Chapter 45

Around lunchtime, Bruce was swimming when he suffered a leg cramp and drowned. Although the Haynes family employed servants, unlike the Everetts, they had fewer housekeepers and bodyguards. Joanna was the first to see Bruce drowning. The situation was critical, so she dove in to rescue him before calling for help. After pulling him from the pool, she summoned help while Roxanne attended to Bruce.

Upon regaining consciousness, Bruce asked Roxanne, "Did you save me?" Roxanne, aware of his misunderstanding, nodded. From that day on, Bruce's attitude toward her changed completely. Despite being five years older, he'd refused to date her, waiting for her to mature.

"Why, after all these years, is he asking this? Could Joanna have said something?" Roxanne wondered. Seeing Bruce's silence, she cautiously asked, "Did Joanna say something to you?"

"No," Bruce replied curtly. He knew he needed no further explanation. Joanna was his rescuer, and he'd been wrong all along.

Roxanne's heart leaped. "Bruce, I'm sure Joanna told you something! Otherwise, you wouldn't have asked! She's always been smarter and better than me. She loves you, so she wouldn't let you go. She deliberately tried to break us up. Whatever she said, don't believe it…"

Bruce looked grim. "Don't say any more. My mind is a muddle. I want to be alone."

"But Bruce…"

"Leave the room!"

His mind was indeed muddled. "I made a mistake! I can't blame others. I only have myself to blame!" he berated himself.

"Don't you love me anymore? You've been cold ever since Joanna returned. I can't lose you! I won't let her take you away!" Roxanne clung to him, weeping.

Judging by his reaction, she guessed he knew the truth and would break up with her. As his fiancée, she'd enjoyed the envious glances of other women. Being dumped would make her the laughingstock of Greyport.

"Please leave!"

"I'm not leaving you, Bruce!"

Impatient, Bruce pressed his call button. A nurse arrived quickly. "Get her out of here!"

"Ms. Haynes, Mr. Everett needs to rest. Please leave."

"Very well, Bruce. You must believe me!"

Bruce scowled. He hated liars, and Roxanne had lied to him for years. Their relationship was over.

After Roxanne left, Bruce punched the bed, his eyes bloodshot. He was furious. "All these years, I've been wrong!" he thought.

Clack! He pulled out his IV, donned his hospital gown, and left the ward.

"Mr. Everett, your IV isn't finished! Where are you going?"

"Get out of my way!"

The nurses didn't dare stop him; bodyguards quickly followed.

"My car keys!" he demanded.

The bodyguards were shocked. He'd just been in an accident. "The keys!" he repeated.

"All right…"

"Don't follow!"

Bruce sped off in his Bentley. He arrived at Joanna's house.

Knock, knock.

"Who is it?" Joanna called, mumbling, "Who's knocking at this hour?"

Knock, knock, knock.

Joanna, recently asleep, awoke.

"Talia, see who's at the door."

Davian and Irvin were in Venturas with Miranda and Anne. Only Joanna, Lilia, and Talia were home.

Talia went to the door. "It's late. Who is it?"

"Open up! It's the property manager! Gas leak!"

Thinking there was a gas leak, Talia opened the door.

A tall man, radiating a cold aura, stood there.

"You're not from property management, are you?"

Bruce barged in. "Where's Joanna?"

Joanna, clutching an abdominal wound, staggered out. "Who is it?"

Seeing Bruce, she was startled. He seemed like a persistent ghost.

"Bruce, what do you want?"

"I…" He took a few steps forward, unable to speak.

Joanna frowned. "Why are you barging in at this hour?"

"Joanna, I…" He embraced her.

"Ouch! Let go!"

(The final sentence "Send" is unclear and has been omitted.) The promotional text for FindNovel.net has also been removed as it is not part of the story.