Chapter 128

Joanna rolled her eyes and opened the ward door. Roxanne stood outside, dazed, her face etched with despair and grief. Joanna was shocked. "Why are you here?" she blurted out.

Roxanne offered a faint, cold sneer. "Why can't I be here?"

"Then go ahead!" Joanna said, bypassing Roxanne and heading toward the corridor.

"Stop!" Roxanne's voice shrieked.

Joanna turned, her expression grim. She wanted nothing to do with the Haynes family. "What do you want?"

Roxanne offered a miserable smile, resembling an injured rabbit. "Why did you… steal my boyfriend?" she gasped, her nose trembling.

"Roxanne Haynes, I'll repeat this once more! I never had any intention of stealing Bruce from you!"

"But Bruce is my fiancé now. Don't you think your involvement with him is inappropriate?" Roxanne's voice wavered, threatening to break. Passing patients and nurses turned to stare.

Bruce, hearing the commotion, rushed from the ward. "Roxy, what are you doing here?"

Tears streamed down Roxanne's face. "I'm here to see how loving my fiancé and my sister are!"

Bruce's expression darkened. He started to approach her, but she recoiled. Tears streamed down her face as her head swayed uncontrollably. Her pale face was a mask of hurt, grief, helplessness, and disbelief. She was a master of appearing weak and helpless—a tactic that prevented Bruce from being cold to her.

"Stop acting," he said.

"Bruce, can't you leave my sister alone? Why are you with her?"

Bruce's face darkened. "I told you to stop this charade!"

Roxanne took another step back, sniffing. "Fine, I'll leave. I won't bother you again…"

Bruce looked at her in frustration. Her eyes held despair and desolation, even a hint of death. If he suggested a breakup, she would likely attempt suicide again.

"Roxy, I've told you, I'll marry you, but I can't be faithful. If you still want to marry me, we'll proceed as planned."

Chapter 175

"I'm sorry if you can't accept that," Bruce said.

Roxanne's voice became hysterical. "But why her? There are so many women in Greyport. Why did you have to choose her?"

"I'm hurt, and I can't accept a third party. I'll disappear completely and fulfill your wish." Roxanne turned and ran frantically.

"Roxy!" Bruce called.

Joanna looked at Bruce coldly. "Go after her. Don't let her do anything stupid." Bruce immediately ran after Roxanne. "Roxy, stop!"

He caught up to her quickly.

"Bruce, I won't bother you two anymore!"

"What are you going to do?" Bruce grasped her hand tightly.

Roxanne struggled, crying until she was breathless. Though she didn't explicitly mention suicide, her posture spoke volumes.

Bystanders stopped to watch.

"Isn't that Mr. Everett and Miss Roxanne? Why are they arguing in a hospital?"

"I heard Miss Roxanne caught Miss Haynes with Mr. Everett again!"

"Miss Haynes is divorced, and still bothering her ex-husband!"

"Exactly! She shouldn't disrupt his life! She's terrible!"

"You can't say that. No woman could let go of a man like Mr. Everett!"

Whispers and judgments filled the air.

Bruce frowned, ignoring Roxanne's cries. He bent down, picked her up, and stormed toward the underground parking garage.

In the parking garage:

"Bruce, let me go! Let me die!"

"If I die, no one will bother you again, stand between you two!"

Bruce didn't respond. He hugged her and shoved her into the car.

"Bruce, let me out! Don't worry about me!"

Bruce took a deep breath and looked at her coldly. "Stop this."

Roxanne cried, "I'm serious! I'll step aside and let my sister have you!"

Bruce sneered. He knew she had already usurped Joanna's place. If she hadn't lied to him, he never would have loved her.

Roxanne continued sobbing. "I know you don't love me anymore. I can't accept that you love my sister. I'd rather die than suffer like this! Bruce, please don't make me feel this pain again. I can't take it anymore! This feeling is worse than death…"

Bruce remained untouched, even disgusted. She was a skilled manipulator, weaving webs to trap men. But men feared being controlled; the tighter she tried to hold him, the more he wanted to escape.

He interrupted her crying, asking coldly, "Roxanne, what about the car?"

Roxanne stopped crying. "Car? What car? What are you talking about?"

Bruce lit a cigarette. "You know what I mean. Who is that man?"

Roxanne's eyes darted around; her face flushed. Her guilt was evident.

"Bruce, w-what… are you talking about?"

Bruce narrowed his eyes. "Who hit my car?"

Roxanne stammered, "B-Bruce, listen!"

"That day, I drove your car home! I met a classmate, and I brought him along! He… had never seen such a nice car before. He wanted to drive it, so…"

Bruce smiled faintly. "Really?"

"Bruce, believe me! Nothing happened between us. You're the only one I love!"

"I haven't assumed anything. Why are you so nervous?"

Her visible nervousness—trembling hands and quivering voice—made him suspicious.

"I'll call Andy and have that man brought here!"

Roxanne panicked, forgetting her jealousy of Joanna. "Bruce, you don't need to! He's just a classmate!"

"It's okay. I'll call him."

Roxanne's heart pounded. Her mother was right; she should have broken up with Gavin long ago. Gavin was a disaster.

"Then… call him. Prove my innocence!"

Bruce watched her intently as she struggled to maintain composure. He called Andy.

"Andy, bring the man named Gavin to me immediately!"

"Right away, Mr. Everett!"

Roxanne panicked. "Bruce, don't you believe me? You're insulting me!"

"I'm not insulting you. I want the truth!"

At that moment, Bruce hoped Roxanne was involved with someone else.

(Note: The sexually suggestive word was removed and replaced with a more appropriate term. The time stamp at the end was also removed as it doesn't add to the story's narrative.)