Chapter 1323

Joe tossed his phone aside and returned to the bathroom.

Rosa tossed and turned, unable to sleep. She hadn't had a decent night's rest in days. After the party, she'd planned to talk with Joe, but he'd unexpectedly left for a business trip lasting several days. During that time, he'd vanished. She'd resisted contacting him, but he hadn't reached out either.

The situation remained tense. Today, her anxiety became unbearable. After considering her options, she called Calvin.

"Ms. Reese?" Calvin answered.

"Is Mr. Sowle very busy these days?" she asked bluntly.

"Yes, Mr. Sowle has been very busy lately, leaving early and returning late. Some partnership issues have caused complications," Calvin replied.

Relieved to hear he was genuinely occupied, Rosa sighed. "When will you all be done and back?"

"We've wrapped everything up today, so we'll return tomorrow."

A flicker of joy surged through Rosa. "Great! I just called to check on Mr. Sowle's whereabouts. Please don't mention this to him."

Calvin hesitated. "Understood."

After hanging up, Rosa felt she could finally breathe. She'd feared Joe would abandon everything to return to Jipsburg with Skylar. While waiting for Joe, she'd researched Skylar, who'd been living with Joe's grandmother in Murida for over three years. The thought of Skylar was troubling enough; Joe's grandmother added to her anxiety. Competing with Skylar for Joe's attention was difficult, and now there was the added challenge of an elderly woman, likely nearing the end of her life.

Just as relief washed over her, anxiety returned. If this matter weren't resolved, she'd never sleep soundly again. She had to confront both problems directly. She wanted to make them understand the folly of their actions and, ideally, force them to leave Murida and disappear from her life for good.

In the Jipsburg hospital, Maisy woke in a haze, disoriented. For a moment, she couldn't tell dream from reality. Her nightmare involved being mercilessly beaten, unable to scream for help. She'd begged for mercy, but her assailants hadn't seemed to hear. In contrast, reality felt oddly comfortable. She seemed to be lying in a soft bed, as if still the cherished daughter of the Williams family.

However, as she regained her senses, she smelled antiseptic—the unmistakable scent of a hospital. "Hospital? Am I in a hospital? Did they bring me here? They haven't killed me?" she thought.

She struggled to get out of bed, but realized she couldn't move. Her legs and hands were immobile. Panic washed over her as she remembered her seemingly severed hands. She turned her head, saw the thick bandages, and glanced at her legs, feeling a surge of terror. She pondered what had happened to her hands and legs.