Chapter 4: Chapter 4



Joelle had long since grown numb to Adrian’s cold indifference. She quietly observed their intertwined arms, her thoughts drifting to the sweet moments captured in Rebecca’s videos that had made many envious. What a perfect couple they made! The thought struck Joelle like a knife, and suddenly, she felt like the real third wheel.

“Joelle, please don’t get things wrong!” Rebecca’s voice was laced with urgency as she quickly withdrew her hand from Adrian’s arm. “I’m not well and can’t walk far. Adie was just being kind enough to support me.”

Joelle managed a faint smile. “What brings you to the hospital?” she asked Adrian, deliberately ignoring Rebecca’s explanation. If there was one thing Joelle had learned, it was that the best revenge against the other woman was to act as if she didn’t exist.

“It’s about Erick,” Rebecca interjected, her hands clasped in front of her like a repentant child. “I also came to say sorry to you, Joelle. Sorry about Erick being so careless and causing your brother to end up in the hospital.”

Joelle retorted, “Did I hear careless? Your brother nearly killed mine, and you think an apology is enough to make it right?”

Rebecca flinched, instinctively clutching Adrian’s sleeve for support. Adrian’s voice was as cold as winter when he finally spoke. “That’s enough, Joelle. It wasn’t intentional.” Then he turned to Rebecca, and his tone softened. “Let’s go. Aren’t you here to see Erick?”

A wave of icy realization washed over Joelle. She had hoped naively that Adrian was here to check on Shawn. But no, he was just here for Rebecca, to see Erick. Even if he did stop by to see Shawn, it would only be out of obligation, nothing more. She knew better than to expect Adrian to defend her.

“Rebecca, I won’t forget what Erick did!” Joelle said.

Rebecca’s legs buckled, and she collapsed against Adrian’s chest. He caught her just in time, holding her close.

“Joelle, Erick didn’t mean any harm. He’s in the hospital too!”

“Is he dead? If not, he has to pay for what he’s done!” Joelle rarely lashed out, but today was different. Shawn was basically the only family she had left. Her father, incapacitated by a stroke, lay in a vegetative state with little or no hope of recovering, and her mother had perished in a car accident.

Since she was eighteen, it had been just her and Shawn, facing the world together. During their darkest hours, Shawn had carried the burden alone, allowing Joelle to pursue her passion for the violin. Now, the thought of losing him too was unbearable. She wished nothing more than for Erick to die.

“Joelle, how can you say that?” Rebecca sobbed, her voice trembling with disbelief.

Adrian’s patience snapped, and his eyes turned cold as they locked onto Joelle. “What do you want?”

“Shawn received two critical condition notices. How about Erick?”

Rebecca gasped, clinging to Adrian as if he were the only thing keeping her from collapsing, her fragile body trembling like a leaf in the wind.

“Joelle, please! I only have one brother left. Show mercy.”

She fainted before Joelle could respond, leaving no room for further argument. Adrian scooped Rebecca up, his eyes filled with cold reproach as he looked at Joelle one last time. “Joelle, what have you become?”

He walked away, leaving Joelle standing there, rooted to the spot, unable to move or even think for what felt like an eternity. At eighteen, Joelle had been full of life and hope. Even after her parents’ tragedies, she held on to her faith in the future.

She had followed Adrian everywhere, clinging to him, calling out to him with affection. Three years ago, just one day before the night she had been drugged, Adrian had patted her head and promised, “I’m your family too. I’ll always protect you.”

But after that night, everything had changed. Adrian had become someone she no longer recognized—a man who terrified her, his previous kindness seeming like a cruel lie. The man she had once adored had turned into a monster.

He had asked why Joelle had changed, but Joelle wanted to ask him the same. How had he become so cold, so heartless? Did Adrian forget that she only had one brother left too when Rebecca mentioned the same thing?

“Mrs. Miller…”

Shawn’s assistant quietly handed her a tissue, his expression calm, as though he had expected this all along. It was this very reason Shawn had worked himself to the bone—he had no choice but to fight if he wanted to break free from their dependency on others.

“I’m fine. Just don’t tell Shawn about any of this.”

“I understand.”

Joelle took a deep breath, steeling herself; she then mustered a smile before pushing open the door to Shawn’s ward. She spent the entire day at the hospital. Shawn finally stirred as evening fell.

Her eyes betrayed her worry despite her efforts to keep a brave face. Seeing Shawn’s weakened state, she could no longer hold back the tears.

“Don’t worry about me, Joelle. I’m okay.” Shawn’s voice was faint and strained.

Joelle sobbed as she chided him, “How could you be so reckless? Who does Erick think he is? Why did you have to show him respect? Why didn’t you just refuse?”

Shawn shut his eyes for a moment, then reopened them with visible effort. His words, muffled by the mask, struggled to be heard. “Adrian values the Lloyd family. It wasn’t about respecting Erick; it was about respecting Adrian.”

Joelle swiped at her tears, her chest tight with frustration, unable to find a response. Shawn only knew that Rebecca’s father and brother had served the Miller family as drivers, but the deeper truth—Adrian’s affection for Rebecca—eluded him.

Anyone who had seen Rebecca’s videos could sense the depth of Adrian’s adoration.

“What’s the matter?” Shawn noticed her foul mood.

Joelle met his gaze with a newfound resolve. “Shawn, you don’t have to worry about Adrian anymore. I’m going to divorce him.”

Shawn’s eyes widened in surprise, but relief soon followed. “After all these years, you’ve finally figured it out.”

When Joelle and Adrian had married three years prior, the Miller family had been uniformly disapproving, except for Irene. But after Joelle and Adrian had been found sleeping together, Shawn had agreed to the marriage. He knew how much Joelle had loved Adrian for years. For Joelle, marrying Adrian had been a dream come true.

But he also knew Adrian, despite his gentle facade, had a fierce side that detested being cornered. The Millers and Watsons had shared a long history, and Shawn had seen firsthand how Adrian’s calm exterior masked an untamable nature.

He had warned Joelle that Adrian might not be the right match, but her love had been blinding. But now, it wasn’t too late. Joelle’s eyes shone with determination. “Tomorrow, I’m going to speak with Irene about the divorce. I’m ready to start over!”

“Good. I’ve got your back!”

Shawn’s smile was genuine, and for the first time in years, Joelle’s eyes lit up with hope.

Later that evening, a chauffeur drove Joelle back to the house she shared with Adrian. She limped inside and called out, “Leah, my ankle is killing me. Could you help me with some ointment?” The silence she got for an answer was so profound that her voice echoed through the empty house.

As she made her way further in, she heard movement from upstairs. Looking up, she saw Adrian standing on the second floor, his damp hair falling messily over his eyes, weariness etched into his features.

“Leah’s taken a leave of absence. You’re on dinner duty tonight,” he said coldly.

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