Chapter 234: Waiting for Mike and Family Realities

Eric and Caleb decided to stay at Jade’s apartment for a while until Mike got home, since leaving Jade alone was out of the question. The two of them sat quietly on the sofa while Jade went to fetch drinks for them. When Jade returned and sat back down,

“How on earth did your dad figure out where your apartment is?” Caleb asked.

“No idea… I was just as shocked when he showed up at the door. At first, I thought it was just a neighbor, and since my door doesn’t have a peephole, I opened it just a crack and he spotted me right away,” Jade answered.

“Hmm… him tracking you down to your place is pretty strange too, right, bro?” Eric said, resting a hand on Caleb’s shoulder.

“Yeah… I’ve never told anyone where my place is. Avery knows how things are between me and my dad, so there’s no way she would’ve given him my address,” Caleb replied.

“Same here… Mike knows all about my dad’s situation, which is why he told me to record every single conversation, not miss a thing, and not make any moves until he got back,” Jade added.

“What about your mom? Could she have been the one who gave him your address and Jade’s apartment?” Caleb asked Eric.

“I made her head straight home. She doesn’t even know where your place is, so there’s no way she leaked it,” Eric answered.

“Oh… so Aunt Vanessa was the one who drove your dad here?” Jade asked.

“Yeah… exactly. Plus, once they reached this city, Uncle David started working her up by shoving Ruby’s Instagram post in her face,” Eric explained.

“Oh… this photo?” Jade asked, turning her smartphone screen around to show the picture Ruby had posted.

Caleb took Jade’s smartphone and looked at it closely, squinting as he studied the image before glancing over at Eric.

“When was this taken?” Caleb asked.

“Earlier today, right after lunch. Why?” Eric asked.

“Hold on, who’s this guy on the end? I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before,” Caleb said, pointing at the edge of the photo.

“Wesley Thorne… you know him, right? The actor who’s always on TV playing superhero roles,” Eric replied.

“Huh… seriously?” Jade asked, surprised.

“Dead serious. Why would I lie?” Eric answered.

“How did he end up at Emma’s house? What’s his connection to them?” Caleb asked.

“Hmm… he’s Emma’s older brother and the twin of Emma’s other brother, Kevin… you know Kevin, right?” Eric asked Caleb.

“No way! He’s… Emma’s brother? How does that even work?” Caleb asked, completely stunned.

“It’s a long story, and I’d need to ask permission before sharing it,” Eric replied.

“Ah… whatever, let’s drop it. So how did your mom react when she saw this picture? Miranda Cruz is her ultimate idol, same as your mom’s idol, Caleb. They used to chat about her all the time whenever they ran into each other,” Caleb recalled.

“Heartbroken, full of regret, and asking a ton of questions… but I managed to steer the conversation away,” Eric replied.

Eric, Caleb, and Jade fell silent for a moment, all three staring down at the coffee table without looking anywhere else. Then Eric broke the quiet,

“But Mom finally gets it now. She promised me she’s completely done dealing with Uncle David and won’t fall for his nonsense ever again. That’s why she turned around and went straight home,” Eric shared.

“Well… at least that’s a relief. I remember hearing once that your mom and my dad actually dated back in the day, but because my dad married first, she ended up in an arranged marriage with Uncle Martin, his younger brother… older generations sure made everything complicated,” Caleb muttered.

“I heard that story too. That’s why when my dad divorced my mom, it wasn’t out of spite or a broken heart, it was simply time to let go without turning her into a criminal for helping Uncle David and Jason embezzle company funds. To this day, he still sends her alimony even though the court didn’t mandate it,” Eric replied.

“Is that how it went… honestly, I’m hearing all of this for the first time,” Jade admitted.

“Ruby doesn’t get it either, and I doubt Jason does. But… the important thing is I finally know that my mom and my biological dad genuinely loved each other, and they didn’t cheat, it was all because of that arranged marriage agreement between my dad and mom,” Eric explained.

“But didn’t you say she was heartbroken and regretful seeing that photo earlier?” Jade asked.

“Because me and Ruby were right there in the picture, not just my dad. She realized she lost her family, not just a husband,” Eric answered.

“Oh, right. That actually makes total sense,” Jade mused.

They grew quiet once more, but shortly after, a loud “slam” echoed through the room. Everyone whipped their heads toward the entryway. Mike stood in the doorway, stepping inside to lock the door behind him. He kicked off his shoes, tossed his backpack onto the dining table, walked straight into the living room, and sat down right next to Jade.

“So, what’s the verdict? Has your dad left yet?” Mike asked Jade, before turning his gaze to Caleb and Eric. “Thanks, guys, for rushing over here to help Jade out.”

“No problem… all good, bro,” Eric replied, flashing a thumbs-up.

“Yeah, don’t sweat it. Everything’s handled,” Caleb added.

“I recorded everything, and the security cameras were running the whole time—just like you instructed,” Jade reported.

“Good. So, do you guys want to fill me in on what happened?” Mike asked the three of them.

Jade recounted everything to Mike openly, even playing the audio recording of their confrontation from before Eric and Caleb arrived. Eric and Caleb chimed in to fill in the gaps. Mike listened closely, nodding along the entire time. His expression hardened into the sharp, focused look of a defense attorney reviewing a client’s case. Once Jade finished her story,

“Alright, sounds like everything’s under control. Since nothing physical happened, we’re fine, just keep those recordings saved as proof that he was trespassing and refused to leave if he ever tries pulling this stunt again,” Mike advised.

“Yep… already backed it up in three separate places just like you said,” Jade smiled.

“Good… good. Man… the second I finished up with my client, I sped all the way home, but I’m just glad nothing worse happened,” Mike let out a heavy sigh of relief, sliding down the sofa into a relaxed posture.

“Feeling a bit lighter now, bro?” Eric asked with a smile.

“Man, totally. Now I’m just crashing from the adrenaline rush, I probably broke a few speed laws on the way here, hahaha,” Mike laughed relaxedly.

“Well, since you’re back safe and sound, me and Eric are gonna bounce. It’s getting dark, and back at my place I’ve only got Avery and Emma,” Caleb said, standing up.

“What about Abby? Chopped liver?” Jade teased.

“Oh right… and Abby too,” Caleb corrected with a grin.

“What, you guys aren’t gonna hang out for a bit? I literally just walked through the door, you’re making it sound like my presence is chasing you off,” Mike protested, standing up as well.

“No way, man. You need to rest after rushing home like that, what are you talking about?” Eric retorted, getting to his feet.

“He’s right, we’re heading out, Mike,” Caleb chimed in.

“Alright… thanks a lot, guys, for taking care of Jade,” Mike said.

“Anytime, bro,” Caleb replied with a smile.

Jade and Mike then walked Eric and Caleb to the door. Before they left, Jade hugged Caleb and then hugged Eric, while Mike shook both of their hands. After that, Caleb and Eric walked over to the elevator and waited for it to come up. Hearing the door click shut behind them, Eric turned to look at Caleb,

“How did it feel seeing your dad in that kind of shape?” Eric asked.

“Hmm… to be completely honest, no matter what he’s done, he’s still my dad, so of course I feel a little sorry for him. But the problem is that everything happening to him right now is entirely his own doing, and if I step in to help, I’d just end up feeling guilty,” Caleb answered.

“Yep… exactly. That’s pretty much what I felt with my mom earlier too. But I still gave her some cash because the only reason she drove your dad here was because he lured her into an investment and promised to pay back his debts,” Eric added.

“Oh… I get it now. No wonder your mom left early then,” Caleb noted.

“Yeah… pretty much. I felt relieved seeing her head back home too. Hopefully, down the road she won’t fall for your dad’s tricks ever again,” Eric replied.

The elevator arrived, and the two stepped inside before riding it down to the lobby. By the time they stepped out of the apartment building, the sun had already set. They hurried over to their car to head straight back to Caleb’s place.