Chapter 1306

James found himself back at Everglade Villa. It was midsummer, and the heat was relentless. By noon, the blazing sun had warmed the pool water to a perfect temperature. As the afternoon sun eased, Grace sat by the pool, enjoying a leisurely moment while Cliff floated around with a duck-shaped swim ring around his arms. He drifted back and forth, giggling happily. Whenever Cliff floated too far toward the center, Grace would use a long stick to nudge his swim ring back toward the edge. Cliff, thinking that it was a new toy, eagerly tried to grab the stick with his chubby hands—only to realize that his mom wasn't playing a game with him. She was just using the stick to make sure he didn't drift too far where she couldn't reach him. A housekeeper passing by saw Grace using the stick to play with Cliff. She couldn't help but ask, "Mrs. Jefferson, why don't you just get in the pool and play with Mr. Cliff?" Grace scoffed. "And let myself get tanned? No thanks." That was why Olive