Chapter 16

"Bruce, my mind is a mess. I don't want to talk about this now!" Joanna frowned, her thin, haggard appearance heartbreaking.

Bruce gently hugged her. "All right. We'll talk later, after our daughter recovers."

Ingrid and Shaun found Roxanne after a lengthy search.

"Roxy! This is critical. Don't throw a tantrum!"

"Joanna, that bitch! With three kids, she's got the upper hand! She's waiting for you to break up with Bruce!" Roxanne slumped on the couch, despondent. Her wedding was supposed to be tomorrow, but it was canceled. She'd be the laughingstock of Greyport again. The thought made her want to tear Joanna apart.

Shaun sighed. After a moment, he said glumly, "If it doesn't work, maybe we should forget the marriage."

Ingrid flared. "You make it sound so easy! Everyone in Greyport is waiting for Roxy to fail!"

"Roxy has to marry into the Everett family and become Mrs. Everett!" Ingrid insisted, sitting beside Roxanne and shaking her arms. "Pull yourself together! Show your magnanimity. So what if she has children? As long as you marry Mr. Everett, you'll be his wife! Even then, Joanna's children won't shake your status!"

Tears streamed down Roxanne's face. "Mom, I'm so embarrassed"

"Silly girl, breaking up with Mr. Everett would be far more embarrassing! Wealthy families are different. You have to compete with patience and endurance. The more you tolerate, the better your chances. The less you endure, the less you achieve!"

Shaun interrupted. "Stop pushing Roxy. Mr. Everett doesn't want to marry her! Even if we force it, they'll be unhappy."

Ingrid exploded. "Shut up! Of course you want Roxy to break up with him—so Joanna can marry him instead! You're biased!"

"Biased? This is about marriage—a woman's lifelong happiness! I'm afraid Roxy won't be happy marrying into that family," Shaun countered.

"She needs to marry first! We can't let Joanna get away with this easily!"

Roxanne felt a surge of courage. "You're right, Mother!"

"Good! Call Mr. Everett, show your magnanimity. Cling to him; don't break up. That's exactly what Joanna wants!"

Roxanne immediately ran upstairs.

"Roxy, what's the hurry?"

"I'm calling Bruce."

Upstairs, she calmed herself and called Bruce. His phone rang repeatedly, then went silent. She called a dozen more times, then sent numerous messages:

"Bruce, I'm sorry for being willful!" "I'll wait for you, forever!" "Your children are my children. Don't worry about me. Saving the child is most important"

She sent over a hundred messages. Bruce was exasperated. Why was she bothering him after their breakup?

In the ward, Joanna and Bruce, in surgical gowns, visited Lilia. Lilia looked frail, surrounded by oxygen tubes. Joanna fought back tears. "Lilia, are you okay? Are you in pain?"

Lilia opened her eyes slightly. "Mommy"

"Mommy and Daddy are here. You'll get better soon!"

"Daddy!" Lilia called him obediently. Bruce's heart melted. His eyes welled up as he held her hand. He never expected this critical illness.

"Don't worry, darling. Daddy loves you. I'll do everything to help you get better."

"Let's work together, okay?"

"Alright!"

Lilia's surgery was scheduled for Monday. Bruce was a match as a donor.

Joanna's mind raced. News spread like wildfire:

"Mr. Everett and Miss Roxanne's wedding is canceled again!" "Miss Joanna fought back!" "She won, with her three children!" "Aren't those Mr. Grimm's children?" "No, they're Mr. Everett's. Mr. Grimm never acknowledged them." "This family drama is a mess!" "Two sisters fighting over a husband has gone viral!" "Roxanne's claims of being Mrs. Everett are embarrassing now!"

The canceled wedding caused a scandal online.

Meanwhile, at the Everett mansion, Margaret, overjoyed to have Davian and Irvin back, seemed cured, discarding her wheelchair. The boys, however, weren't happy.

"Great-grandma, we want to go home!" "This is your home now!" "No, it's not!"

Margaret sighed. "Korbin, we need to change their names. Irvin and Davian Haynes? No. Get a geomancer."

The boys protested, but Margaret insisted: "As Everetts, you can't keep the Haynes surname."

Korbin reminded her, "Mrs. Margaret, it's time for your physiotherapy."

The servants took the boys to their room. Irvin stared at the castle-like house.

"Davian, are we staying here?" "I don't know." "I miss Mommy and Lilia!" "Me too!" "When can we see them?" "We can call Mommy!"

They called Joanna.

"Hello, Mommy!" "How are you, Davian and Irvin?" "Mommy, when are you coming?"

Joanna breathed deeply. "After Lilia's surgery. Okay?"

"Mommy, Great-grandma wants to change our names! We don't want to!"

Joanna's heart leaped. "Change names? What names?"

"She says we can't be Haynes anymore. We have to be Everett!"

Joanna was shocked. She wanted the children back in the Everett family, but hadn't anticipated this. She should have sent them overseas.

"I think Great-grandma's joking. Let me call and ask."

She hung up and called the Everett butler.