Chapter 186

When I got home, Savannah was still asleep.

She'd been on edge for a while, always on high alert, and last night she had a few drinks. I figured she was exhausted from sticking by my side, protecting me all these months, so I let her sleep.

Just then, Kelly called me. "Hey Caroline, have you eaten yet?"

I rubbed my forehead. "I just woke up."

It hit me that I needed to tell Brett and the kids about my divorce from Brandon. Yves and Aria were too young to understand, but Brett would definitely realize that Brandon and I were splitting up. I worried about how he would take it.

"Mom, is Brett around?"

"No, he's not. What's up?"

"When do you think I should tell Brett about the divorce? Should I just tell him now?"

"If you ask me, there's no need to rush. Wait until you can tell him in person. It's not the kind of thing you should say over the phone."

I nodded, worried that Brett wouldn't accept the divorce.

Kelly seemed to sense my anxiety. "Don't overthink it. Brett might be happier than you expect."

I nodded again, trying to stay positive.

After hanging up, Savannah woke up and saw me. "Caroline, you're back. When did you get in?"

"I've been back for a bit. Why didn't you keep sleeping?"

"I'm awake now."

She suddenly gave me a curious look. "How did your talk with Mr. Castillo go?"

Mentioning Royce made my heart sink. I sighed.

Seeing my expression, she froze. "What do you mean, Caroline?"

"I turned Royce down," I said quietly.

She stared at me in disbelief. "Why? It's obvious Mr. Castillo likes you. Why would you reject him?"

"And Mr. Castillo is definitely a thousand times better than that jerk Brandon."

"Most importantly, he's been waiting for you all these years. That alone makes him better than Brandon."

I nodded. "I know all that, but I'm divorced now, with three kids."

"Even if it's not Royce, any normal guy would have reservations about being with me. Royce just doesn't say it."

"Maybe because he's waited so long, he feels a sense of responsibility. But he doesn't love me anymore. So I can't just jump into a relationship with him."

"Royce deserves someone better, not someone who comes with the baggage of being a stepdad to my kids."

Savannah sighed deeply.

"Caroline, I get what you're saying, but don't you regret it?"

Regret? I thought of Royce's face and sighed again. Of course, I liked him.

But too much time had passed. We were no longer right for each other.

God is a good storyteller. Maybe this is all part of a bigger plan.

Maybe Royce will find someone he loves and who loves him back. That person just isn't me.

I thought, feeling a bit pessimistic.

"It's all in the past," I told Savannah.

Then I went upstairs to my room, needing some quiet time to sort out my thoughts.

Just then, Leo called.

I stared at the caller ID, surprised. Why was Leo calling? I had already told him I'd bring Briar back when school started.

Did he have something else to discuss?

I answered, and he said, "Caroline, can we meet up?"

This made me even more curious. Leo wouldn't ask to meet without a good reason, especially since he knew about my divorce from Brandon. I had announced it on Facebook.

"Don't get the wrong idea, Caroline. I'm not here to talk about Brandon. I just want to chat."

This made me even more curious. What did Leo want to talk about? Our only common topic was Briar.

But I agreed, wanting to know what he had to say.

I brought Savannah along and went to the restaurant Leo had mentioned.

He was already there, waving when he saw me. Savannah sat at a nearby booth.

Sitting across from Leo, I asked, "Leo, what's this about?"

"I heard about you and Brandon. It's a shame, really. You had ten years of marriage."

I chuckled. "Nothing to be ashamed of. He wronged me first."

Leo paused, then nodded. "You're right. The divorce is a good thing. You're free now."

"Actually..."

"Leo, just say it. No need to beat around the bush."

Leo nodded. "It's nothing major. I just wanted to ask if you'll come to Mom's funeral."

"After all, you were her daughter-in-law for ten years. I thought you might want to come when we lay her to rest in a few days."

I frowned. Leo was such a nice guy, still thinking of inviting me.

"I won't go. I'm divorced now. It has nothing to do with me."

"Maybe you should go. I think Mom would be happy."

I couldn't help but laugh coldly. "No way. She always disliked me. Even Elora was more favored."

"My presence would only make things worse."

"How can you say that? Didn't she give you some money?"

I paused, realizing the real reason for this conversation. It was about money.

With the company gone, those who relied on it had no income. Renee's money had always come from the company.

Though Leo claimed they lived modestly, they had a mansion, designer clothes, luxury bags, and nice cars. Hardly a modest life.

Living in luxury is easy; going back to modesty is hard.

They were desperate for money.

I sipped my coffee. "That money was for burying Jason and her together."

Leo glanced at me, trying to gauge if I was telling the truth. "So there's not much left? Mom's life's savings were with you."