Chapter 563
Ross’ face darkened the moment he saw Emma’s name flashing on the screen.
Danielle nudged his waist with her foot. “Who is it?”
He turned to her, still holding the phone. “Emma.”
At the sound of that name, Danielle’s mood immediately soured. “Give me the phone.”
Ross had been planning to deal with Emma properly tomorrow. Tonight, his priority was Danielle. The last thing he wanted was to leave a rift between them over this.
“Just ignore her, alright?” he said gently.
Danielle smirked. “You really don’t get it. If she hears me answering your call, what do you think she’s gonna do?”
Ross couldn’t help but laugh. “Go ahead then.”
Danielle leaned her head on his shoulder and hit the answer button.
Emma’s voice came through right away, anxious and pleading. “Ross, I swear I had nothing to do with what happened to Ms. Shelly. You have to believe me. I had no idea any of that would happen.”
She paused, sounding on the verge of tears. “I’m so worried about her. Do you have any news? Is she okay?”
Danielle rolled her eyes.
Just then, Ross pinched her waist, fingers trailing with the confidence of someone who knew exactly where he was going.
She jolted slightly, almost letting a sound slip.
Emma must have heard nothing but Ross’ heavier breathing on the other end. Confused, she asked, “Ross? Are you alright?”
Danielle answered for him, her tone deliberately sweet. “He’s doing just fine.”
Emma froze. The voice on the line wasn’t Ross’. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes widened in disbelief.
Danielle wanted to sound more menacing, but her voice betrayed her calm. “Ms. Holland,” she said coolly, “thank you so much for your concern. As for what happened tonight… we’ll be seeing you tomorrow to settle things properly.”
And with that, she hung up.
Emma sat there, stunned. Her rage quickly dissolved into panic.
Jason was supposed to have taken Danielle out of the city. She never thought Danielle would be found so quickly.
Everything had gone according to plan. It was airtight. So where had it all gone wrong?
Outside, the night was thick and still. For the first time, she was afraid of what tomorrow would bring.
In the bathroom, Danielle gave Ross a playful punch. “Out. I’m taking a shower.”
Ross leaned against the doorframe with a grin. “Too late. I’m already in. Let’s just shower together.”
After returning from the Kingdom of Xyperia, Shermaine and Joshua came back to Riverswood Villa for the first time in a while.
Chapter 563
The lights were on, casting a warm glow through the familiar space. It had been a long time since they’d stayed there, but nothing about the place felt distant or unfamiliar. Instead, it felt like coming home.
Shermaine picked up Joshua’s phone and called Owen.
When he heard she was back in Basterel with Joshua, he said warmly, “Alright, got it. I’ll let your grandmother know. You two just enjoy your evening. Have some quality time together. Gracie is in good hands with us. I’ll leave you to it.”
And just like that, the call ended.
Shermaine let out a helpless little laugh.
Owen hadn’t said anything outright, but it was painfully obvious that he was already dreaming about grandchild number two.
She set the phone down.
From the bathroom came the sound of running water. Joshua was in the shower now.
She had showered first and was now lying on the bed in her bathrobe, chin propped on her hand, waiting.
Ten minutes later, Joshua stepped out, wearing a black silk robe, his hair still dripping wet.
Shermaine watched him, eyes gleaming with amusement. “So tell me, darling. How exactly should I cheer you up?”
The most straightforward approach would’ve been to just pull him into bed, but judging by the look on his face, that wasn’t what he had in mind.
She’d even considered if once wasn’t enough, then twice.
Joshua handed her a towel. “Dry my hair.”
She took it without hesitation. She’d done it enough times to know the routine.
He pulled her onto his lap as she got to work.
Once she’d towel-dried it, she tossed the cloth aside and reached for the hair dryer. When she was done, she looked at him and asked, “Now what?”
Joshua’s hair was slightly tousled, a few strands falling across his eyes.
Shermaine made a mental note that he needed a trim tomorrow.
She was still mid-thought when he suddenly pulled her under the covers with him.
The light went out. He lay beside her, wrapping himself around her tightly.
“Sleep,” he murmured, eyes already closed.
Shermaine laughed softly and wrapped her arms around his waist. “That’s it?”
“Mhm,” came his quiet reply. He hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep in over days. As he held her now, exhaustion settled in quickly.
Work had been brutal, full of long nights. And with Shermaine gone, even when he did manage to close his eyes, rest never really came.
It was just like those nights in Xyperia when they were apart. Every time he lay down, sleep became impossible.
Only now, with her in his arms, did peace return.
Shermaine’s hand rested gently at his waist as she whispered with a smile, “Sleep tight. Good night.”
Joshua pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Good night, Sheary.”
Chapter 563
Emma hadn’t slept a wink. She’d spent the night waiting in her hotel room, checking the time again and again. It was close to ten when Row finally showed up.
Earlier that morning, around seven, Ross had woken Danielle. She’d been exhausted after the night before, but the moment he mentioned registering their marriage, she instantly perked up.
Her dressing room was overflowing with outfits. She tried on one after another until she finally settled on a dress. After putting on her makeup, simple but elegant, she headed out with Ross to City Hall.
Even though they arrived early, the line was already long. They joined the queue like everyone else.
Danielle leaned on Ross, yawning as she rested her eyes. By the time they made it to the front, her mind was still a little foggy.
When Emma saw them walk in side by side, her hands, resting on her lap, clenched so tightly her nails dug into her skin.
Danielle spoke first, her tone casual, “Sorry, we’re late. Getting the marriage license took longer than expected. You didn’t wait too long, did you?”
Emma didn’t respond, but the storm brewing in her eyes said everything.
Danielle gave her a slow, sultry smile. “Disappointed to see me? Thought I’d be gone for good, didn’t you?” Her tone shifted, turning icy. “Ms. Holland, you’re clever. A great actress too. But starting today, you’re out of the game.”
Emma snapped. She lunged, aiming for Danielle’s face.
Danielle usually didn’t bother with makeup for work, maybe a little lip balm. But today, even with the lightest touch of makeup, her beauty was undeniable, impossible to ignore.
Ross had seen it coming. He moved fast, kicking the wheelchair hard.
It rolled forward and slammed into the sofa. Emma lost balance, slipped off the seat, and hit the floor. With no use of her legs, she couldn’t get up.
Ross looked down at her, his face expressionless. “You should’ve never touched her. Yes, you saved me once. I owed you. But over the years, I’ve more than repaid that debt. The money, the house? Do you think you could’ve earned any of that on your own?”
Emma’s voice cracked as she broke down. “You think that makes us even? I never wanted those things. I wanted you!”
Ross didn’t even blink. “Then I wish you’d never saved me in the first place.” His voice was cold, final. “Starting now, I owe you nothing.”
Two men stepped forward, lifted Emma back into the wheelchair, and rolled her out.
Ross had made up his mind. Emma would be sent away, and once she was gone, she wasn’t coming back.
Last night, the internet exploded with news of Joshua’s unexpected appearance.
It all started when a wealthy socialite snapped a photo and posted it on Twitter, captioned: [Who said Mr. York is dead? Two years later, and he still commands the room like a king.]
The post went viral overnight, and by morning, it was trending.
The truth was, they’d never died.
They’d clarified the rumors back then, but no one wanted to believe it. The lie was simply more exciting.
Now that Joshua has made a surprise comeback, it was only natural that people were turning their attention to Shermaine.
Chapter 563
The Jean Group’s official account was bombarded with tags and mentions.
After a long silence, they finally posted a photo with a cheeky caption. [Just got this clip from Ms. Leanne. Your queen Shermaine is out in the countryside… feeding sheep.]
Fans rushed to open the image. It was a breathtaking shot of a vast pasture, endless green stretching beneath a sky so blue it looked surreal.
In the middle of it all stood Shermaine, effortlessly elegant, holding a bundle of hay while a flock of sheep gathered obediently at her feet, waiting to be fed.
She hadn’t been seen publicly in ages. The moment her fans saw the video, emotions ran high. Some were genuinely tearing up.
Shermaine was as radiant and captivating as ever.
Toward the end of the clip, she looked a little tired. She called out, and within seconds, a sleek robot rolled into the frame to take over. It moved gracefully, picking up the hay and continuing the job as if it had been trained by Shermaine herself.
Everyone was curious about where this place was, and many hoped they might have a chance to run into Shermaine there.
After the initial excitement settled, some of Roy’s fans began to speak up. Since both Joshua and Shermaine had returned, they were eager to know when Roy would come back as well.
His disappearance had never been a secret.
Desperate for answers, fans started tagging Henry, Ross, and every known friend of Roy’s, trying to dig up even the smallest lead on where he might be.
But there was still nothing.
Meanwhile, in Ustrana, Molly was buried in work. A cigarette dangled from one hand, her phone in the other, Twitter open. Her hair was still short and sharp, her crimson lips bold. There was something wild about her look, fierce, but undeniably feminine.
Smoke curled around her, adding to the mix of allure and weariness that clung to her like perfume.
She exhaled slowly, eyes fixed on the screen, and thought to herself, ‘Shermaine’s back. Joshua’s back. Roy… where the hell are you?’