The Divorce That Brought Us Back novel Chapter 81

If only she hadn't gone to see Valery that day.

Was that the logic?

Cassidy Quinn assumed Jasmine Smith was blaming herself because Valery's sudden illness had interrupted the engagement party, and everything had just piled up.

"Don't overthink it," Cassidy murmured, offering a soothing pat.

Jasmine's body trembled slightly.

Nora Dodge gripped Jasmine's hand tightly.

While Cassidy might not fully grasp Jasmine's mindset, Nora understood perfectly.

Valery had insisted on attending the engagement party with Mr. and Mrs. Smith's approval, but the hosts were Yates Quigley and Jasmine.

None of that was wrong.

But the moment something went south, someone had to bear the brunt of the anger and blame, and that someone was always Jasmine.

Could they blame Valery for not knowing her own physical limits? Of course not.

They couldn't blame her parents either.

Yates was an outsider; blaming him was out of the question.

It left only Jasmine.

Nora remembered when Valery and Jasmine used to take piano lessons together as kids.

Jasmine was naturally gifted and hardworking, playing brilliantly enough to win a junior championship.

Valery, hampered by her health, couldn't practice for long periods, so her skills lagged far behind.

Even so, Mr. and Mrs. Smith constantly praised Valery, claiming she played better than Jasmine and would easily outshine her in competitions once she recovered.

But Valery wasn't stupid. Knowing her parents were just coddling her, she began practicing secretly behind their backs.

And then her illness flared up.

When Valery was hospitalized, her parents scolded Jasmine. "This is all your fault! Why did you have to learn piano? Why did you have to enter that competition? If it weren't for you, Valery wouldn't be in this state!"

After that, Jasmine never touched a piano again.

When someone was at the absolute bottom of the family hierarchy, even breathing felt like a mistake.

Years of suppression had rewired her brain.

Her default reaction was to shoulder the blame for everything.

Nora knew exactly how Jasmine felt right now.

It had been the story of her own childhood, too.

Luckily, Nora had figured things out early on.

They could yell and curse all they wanted; her mind was a vast ocean, and she swam freely through the waves of knowledge.

But with today's unexpected turn of events, they might not make it home at all. Even if they did, Nora's foul mood meant he couldn't touch her.

Opportunities to admire her in full makeup were rare.

At the thought, his gaze turned somber.

Seeing Maloney holding his hand mid-air without answering, Nora looked confused. She tilted her head and called out, "Maloney?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, he paused and replied in a low voice, "I'm not leaving."

With that, he reached out again and gently pinched her earlobe.

"Hey!" Nora flinched instinctively, pulling her neck back.

Standing nearby, Cassidy rolled her eyes.

Were they just going to pretend she wasn't there?

Still, her mother-in-law had mentioned that the Quincys and the Jamesons had business ties. Once Cassidy officially joined Parker's family company, she might have to deal with Maloney regularly.

One was her best friend; the other was a future business partner.

She decided to hold her tongue.

Cassidy turned her head, glancing toward the hospital room door. Mr. and Mrs. Smith were talking to the doctor, while Jasmine stood chatting with Yates.

Suddenly, Jasmine said something that made Yates raise his voice in disbelief. Hearing the commotion, Mrs. Smith stormed over and furiously slapped Jasmine across the face.