Chapter 88: Chapter 88



Fiona was the only one who believed Joelle. “Joelle, don’t you ever feel jealous?”

Joelle smiled. “Jealous of what? Adrian sees Rebecca as his sister, and I feel the same way. Besides, she’s much better now, and Adrian has already taken her back to the hospital.” Katie knew how hard it was for Joelle to say that with a straight face.

She held back her laughter and said, “Wow, Joelle, you’re so generous. Marrying you must be every man’s dream.” Lyla nudged her lightly. “Be respectful when you talk to Joelle.”

Katie shrugged and countered, “But I’m not wrong, am I?” Lyla just smiled, shaking her head. “Naughty girl.”

Irene got up from the sofa, and Joelle, being closest, reached out to help her. She then smiled, gripping Joelle’s hand with a firm squeeze.

Joelle understood the signal. “Irene, let me take you back to your room so you can rest.” “Yes, please.”

Once inside, Irene closed the door and sighed deeply. “Joelle, be honest with me. Did Adrian bring Rebecca back without your consent?”

Joelle gently squeezed her hand. “It’s all taken care of.”

“That stupid boy! You’ve probably endured so much because of him!”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

After calming Irene down, Joelle left the room, feeling drained. As she turned around, she nearly bumped into Spencer, who had been standing quietly behind her, causing her to almost scream.

Spencer took a step back and smiled. “Joelle, it must be tough being married to Adrian, right?”

Joelle’s face hardened. “Spencer, don’t you think you’re overstepping?”

Spencer shrugged and held out his hand. “Is this yours?”

He was holding a diamond earring.

Joelle had lost it so long ago that she had stopped looking for it. “No, it’s not.”

Spencer grinned. “Then I guess I’ll keep it.”

Joelle felt uneasy and narrowed her eyes. “What do you really want, Spencer?”

He held the earring up, examining it. “How can it not be yours? I saw it fall from you.”

Joelle shot him a glare. “You’re crazy.”

“Joelle,” Spencer called out. “If you ever need anything, I could handle Rebecca for you.”

Joelle didn’t respond. She remembered the time she saw Spencer dissecting a frog with a smile, and she understood exactly what he was implying.

Feeling nauseated, she hurried away without looking back.

After leaving, Joelle said to Adrian, “Spencer is seriously disturbing. Every time I run into him, he says something creepy.”

Still frustrated from his argument with Amara, Adrian found her complaint grating. “Do I need to spell it out for you? You should avoid him the moment you see him.”

Joelle stared at him in shock. “What are you saying?”

Adrian’s tone turned cold. “If you stay away from him, he won’t get a chance to say anything to you.”

Somehow, Joelle felt blamed for the whole situation. Losing her temper, she growled, “Adrian, what kind of man are you? I need your help, and this is your response?”

Adrian slammed the brakes. Joelle lurched forward before being jerked back into her seat.

In that split second, she instinctively clutched her stomach, terrified for the baby’s safety.

Adrian glared at her, his expression dark and threatening. “So I’m not a man?”

Adrian unbuckled his seatbelt. “After all the times we’ve had sex, haven’t you figured out whether I’m a man?”

Joelle was so frightened that she forgot to breathe. In the next instant, Adrian leaned forward, grabbing the back of her head.

His anger was palpable as he bit and kissed her harshly, leaving Joelle too scared to make a sound.

When he finally pulled away, her lips were swollen and aching.

Adrian reached for her zipper, but Joelle grabbed his hand with tears in her eyes. “No, don’t.”

He hadn’t planned to take things this far, but he needed to quell the fire raging inside him. “Speak to me like that again, and I’ll show you exactly what being a man means.”

Joelle felt humiliated. She was on the verge of tears, but for the baby’s sake, she tried to calm him down. “I’m sorry, Adrian. I understand.”

The next day, when Joelle went to work at the agency, Lacey paid her a visit.

Dressed in bold clothing and wearing sunglasses, Lacey turned heads as she walked in, but she carried herself with confidence, unfazed by the attention.

Joelle met her in the meeting room. “When did you get back?”

Lacey took off her sunglasses and glanced around. “Yesterday. Is Adrian really okay with you working here?”

Joelle looked around. It wasn’t fancy, but it felt comfortable, and she was happy with it. “I actually like it here.”

Lacey didn’t push the subject and crossed her legs. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you. Did you decide to come back because you saw Rebecca?”

Joelle’s smile faded briefly, and Lacey noticed immediately.

“You don’t have to be cautious with me. I can’t stand Rebecca either. She plays the victim to get close to Adrian, and I see right through her. She’s the one ruining things between you and Adrian.”

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