Chapter 64: Chapter 64



Joelle held Leah’s hand, her gaze fixed on Adrian. “So what? Rebecca’s sick, not incapable of thinking. If she doesn’t come down for dinner, it means she’s not hungry. And if she’s not hungry, why should we keep calling her?”

Adrian’s lips curled into a sneer. “You know she’s ill, yet you’re still so cruel? What’s she ever done to you?”

Joelle smirked. “She ruined my family and meddled in my marriage. How could I just let that slide?”

Adrian fell silent, the weight of her words lingering in the air. He pulled out his phone and called Rebecca. “Come down for dinner.”

After a short while, Rebecca appeared with a pout. Adrian’s frustration hadn’t dissipated. He directed it at her. “From now on, come down when dinner’s ready. If you don’t show up, don’t expect to eat!”

Joelle had anticipated a pout or some sign of upset, but instead, Rebecca smiled sweetly. “Adie, I didn’t mean to. I was just so caught up in my book that I lost track of time.” Adrian grunted, his anger visibly ebbing away.

Only someone who truly loved you would put up with all your bad moods. For a fleeting moment, Joelle’s composure slipped. She knew Adrian and Rebecca genuinely cared for each other, and she felt overshadowed by Rebecca. Dinner continued in heavy silence, with Leah joining them at Joelle’s request.

Suddenly, the sharp clang of a knife hitting porcelain pierced the quiet as it slipped from Joelle’s hand. Adrian’s irritation flared. He wiped his mouth with his napkin, tossing it onto the table. “What’s wrong with you? Can’t even get through a meal without making a racket? Who’s going to keep indulging this behavior?”

Joelle remained calm, her gaze drifting down to her right hand. It felt numb, just like before, devoid of strength. She lifted her eyes to meet Adrian’s. “If you can’t stand me, why did you ask me to come back? Adrian, I’ve had this temper since before we were married. If you have a problem with it, take it up with my brother. He’s the one who spoiled me!”

Adrian placed both hands on the table, his fingers drumming impatiently, the tension between them thickening. Leah intervened, trying to ease the situation. “Maybe the knife wasn’t the right fit for you. Let me get another!” She rose and went to the kitchen, carefully selecting a new knife for Joelle.

As Leah handed it to her, she noticed Joelle’s right hand trembling slightly. She was stunned for a second. But Joelle acted oblivious, taking the knife and continuing her meal as though nothing had happened.

After dinner, Leah seized a private moment to approach Joelle. “Ma’am, your right hand…” Joelle was engrossed in scrolling through job ads on her phone, barely looking up. “What about it?”

“Ma’am, is something wrong with your hand? You should see a doctor.” Joelle paused, then replied without looking away from her phone, “No need. It’s an old issue.”

Leah still wasn’t convinced. “But will it affect your daily life?”

Affect her life? Joelle pondered it for a moment. Aside from the fact that she could no longer play the violin, nothing else in her life seemed drastically affected. “No, I’ve gotten used to it.”

“If you say so.”

As Leah turned to leave, she nearly collided with Adrian, fresh from his shower. “Why is she staying in this room?” he asked.

Leah answered honestly, “It’s her choice. Maybe she’s still upset with you.”

“Upset about what?”

Leah cast a meaningful glance towards Rebecca’s room across the hall. There was another woman in the house—a woman who happened to be the object of her husband’s affection. Who in their right mind could stand that?

“Alright. You should go back to your room.”

Adrian pushed open the door to Joelle’s room. She was already settled in for the night, clad in soft cotton pajamas that seemed to cocoon her in comfort. Assuming it was Leah entering, Joelle remained engrossed in her phone. “Leah, my hand is really okay.”

“What’s wrong with your hand?” Adrian’s voice broke through her concentration, snapping her back to reality.

“What are you doing here?”

“What’s wrong with your hand?” Adrian repeated, his tone demanding.

“Nothing!” Joelle responded, her right hand instinctively clenching. Adrian didn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary, so he let it drop. “Come back to the master bedroom.”

“I don’t want to.”

Adrian’s patience was fraying. “Joelle, don’t forget why you’re back here.” Of course, she knew. It was for the child. Only by having a child could she cling to the wealth and status she had come to depend on. But she felt like nothing more than a breeding machine, knowing she would never earn this man’s respect.

Katherine’s words echoed in her mind—she needed to get as much as she could from Adrian to compensate for all the lost years. “I’m not ready. Leave me alone. I just need some time.” Adrian had been suppressing his frustration all day, waiting for this moment. Now, faced with her resistance, his anger flared. He moved toward the bed with a predatory grace, grabbing her ankle and pulling her toward him.

His broad chest loomed over her as he smirked coldly. “After all these times, what more do you need to prepare for?” Joelle instinctively raised her hands to shield herself, but he was relentless. He tore open her pajamas, exposing her to his gaze.

The fire of desire in Adrian’s eyes blazed with an intensity that left no room for refusal. Joelle’s resistance crumbled, piece by piece, until surrender became her only refuge.

An hour later, Adrian carried her back to the master bedroom, leaving the guest bed in disarray—the sheets soaked.

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