The Perfect Wife's Perfect Revenge novel Chapter 263

Someone called out to Gwyneth. She lifted her head just a little and, to her surprise, saw Max standing there.

Gwyneth felt a pang of embarrassment. She hadn't exactly been nice to Max before, but he never seemed to hold it against her—in fact, Max had even helped her look for her mom.

Max noticed the red, puffy mark on Gwyneth's right cheek and looked at her with concern. "What happened to you?"

He wondered if someone had hit her, but it didn't seem like something Mr. Langford would ever do—unless it was that terrible Miss Violet.

Gwyneth muttered, "My tooth hurts."

Max blinked in surprise. "What? How come?"

He couldn't imagine why anyone would have a toothache. He brushed his teeth every night and had never had one himself.

"Let me take a look."

Max plopped down beside her and gently touched her cheek. Gwyneth winced right away.

Despite still feeling a little awkward around Max—mostly because of her mom—she trusted him completely now.

So, she opened her mouth just a bit. Max peered inside and spotted two teeth riddled with cavities. He couldn't help but ask, "Did you forget to brush your teeth at night?"

Gwyneth covered her face, nodding sheepishly. "Ever since I started staying on Winding Peak Lane, I haven't brushed my teeth at all. I love sweets, and every night Violet lets me fall asleep with candy in my mouth."

She actually thought it was great—she hated brushing her teeth at bedtime. Only when she was with Violet could she skip it and go straight to sleep.

Plus, she adored milk caramels. As long as she had candy in her mouth, her dreams would be sweet and happy. In the morning, her mouth still tasted sugary, and Gwyneth loved it. That's why she liked Violet so much.

But seeing Max, and remembering how her mom seemed to like Max so much, she suddenly shook her head, as if afraid to admit it.

Max was getting anxious now. "So do you have a mom or not? Because if Violet were your real mom, she'd make sure you never ate candy before bed and always brushed your teeth. When my mom and dad were still here, they made me do that every single day."

He paused, then asked softly, "Or… is your mom like mine? Is she gone too?"

If that was the case, then Gwyneth was just as alone as he was.

Gwyneth shook her head again. Tears welled up and spilled down her cheeks as she looked at Max.

Finally, despite the pain, she managed to say, "I do have a mom, but… she doesn't want me anymore. She likes other kids better."