Chapter 65: Chapter 65



Rebecca stepped out of her room just in time to catch a fleeting, shocking sight: Adrian carrying Joelle into the master bedroom. All she glimpsed was Adrian’s bare, muscular torso and Joelle’s exposed feet and shoulders. The lower half of his body was obscured by the staircase railing, but the powerful muscles rippling down to his waist hinted at the raw strength beneath.

Rebecca froze, her heart hammering in her chest. She had never seen a man naked before, and the unexpected thrill sent a hot rush of blood surging to her face, a drop trickling from her nose. Joelle noticed her just before Adrian kicked the door shut, but Rebecca’s chance to see more was cut off abruptly.

As Adrian laid Joelle on the bed, she sighed silently, relieved that this ordeal could finally be over. But her relief was short-lived. Adrian turned her onto her side and, without warning, invaded her body. The pain was immediate, sharp enough to make her clutch the bed sheets.

Adrian’s rough breathing filled the space between them. “I’ve heard this position increases the chances of conception. Comfortable?”

“Bastard!” Joelle spat, venom lacing her voice as she hurled every vile word she could muster at him until she was spent. Afterward, they lay back-to-back in the darkness, a distance between them as vast and unbridgeable as the Milky Way. Joelle stared into the void, sleep evading her. Her mind wandered back to the image of Rebecca standing there.

“Adrian.”

He opened his eyes but didn’t respond.

“How do you do it?” Joelle continued, her voice soft, almost as if she were talking to herself. “You don’t love me, yet still have sex with me. Are your body and soul disconnected?”

Adrian’s response was cold. “Are you accusing me of being driven by lust?”

Joelle closed her eyes, exhaustion finally tugging at her. “Goodnight.”

The next morning, Joelle woke before Adrian. She spotted Leah outside, diligently trimming the garden weeds. After making herself a cup of coffee, she sat under the patio umbrella, savoring the cool shade.

“Leah, why don’t you take a break and join me?”

“Thanks, ma’am, but keeping busy is quite my cup of tea.”

Joelle glanced around, lowered her voice, and gestured for Leah to come closer. “Leah, there’s something I need to ask you.”

Leah put down her tools and approached. “What is it, ma’am?”

“Please have a seat.”

Leah sat beside her, and Joelle poured a glass of iced juice, pushing it towards her. “I want to know what Rebecca’s been up to while I was away.”

Leah instantly understood. “You’re gathering intel on your opponent to win every battle, right?”

“Exactly!”

They exchanged a knowing smile, and Leah, excited, slapped her thigh. “Now that’s the spirit! Why let someone else take control of such a grand house?”

Joelle’s smile was brief, and she went straight to the point. “So, what can you tell me about Rebecca?”

Leah, who had served the Miller family for years, knew a lot. She didn’t just know about Rebecca; she knew all about Rebecca’s family too.

Joelle was aware that Rebecca’s father and eldest brother had once been chauffeurs for Adrian’s family, but there had to be more to the story. Otherwise, why would Adrian continue supporting the Lloyd family like this?

Leah took a sip of the juice, moistening her throat before she continued. “Rebecca’s father used to be a driver for Adrian’s father—your father-in-law. After Adrian’s father passed, Rebecca’s father stayed on, working for Adrian for a while. But age caught up with him, and he passed the job to his eldest son.”

Leah continued, “That son was a good man—honest, upright. He and Adrian got along really well. Officially, they were employer and employee, but in reality, they were close friends. But then, for reasons I don’t know, Rebecca’s father and brother both died around the same time. That was about four or five years ago. Since then, Adrian’s taken care of the Lloyd family. Please don’t hold it against him for being close to them. Rebecca’s family practically raised him. Her mother, like me, watched Adrian grow up. She had to retire a few years ago because of her health.”

Leah paused, glancing at Joelle, a note of hesitation in her voice. “I’m going to say something you might not like. Back when I worked at the Miller Mansion, I knew the Lloyd family well. They were good people, especially Rebecca’s mother. She was kind, always looking out for us.”

Joelle nodded thoughtfully. “It makes sense why Adrian is so kind to them. I heard he personally handled the funerals for Rebecca’s father and brother.”

Leah sighed, nodding as she rubbed her leg. “As far as employer-employee relationships go, Adrian’s gone above and beyond for them. But ever since you married into the family, Irene hasn’t been too happy about the Lloyd family. She’s always felt that Rebecca and Erick were using the old ties to get favors from Adrian.”

Joelle couldn’t help but think the same. No matter how close their relationship had been, could Adrian support the Lloyd family forever? Her mind drifted to the videos she had seen of Rebecca, and the light in her eyes dimmed.

Finally, Joelle sighed. “Adrian likes Rebecca. Even if her father and brother hadn’t been in the picture, he would still take care of her, especially since she’s ill. That kind of bond isn’t easily broken.”

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