Chapter 205

It looked like Joseph was finally starting to come around, and that wasn’t a bad thing. At least he wasn’t throwing himself at the same woman like his life depended on it. If things had kept going that way, Melvin wouldn’t have felt confident handing the company over to him. These things needed to be tested, step by step. Otherwise, how could Joseph ever be worthy of becoming a proper heir?

Upstairs.

Joseph picked up his phone, then set it down again, torn over whether to call Judy one more time. Part of him hoped she would call him instead.

She’d been gone for hours–how was it possible she hadn’t sent a single message? Worry gnawed at him now. This wasn’t like her. After pacing and overthinking for a while, Joseph finally typed out a message.

“Judy, today was my fault. I didn’t think things through. I promise it won’t happen again.”

“Where are you staying? You still have the code to the villa. Just go there, it’s yours.”

“Judy, please don’t shut me out. I’m really scared something’s happened. Don’t do this to me.”

Fresh out of the bath, Judy glanced at her phone just in time to see the flurry of texts. She’d assumed that after a few unanswered calls, he’d give up and move on. What she hadn’t expected was just how persistent Joseph could be, flooding her inbox with message after message. Seeing it all, she couldn’t help the grin tugging at her lips.

Men really were pathetic creatures. All it took was a little coddling and they got cocky–but the moment she pulled away, they completely fell apart. Joseph was the perfect example. Fifty-six unread messages, and suddenly, her day felt a whole lot better. She stared at the screen for a moment, tapped out a quick reply, then casually tossed the phone onto the bed and went about her evening.

On the screen, her message glowed in bold:

“Joseph, I love you. But we’re not right for each other. Please don’t contact me again…”

After that, she blocked Joseph without hesitation.

When Joseph saw Judy’s reply, a wave of emotion crashed over him–part joy, and part bitterness. He knew it. Deep down, she still couldn’t let him go. After everything they’d shared, how could she possibly walk away so easily? Overwhelmed with relief, he quickly typed out a reply:

Chapter 408.

“I love you too. Don’t let everything happening around us shake you. As long as I know you’re safe, that’s enough. I swear, I’ll give you the future you deserve!”

But the second he hit send, the smile froze on his face. There it was–the red exclamation mark. He stared at it, stunned. One second she said she loved him, and the next, she’d blocked him? Joseph felt the drop in his chest like a free fall. He couldn’t describe the feeling–just that it hollowed him out.

One thing was clear: he couldn’t live without Judy. He’d fall apart without her. His eyes darkened. She wasn’t going anywhere, not unless he said so.

Hospital.

Aurora stood in the hallway, voice tight with worry. “Doctor, what’s my mother’s condition?”

“Nothing critical,” the doctor replied. “But she needs to avoid emotional stress and get proper rest. If she collapses again, we’ll have no choice but to admit her.”

“Emotional stress…”

Aurora repeated the words under her breath, guilt washing over her face. “It’s my fault. All of it. If it weren’t for me, she wouldn’t be like this.”

She had always been strong, but now her eyes brimmed with tears, vulnerability softening her features. Lucas watched her from the side, heart aching at the sight.