Chapter 10 C When Barbara walked into the upstairs study , she found Charles searching through the desk drawers . At the sound of the footsteps , Charles glanced up automatically . Seeing it was Barbara , he asked , " Where's Teresa ? " Barbara pointed downstairs . " Mrs. Logan left in a hurry . Looked like something urgent came up ." Charles straightened abruptly , a rare flash of anger crossing his face . " She left ? " He had come to the study at her request , only to find nothing . Now she was gone without a word of explanation . He had every right to be furious . Noticing his darkening mood , Barbara hesitated before daring to ask , " What are you looking for , Mr. Logan ? " " There should be some papers on this desk , " Charles said coldly . " Have you seen them ? " After a moment's thought , Barbara's face lit up . " Ah yes ! Mrs. Logan asked me to give them to you . I kept them in my room so I wouldn't forget . I'll go get them now . " Charles frowned , his tone laced with displeasure . " Don't touch anything in my study again . " Barbara murmured an acknowledgment and hurried downstairs . Charles had barely settled into his chair when his phone rang . It was Roselyn calling . " Aren't you done yet ? Yolanda won't sleep and keeps asking for you . " Charles hesitated , unsure what exactly he was supposed to finish . But rather than ask for clarification , he just said , " I'll be there soon . " Downstairs , Barbara was searching her room , completely unaware Charles had already left . After digging through every drawer and / shelf with no success , she groaned , " Where on earth did I put those papers ? " A moment later , Wendy spoke , her voice thin and frayed , " George cheated again . " Teresa had lost count of how heard these words . Wendy had spent eight years with George Ford since college . Their relationship was going nowhere , yet it refused to Whatever love existed had faded long ago , yet Wendy still clung to the fantasy of a proposal . At dawn , rain began to fall , its steady patter drumming against the car windows. Warm air whispered from the vents . Wendy sat crumpled in the passenger seat , her face buried in trembling hands . Teresa watched in silence , her worried gaze fixed ou shaking shoulders . is many maher . die either . However , the cycle never changed . His betrayal was always followed by her forgiveness , over and over again . At twenty - seven , Wendy felt trapped in their relationship . The mere thought of life without George sent ice through her veins , leaving her paralyzed in a prison of her own making . Silence hung heavy in the car , broken only by Wendy's stifled sobs . Teresa's throat ached with all the words she couldn't say . " You need to let go , " she said at last , her voice calm . " I can't , Teresa . " Wendy's voice splintered like glass . " Eight years , I've given him half my soul . " She pressed her palms harder against her swollen eyes , as if she could push the tears back inside . Teresa couldn't take it anymore . She reached over and pried Wendy's hands from her face , forcing her to meet the world head - on . " You're choosing not to , " she said , her voice edged with frustration . " If I could move on , so can you ." Wendy turned and locked eyes with Teresa . The silence stretched between them until Wendy whispered , " Have you really ? " " I have , " Teresa met her gaze with a sincere nod , her expression carrying the quiet certainty of one who had walked this painful path before . Wendy flinched under the weight of Teresa's certainty . That kind of conviction couldn't be faked . Her gaze broke first , dropping to her own trembling hands . " But I can't , " she choked out , tears carving hot paths down her cheeks . " He owns half my years . What's left of me without him ? " Teresa watched Wendy for a long moment before letting out a tired sigh . " I'll stop trying to persuade you . You'll come around when you've hit that wall enough times . " She knew this too well . Her own parents had begged her to stay away from that toxic relationship , but she had threatened to cut them off . That's how these things went . Until someone woke up on their own , all the good advice in the world was just wasted breath . 1/2 P d Chapter 10 Wendy cried until her eyes burned , then grabbed her phone and kept calling George . When he blocked her , she snatched Teresa's phone to keep trying . Thirty exhausting minutes later , George finally answered with a snarl , " Jesus , Wendy ! When will you stop ? Can't you just leave me alone ? " Wendy had barely spoken one word before he continued impatiently , " We're done talking . I'm going to sleep . " The line died with a final click . Wendy immediately redialed , but now only got his voicemail . Tears splattered against the darkened screen like raindrops . Teresa watched it all with a pang of recognition . She saw her past self in Wendy's desperation , remembering how she too had once clung to that same empty love . Without a word , she took Wendy's trembling hand and held it tight , offering only quiet comfort . family dinner . The morning passed in a flurry of preparation - chopping tog bles . By 5 am , Teresa was already at the grocery store for herbs for the roast chicken , peeling potatoes , trimming Monica , home for the weekend , sorted silverware and folded napkins at the dining table , occasionally stealing a cherry tomato from the salad prep bowl . The house hummed with morning activity as the others went about their day . Howard and Theodore rushed off to the office after breakfast , while Yvonne , working as a model , departed for her spring collection shoot . Even Linda had slipped out early , determined to get the first pick of the bakery's famous double - layer chocolate cake before it sold out . That evening , Teresa prepared a generous spread : herb - roasted chicken with garlic and rosemary , creamy mashed potatoes , steamed broccoli and carrots , and a garden salad with cherry tomatoes . When the family gathered , they were amazed by the hearty meal . Theodore's eyes unconsciously went to Teresa . She stood by the table with her apron strings pulled tight around her waist , her bare face a stark contrast to the pampered younger sister he remembered . The Logans had changed her , taking away that polished look and leaving behind a tired shadow . when does this house anyway . " The words were Theodore handed his briefcase to maid Betty Jones , wiping his hands roughly on the towel she offered . " Since need its lady to cook ? " he snapped . " We have staff for this . And half the restaurants in town serve better food harsh , but Teresa heard the old protective edge in his voice . Teresa knew Theodore was right . The Sullivans were not super rich , but certainly well - off enough to dine out regularly . આ સંકુલ પાયે આપેલ છે Tonight's cooking came from her guilt . For five years , she had cooked elaborate birthday meals for Zack Logan , yet never prepared even a simple salad for her own father . The shame of that neglect burned hotter than any stove flame . Yvonne elbowed Theodore under the table when he kept making sharp comments . He winced and finally stopped talking . The dinner was full of laughter . Yvonne made everyone take pictures between dishes . After eating , Monica happily wiped cake on Teresa's face . Yvonne did the same to Theodore . Soon Monica had them all singing the birthday son before they blew out the candles together . Amid the laughter , Teresa's chest tightened as she remembered how she had spent this date for the past over . But those days were Opening her social media for the first time since marriage , she posted nine glowing photos of tonight's celebration . The caption read simply , [ This day is yours now , Dad . Happy birthday . ] 2/2