chapter34


    “Do you want me to help you?”


    Romina was a little surprised: “Huh?”


    Joaquin suddenly walked over to her, stopping right in front of


    her.


    He said he wanted to help her?


    How was he going to help?


    Just as Romina was wondering about this, the man bent down


    slightly and scooped her up in his arms.


    Romina’s heart leapt into her throat: “Mr. Bowman, isn’t this a


    bit inappropriate?”


    “What’s so inappropriate about it?” The man’s narrow eyes


    lifted slightly at the corners. “Aren’t we about to get divorced?”


    The implication was clear: since they were about to divorce,


    nothing really mattered anymore.


    Yet, even in such a situation, Romina’s heart was racing.


    After all, he was Joaquin!


    Jericho’s uncle.


    She and Jericho weren’t divorced yet, so technically, she should


    still call him ‘Uncle Joaquin.’


    The man seemed to sense her nervousness and decided to get


    things over with quickly.


    He picked her up, swiftly crossed over the railing, and set her


    down gently.


    Romina had just been worrying, wondering if he would be able


    to make it over.


    To her surprise, it was effortless for Joaquin.


    He set her down quickly, the height was just right, and she


    When she nced back at him, a hint of gratitude flickered in


    her eyes. “Thank you, Mr. Bowman.”


    The man quickly withdrew his hand and pointed toward the


    main door. “If you don’t go out now, your son is going to break


    the door down.”


    Only then did Romina notice that the knocking at the door was


    growing more and more intense.


    She didn’t have time to say anything more and quickly turned


    around, heading toward the door.


    Joaquin watched her departing figure, the corners of his lips


    curving into a faint smile he could barely suppress.


    When Romina opened the main door, she saw Kashton and


    Lenora standing there together.


    “Mom, I’ve been knocking for so long. Why did it take you so


    long to open the door?”


    Kashton looked at her with a hint of displeasure in his eyes.


    At that moment, the door to the room next door was opened


    from the inside.


    “I drank too muchst night and slept like a log…”


    Romina had barely finished speaking when she met a pair of


    shadowy eyes behind them.


    When Joaquin met her gaze, the corners of his lips lifted in a


    half-smile.


    Lenora heard themotion behind her and immediately


    turned around.


    When she saw Joaquin, she greeted him proactively. “Joaquin


    is awake too.”


    “Good morning, Lenora.”


    Joaquin greeted her in a low, somber voice, then strode toward


    the stairs.


    “Where’s Dad? Isn’t he up yet? I’m going to bete for school.


    Are you taking me today, or is Dad?”


    “Your dad isn’t here. He went outst night.”


    Hearing her child’s voice, Romina instinctively withdrew her


    gaze, looking at him with a cold expression.


    “What did you say? Jericho didn’t sleep herest night?”


    Lenora was about to speak when another shocked voice cut her


    off.


    Romina looked up and met a pair of cold, piercing eyes.


    At some point, Hayden hade down from the third floor


    and was now standing at the end of the corridor.


    He had already overheard their conversation.


    Romina couldn’t help but furrow her brows.


    She hadn’t expected Hayden to catch everything.


    “He had something to dost night and went out.”


    “That bastard…”


    Hayden looked exasperated, mming his cane heavily on the


    floor.


    His aged face was flushed with anger.


    “Is Kash awake?”


    At that moment, a deep voice suddenly came from downstairs.


    It was Jericho.


    He had probablye back to take the child to school.


    Romina nced at Hayden, seeing the old man turn angrily and


    head downstairs.


    It looked like this morning wouldn’t be peaceful either…


    When Romina reached the dining table, she saw Hayden


    angrily scolding Jericho. “Where were youst night? Why


    didn’t you stay home and rest?”


    Joaquin, meanwhile, was sitting beside Hayden, about to have


    breakfast.


    “I got a work call in the middle of the night, so I had to go take


    care of it. I was busy untilte, so I just rested over there…”


    As soon as he finished speaking, a cold smile appeared on


    Romina’s face.


    So, to him, meeting Nadine counted as work?


    Hayden’s face grew even more furious, his voice rising a notch.


    “Is work more important than spending time with your wife?


    No wonder Romi is demanding a divorce. If you treat her like


    this, who wouldn’t want to leave you?”


    “After she went upstairsst night, she locked me out and


    wouldn’t let me in. Since I had work to do, I just left.”


    As Jericho said this, he shot Romina an annoyed look, his eyes


    full of anger.