Chapter 17: Chapter 17



Adrian draped one arm around Joelle’s waist and took a drag from his cigarette with the other. Then, he occasionally responded to the ongoing conversation. In Joelle’s mind, pressing him for answers would be futile. Even if she managed to extract some information, Adrian’s partiality toward Rebecca was too obvious to ignore.

Joelle had become so numb to everything that she momentarily overlooked how close they were now. Having moved all her clothing to her rented apartment, Joelle had nothing to wear but Adrian’s white shirt, which barely covered her thighs. Whenever Adrian wasn’t smoking, his hand rested on her leg, which made Joelle squirm uncomfortably. She tried to shift away, but his grip tightened, holding her in place.

The meeting droned on via speakerphone, and Adrian cast a stern glance her way. “Let me go,” Joelle whispered. Adrian pulled out his earpiece and leaned into her ear. “Do you want everyone to hear you?”

Joelle pushed against his chest. She remained silent, but she was determined to push him away. Adrian cupped her chin and planted a kiss on her lips. The sharp taste of tobacco invaded her senses, enveloping the room with a heavy, intoxicating aroma. From the earpiece, someone asked, “Mr. Miller?”

Adrian slightly loosened his hold on Joelle. The kiss left her lips glistening. Nonetheless, he remained composed and said, “Continue.”

“Understood.”

Five minutes later, Joelle’s body felt hot all over when she heard Adrian conclude. “Very well. That’s enough for today.” He set down his Bluetooth earpiece on the desk and maneuvered Joelle to straddle his waist. His broad chest drew nearer as he pressed her back against the desk.

Joelle grabbed at her chest and retreated as far back as the table edge allowed. She turned her head aside and protested, “I don’t want this.” She had no desire to be intimate with a man who didn’t love her. She was not just a vessel for his lust.

“You don’t want this?” Adrian asked mockingly as he displayed two glistening fingers under the light. “Your body is betraying you.” Joelle’s reaction was involuntary. She bit her lip hard, trying to stifle it.

The sound of Adrian unbuckling his belt filled the room, followed by the rustle of fabric sliding over his skin. Joelle pressed her lips together tightly. Just as he was about to take a step toward her, she sat up and shoved him back. “I’m not your sex toy!” Joelle exclaimed and leaped from the desk.

Adrian blocked her path, his expression darkening. “You’re my wife, and this is your duty!” With a swift motion, he spun Joelle around and lifted her shirt. The chill air sent shivers down her spine, making her legs go weak.

About thirty minutes later, Adrian carried an exhausted Joelle into the bathroom. Joelle, sitting in the bathtub, asked with a vacant expression, “I’ll ask you one last time. Does this have to do with the Lloyd family?”

Adrian rinsed her off with the showerhead and responded, “Rebecca isn’t that kind of person.”

“Then it must be Erick, right?” Joelle slowly met his gaze and pressed further. Adrian glanced at her. “Landen said nothing. Why are you so fixated on the Lloyd family anyway? What would Erick gain from kidnapping you?” Joelle wasn’t convinced. She distinctly remembered Landen speaking to someone on the phone in the van. Besides the Lloyd family, she couldn’t imagine anyone else holding a grudge against her.

“Is it that Landen said nothing, or are you covering for the Lloyd family?” Adrian exhaled in exasperation. “I’ve already told you. It has nothing to do with the Lloyd family.”

“What if it does? Huh?” Joelle continued, tears welling up in her eyes and her voice trembling with emotion. Since the accident, Adrian had failed to understand her feelings. She had kept to herself for far too long, and now her emotions were spilling out.

“Do you have any idea how deeply this has scarred me?” Joelle pressed her trembling fingers to her chest. “I was tricked by a child! I thought I was doing something worthwhile, but all I did was hurt myself! How can I go on if I don’t find out who’s behind this? Those people shattered my trust! Do you even understand that, Adrian?”

Joelle buried her face, reddened with emotion, in her knees and wept. For a moment, Adrian watched her and felt a tight knot forming in his chest. Every time Joelle cried, an unsettling feeling emerged in his heart. In all honesty, if they hadn’t gotten married three years ago, he might have treated her better than he did Rebecca.

However, Joelle had made a huge mistake by using drugs to bind the Miller and Watson families together. That was something he could never forgive.

“Fine. I’ll look into it.” Adrian stood up. He needed to step outside for a smoke to calm the frustration simmering within him.

“Adrian…” Joelle looked up at him. “If this does turn out to involve the Lloyd family, what then?”

Without turning back, Adrian replied, “There’s no such ‘if.'” After taking a bath, Joelle emerged in a towel and found Adrian already in his pajamas, leaning back against the headboard with a tablet in his hands. His hair, freshly washed, fell across his forehead, softening his usually sharp features.

Was he planning to stay the night? “Aren’t you leaving?” Joelle asked curiously. “Where to?”

“You’re staying overnight?” Adrian chuckled coldly. “How else are we supposed to have a baby if I don’t stay?” Just as Joelle was about to respond, Leah entered with two cups of milk. “It’s late, Mr. and Mrs. Miller. You both should get some rest.”

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