorinda could be dramatic, but this didn’t feel like her usual scene. This felt final.

There was the soft click of the door handle. Catherine came out, her hands steady as she pushed Lanny’s stroller, but her face looked stretched thin, like everything inside her was shaking apart.

“I got it. Just watch Lanny, okay? I’m going to wash up.”

Alexa nodded and took the stroller, watching as Catherine closed herself in the bathroom.

“Catherine, I don’t know what happened between you and Lorinda, but I’ll say this. Nothing lasts forever. Even the best friends go their own ways sometimes. You’re not sisters, it’s not weird if you drift apart eventually.”

Water ran in the bathroom, Alexa’s words blending with it, echoing in Catherine’s ears. Cool water mixed with hot tears, stinging her skin. She washed her face again and again, but when she finally came out, her eyes were even redder.

“I’m fine. Let’s eat.”

…

Back at the Lees’ house, everyone sat down for their first big family meal since Lorinda came back with Jasper. Her little brother, Hanson, was only nine but acted like he was twenty, fussing over Jasper and teaching him English words.

“When we go abroad, you should just start speaking English right away. That way you don’t have to suffer learning it later,” Hanson said to Jasper, half-teasing.

The room felt tense, mostly because Lorinda looked like she’d been chewing lemons all morning.

When Hanson spoke, Lorinda looked straight at Geoffrey and Latonia, stubborn as ever. “I told you. I’m back. But I’m not leaving the country.”

Hanson glanced uncertainly at their parents and fell silent.

Latonia had been stacking food into Lorinda’s bowl, as always. But just as she set down the last peeled shrimp, she heard Lorinda’s words and her hands started to shake. The little mountain of food toppled over, rolling across the table, scattering everywhere.