Brian finally set the phone down and reached out trying to pull Judy into his arms to whisper something more personal.


    But Judy smoothly deflected with a light tone. “Since I’m not going abroad anymore, I’ve got a lot to sort through here.”


    She couldn’t just leave everything hanging.


    There were things she had to take care of.


    Brian thought it over and agreed, so he didn’t push further.


    But after a while, he started to feel that something was off.


    At first, Judy had reacted so strongly, and now she seemed almost too calm.


    It was as if she was certain someone woulde to rescue her.


    Brian sensed something wasn’t right but couldn’t quite figure out what.


    After all, Judy really did look busy, like she was seriously canceling her ns to leave.


    It didn’t seem like she was joking.


    He stayed close to her side, watching her every move.


    Meanwhile, on the other side, Joseph stared at the message on his screen, seething with rage.


    He flung the phone onto the bed, his chest rising and falling with fury.


    Fine. Very fine.


    He was sick now, and Judy hadn’t evene by to check on him.


    He’d made his feelings clear. What else did she need?


    Hire a caretaker?


    What a joke. If he needed a nurse, would he have texted Judy himself?


    The injury had happened because he went looking for someone at Walton Corporation.


    As for that nonsense about falling down the stairs–Joseph didn’t believe a single word of it.


    He knew exactly what kind of person he was.


    Drinking himself into a state like that?


    It never happened.


    Lying on the hospital bed, Joseph stared at the spotless white ceiling, fragmented thoughts. flickering through his mind.


    He only remembered that before cking out, he had been having dinner with Aurora Walton.


    They were discussing something, but he couldn’t recall the rest.


    Every time he tried to dig deeper, a sharp pain would shoot through his head.


    As he held his temples in frustration, a caretaker entered the room.


    She was older, and the moment she saw him lying in bed, she hello. I’m the caregiver Miss Moore arranged for you.


    ve a polite bow. “Mr. Hunt,


    “If you need anything, just let me know. I’ve got cot here in the room–I can stay with you full–time.”


    Joseph’s expression turned dark.


    He looked at the plump older woman and felt a wave of displeasure rise inside him.


    He had hoped his wife woulde take care of him.


    Instead? He got this.


    She sent someone even older than his mother.


    Joseph felt another wave of headache.


    He had no idea what was going through Judy’s mind.


    He pulled out his phone, about to text her, but the moment he saw her cold, decisive words from earlier, he changed his mind.


    He wasn’t about to message her again.


    He’d already lowered his pride once.


    He was the heir to Hunt Enterprises–he had a reputation to maintain.


    Groveling too many times would make him look pathetic.


    Joseph couldn’t deny that Judy was slipping further and further from his grasp.


    And he hated that feeling.


    But at the moment, he didn’t know how to turn things around.


    All he could do was cling to her–make sure her world stayed filled with him.