Chapter 13
Rosse, seated on the other side of the table and straining to see the photo, smiled at Edmund. “Our girl’s all grown up We can’t hold on to her forever. It looks like we’ll be meeting our future son in lawy soon?
Edmund chuckled in agreement. “Brielle and Joanna are the same age, Joanna got married five years ago and has a daughter noas
started thinking about marriage”
Brielle spotted Joanna coming down the stairs and deliberately raised her voice. “She got married early because she was pregnant, and she was in a hurry to find her baby a lather”
Rosalie quickly chided Brielle at this. “Brielle, don’t speak like that.
Since Joanna had just accused Brielle of murder without any evidence, Edmund chose to ignore the comment, pretending not to hear it
Brielle shot Joanna a sidelong glance, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Mom, you and Dad split up because of her mom, and it took ages for you two to got back together.
“You know better than anyone what it’s like to be with the wrong person, I don’t want to repeat that mistake. I just want to marry the man love.”
Rosalie caught the exchange and softened her stance. “Fine, if you’re happy with him, I won’t butt in.” She then switched to a worried tone. “Joanna, have you eaten? Come join us. I’ve spoken with Brielle, and she’s ready to forgive you”
Edmund glanced at Joanna. “Come over and apologize to your sister.”
Brielle regained her composure, slipping back into her usual haughty demeanor, waiting for Joanna to make her move.
She’d always blamed Lillian for the misery she and her mom had endured, so when she quietly removed Lillian’s oxygen mask, a surgeo
e of vindication coursed through her as she watched Lillian struggle in agony.
Brielle hadn’t anticipated Lillian’s swift demise. Panic set in afterward, but Rosalie calmed her fears, assuring her it wasn’t murder–just a mercy. Lillian was beyond saving, and prolonging her life would only have meant more suffering.
Watching the family of three, Joanna couldn’t help but think of Norbert, Susan, and Jonah. She felt like a fool. There was no way she was going to apologize to the person who’d taken her mother away.
is phone. Brielle
Joanna kept silent, her mind set on leaving as soon as possible. As the moved past the table, her gaze flickered over the screen of Brielle’s wasn’t one to settle for just anyone. Joanna was curious about who had managed to capture her heart.
Rosalie, a smile playing on her lips, inquired, “Brielle, who’s the lucky guy you’ve got your eye on?
“His name is Kenneth Wesley,” Brielle answered, just as Joanna caught a clear glimpse of the photo on the phone. Joanna’s expression shifted dramatically, and she snatched the phone, scrutinizing the image intently.
The man in the photo was a younger version of the Kenneth she know, with a sharper, more aloof demeanor that exuded an air of authority. Yet, there was a certain detachment about him that made others think twice before approaching
As Brielle snatched her phone back, her guard was up. “Joanna, wasn’t stealing Susan’s boyfriend enough for you? Now you’re eyeing mine too?”
Joanna was thoroughly bewildered, her thoughts facing. Brielle, interested in a gigolo? And she’s set on marrying him?” She voiced her disbelief. “He’s your boyfriend?”
“He will be soon,” Brielle declared with conviction. Then, as if recalling something, she cautiously pressed, “You… you’ve met him? Joanna, remember you’re married. Don’t turn out like our mom and cheat on your husband.”
So he wasn’t her boyfriend yet, Aher a brief silence, Joanna asked. “You like him that much? You want to marry him?”
Brielle let out a forced, cold laugh, unable to gauge Joanna’s reaction. “Of course, I’m marrying him, Joanna, you wouldn’t dream of being the other
1/3
Chapter 13
woman and taking him from me, would your
Joanna was well aware of Brielle’s nature and could see the seriousness in her eyes now. The situation struck her at so dificulous that the felt a laugh bubbling up.
‘Does Brielle have any idea that the man she’s so keen on marrying is actually a gigolo? If she does, then it must be true love.
But does she also realize that her own scheming pushed her most despised stepsister straight into the arms of the man the adores? Joanna mused.
Brielle had taken Lillian’s life without a twinge of guilt, and in the years since, she’d continued to insult Lillian
Joanna, unable to uncover proof of Brielle’s crime, was consumed by resentment. She’d been plotting her revenge, and now, it seemed, fate had handed her the perfect opportunity.
Meanwhile, Brielle’s behavior was peculiar; she kept pressing Joanna. “Joanna, have you ever crossed paths with Kenneth?”
Joanna, so engrossed in her plans for vengeance, didn’tay much attention to firielle’s oddness.
She concealed any link to Kenneth, replying coolly, “Never met him.” After her denial, she held Briella’s gaze and in a pointed tone, asked, “Brielle, you wouldn’t stoop to being the other woman, would you?”
“I’m nothing like you and your mom, of course I wouldn’t be the other Woman, Brielle declared, relief washing over her once she was sure Joanna had
no connection to Kenneth.
Joanna’s pale face finally cracked into a smile. “Brielle, remember what you said,” she warned. With that, Joanna turned and left the Mayfield residence, not looking back once.
“Joanna, come back,” Edmund called out, but Joanna chose to ignore him, disappearing through the gate without a glance back.
with Wesley Group over Mayfield Group”
“Don’t take it personally, honey,” Rosalie said. “Joanna’s married to Norbert now. It’s only natural she’d side w
Edmund’s face clouded over at her words. Norbert had used Mayfield Group to climb the ladder of success, and with Wesley Group flourishing under his leadership, it had come to light that he was actually the illegitimate son of the powerful Wesley family.
Edmund was concerned that Mayfield Group might end up under the thumb of Wesley Group.
Brielle felt a knot of anxiety in her stomach Clutching her phone, which displayed a picture of Kenneth, she lost interest in her breakfast and headed
upstairs.
She took out a pendant from beneath her pillow, its black surface gleaming mysteriously, with “Ken” engraved in one corner.
At that moment, a voice message from Linda Wesley, the wealthy Wesley family’s young lady, popped up on her phone.
Brielle tapped to play it, and Linda’s cheerful voice filled the air. “Brielle, I’ve got fantastic news–Uncle Ken is awake. You should get dressed up; he
might want to see you.”
“Really? Mr. Wesley is awake?” Brielle’s eyes widened, her excitement palpable.
witlo
“Absolutely, it’s the truth,” Linda’s voice continued. “You’ve waited five long years for Uncle Ken, and now it looks like your wait is over Brielle, if things work out between you two, you’ll be my aunt.”
Brielle’s grip on her phone tightened, and she clutched the pendant even more tightly with her other hand
Five years back, when Norbert was behind bars, Joanna was always on the go, doing everything she could for him. One day, she came home looking pale and distressed. As she climbed the stairs, a black pendant slipped from her pocket
Brielle spotted it, thinking it might be something special to Joanna. The pendant looked expensive, so she decided to keep it rather than
han gh it back.
Aher Norbert was freed, Joanna was pregnant, and they hastily tied the knot. Then, someone approached Brielle with information that the pendant
2/3
Chapter 13
actually bolonged to Kenneth Wesley.
Kenneth had been severely injured and was in a coma. He always wore that pendant but had given it to Joanna, clearly indicating his interest in her
Brielle wasn’t privy to the details of Joanna’s relationship with Kenneth, only that he was a formidable figure who practically led Jadezate great significance. Seizing the moment, she claimed the pendant as her own.
For five years, she harbored this secret, sneaking visits to Kenneth and building a friendship with Linda Wesley on the
Just last month, Linda had revealed that Kenneth was showing signs of waking up from his roma.
This news stirred a whirlwind of emotions in Brielle–excitement at the thought of becoming part of the prestigious Wesley family, but also a magging fear that Kenneth might uncover het lies
As luck would have it, Susan came back to the country, and they teamed up to scheme against Joanna, Brielle was convinced that a woman who had cheated on her husband would have no appeal to a man like Kenneth,
Joanna stepped out of the Mayfield residence into the drizzle, her fingers quickly dialing the number of the man who h
Kenneth.
