Chapter 679: Chapter 679: Cannot Speak Rashly

Sylvia Brooks stopped in front of the two boys, leaning down with a smile. "Zane, Glenn, I haven’t seen you in over half a month. You’ve gotten so tall."

Zane’s eyes lit up. "Really?"

Glenn excitedly raised a hand to his head. "I got taller?"

"You did," Sylvia Brooks said, reaching out to gently pinch Glenn’s cheek. "Not only have you gotten taller, Glenn, you’ve filled out a bit too."

"That’s great!" Glenn was thrilled. "I’m taller and bigger! I’ll be a grown-up soon!"

The smile on Sylvia Brooks’s face deepened. "I bought you some treats. Should we go inside and eat them?"

"Yes!" they shouted in unison.

When they entered the living room, Renee Jennings had already finished tidying up and was waiting for them.

"Aunt Rae," Sylvia Brooks said with a smile. "Are you knitting?"

"Oh, Summer’s here. I’m knitting this for Blueberry and the others," Rhea Dempsey said. Seeing her place several bags on the table and pull out some delicate pastries, she added, "Summer, you just had to come yourself. You don’t need to bring something every time."

"I just picked them up on the way," Sylvia Brooks said, taking out the pastries. "Zane, Glenn, come try these. It’s a new flavor."

Zane replied politely, "Thank you, Sister Sharon. We’ll go wash our hands first, then we’ll ask our sister and Willow to come down and eat with us."

Glenn nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah!"

Sylvia Brooks’s eyes crinkled in a smile. "Alright, go on then."

Renee Jennings stood up. "Summer, we should get going."

"Let’s wait for Willow and Jasmine to come down. I want to say hi to them."

"Okay."

**

A rich, mellow aroma filled the air in the Riverview Café. In a booth at the very back, a woman in a dusty pink sweater sat with her head turned, quietly gazing at the view on the river.

A cat carrier rested on the seat beside her.

As Renee Jennings followed Sylvia Brooks, they slowly drew closer. Renee suddenly felt the woman looked vaguely familiar.

"Phoebe," Sylvia Brooks called softly.

Renee stopped short, a flicker of astonishment in her eyes.

’Phoebe? Phoebe Sawyer?’

At the sound of her name, Phoebe Sawyer turned and stood up, a smile gracing her features. "Summer, Ms. Jennings, you’re here."

She walked up to Renee Jennings and extended her hand. "Hello, Ms. Jennings. I’m Phoebe Sawyer. I’m so sorry to make you come all this way."

"It’s no trouble at all." Renee Jennings took her hand with a small smile. "It’s a pleasure to meet you. Please, just call me Renee."

"Alright, in that case, I won’t stand on ceremony either," Phoebe Sawyer said with a smile. "Call me Phoebe."

Renee’s lips curved. "Alright, Phoebe."

"Please, let’s sit and talk," Phoebe Sawyer said, gesturing for them to sit down.

"Alright." Renee Jennings nodded, and she and Sylvia Brooks sat down at the same time.

Phoebe Sawyer raised her hand to call over a server and ordered coffee for them.

She said softly, "I just got back to the country a couple of days ago, but I used to watch your livestreams all the time when I was abroad, Renee. I was always captivated."

Renee Jennings arched an eyebrow slightly. "My viewers have fascinating stories."

"They really do. It’s true what they say—all the world’s a stage," Phoebe Sawyer said with a sigh.

Sylvia Brooks also spoke up with a smile, "Art imitates life, after all."

After they chatted for a bit, the server brought their two cups of coffee.

Renee Jennings took a couple of sips before getting down to business. "Phoebe, you told Summer you had something you wanted my help with. What is it?"

Phoebe Sawyer’s expression turned grave. "Lately, Mommy has been hiding in her room crying by herself. I’ve asked her what’s wrong, but she won’t tell me. I’m so worried about her."

As she spoke, she turned her head to look at the carrier beside her.

"Kitty is the pet my mommy and I raised together," Phoebe Sawyer explained. "I was hoping you, Renee, could help me by asking Kitty if she knows why Mommy is always crying by herself in secret."

Hearing this, Renee’s slender brows furrowed slightly. "That involves your mother’s privacy. Are you sure you want to ask?"

"I don’t want to pry into my mother’s private life this way either, but..." Phoebe Sawyer frowned, her expression pained. "I’m just so worried about her. I’m afraid she might do something... unthinkable. One time, I came home from work and found she had cut her wrists..."

’If I’d gotten home any later, they might not have been able to save her.’

’I hoped that by coming back this time, my mother could find some sense of belonging and security in her homeland.’

"It’s that serious?" Sylvia Brooks also frowned with worry. "Does your mother have depression?"

"No." Phoebe Sawyer shook her head, a deep sorrow etched into her features. "I took her to get checked, and she doesn’t have depression. That’s why I’m even more worried. I’m afraid it might be something even more serious..."

Renee pressed her lips together as a thought flickered in her mind.

’Wendy Lowe’s condition... it’s highly likely she knows about that incident.’

"Renee, please," Phoebe Sawyer pleaded, rushing to explain. "I’m truly not trying to invade Mommy’s privacy. I just want to know what I can do to help her, as her daughter."

Renee sighed inwardly. "Alright, I’ll try."

"Thank you," Phoebe Sawyer said gratefully. "Thank you, Renee."

She lifted the calico Devon Rex from the carrier, stroking its head as she cooed, "Kitty, this is Renee. Will you have a little chat with her, please?"

"MEOW? Renee?" Kitty stared curiously at Renee Jennings, its eyes wide and round. "I recognize you! You’re the amazing human who can talk to animals!"

"Kitty, you know who I am?" A smile touched Renee’s eyes.

"MEOW! Of course! Phoebe watches you all the time."

"Oh, I see." Renee Jennings nodded. "May I hold you?"

"MEOW! Of course!" Kitty bobbed its little head.

Seeing this, Phoebe Sawyer gently passed Kitty to Renee Jennings.

"You’re such a good girl, Kitty." Renee Jennings said, stroking her fur. With a gentle smile, she asked, "Kitty, do you usually play more with Phoebe, or with Phoebe’s mommy?"

"MEOW! With Mommy!" Kitty replied. "MEOW! Mommy’s free, but Phoebe’s not!"

"Phoebe has to work?"

"MEOW! That’s right!"

"I see." Renee Jennings nodded, then asked, "So, has Phoebe’s mommy been in a bad mood lately? Does she hide and cry a lot?"

Kitty bobbed its little head. "MEOW. Yes, Mommy is sad."

"Then do you know why Mommy is sad?"

"MEOW, MEOW, MEOW!! I’m not sure, but when I hear Mommy crying, she’s always saying... ’My daughter is gone... Why is God so cruel!’"

At these words, Renee’s gaze suddenly darkened.

’Just as I thought.’

’Wendy Lowe already knows the truth.’

’How did she find out?’

’Henry Stark said he would wait until Wendy Lowe and Phoebe Sawyer returned to the country before telling them.’

Phoebe Sawyer looked at her worriedly. "Renee, did Kitty say anything?"

Renee pressed her lips together, suddenly at a loss for how to tell her.

’The fact that Phoebe Sawyer wasn’t Wendy Lowe’s biological daughter—it wasn’t her place to reveal it, and certainly not like this.’

Renee lowered her gaze, her lips barely moving as she spoke, her tone tinged with apology. "Phoebe, I’m very sorry. I can’t help you with this."

Hearing this, the light in Phoebe Sawyer’s eyes dimmed, and a look of unconcealed disappointment washed over her face.

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