After Rebirth, I Replaced My Ex-Husband's True Love-Chapter 89: Not Henry Preston

That night, I slept very well and woke up still in Henry Preston’s embrace.

He was still asleep, so I quietly slipped out of bed. His clothes were on the chair. I picked them up and sniffed; as expected, there was the smell of alcohol. He likely drank too much last night.

Just then, my phone vibrated—it was my dad calling again.

Feeling helpless, I went outside the bedroom to take the call.

"Zoe, when are you and Henry coming back? We’ve already bought the groceries. Your mother says she’s going to cook herself today!" My dad sounded very excited, eagerly anticipating his son-in-law’s visit.

"Dad, Henry and I might not come back today..." I hesitated to say more, feeling guilty as my dad rarely looked forward to having Henry for a meal.

But Henry had to go to the chemicals plant today. It’s extremely busy over there, and he has to check on things from time to time.

Hearing this, my dad was unsurprisingly unhappy. "Why aren’t you coming back? Didn’t you tell him? Or does he not want to come?"

The first year we got married, my parents often invited us for a meal, but Henry always declined. He would only symbolically visit for their birthdays or during festivals.

Over time, my parents understood his stance and stopped inviting us, growing increasingly dissatisfied with him.

Just as I was about to use work as an excuse, someone took the phone from me. Startled, I turned around to find Henry awake, holding my phone and talking to my dad, "Dad, we’ll be back in a while."

Hearing that, my dad was naturally satisfied and hung up the phone.

Handing me the phone, Henry saw me standing there in a daze and raised an eyebrow, "What are you daydreaming about?"

"Weren’t you going to the chemicals plant?" I quickly took the phone.

"It’s fine if I go in the afternoon." Henry was wearing a navy crew-neck sweater that fit perfectly over his broad shoulders, paired with black pants in a very casual style.

Well, at least I won’t have to face my dad’s relentless questions alone.

After freshening up, I changed clothes in the dressing room and then went downstairs. Henry drove us to my parent’s house.

When we arrived, my parents were unusually warm, serving Henry fruit and tea with smiles on their faces. Their relationship, forged over decades, almost shattered—a situation Henry had greatly helped resolve.

Witnessing this harmony was rare for me, but it felt nice.

Nearing lunchtime, I received a call from Laura Lawson, "Miss Hathaway, my relative who’s an herbalist says he has a formula that’s quite effective in promoting pregnancy. Several people here have benefited from his treatment. Do you still need it?"

Laura was indeed very enthusiastic.

I glanced at Henry, who was busy replying to a message. I had no idea who it was from.

"Sure, how about this—you bring me a few doses, and I’ll pick them up from your place in a few days, okay?" I spoke softly.

"No problem, I’ll send you the address," Laura responded.

Soon, I had the current address of Azure Vaughn’s family. I exited the message without showing any reaction.

After lunch, Henry told my parents about needing to head to the chemicals plant. They understood and didn’t insist on keeping him.

I wanted to stay home for a couple of days, so I didn’t leave with Henry.

After Henry left, my dad arranged to go fishing by the river with two friends, not at all intimidated by the cold. I stayed home with my mom watching soap operas. My mom brought up Henry, "Zoe, I feel like Henry has changed a bit. Have you two been getting along better lately?"

"Kind of," I pondered for a moment before replying.

Having been intimate a few times counts as getting along better, right?

"Maybe he’s gradually realizing your good qualities and starting to appreciate who’s right in front of him. That’s good. You’ve liked him for so many years and finally got some response," my mom said, sympathetically, understanding my enduring affection.

Resting my head on her lap, lying on the sofa and watching TV, I laughed, "Perhaps."

I didn’t want to tell my mom about Azure or anything about my situation with Henry. I decided everything could wait until after the divorce.

Amidst my mom’s affectionate chatter, I fell asleep. When I woke up, a blanket was covering me, and my mom was tending to her homegrown herbs. Squinting my eyes, I watched the gentle sunlight streaming through the window, bringing a feeling of serene peace.

My stay lasted nearly a week. Days at home were leisurely, and sometimes I’d accompany my mom to the company. Though she seemed like the perfect housewife at home, her demeanor at work was very much like a strong female CEO.

Eating and sleeping well, I felt my complexion had improved significantly.

Choosing a sunny day, I drove to Azure Vaughn’s house to pick up the medicine. She might not know I was coming, otherwise, she would have contacted me by now.

"Auntie Lawson!" I greeted cheerfully as soon as the door opened.

Laura Lawson, wearing an apron, seemed to have been cleaning. Surprised to see me, she quickly put on a welcoming smile, "Miss Hathaway, come in, come in, have a seat!"

She took the gifts I brought with embarrassment, "You didn’t need to bring anything." 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Walking into the living room revealed an older apartment complex, both the exterior and interior decor having a nostalgic feel. It looked like a two-bedroom place, approximately eighty square meters.

Laura had kept the house very clean. She invited me to sit on the sofa and poured me some water.

Walter Vaughn came out of the bedroom upon hearing the noise, cheerfully asking, "Did Azure bring her boyfriend?"

Seeing me, he paused but then also greeted me warmly, "Oh, it’s Miss Hathaway! My daughter said she would bring her boyfriend over for dinner today, so I thought they had arrived."

Azure’s boyfriend? Is she planning to bring Henry for dinner?

It’s laughable—Henry is unwilling to sign the divorce papers, yet he’s going to The Vaughn Family’s house as Azure’s boyfriend.

"Miss Hathaway, you should also help Azure check him out. I heard her boyfriend is nearly thirty, and we feel that’s a bit too old, but Azure is so headstrong there’s not much we can do. We’ll see how it goes when they get here anyway," Laura said, offering a plate of washed grapes with a smile.

I smiled faintly, "Sure."

Why not today, to catch them off guard?

I chatted idly with Laura and Walter, though my mind wasn’t on the conversation but rather on the noises outside. After a while, I heard footsteps approaching, and then the sound of the door opening.

"They’re back, they’re back!" Walter seemed pleased, showing no sign of opposition to the age difference.

My heart raced, eyes fixed on the slowly opening door. When Azure appeared with someone, I froze.

Behind her was a man about 30, looking mature and composed, with decent features. However, he wasn’t Henry.

"Miss Hathaway?" Azure appeared just as surprised to see me.