Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie) novel Chapter 1036

I saw Lisa in the evening.

The sunset was beautiful, painting half the sky red with its glow, wrapping my little courtyard in warmth. But despite the breathtaking view, I was crying.

I didn't know why—I just felt like crying. This feeling had lasted almost the entire day, and at that moment, I finally broke down.

If I had to name a reason, there was only one—I wanted to eat garlic butter shrimp with noodles.

I told Brandon about it last night, but he forgot to buy the ingredients when he went grocery shopping today.

I knew he didn't do it on purpose, but I still felt… ignored.

A wave of grievance surged inside me, growing bigger and bigger like a rolling snowball, completely out of my control.

And when I saw Lisa arriving, my feelings of grievance only deepened—like a lost child suddenly spotting a family member.

Yes, Lisa was the person closest to me.

My baby too, of course, but she was still too little, far too little.

As soon as Lisa stepped through the door, she said, "I'm so jealous of you, sitting here enjoying the sunset. I need to hurry up and have a kid so I can live like you too."

She must have seen Brandon in the kitchen preparing dinner.

He had even invited her to stay and enjoy the special meal.

Since taking over the shift in the morning, Lisa had been busy nonstop. She hadn't even had time to eat the meal Logan had sent her.

Now, she was both exhausted and starving. So seeing me so relaxed, being cared for, she naturally felt envious.

I didn't say anything, and she didn't pay much attention to me at first. Instead, she went to check on the baby.

"Merry is already asleep? Such a sweet little girl," she said before finally walking over to me.

Actually, Brandon was the same. Every time he entered the room, he would check on the baby first before asking if I wanted anything to eat or drink.

I didn't want to talk about it. Deep down, I knew it was ridiculous to cry over something so trivial, but I just couldn't control my emotions.

"Do you feel stifled? Like you're suffocating? Do you feel wronged, like no one cares about you?" Lisa asked.

She was spot on, but I still stayed silent.

She reached out and patted my head. "Maddie, you have postpartum depression."

I froze. I wasn't unfamiliar with the word depression, but hearing it applied to me felt completely different.

Seeing the shock in my eyes, Lisa reassured me, "You don't have to be scared. It's just a result of your hormones dropping after giving birth.

"Postpartum depression is normal—sometimes the smallest thing can make a new mom feel overwhelmed and tearful. Some even have thoughts of…"

"I don't," I quickly interrupted, knowing exactly what she meant.

"Good. You better not, or I'll beat you up," Lisa scolded me.