"Mom, who told you that?" Jerome demanded angrily. "The person who saved me was Joanna. Natalie probably doesn''t even know how to open a car door. How could she have rescued me?" He was furious. Sebastian must have been feeding his mother more lies.


    Wendy sighed. Just as she expected, he didn''t believe her.


    "Mom, Natalie has fooled you again. She''s nothing but apulsive liar."


    As the words left his mouth, a sharp p echoed in the air.


    Wendy''s eyes were filled with disappointment.


    Jerome was stunned. "Mom, you hit me? You hit me for Natalie.”


    "Just go," Wendy said, her voice devoid of energy. "And you''d better not repeat a single word of what I just told you to Joanna. If you do, she''ll probably try to kill herself again just to ''prove'' she was the one who saved you, and that would just break your heart, wouldn''t it?"


    “I''m not going up. Thepany is on the verge of copse. I have to go back and work."


    With her head down, Wendy walked away.


    Jerome stood frozen. Thepany is going bankrupt? How is that possible?


    He thought about how his mother had been leaving early anding homete recently, and a sense of dread washed over him. He had to get his brother back, that lovesick fool, to help their mother run thepany. As irrational as he was about love, he was a genius when it came to business. He couldn''t let his mother carry this burden alone.


    Jerome touched his stinging cheek, feeling a sense of disbelief. His own mother had hit him for Natalie. The thought pained him.


    He made his way to the hospital room, carrying a bag filled with Joanna''s favorite dishes.


    "Joanna, you can''t keep doing this. What would we do if something happened to you?" Jerome said as he set the food on the table.


    Tears welled in her eyes. "Natalie framed me, and now Sebastian misunderstands me too. He doesn''t want me anymore. What''s the point of living?"


    A murderous look shed across Jerome''s face. Natalie is such a jinx.


    "Don''t worry, Joanna. Aside from the livestream, none of the other reports will be published. The reporters have already been taken care of, and they won''t dare reveal who hired them."


    Jerome he was enabling her cruelty, but in his mind, it was


    justified. Natalie deserved it.


    Joanna let out a sigh of relief. With his help, she had nothing to fear.t hurt to have lost Sebastian''s trust, but she was confident she could wan him back after she was discharged.


    Sebastian, she thought with a cold smile, next time, I''ll give you the strongest aphrodisiac and see if you can resist me then.


    "Joanna, eat something."


    Jerome adjusted the overbed table and ced her lunch on it.


    When Joanna saw all her favorite foods, her mood instantly lifted. She beamed at him, her smile bright and charming. "You''re the best to me. These are all my favorites."


    Jerome handed her a fork. "Silly girl, who else would I be good to? Now eat. After you''re done, we can go home."


    "Okay," she replied, lowering her eyes


    to hide the cold glint within them. Her original n had been to lure Natalie here for a blood transfusion, which would have made Natalie hate Sebastian for good. She knew Sebastian would have forced Natalie to do anything for her sake.


    But the n had failed. Neither of them had taken the bait.


    Joanna''s thoughts drifted to Wendy. "Mom still hasn''te to see me," she said sadly. "Does she not love me anymore?"