Chapter 121: Chapter 121



Michael nodded. “Alright. See you.”

The room fell into a tense silence. Both Lacey and Michael turned their eyes to Joelle.

“Joelle,” Michael said, his tone grave. “I’m going to tell Adrian about this now. I need to clear your name.”

Lacey’s thoughts were a whirlwind, centering on a single revelation: the baby Joelle lost had to be Adrian’s. Joelle stared ahead, her expression unreadable, her voice calm but resolute. “No. I’ll tell him myself.”

Michael could see the weariness in her eyes, the weight of three long years of suffering. The loss of the baby alone had been a devastating blow.

“Joelle, I’m so sorry. If you need anything, just ask.”

“Thank you.” With that, Joelle picked up her bag and walked out of the prison alone.

On the way, she pulled out her phone and called Katherine.

“Katherine, can you find out where Erick is right now?” Katherine had connections in the underworld. “I’ll make some calls. Has he done something to you?”

Joelle paused, her heart heavy, her hands and feet cold.

“He nearly killed my baby!”

The gravity of the situation struck Katherine instantly. As soon as they hung up, Katherine dialed another number. “Bobby, I need you to find someone for me.”

“Geez, give me a break! You never call unless you want something.”

“Enough with the nonsense!” Katherine snapped, her patience thin. “Can you do it in ten minutes? I need to know where Erick, Rebecca’s second brother, is.” Bobby caught the seriousness in Katherine’s tone and quickly agreed.

Ten minutes later, Joelle received a message from Katherine with an address.

Erick was in a pool room.

Before heading there, Joelle called Rafael.

“Hey, Rafael. Are you at work today?”

Rafael was off for the day. “No, I’m free. What’s going on?”

“I need a favor. Can you meet me?”

“Of course,” Rafael said as he walked out. “Send me the location.”

Half an hour later, Joelle arrived at the pool room, tucked away above an internet cafe.

The smell of stale cigarettes and alcohol assaulted her senses as soon as she stepped inside, the air thick with the noise of rowdy patrons.

A punk in tight pants sidled up to her, but she brushed him off coldly. “Sorry, my boyfriend will be here soon.” The pool room owner, an unsavory-looking man, approached her with a grin. “Pretty girl, you’re new here, aren’t you? I don’t recall seeing you around before.” Joelle picked up a cue, eyeing the white ball as she lined up a shot.

“Why? Is it unusual for someone like me to be here?” She struck the ball with precision, and the owner’s eyes narrowed as he sized her up, his yellowed teeth flashing in a greasy smile.

“You’re anything but ordinary. How about we play a few rounds?”

“Go back to your business. My boyfriend will be here any minute.”

The owner sulked as he left, clearly unhappy.

Before Joelle could finish her round, Rafael arrived. His presence was a stark contrast to the atmosphere of the place. As he walked by, the men eyed him with varying degrees of displeasure.

Rafael’s gaze fell on Joelle, who was leaning over the pool table, cue in hand. Behind her loomed a chubby man, inching closer.

With a dark expression, Rafael strode over and inserted himself between the man and Joelle. “Joelle.”

“Rafael, you made it!” Joelle said, tossing him a cue. “Wanna take a shot?”

Rafael stood still, his face unreadable. “Why did you want to meet here?”

“I felt like playing. It’s been a while,” Joelle replied, her focus returning to the pool table.

She had learned to play billiards secretly from Adrian, out of love.

For eight years, she had kept everything he liked close to her heart. She even took up the violin because he played it. Though Adrian eventually lost interest, Joelle continued playing.

As she lined up her shot, her right hand unexpectedly wavered, sending the cue off course.

She straightened up, unfazed, and gestured for Rafael to take his turn.

Rafael’s eyes lingered on her right hand, concern deepening in his gaze. As a doctor, he couldn’t ignore the signs.

“Joelle, your hand…”

“Rafael, just play, okay?”

Rafael exhaled slowly. “Just one round. This place isn’t right for you. And don’t forget—you’re pregnant.” From the corner of her eye, Joelle noticed Erick entering the room. “Alright.”

Meanwhile, the owner, who had been munching on snacks and watching a drama on his tablet, couldn’t keep his eyes off Joelle once she walked in.

Erick called out to the owner several times before he finally responded, tearing his gaze away.

“What are you staring at?”

“A pretty one!”

“Where is she?”

Erick followed the owner’s line of sight and spotted Joelle and Rafael.

The two were deep in conversation, the easy camaraderie between them starkly contrasting with the crude atmosphere of the pool hall.

Quickly, Erick snapped a photo and sent it to Rebecca. By then, Rebecca was awake, and Adrian had already left for work.

As expected, Rebecca called Erick the moment she saw the picture.

“Erick? What’s going on? What is Joelle doing with Rafael?”

Erick stepped outside before answering, “How should I know? But they look pretty close, don’t they? If Adrian sees this, he’s going to lose it!”

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