Natalie might say she didn''t care, but deep down, she did.


    Horace smiled. "Of course, Miss. I''ll call you as soon as I find him."


    Joanna said, “Before you go, check the hospital I went to. He might be there taking care of Jerome. And while you''re there, see if Jerome''s surgery was a sess."


    Horace replied, "Understood."


    Joanna took a deep breath and looked at Maxwell Griffith. "Maxwell, the New Year is almost here. This year, we can finally spend it together.”


    Maxwell gently pulled her into his arms. “Joanna, we''ve known each other since we were kids. You''ve been by my side all these years. It''s because of you that I am where I am today."


    "I will be with you for the New Year."


    Joanna pressed her lips together, smiling gently.


    She hadn''t gotten everything she wanted, but she had gotten the love she wanted.


    "Maxwell, I know I''ve done things to wrong you in the past, but now that we''re together, it''s time to clean up the women around you."


    Now that he was back, she wouldn''t care about other men anymore.


    Maxwell''s eyes flickered. "Alright! I understand. Let''s go. Don''t work today, go home and rest."


    Joanna was tired. Physically and mentally exhausted.


    But what she didn''t know was that Maxwell Griffith was only using her as a pawn.


    She said softly, "Okay."


    Just as they were about to leave, Joanna''s phone rang. Seeing it was her mother, a cold light shed in Joanna''s eyes. Whenever her mother called, it was never good news.


    "Hello?"


    “Joanna, it''s terrible! Your brother''spany overseas was acquired! Hispany was reported for tax evasion, the stock plummeted, and he lost a ton of clients overnight. The shareholders have all turned against him."


    "Your brother''spany is finished."


    Sophia shouted frantically.


    "What?" Joanna stumbled back a step.


    Maxwell caught her, preventing her from falling.


    "What happened?! How could thepany just disappear like that?" Joanna yelled, agitated.


    That useless Alexander... did hee back because hispany was in trouble?


    "Wait, why did he suddenlye back? Find out if he came back because thepany was in trouble."


    Joanna felt like she was about to copse. This string of unforeseen events was overwhelming.


    "I don''t know Your brother just got


    the call and came running to me,


    crying. Joanna, you have to think of something! That''s a billion-dorpany! It was built with the


    fortune I bled from Nathan over the years, all to ensure your brother had a gilded life abroad."


    "Now it''s all gone. He left half an hour ago, I don''t know if he''s going to find you, sob..."


    Sophia was sobbing uncontrobly.


    Furious, Joanna just hung up the phone.


    She leaned against Maxwell. Useless. They were all useless.


    Years of hard work, destroyed overnight.


    That useless Alexander... he always talked about how well he was doing. How could he go bankrupt overnight?


    As Joanna was thinking, the door to her office was thrown open.


    Alexander''s portly figure rushed in Looking at Joanna, his voice was


    thick with tean you have


    to save me mypany is finished."


    Before Joanna could speak, he mistook Maxwell for Sebastian, grabbing his hand and begging, "Mr. Griffith, know you''re very capable. You''re my future brother-inw, you have to help me get mypany back. You''ll help me, right?"