Rebecca POV:

I immediately ducked behind the curtain and gestured for Pete to keep his voice down.

"Don't you tell them I'm here yet."

Pete immediately guessed what I wanted and nodded with a smile, covering for me.

The first to rush in was Charles, still carrying his backpack, and as soon as he entered, he shouted, "Mom!"

Matthew, who was holding Vivian, then walked in and said sullenly, "I told you, your mother isn't coming back, so why don't you believe Dad?"

I hid behind the floor-to-ceiling curtains next to Pete, and Charles didn't even notice me, sitting on the couch with a flattened mouth after turning around the...