Chapter 303: Chapter 302

866 words

<html><head></head><body>Joanna hugged me tightly. "No need to say more, I know we're good friends." "I really hope you find happiness. Now that Ronnie's done this, we'll help you figure out how to get out of it, just like you helped me back then. But I just want you to stay strong..." I don't even remember how I walked out of the lounge. All I know is that when Joanna pulled me, she said, "I already know. You should go now, I need some time alone." From her voice, I could tell she was on the verge of breaking down. I knew staying there wouldn't help. When I told her the harsh truth, she needed time to process it. At the lounge door, I felt utterly exhausted, rubbing my temples as I leaned against the wall. Savannah quickly supported me, glancing cautiously at the door. "How did it go? Did you tell her everything?" she asked. I nodded. "Yeah, I told her everything. She needs some time to process." Savannah was stunned. "I was so anxious waiting outside. It felt like only ten minutes from start to finish, and you already talked it all out." Savannah seemed incredulous. Ten minutes... I was surprised too, but I felt so drained, leaning against her for support. I never imagined telling Joanna the whole truth would be this hard. "Yeah, it only takes ten minutes to explain something, but we wasted so much time before..." I couldn't help but cry as I spoke. At that moment, Savannah and I heard muffled sobs from the lounge. Joanna must be feeling so devastated. I couldn't fully understand her feelings, but I remembered the pain when I found out Brandon wanted to hurt me... I shivered. I felt like the bad guy today. Savannah patted my hand. "Actually, while you were talking, I got a message from Simon." "He tried to reach you but you didn't respond, so he asked me to pass it on." Her words distracted me. "Any new developments?" Savannah showed me the messages. Simon said Maeve had left Suncrest City recently, apparently busy with something else. [I'm telling you this so you can be at ease for now. I'll look into what she's up to.] Reading the message, I felt a bit uneasy. "So that's why Ronnie was suddenly so attentive to Joanna today..." Maeve really wasn't in Suncrest City! Thinking about it made me angry. "I feel relieved after telling her, but I regret not saying it sooner!" "Don't dwell on it, Caroline. Things are what they are now." Savannah tried to comfort me. "We can't do much else but be there for Joanna and help her through this." I felt exhausted. Talking about it left me feeling overwhelmed. Just as I was about to say something, we heard footsteps. Savannah and I looked up to see Royce walking towards us in a sharp suit. His deep eyes looked straight at me. The tailored suit fit him perfectly, like it was made just for him. Seeing him, I felt a surge of emotion. "Royce..." I realized my voice was still shaky and tearful. Royce's expression softened, his eyes full of concern. Savannah quickly said, "I'll go help Kathy..." Royce nodded. "Thanks." "No problem. It's what I should do." She gave me a worried look. "Don't overthink it. Let's focus on work for now." As Savannah left, I stared at Royce. My pent-up emotions found an outlet. "Royce, did you come just for me?" "I heard from Kathy that you were planning to tell Joanna about Ronnie's affair." Royce briefly explained, then pulled me into his arms. In his warm embrace, I took a deep breath. His hold was strong and comforting, his hand gently patting my back. Tears blurred my vision. "I didn't expect it to be this hard to tell her..." "Seeing Joanna's face, I thought she was going to break down. But I couldn't take back my words..." He gently patted my back, his other hand soothing my head. "I know, I know." Royce comforted me sincerely. "I know it's hard for her to accept." Royce said our experiences were different. When I found out about Brandon's betrayal, I discovered it myself and had time to prepare. But Joanna was different. From start to finish, we found out everything, and now we were just informing her. As we talked, the lounge door opened. Joanna, with tear-streaked cheeks, said firmly, "I'm going home to handle some things." "I can't attend the custom meeting, please let Kathy know." I wanted to persuade Joanna to stay and distract herself, but seeing her determined expression, I knew she had important things to do. She must have thought a lot in that short time. I nodded and hugged her. "Joanna, I know you're hurting and have a lot to do... But remember, don't act on impulse. Especially with Ronnie, gather evidence to protect yourself in the divorce." Joanna nodded. "I know." Her eyes, though washed with tears, were bright. "Thank you for telling me. Otherwise, I'd still be in the dark." Joanna said a few more words, glanced at Royce and me, then said, "I'm heading back. You guys take care." </body></html>