Chapter 34: Chapter 34



Amara was a whirlwind of efficiency. She’d hired more than a dozen security guards and spent the entire night methodically removing every trace of Rebecca. Not a single item was spared—everything associated with Rebecca was tossed out without exception.

Outside, Rebecca and Erick were a pitiful sight. Tears streamed down their faces as they begged for mercy, their belongings—pots, pans, clothes, and hats—strewn around their feet like casualties of a raid. The siblings looked utterly dejected, with Rebecca sobbing uncontrollably, struggling for breath, while Erick desperately tried to hold her back. His pleas for forgiveness were almost as humiliating as his groveling.

The siblings looked really pathetic: one was playing the victim, and the other was acting all submissive. Katherine, ever the observer, had even recorded a video of the scene to show Joelle and Shawn. After watching the footage, Katherine nudged Joelle with her elbow. “What on earth is happening? Why did your mother-in-law get so personally involved?”

Joelle’s mind drifted back to the previous night. Irene had taken her hand, vowing to protect her from any injustice. It felt like a premonition of what was to come. Recalling Adrian’s words from that morning, Joelle found herself conflicted. The biggest hurdle between her and Adrian was Rebecca. Now with Rebecca out of the picture, could Adrian eventually come to see her differently?

Shaking her head to clear away the thoughts, Joelle decided not to dwell on such uncertainties. “I’m not really sure,” she admitted.

Shawn’s gaze sharpened, sensing that Joelle was holding something back. “Is that so?”

“Yeah.”

Katherine quickly changed the topic. After finishing their meal, Shawn and Katherine headed off to their respective jobs, leaving Joelle to prepare for her return home.

While she was waiting for the bus, her phone rang. It was Amara.

“I’ve already dealt with Rebecca, and you’re moving back in today. And forget about the birth control; don’t let anyone know you and Adrian are living apart!”

Despite having dealt with the mistress, Amara’s tone with Joelle remained as commanding as ever. Without waiting for a response, she ended the call. Joelle stared at her phone, processing the abruptness of the conversation. A notification soon popped up: her teaching fee for Josiah had been deposited. It had been a while since she’d felt the satisfaction of earning her own money. She transferred part of the money to her father’s nursing home, keeping only what she needed for herself.

It hadn’t gotten dark yet, with the sun shining warmly but not overly hot, casting a gentle light over the world. Perhaps, just perhaps, things were slowly starting to improve. Joelle made her way towards the home she shared with Adrian. By the time she arrived, the sun was setting.

Leah was really excited to see her. “Hey, you’re finally back, Mrs. Miller!”

Joelle bent down to change her shoes. Leah, her eyes already scanning the room, began to search for her phone. “I need to call Mr. Miller right away. Today, I’m going to cook something special just for you!”

“No need. I’ve already sent him a message,” Joelle responded, her cheeks looking a bit red, maybe from being outside for so long.

“In that case, I’ll get started on dinner right away!” Leah’s eyes sparkled with delight as she dashed off to the kitchen.

“Okay.”

After washing her hands, Joelle offered to assist Leah but was guided out of the kitchen. With nothing else to do, she settled into the living room and turned on the TV, soon drifting off to sleep.

As the evening deepened, the sound of a car engine turning off outside stirred Joelle from her nap. Leah’s cheerful voice rang out from the kitchen.

“Mrs. Miller, that has to be Mr. Miller!”

Joelle, as she had done countless times before, went to the door, eager to greet Adrian. He stepped inside, impeccably dressed in a new suit, different from the one he had worn earlier that day.

But trailing behind him was someone who made Joelle’s smile freeze into a mask of shock. Adrian’s brow furrowed slightly at the sight of Joelle. “What are you doing here?”

A surge of anger, fierce and parching, surged through Joelle, leaving her seething at her own naivety. She pointed at Rebecca, who clung to Adrian’s sleeve with a look of terror. “Why did you bring her here?”

“She has nowhere else to go,” Adrian said with an unsettling calm. “She’ll be staying with us for a while.”

Joelle’s laugh was bitter, tinged with disbelief. “She’s staying here? And what about me?”

Adrian’s displeasure was evident in the deepening of his voice. “Aren’t you renting an apartment? You’ve been talking about divorce. Does this home even matter to you anymore?” He then led Rebecca inside, gesturing towards a bedroom on the first floor. “You can stay here for now.”

Rebecca cast a timid glance at Joelle. “Sorry to intrude, Joelle.” Joelle’s injured right hand was trembling. She took a deep breath as Adrian and Rebecca moved past her. “Adrian, don’t forget who your wife is!” Adrian stopped in his tracks.

Leah, hearing the commotion, emerged from the kitchen, hoping to defuse the tension. But when her eyes fell upon Rebecca, her face contorted with anger. “You home-wrecker! What the hell are you doing here?” She brandished a spatula menacingly at Rebecca. If Adrian hadn’t intervened, it seemed likely the spatula would have found its mark.

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