Chapter 18 Upon entering the hallway , Maxine felt relieved when she saw Naomi's colleagues at the other end of the corridor and clearly not intending to come over Her expression remained indifferent . " Ms. Atkins , as you said , I do have a family , but it won't be long before I don't anymore . My biological child will be taken care of by my soon - to - be ex - husband . After that , I plan to take Jessica abroad ." Naomi seemed curious . " Divorce ? Why ? " Maxine didn't want to elaborate , countering instead , " Does this have anything to do with adopting Jessica ? " " Oh , of course not , " Naomi replied gently , not feeling offended at all . She merely reminded Maxine , " Adopting Jessica as a single mom might be a bit tricky . " Maxine stood firm . " I know . I'll figure it out . In any case , I'll keep this child by my side and ensure nothing happens to her . " Naomi's eyes flickered as she pondered for a while , then probed , " No offense , but do you want to adopt Jessica because you were close with her mom ? " Maxine shook her head and spoke the truth without hesitation . " I couldn't see her mom's case through to the end . After another lawyer took over , the case was lost , and Ivanna was driven to despair - she jumped into the river . " Even though Maxine had come to terms with it , speaking about it now still brought a pang of indescribable pain . Naomi's eyes softened with sympathy . " You're a very responsible woman , Ms. Hudson . This isn't your fault . " " Whether it's my fault or not , I'll see it through to the end and clear her mother's name . " With that , Maxine took a deep breath . " Of course , Ms. Atkins , please rest assured . I'll treat Jessica as my own . During this time , I won't let her get too involved in her mother's unresolved case . I'll do my best to ensure she has a happy childhood . " Naomi nodded thoughtfully after a long silence . Finally , she let out a deep sigh . " I must admit , my visit today was somewhat intrusive . The truth is , I was worried about little Jessica meeting the wrong people . But after hearing what you said , I feel much better . " After some thought , she requested , " However , I hope we can exchange contacts . Before you officially complete the adoption procedures , I might drop by from time to time to check in . Would that be okay ? " Seeing that Naomi seemed genuinely concerned for Jessica and wasn't up to anything shady , Maxine felt more at ease . She wasn't worried about Naomi visiting and agreed without hesitation . After exchanging contacts , Naomi prepared to leave . Thinking about her earlier suspicions , Maxine couldn't help but speak up . " Ms. Atkins , there's something I need to ask of you . " " Please go ahead , Ms. Hudson . If it's about the child , I'll do my best , " Naomi replied . " Jessica's mom's case is quite complicated . The defendant has quite a bit of influence , so overturning the case will be difficult in the short term , and we will face countless obstacles . " You can visit her , but I hope that you can visit her alone before I take Jessica abroad . Also , please don't share our address with anyone else , okay ? " Naomi agreed very readily , " Of course . " Watching Naomi leave , Maxine felt a weight lift off her chest . Back in the ward , she saw Jessica hugging her knees and curling up in the corner of the bed . A pang of guilt sparkled inside of Maxine instantly . 10:45 Tue , 17 Jün □ GO Chapter 18 She slowly walked over and sat on the edge of the bed , gently patting Jessica's head . " Jessica , don't be afraid . I'm right here " Jessica raised her teary eyes and looked at Maxine in panic . " Maxine , who … who killed my mom ? "