《My Secret Billionaire Husband》 Chapter 1 - 1 1 Have you seen my fiance ?1: Chapter 1: Have you seen my fiance? 1: Chapter 1: Have you seen my fiance? Closia. R&C Hotel. Tonight, one of Closia¡¯s noble families, the Parfitt family, is hosting a banquet here. Although the Lawrence family¡¯s influence has declined, Joanna Lawrence still attends the party with her fiance, David Benington, as the fiancee of the young master of Benington Group. It¡¯s midsummer. The Gardenias downstairs are in full bloom, and a breeze brings up wafts of their fragrance. Having had a bit too much to drink, Joanna Lawrence stands on the balcony outside the hall, soaking up the breeze for a while before her head starts to clear. Upon returning to the hall, she doesn¡¯t see David Benington. Annie Lawrence, who had apanied them, is also nowhere to be found. She searches everywhere, takes out her phone and calls David, but he doesn¡¯t answer after a long time. She then calls Annie¡¯s phone, but again nobody picks up after a long time. Joanna Lawrence looks down at her phone, her face slightly changing. She suddenly recalls that when David came to pick her up at the Lawrence house earlier tonight, she had gone downstairs after changing clothes, only to see David and Annie talking intimately on the sofa, sitting very close to each other. Annie even stretched out her arm to embrace David¡¯s arm. Thinking of this, her face turns a little pale. She asks a waiter, ¡°Excuse me, have you seen my fiance? His surname is Benington, and this is his photo.¡± Joanna Lawrence turns the photo she took of David on her phone for the waiter to see. The waiter takes a nce and looks up at her with a somewhat strange expression, seemingly tinged with pity, ¡°Are you referring to this gentleman? I believe I saw him heading that way.¡± * In the hotel courtyard. Under arge tree by the swimming pool. Warm lighting casts a faintyer upon the ground, as a familiar pair of entwined figures embrace beneath the tree. ¡°David¡­¡± The woman¡¯s voice is soft, gentle, and seductive, her delicate white arms wrapped around the man¡¯s neck, as she nestles against him like a vulnerable little bird. The man seems somewhat wary, ncing around before pushing her away a little. But the woman quickly closes the distance again. ¡°David, why did you push me away¡­¡± As David looks over in Joanna¡¯s direction, she quickly steps behind cover. She hears David say, ¡°Annie, you said you had a surprise for me earlier, what is it?¡± Annie¡¯s voice is as sweet as honey, tinged with a hint of shyness, speaking softly, ¡°David, I¡¯m pregnant.¡± For a moment, Joanna Lawrence feels as if struck by lightning. She stares wide-eyed with shock, her face turning deathly pale in an instant. ¡°What?!¡± David looks equally surprised, ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°David, I¡¯m pregnant!¡± Annie rushes into his arms, hugging him with a face full of happiness, ¡°I¡¯m carrying our baby. You¡¯ll be a father soon, are you happy?¡± David lowers his head, his face a mix of astonishment and furrowed brows, ¡°When did this happen?¡± ¡°About a month ago.¡± Annie leans against David, lifts her head slightly, and casts a nce toward where Joanna is hiding. With a subtle curl of her lips, a cold glint in her eyes, and a provoking hint of a smile, she continues, ¡°That day, when Joanna went to the film crew for shooting, we did it on the bay window at your ce.¡± A month ago, when she went for the film shooting? Joanna Lawrence¡¯s body sways, and she feels a sudden wave of dizziness. That bay window at David¡¯s house¡­ She used to love lying there reading books. At the thought of this, her stomach churns. Annie says something else, but Joanna can¡¯t make out a single word. Her mind goes nk. After a while, she suddenly hears David say, ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s time to head back. We¡¯ve been away too long, she might get suspicious.¡± Chapter 2 - 2 2 Prepared a gift for you ?2: Chapter 2: Prepared a gift for you 2: Chapter 2: Prepared a gift for you After their intimate moment, they turned around and headed back to the hall. Joanna¡¯s face was pale, and her heart felt like it had been torn open. With teary eyes, she looked up and saw David walking towards her with his arm around Annie¡¯s waist. Seeing theming closer, she panicked and turned around to run away. * Joanna felt dazed, unsure if it was the alcohol¡¯s aftereffect, but she began to feel dizzy. As she ran, she saw several tall and sturdy men in ck suits approaching her. She identally bumped into one of them. About to apologize, she was grabbed by the man who said, ¡°It¡¯s her. We found her. Take her away!¡± What does he mean by ¡°it¡¯s her¡±? Did they get the wrong person? Joanna struggled a bit, trying to resist, but she had no strength left in her body. Her head grew dizzier, and her consciousness blurred¡­ * Presidential suite floor. The hotel elevator door opened. A remarkably handsome man was surrounded by a group of bodyguards and hotel staff as he stepped out. The man had an overpowering presence, with cold and exquisite facial features. Every part of his face was beyond perfect and difficult to describe. He was at least 6¡¯1¡å tall, with a physique even better than a supermodel walking on the runway! He wore a finely tailored handmade suit with tinum buttons on the cuffs and chest. Under the crystal chandelier¡¯s light, they refracted dazzling, eye-catching brilliance. His ck suit pants wrapped around his straight and long legs. He walked elegantly, and when he reached a room, a bodyguard immediately opened the door for him. The man entered the room, removed his tie from around his neck and casually tossed it into the closet beside him. He had only taken two steps in when his body suddenly felt an unusual heat. With a click, the door was locked from the outside. He paused, frowned, and walked briskly over to the door, trying to pull it open. It wouldn¡¯t open. He pulled two more times, but it still wouldn¡¯t open. The man¡¯s face darkened, and his phone rang at that moment. Caller ID: Yannick Luther. As soon as he answered, a yful male voice from the other side said, ¡°Ashton, we prepared a special gift for you since you just returned. Have you seen it? Do you like it?¡± A hint of anger appeared on the handsome man¡¯s face, his eyes narrowing, and his deep maic voice coldly replied: ¡°What are you doing? Open the door.¡± ¡°No can do. Ashton, Frank and I have a bet tonight. If youe out like this, I¡¯ll lose everything down to my underwear.¡± Another annoying voice came through: ¡°Ashton, I bet you¡¯d hold on. Don¡¯t disappoint me!¡± The man¡¯s face grew darker. After speaking, the call was hung up. He tried calling back, but the other party had already turned off their phone. * Ashton Heath stood outside the bathroom with a gloomy expression. There was the sound of running water inside the bathroom, indicating someone¡¯s presence. His lips curved into a cold and rigid arc. After a moment, he reached out and pushed open the door. He couldn¡¯t help but pause at the sight before him. Chapter 3 - 3 3 Disappear from My Room Immediately ?3: Chapter 3: Disappear from My Room Immediately 3: Chapter 3: Disappear from My Room Immediately The smoke dissipated, and the scene before his eyes gradually became clearer. There was a woman sitting in the bath. She had a stunningly beautiful face, with delicate eyebrows and eyes like a painting, well-defined features, and pale cherry blossom-colored lips. Her eyes seemed to be filled with countless specks of starlight, dazzlingly bright. Even Ashton Heath, who had seen his fair share of beautiful women, was taken aback for a moment. Was this the beauty Yannick Luther and his group had sent to him? This woman was indeed beautiful, but unfortunately, he had no interest in even the most beautiful women. He stood to the side for a moment, a cold smile ying at the corners of his mouth, and said in a cold voice to the woman, ¡°Get out of here on your own, I¡¯ll give you one minute, and disappear from my room immediately.¡± Hearing his voice, the woman slowly lifted her head. Her eyebrows furrowing lightly, she stared at him for a moment before suddenly reaching out. Before Ashton could react, she took hold of his pant leg. Ashton¡¯s body immediately stiffened, his whole body tensing up. He thought he would vomit right away or start itching all over, but after a moment, the expected rejection reaction never happened. Ashton Heath suffered from androphobia. He couldn¡¯t be close to any woman other than his family members. But to his surprise, he didn¡¯t reject this woman¡¯s proximity. His body didn¡¯t produce any adverse reactions. Ashton lowered his head, staring nkly at her with a stunned and surprised look in his deep, dark eyes. Before he could figure it out, the girl had already stood up from the ground, her slender arm around his neck, her delicate face lifted, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his slightly cold thin lips under his shocked gaze. She looked at him with her wet eyes and whispered, ¡°Help me.¡± Chapter 4 - 4 4 Such a phenomenon has never happened before ?4: Chapter 4: Such a phenomenon has never happened before. 4: Chapter 4: Such a phenomenon has never happened before. * The next day. When Joanna Lawrence woke up, she was the only one on the big bed, but there was the sound of watering from the bathroom. She sat at the edge of the bed, clutching the quilt, her mind nk for a few seconds before all her memories returned. Thinking about everything that happenedst night, her face turned pale. As she pondered, the sound of water stopped from the bathroom. Without thinking further, she endured the difort of her body, jumped out of the bed, quickly picked up the clothes on the floor, put them on, and quietly left. * Not long after Joanna left, there was a click, and the bathroom door opened. Ashton Heath walked out of the bathroom. He was wrapped in a bath towel, with broad shoulders, sturdy and muscr chest, narrow waist, and long legs that defied the heavens. Short, wet and messy hair added a carefree touch to his look. He nced carelessly around the room, and when he saw that the messy bed was now empty, he was stunned before his eyes darkened, and he walked to the bedside. He called Denver Lancaster and soon, azy voice came through: ¡°Ashton, this is surprising! You¡¯re actually calling me.¡± Ashton Heath ignored his teasing and said straight: ¡°There was a woman in my roomst night.¡± A moment of silence. ¡°Cough cough cough.¡± The man at the other end of the phone seemed choked, coughing vigorously, ¡°What, what did you say? Ashton, does ¡®stayed¡¯ mean the same as I thought? Did you guys, uh, do that?¡± Ashton Heath: ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡± The man coughed again, as shocked as if the sun had risen from the west, ¡°Damn, weren¡¯t you irritated with women touching you? I remember a woman identally touched you once, and you washed your hands ten times.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± But he wasn¡¯t at all repulsed by the womanst night. Not only was he not repulsed, but he also loved the faint fragrance on her body. He couldn¡¯t help wanting to be close to her. He called Denver Lancaster because he wanted to understand what was wrong with him. ¡°You want to tell me that your problem suddenly got better?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ashton Heath was silent for a few seconds, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, ¡°She seems different from other women. My body doesn¡¯t reject her, and I like it when she¡¯s close to me.¡± This kind of phenomenon had never happened before. ¡°What¡¯s more,¡± Ashton Heath looked down at the messy bed, and after a few seconds of silence, said gravely, ¡°I slept for six hoursst night, didn¡¯t wake up halfway through, and didn¡¯t have that nightmare again.¡± Denver Lancaster on the other side was surprised, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ashton Heath squinted and rubbed his temple, his voice a little hoarse, ¡°If I knew that, I wouldn¡¯t be calling you. I was thinking, could it be rted to her?¡± Denver Lancaster: ¡°The woman who took your virginity?¡± Ashton Heath: ¡°¡­¡± Denver Lancaster teased him for a moment, but quickly put away his yful mood and said seriously, ¡°If you want to know if it¡¯s rted to her, it¡¯s simple. You just need to see her again, right?¡± Ashton Heath: ¡°¡­¡± Denver Lancaster: ¡°Ashton, I¡¯m not joking. If it¡¯s really because of her, then this woman is your savior.¡± Savior? Chapter 5 - 5 5 I Plan to Give Birth to This Child ?5: Chapter 5: I n to Give Birth to This Child 5: Chapter 5: I n to Give Birth to This Child His world had been dark for twenty whole years, and he thought he had be ustomed to the darkness. If he had never experienced light and warmth, he would continue to be ustomed to it. But after being exposed to such beauty, he no longer wanted to return to the darkness. If she really was his savior, this woman, he would have her no matter what. * Joanna Lawrence, dragging her exhausted body, walked out of the hotel. As soon as she stepped out, she received a call from Annie Lawrence. ¡°Joanna,¡± from the other end of the phone, Annie¡¯s voice was soft and gentle, ¡°let¡¯s talk.¡± Joanna clenched her phone tightly, and after taking a deep breath, said coldly, ¡°I have nothing to talk to you about.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Annie chuckled, ¡°and if the matter has to do with Jeremy Lawrence, would you still not want to talk, Joanna?¡± Jeremy Lawrence? Joanna¡¯s face suddenly changed, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Annie, what do you mean?¡± Annie Lawrence, however, did not respond directly, butughed lightly, ¡°Joanna, I¡¯m waiting for you at Radiant Hotel. No show, no breakup.¡± * When Joanna arrived at the restaurant, Annie was already sitting in the private room waiting for her. Her face was adorned with exquisite makeup, she wore a tight little ck dress that entuated her figure, her hair was slightly curled, and when she raised her hand, there was a faint smell of perfume wafting from her. Seeing Joanna, she smiled slightly, her voice gentle, ¡°You¡¯re here, Joanna? Please sit down.¡± Joanna stood by the table, her gaze cold as she looked at her. Annie Lawrence didn¡¯t seem to mind, and calmly and elegantly took out a check from her purse and ced it on the table. ¡°Joanna, here¡¯s ten million dors. I believe this amount of money is enough for you to be worry-free for the rest of your life.¡± She raised her head, her eyebrows and eyes containing a touch of arrogance and a sense of superiority, ¡°I know Jeremy¡¯s illness has been a big burden, and now you can only make money by doing minor roles in the film crew, which is quite tough.¡± ¡°With this money, both you and Jeremy can live a little easier.¡± Joanna looked at the check on the table, her face expressionless. ¡°Joanna, let¡¯s be straightforward and not beat around the bush.¡± Annie Lawrence flicked her lips, stroked her belly, and then said, ¡°Last night, I guess you heard everything. I¡¯m pregnant with David¡¯s child, and I intend to give birth to this child.¡± ¡°Before that, you¡¯ll have to divorce David first. Otherwise, my child with him would be illegitimate.¡± ¡°You know, David is about to take over the Benington Group, and he can¡¯t afford any mistakes at this crucial moment. So, I¡¯d like you to take the initiative and go to the Benington family to propose the dissolution of your engagement.¡± Listening to her say such shameless words, Joanna didn¡¯t even feel particrly angry anymore. Perhaps it was because all her emotions had already been ventedst night. Now, when she heard these words again, all she felt was ridicule and irony. She mocked with a smirk, ¡°Annie, does David know about what you¡¯ve done?¡± Last night, when Annie mentioned her pregnancy, David hadn¡¯t seemed very happy. Obviously, this child was an ident for him. He was about to take over the Benington Group, and before that, he certainly wouldn¡¯t make his rtionship with Annie public. After all, it wasn¡¯t honorable, and it would affect his personal reputation. David must not know about Annie approaching her privately. As expected, Annie¡¯s face immediately changed, her face showing a hint of anger, ¡°Joanna, let go, David loves me. He hasn¡¯t loved you for a long time. If it wasn¡¯t for the engagement arranged by both families since childhood, do you think he would choose you?¡± ¡°Joanna, is it worth it to hold onto a man who doesn¡¯t love you?¡± Chapter 6 - 6 6 Sorry, Joanna ?6: Chapter 6: Sorry, Joanna 6: Chapter 6: Sorry, Joanna Joanna Lawrence¡¯s expression was indifferent. Hearing her utter these shameless words, she became even more calm: ¡°The matters between David Benington and me are not the business of a third party like you.¡± Annie Lawrence¡¯s face stiffened, and became darker. She gritted her teeth: ¡°So, you won¡¯t propose to cancel the engagement voluntarily?¡± Joannaughed coldly: ¡°If you¡¯re talking to me just to discuss this, I¡¯m not interested.¡± Having said that, she turned around to leave. ¡°Stop!¡± Annie stood up, grabbed Joanna¡¯s hand: ¡°Joanna Lawrence, how much money do you want to leave David? If ten million dors is not enough, how about fifteen million dors? Don¡¯t be too greedy. The price I¡¯m offering is already enough¡­¡± ¡°p!¡± Joanna couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. She turned around and pped Annie. Upon the pnding, five bright red finger marks appeared on Annie¡¯s sweet and innocent little face. That p left Annie stunned. She covered her face, looking incredulous. When she came to her senses, she raised her hand to p back. Her gaze suddenly caught a familiar figure outside the door, her face changed abruptly, and she quickly withdrew her hand, stumbling back two steps. Before Joanna could react, she saw Annie looking terrified, as if she had been frightened, her face white as she screamed, ¡°Joanna, I¡¯m sorry, I know I¡¯m wrong. But I really can¡¯t control my feelings. I really love David. Joanna, please forgive me, please don¡¯t hurt my baby.¡± She was about to fall to the ground. With a ¡°bang,¡± the door was pushed open by someone, and a tall figure rushed in: ¡°Annie!¡± The white figure swiftly passed in front of Joanna¡¯s eyes and rushed to Annie¡¯s side like lightning, tightly holding her. ¡°Annie, are you okay?¡± The person who came in was David Benington. Annie leaned weakly against him, raised her head, her eyes full of tears, and called out pitifully, ¡°David.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so scared. Just now, our baby almost¡­¡± As she spoke, her body began to tremble, and tears streamed down her pale face, ¡°David, I know I¡¯m wrong to Joanna. I don¡¯t dare to ask for her forgiveness. It¡¯s okay if she hits me or scolds me, it¡¯s what I owe her. But our baby is innocent, how can she¡­¡± Annie, having just been pped, still had a swollen face. The finger marks hadn¡¯t faded yet. Her teary eyes were also red and swollen. Her face still held an expression of fear, as if she had been badly frightened, and her fragile body trembled in his arms. Seeing her like this, David became even more affectionate towards her. When he looked at Joanna again, his eyes became darker, even containing deep disappointment and disgust, ¡°Joanna, Annie¡¯s baby is just over a month old, and this is the most unstable period. Do you know the consequences of the push you just made if she had really fallen to the ground?¡± ¡°I thought you were always kind and gentle. How can you be so vicious now!¡± ¡°I¡¯m vicious?¡± Joanna¡¯s body swayed, unbelievingly looking at the man standing in front of her. He wore a white shirt and white pants, his face handsome, with a gentle temperament, like a noble young master from a distinguished family. She loved this face for many years. But at this moment, seeing this face again, she felt an unprecedented sense of unfamiliarity. She was his fiancee. They knew each other for a whole decade! But he chose to believe Annie right away. After ten years of affection, was his trust in her just like this? In his eyes, was she, Joanna, really a woman with a vicious heart? Seeing him holding Annie protectively and looking at her with using and dark eyes, her heart cooled, her eyes full of mockery and disappointment, ¡°David, have you forgotten who your fiancee is? And who is the woman you¡¯re holding in your arms?¡± David was stunned for a few seconds. His eyes met Joanna¡¯s sarcastic and sad gaze, and his eyebrows tightened. Finally, a hint of guilt appeared in his eyes, but he still held the woman in his arms tightly, ¡°Sorry, Joanna. Annie is pregnant with my child, and I must be responsible for her.¡± Chapter 7 - 7 7 As you wish, we will break off the engagement ?7: Chapter 7 As you wish, we will break off the engagement 7: Chapter 7 As you wish, we will break off the engagement ¡°Ha.¡± Joanna Lawrence felt like she had heard the biggest joke in the world. ¡°You must take responsibility for her? What about me? David Benington, what am I to you?¡± David tightened his lips, looking down at Annie in his arms, her face pale from fright and her body still trembling. He tightened his arms, holding her securely against him. Annie held onto him as well, looking extremely dependent on him, her soft, weak voice calling out, ¡°David.¡± David patted her head, then looked up at Joanna again. After a long silence, he croaked, ¡°Joanna, I¡¯m sorry. The one I love is Annie. I can¡¯t deceive myself, and I don¡¯t want to deceive you.¡± Hearing his apologies, Joanna¡¯s heart grew colder and more disappointed than ever. Now, she just wanted tough. Because she thought all of it was just a joke. Initially, he said he would share his life with her, never letting her down. He insisted on fulfilling their marriage contract, saying he loved her and wanted to marry her to be his wife. It was also him who said he would only love her in this lifetime. But what about now? What did all these mean? He actually said he fell in love with Annie Lawrence. Joanna¡¯s lips curled up in a mocking smile,ughing out loud, but her eyes were filled with sorrow: ¡°You said you fell in love with Annie Lawrence?¡± David¡¯s eyes flickered, full of guilt, and he couldn¡¯t look her in the eyes anymore. He lowered his gaze and said, ¡°Yes.¡± In his embrace, Annie turned her face, slowly curving her lips into a triumphant smile. She mouthed something without making a sound, but Joanna understood her lipnguage. She said: Sister, I¡¯ve won again. Joanna looked at the two embracing each other, and the disappointment and sorrow in her eyes gradually faded away. A momentter, she nodded, ¡°Alright, David.¡± She looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar face before her, her eyes devoid of any emotion. Coldly, she said word by word, ¡°As you wish, we¡¯ll break off our engagement.¡± David suddenly looked up, ¡°Joanna¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Joanna gave him an icy re, her eyes devoid of warmth. ¡°David Benington, from this moment on, let¡¯s go our separate ways. If we see each other in the future, we¡¯ll be strangers!¡± Facing her icy eyes, as if looking at a stranger, David¡¯s heart inexplicably panicked. It seemed¡­ at this moment, he had lost something important. An empty space emerged in his heart. His heart ached dully. Joanna didn¡¯t look at him again and turned to walk out of the private room. Her steps were resolute, with no trace of attachment. David hadn¡¯t had a chance to think about why his heart ached. His body moved before his brain, and he started chasing after her. ¡°Joanna¡­¡± ¡°David!¡± At this moment, Annie¡¯s painful groan came from behind him, ¡°My stomach suddenly hurts so bad¡­¡± David¡¯s face changed, and he quickly turned around and hurried to her side. He held her, ¡°Annie, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Annie covered her stomach with one hand, her brows furrowed, ¡°My stomach suddenly feels ufortable, it hurts so much. David, is there something wrong with our baby?¡± Hearing that their baby might be in trouble, David¡¯s attention was entirely focused on Annie. He didn¡¯t think about Joanna anymore. Worried, he said, ¡°No, there¡¯s no way. Annie, don¡¯t think too much, our baby must be healthy. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital right away.¡± Joanna reached the door. Hearing themotion, she paused her steps. But then, she quickly went out the door. * Leaving the restaurant. Joanna stood by the side of the street, looking at the bustling road, her mind a bit dazed. Just a week ago, David had taken her to the Benington family. Collin and Mrs. Benington were discussing their wedding date and nning their marriage. At that time, who could have imagined that she and David would break up so soon? Betrayed by her childhood sweetheart, and the one he cheated with was her stepsister, Joanna felt that her life was so messed up, so dramatic! She thought, even if any man could be snatched away by Annie, that person wouldn¡¯t be David. However¡­ Only now did she realize how naive and ridiculous her thoughts were. Reality had pped her in the face, waking her uppletely. Her phone suddenly rang, it was a call from the hospital. She quickly picked up. ¡°Hello.¡± Just saying one word, her face turned pale instantly. Chapter 8 - 8 8 Ashton, Are You Looking for Me ?8: Chapter 8 Ashton, Are You Looking for Me? 8: Chapter 8 Ashton, Are You Looking for Me? * After getting out of the taxi, Joanna Lawrence rushed towards the hospital. She was running so fast and so anxiously that she almost tripped and fell on the ground when climbing the hospital stairs. Not far away, a driver in a parked ck Rolls-Royce saw her hurriedly running into the hospital. After thinking for a moment, he picked up the phone and made a call. After the call, the driver respectfully said, ¡°President Heath.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± On the other end of the phone, a man¡¯s voice was deep, cold, full of texture, like the sound of a low-pitched cello. ¡°Per your instructions, I¡¯ve been following the youngdy, and it seems something has happened at her ce. She just took a taxi to the hospital. Her face doesn¡¯t look good, and she seems very anxious. Do you want me to notify our acquaintances at the hospital?¡± Normally, the driver wouldn¡¯t dare to meddle in such matters. This was the first time President Heath asked him to follow someone, and it was a woman nheless. Moreover, this woman hade out of President Heath¡¯s room just this morning! Based on this alone, she had a unique significance to President Heath. Prior to this, there hadn¡¯t even been a shadow of a woman around him! The man on the other end was silent for a few seconds before saying, ¡°You go over and check.¡± ¡°Yes, President Heath.¡± * At the hospital, outside the Emergency Room. When Joanna arrived, Jeremy was still being treated inside. She waited outside in despair for over an hour before the tightly closed doors of the Operating Room finally opened. Doctors came out one after another. Joanna quickly walked over and anxiously asked the first doctor who came out, ¡°Doctor, how¡¯s my brother?¡± Taking off his mask, the doctor said, ¡°The patient¡¯s vital signs have stabilized, and there¡¯s no immediate risk to his life.¡± Tears streamed down Joanna¡¯s face, ¡°So my brother is safe now, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Thank you, doctor, thank you!¡± Joanna was overjoyed, tears falling onto her pale cheeks one by one. * Sinovision International. CEO¡¯s Office. ¡°President Heath, here are the details about the youngdy who entered your roomst night.¡± Cody Aberton, the CEO¡¯s assistant, ced the newly-investigated information on the desk and respectfully moved aside. A man was sitting in front of the ck desk. The man was wearing a ck dress shirt, the buttons at the cuffs and cor were undone. The buttons on his chest were unbuttoned, revealing an exquisite, sexy corbone. Further down, one could catch a glimpse of even more alluring chest muscles. He lowered his head, flipping through the files Cody had just given him. From this angle, his divinely handsome face still had deep, charming contours, whether it was his high, three-dimensional nose bridge, or his tightly pressed thin, seductive lips. Every part of his face was top-notch, absolutely captivating. His hanging eyshes were long, thick, and curled, an effect many women couldn¡¯t achieve even with multiple coats of mascara. Cody stole a nce at his boss and involuntarily swallowed his saliva. Even as a man himself, he was sometimes stunned by his boss¡¯s beauty. A momentter. The man finished reading the file and looked up. His incredibly handsome face had a very mild expression, and his eyes were cold and detached. ¡°Ashton, you were looking for me.¡± At this point, the office door was pushed open, and another man walked in. Chapter 9 - 9 9 I swear, everything I say is true ?9: Chapter 9: I swear, everything I say is true. 9: Chapter 9: I swear, everything I say is true. The man who walked in was wearing a pink shirt, with his hair done in the currently trendy dirty braids, and a pair of gleaming ck diamond earrings adorned his ears. There was a flicker of nervousness on his strikingly handsome face, looking extremely uneasy. He took a few steps inside and balked when he was about to move forward. He stood slightly forward with his head bowed, about five or six meters away from Ashton Heath. With his hands folded in front of him, he stood like a young schoolboy waiting for his teacher to scold him, ¡°Ashton, I was wrong. I was blinded by my greedst night andmitted such an outrageous act! Ashton, you can hit or yell at me, but please, don¡¯t send me back to the old man.¡± Ashton Heath lifted his head, uttering a silent coldugh, ¡°Grady, you¡¯ve got quite a nerve! For what you didst night, a good beating would be letting you off easy. You deserve to die a hundred times over!¡± ¡°Ashton, I really know I was wrong!¡± Yannick Luther¡¯s handsome face was pale with fear. He walked over to Ashton Heath, suddenly threw himself to the ground, clutched his thigh and broke down, ¡°Ashton, I won¡¯t dare to do it again. Let bygones be bygones, forgive me just this once! Plus, you didn¡¯t lose your chastityst night after all¡­¡± Ashton Heath nced at him distastefully and kicked him away, ¡°Grady, you bettere clean about everyst detail of what happenedst night. Otherwise, I¡¯ll make sure you leave the way you came in ¨C but horizontally this time.¡± Yannick Luther trembled with fear. He continued to sob uncontrobly, then he confessed everything while sobbing and sniffling. After finishing, he pleaded: ¡°Ashton, in consideration of the beauty who had a car ident, forgive me just this once. I swear, I¡¯ll never do this again.¡± Ashton Heath¡¯s expression changed suddenly, his eyes revealing a flicker of surprise, ¡°You said, she had a car ident?¡± ¡°YesYesYes.¡± Yannick Luther would have happily revealed everything about his ancestry now, ¡°She¡¯s still in the hospital.¡± Despite Ashton Heath¡¯s seemingly calm exterior, turmoil raged within him. Grady probably wouldn¡¯t have the nerve to lie anymore. So, if the woman they had arranged got into a car ident, then who was the one who appeared in his room and tangled with him all night? His brows furrowed deeply. Upon seeing this, Yannick Luther was terrified and began sobbing once again, ¡°Ashton, Ashton, I¡¯ve confessed everything. I swear, every word was true, not a single lie!¡± Ashton Heath cast his gaze downward, staring intently at him for a moment, then he kicked him in the leg and said, ¡°Get lost.¡± Yannick Luther scrambled up from the ground as if he had escaped death, turned around, and fled at top speed, ¡°Ok! Ok! Ashton, I¡¯m leaving right away.¡± Before the blink of an eye, his figure had disappeared without a trace. Cody Aberton: ¡°¡­¡± He didn¡¯t know that Yannick Luther was so timid, yet dared to plot against President Ashtonst night. But, from what Yannick just said, it seemed the woman who went into President Ashton¡¯s roomst night was not someone they had arranged, but an outsider? As he was mulling over this, a chill, deep voice resounded in his ears. ¡°Find out who the woman in my room wasst night.¡± ¡°Yes, President Ashton.¡± * Hospital. Jeremy Lawrence awoke. Joanna Lawrence was holding his hand, looking at his pale, wan face and said with concern, ¡°Jeremy, how do you feel? Shall I have the doctore over and take a look at you?¡± ¡°Joanna, I¡¯m fine now.¡± Chapter 10 - 10 10 Hurry up and take Mr ?10: Chapter 10: Hurry up and take Mr. Lawrence to the VIP ward 10: Chapter 10: Hurry up and take Mr. Lawrence to the VIP ward Jeremy¡¯s voice was hoarse, and he struggled to speak: ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± Joanna bit her lips tightly. How could she not worry? Jeremy was now the only family member she cared about in this world. Everything was fine before. But during Jeremy¡¯s twelfth-grade sports day, he suddenly fainted while running. Then, it was discovered that he had Congenital Heart Disease. This illness was very dangerous once it red up. Today, he went into shock, and barely survived. Seeing her worry, Jeremy¡¯s pale lips curled into a faint smile. He patted her hand, feigning rxedness: ¡°I¡¯m really fine, you see, I¡¯m doing well right now, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Jeremy, you¡­¡± Joanna¡¯s eyes reddened, just as she wanted to say something, the door of the hospital room was pushed open. A group of doctors and nurses entered the room. Joanna recognized the man leading them as the Deputy Hospital Director. She looked at the peopleing in, hesitated, and furrowed her eyebrows slightly: ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Ms. Joanna, we¡¯re here to transfer Mr. Lawrence to another room.¡± The Deputy Hospital Director was very polite, even respectful. Joanna was startled again, her heart clenched and her face changed color: ¡°Change rooms? To where?¡± Apparently, the Lawrence family already knew about her break-up with David Benington. Benjamin had always been reluctant to treat Jeremy, thinking Jeremy¡¯s disease was incurable and that spending so much money to live in the hospital was a waste. But he hesitated because she was engaged to David Benington and didn¡¯t want to make things too embarrassing. Now that she and David Benington had broken up, there was no need to worry about appearances anymore. Yes, how realistic indeed. Joanna felt both furious and sad. Sometimes, she really doubted whether she and Jeremy were picked up from the street and Annie was Benjamin¡¯s real daughter. With a courteous tone, the Deputy Hospital Director said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry that Mr. Lawrence had to stay here before. We¡¯ll move him to the VIP ward right away and arrange the most professional medical team to treat him.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the Deputy Hospital Director startedmanding: ¡°Transfer Mr. Lawrence to the VIP ward immediately.¡± Joanna didn¡¯t expect this at all. She widened her eyes in surprise and stared at the Deputy Hospital Director nkly. Lying in the hospital bed, Jeremy also had a puzzled look on his face. He whispered, ¡°Joanna, what¡¯s going on?¡± Joanna blinked her eyes and looked confused: ¡°I have no idea¡­¡± * The conditions of the VIP ward were much better than those of the regr ward. Not only was it one room per person, but it was also a one-bedroom apartment-style hospital room. There were bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a bathroom, all fully equipped. Outside the window was a vast, visually pleasing greenndscape. Instead of the pungent smell of disinfectant, a pleasant, faint floral scent filled the room. ¡°Ms. Joanna, Mr. Lawrence, are you satisfied with the room?¡± the Deputy Hospital Director bowed and respectfully asked. ¡°If there¡¯s anything unsatisfactory, we¡¯ll make adjustments right away.¡± Joanna: ¡°¡­Very satisfied, thank you!¡± The Deputy Hospital Director seemed relieved: ¡°That¡¯s good, we won¡¯t disturb your rest any further. If you need anything, just press the service bell, and someone will be here to assist you.¡± Chapter 11 - 11 11 This is ?11: Chapter 11 This is¡­ the Dean?! 11: Chapter 11 This is¡­ the Dean?! When the Deputy Hospital Director and a group of doctors and nurses left, Jeremy Lawrence looked around, amazed. ¡°Joanna, why have they moved me to such a nice room? Did Ashton arrange this?¡± Jeremy did not yet know that Joanna Lawrence and David Benington had broken up. ¡°It wasn¡¯t him.¡± Joanna frowned in confusion, also unclear about the situation. David had already broken up with her, he couldn¡¯t possibly be this kind-hearted. It was even less likely for Benjamin. This VIP ward seemed very high-end, staying here without doing anything would cost a significant amount of money. No one from the Lawrence family would be willing to pay this much. Then who could it be? Who was so kind-hearted that they would help the two of them out of the blue? Joanna was baffled with this thought. ¡°Knock, knock, knock!¡± A knock on the door suddenly interrupted her thoughts. Joanna went to answer the door. Outside stood a young nurse, who smiled and said, ¡°Ms. Joanna, our Dean would like to discuss your brother¡¯s condition with you. Pleasee with me.¡± Joanna was taken aback, surprise evident in her eyes, ¡°The Dean wants to see me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± * Dean¡¯s Office. The young nurse led her to the door and knocked gently. The office door wasn¡¯t fully closed, half concealed. A pleasant and young voice came from inside, ¡°Come in.¡± Joanna was startled by the unexpectedly youthful voice. She gently pushed open the door. As she walked in, she saw a young man sitting at the desk, who looked to be around 25 years old, with a handsome and mild face, wearing a pair of gold-rimmed sses, the epitome of a refined noble young man. Was this¡­ the Dean?! Joanna was visibly surprised and taken aback. The Dean was that young? She had initially assumed that he would be at least in his fifties or sixties. ¡°Ms. Joanna, hello. Please have a seat.¡± While Joanna was looking at Denver Lancaster with a surprise on her face, Denver Lancaster also looked up to appraise her with interest. Is this the young girl who once had a fling with Ashton Heath? He had to admit, even with her in looks, she was a beauty. Looking at the girl in her twenties, she had very delicate features and her skin was fair and radiant. Even to him, who had seen many beautiful women, she was quite impressive. After appraising her for a moment, he said with a smile, ¡°Ms. Joanna, don¡¯t be nervous. We¡¯re all young, just treat me as a friend.¡± His smile made Joanna feel a bit more rxed. She nodded, also smiling, and sat down. ¡°Dean, I heard you wanted to talk about my brother¡¯s condition?¡± Joanna asked directly, ¡°Has there been a change in Jeremy¡¯s condition?¡± Denver Lancaster picked up the coffee on the table and took a sip, ¡°There has been some change.¡± Joanna immediately became nervous, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°Your brother¡¯s disease should be treated as soon as possible. Because of this bout of illness, he has actually missed the best time for surgery.¡± Joanna¡¯s face changed instantly and her voice trembled, ¡°What do you mean by missing the best time for surgery? Does it mean he can¡¯t have surgery in the future?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that he can¡¯t have surgery, but the post-operative effects won¡¯t be as good. Ms. Joanna, your brother¡¯s surgery can¡¯t be dyed anymore.¡± ¡°I know¡­¡± Joanna clenched her fist, ¡°I, I will find a way for him to have surgery as soon as possible. Only, you said that if he has surgery now, the post-operative effects won¡¯t be too good¡­¡± Chapter 12 - 12 12 President Ashton Wont Meet You Without An Appointment ?12: Chapter 12: President Ashton Won¡¯t Meet You Without An Appointment 12: Chapter 12: President Ashton Won¡¯t Meet You Without An Appointment ¡°It depends on who performs the surgery.¡± Denver Lancaster casually mentioned, ¡°I know someone who is very good at this type of surgery. If he could be convinced to help, your brother¡¯s cure rate could be as high as ny percent. But¡­¡± A cure rate as high as ny percent? Joanna Lawrence¡¯s sinking heart suddenly ignited with hope, and she immediately asked, ¡°But what? Dean, is this person you know a doctor at this hospital?¡± ¡°No.¡± Denver Lancaster shook his head, ¡°He¡¯s a businessman and hasn¡¯t practiced medicine for many years. That¡¯s why I said he might not be willing to help.¡± The glimmer of hope that had just ignited in her heart sank down once more. He hasn¡¯t practiced medicine for many years? Would he still perform surgery on Jeremy Lawrence? But¡­ Even if there was only a one percent chance, she could not give up. Jeremy was the only person she cared about in this world. No matter what it took, she had to fight for him. ¡°Dean, could you give me that person¡¯s contact information?¡± After a moment of contemtion, Joanna looked at Denver Lancaster with a mix of pleading, apprehension, and anxiety in her eyes, ¡°I would like to talk to him.¡± A glint of cunning shed quickly in Denver Lancaster¡¯s eyes, but he feigned a troubled expression on his face. After a few seconds of silence, he nodded and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you his contact information and address. However, when you meet him, don¡¯t let him know that it was me who sent you to find him.¡± A look of joy appeared on Joanna¡¯s face: ¡°Thank you, Dean!¡± * Heath Group. Looking at the towering skyscraper before her, Joanna stood outside the revolving ss door, feeling a bit timid for a moment. But thinking of Jeremy, she gathered her courage. She took a deep breath and stepped inside. As soon as she approached the receptionists, she was stopped. Both receptionists were very attractive women with great figures. They wore exquisite makeup and adorned themselves with luxurious brand jewelry. At first nce, they seemed like wealthy youngdies. One of the receptionists saw that Joanna was very beautiful, and a hint of hostility arose in her heart. Noticing that Joanna was dressed modestly, she spoke even more arrogantly, ¡°Miss, you need to register if you¡¯re looking for someone. Who are you looking for?¡± Joanna hesitated for a moment before mentioning the name Denver Lancaster had given her, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m looking for Ashton Heath, is he avable?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she heard two sharp intakes of breath. The already hostile receptionist red at her even more, practically staring her down, ¡°Who are you? How dare you directly address President Ashton by his name. You need to make an appointment to see President Ashton, do you have one?¡± President Ashton? Joanna was momentarily stunned. Was this man named Ashton Heath one of the senior executives at thispany? Judging by the reaction of these receptionists, his position must not be low. She replied truthfully, ¡°I don¡¯t have an appointment.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± The receptionist sneered disdainfully when she heard that Joanna didn¡¯t have an appointment, ¡°President Ashton isn¡¯t someone anyone can just meet. Without an appointment, do you really think you can see President Ashton? These days, some women have incredibly thick skin, thinking that they can cling to influential men just because of their looks. Can you casually imagine getting close to President Ashton?¡± Joanna frowned slightly upon hearing this. She patiently tried to exin, ¡°I think you¡¯ve misunderstood me. I don¡¯t want to¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, the receptionist interrupted impatiently, ¡°We¡¯re not interested in hearing what you think. In any case, without an appointment, President Ashton won¡¯t meet you. You can leave now.¡± Chapter 13 - 13 13 Ive Never Seen Such a Shameless Person ?13: Chapter 13: I¡¯ve Never Seen Such a Shameless Person 13: Chapter 13: I¡¯ve Never Seen Such a Shameless Person Joanna Lawrence originally thought that Ashton Heath was just an ordinary employee. However, she didn¡¯t expect that seeing him would be so difficult. Since she had alreadye here, she definitely wouldn¡¯t leave without meeting him. She didn¡¯t say anything to the receptionists, and seeing that there was a lounge area nearby, she went there to sit and waited for Ashton Heath to get off work. Seeing that she had no intention of leaving, the two female receptionists sneered and mocked her. ¡°Talk about thick-skinned. She¡¯s just squatting here, unwilling to leave.¡± ¡°President Ashton is pure-hearted and indifferent to women. Even if she¡¯s somewhat attractive, President Ashton would never be interested in this kind of woman.¡± * Cody Aberton came downstairs to run an errand. As he passed by the reception area, one of the receptionists stopped him. ¡°Cody, a shabby-looking woman hase iming to see President Ashton. We told her that without an appointment, President Ashton won¡¯t see her, but she still refuses to leave. She¡¯s been sitting in the lounge for two hours. We¡¯re concerned that this might affect thepany¡¯s image. Should we have someone drive her out?¡± As the female receptionist spoke, she nced over at Joanna Lawrence. Her eyes were full of jealousy. The woman had a siren-like face, even though she appeared shabby. It was extremely displeasing to her. ¡°Someone¡¯s looking for President Ashton?¡± Cody curiously nced towards the lounge area and, when his gaze fell on Joanna Lawrence, he hesitated for a moment. Afterward, his eyes filled with surprise. Wasn¡¯t this woman ¡­ the Ms. Joanna whom President Ashton asked him to investigate earlier? Why was she here? The receptionist saw the change in Cody¡¯s expression and thought it was because he was also unhappy about Joanna squatting there, so her tone became even more disdainful: ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone so shameless.¡± Cody looked for a few seconds, then walked towards the lounge area. He took out his phone and made a call. Upon connecting, he respectfully said, ¡°President Ashton, that Ms. Joanna hase to thepany, saying she wants to see you.¡± There was a deep, cold voice from the phone: ¡°Which Ms. Joanna?¡± ¡°Joanna Lawrence.¡± ¡°Her?¡± Ashton Heath seemed somewhat surprised. ¡°Yes, President Ashton. Do you want to see her? I heard she¡¯s been waiting for two hours.¡± After a few seconds of silence. ¡°Bring her up.¡± ¡°Yes, President Ashton.¡± After hanging up, Cody walked up to Joanna Lawrence. He politely called out: ¡°Ms. Joanna.¡± Joanna raised her head and saw a refined and handsome man in a suit standing in front of her. She hesitated: ¡°You are¡­ ¡± Cody said: ¡°I am President Ashton¡¯s assistant. I just heard that Ms. Joanna wants to see our President Ashton?¡± Joanna Lawrence stood up immediately: ¡°Yes, I want to talk to Ashton Heath¡­ No, I mean, President Ashton about something. Can you take me to see him?¡± Her eyes were pleading, as if she was afraid he would refuse and quickly added, ¡°I only need ten minutes, no, five minutes. I won¡¯t take up much of his time.¡± Cody nodded and smiled: ¡°President Ashton has agreed to see you. Please follow me, Ms. Joanna.¡± * Upon seeing Joanna being led by Cody into the elevator, the faces of the two receptionists, who had been arrogantlyughing earlier, changed instantly. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Weren¡¯t we going to drive her away?¡± ¡°Cody is actually taking her upstairs? Could it be that she really knows President Ashton?¡± The two thought of a thousand possibilities, and their expressions turned sour. * The elevator went directly to the 37th floor. At the entrance of the president¡¯s office, Cody knocked on the door. Joanna heard a deep, cold voice from inside, maic and full of authority. Chapter 14 - 14 14 I Would Like to Ask You for a Favor ?14: Chapter 14: I Would Like to Ask You for a Favor 14: Chapter 14: I Would Like to Ask You for a Favor Just listening to that voice made people feel that the person inside was not easy to approach. She followed Cody Aberton into the office nervously. ¡°President Ashton, Ms. Joanna is here.¡± After Cody Aberton said this, he turned and left. The door was gently closed again. For a moment, the spacious office was left with only Joanna Lawrence and the man sitting at the desk, engrossed in his papers. This was an office filled with masculinity; most of the furniture was ck or gray. The colors were monotonous and somewhat depressing. Only a few potted nts slightly alleviated the dull color scheme of the room. That man immersed in the ck desk¡­ Joanna Lawrence nced at him, secretly, and felt the powerful aura around him. He seemed to have a good figure, wearing a ck shirt. As he was bowing his head, she can only see an approximate outline. But she could still discern that his features were very deep and three-dimensional. While her gaze continued to linger on him, the man suddenly looked up. Joanna Lawrence met a pair of deep, cold eyes. She was startled, her heartbeat skipped two beats as her eyes fell on his beautiful, deep face. She had never seen such a good-looking man before. His face, as if sculpted by a divine hand, every part and line of it was perfect, with no ws to be found. He had pronounced features, deep eyes, a high-bridge nose, and sexy, enchanting thin lips. His bearing was inimitably noble, and he exuded an icy aura. There was not much expression on his face, and his eyebrows and eyes were cold. Even from a distance, Joanna could feel the chill emanating from him. When the cold, star-like eyes looked her way, her breathing halted for several seconds. She stared at him nkly, her mind goingpletely nk. Until a cold, maic voice rang in her ears: ¡°Ms. Joanna.¡± Joanna Lawrence regained her senses. Thinking about how she was just staring at him like a fool, her face became hot, she bit her lip nervously, ¡°Hello, Mr. Ashton.¡± ¡°I wonder what¡¯s the matter with Ms. Joanna looking for me?¡± Joanna Lawrence seemed to return to her senses. Upon hearing his question, she was reminded of the purpose for today¡¯s visit. She suppressed the unusual emotions in her heart, regathered her thoughts, and said, ¡°Mr. Ashton, I want to ask you for a favor.¡± Ashton Heath raised his eyebrows. Joanna Lawrence knew that it was strange for her to suddenly ask a stranger for help, but for Jeremy Lawrence¡¯s sake, she had no choice but to disregard that. After a few seconds of silence, she said: ¡°My younger brother has heart disease and needs surgery immediately. I heard Mr. Ashton used to be an authority in the field. I hope¡­I hope¡­¡± ¡°You hope that I can perform the surgery for your brother?¡± Seeing her flushed face, Ashton Heath spoke the words following those that were difficult for her to say. ¡°Yes.¡± Joanna Lawrence exhaled, looking at him with pleading eyes, ¡°Please, Mr. Ashton, help my brother. He¡¯s only neen, still very young¡­¡± Chapter 15 - 15 15 I Want a Wife ?15: Chapter 15: I Want a Wife 15: Chapter 15: I Want a Wife Ashton Heath raised his hand, interrupting her. ¡°Ms. Joanna, since you¡¯vee to find me, you should know that I haven¡¯t been practicing medicine for many years.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Joanna Lawrence nodded, ¡°But I believe Mr. Ashton is a good person and won¡¯t stand idly by as someone dies.¡± ¡°Good person?¡± Ashton Heath seemed to have heard something amusing and grinned. He put down a file in his hand, stood up, and slowly walked towards Joanna Lawrence. He stopped in front of her. It was then that Joanna noticed that this man had an excellent figure, very tall, around 188 cm. Since she was 168 cm, not considered short among women, she barely reached his neck when standing in front of him. She had to look up to see him. Too close. The man¡¯s refreshing and pleasant scent rushed into her nostrils. His whole body exuded alluring male hormones. After briefly exchanging nces with him, Joanna¡¯s face reddened, and her heart raced. She couldn¡¯t help but take a step back. Her face flushed, biting her lip, she said, ¡°Mr. Ashton¡­¡± ¡°Ms. Joanna, I¡¯m a businessman,¡± Ashton Heath looked down at her, his thin lips slightly raised, ¡°Let¡¯s talk business. Since you want me to help you, what kind of benefits are you prepared to offer me?¡± Joanna Lawrence paused. Benefits? What could she possibly offer someone who seemed to have it all? ¡°Mr. Ashton, I don¡¯t know what you want¡­¡± Ashton Heath looked at her delicate face and said word by word, with a hint of determination, ¡°If I say I want a wife, are you willing to give me one, Ms. Joanna?¡± ¡°What?!¡± Joanna raised her head in shock. Ashton Heath¡¯s expression remained calm. He said tly, ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Ms. Joanna, I can agree to your request and help your brother with the surgery. But the condition is that you marry me.¡± This time, Joanna Lawrence was sure she hadn¡¯t misheard. She was utterly astonished. No matter what, she didn¡¯t expect his request to be for her to marry him. That was just¡­absurd. She couldn¡¯t believe it: ¡°Mr. Ashton, are you serious?¡± Ashton Heath raised his eyebrows and asked, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m joking?¡± ¡°Why?¡± With his conditions, couldn¡¯t he find a wife? Why would he want a woman he was meeting for the first time to marry him? Or was it that he had some unspeakable secret? Her gaze couldn¡¯t help but drift downward. Ashton Heath noticed and guessed what she was thinking. His eyebrows furrowed, and his face darkened a bit. He reached out with both amusement and annoyance to tug her closer. ¡°Ah!¡± Joanna bumped her head into his chest, her head colliding with his warm, solid chest. It felt like hitting a rock, causing her nose to turn red. Before she could react, her hand was being guided downward by his. From above, his sexy, deep voice carried a hint of yfulness, ¡°Ms. Joanna doesn¡¯t have to worry about being a widow after marriage. You can test me now to see if I¡¯m normal.¡± Joanna¡¯s face turned bright red with embarrassment as she clumsily pushed him away. ¡°Mr. Ashton, please, show some restraint!¡± She never thought this seemingly cold and ascetic man would act like a hooligan towards her. Ashton Heath looked at her blushing face, and his eyes deepened even further. It seemed she loved to blush. It was the samest night when she cried and begged him for mercy, her snow-white skin tinted with enticing pink. Chapter 16 - 16 16 Giving You All the Love and Pampering You Desire ?16: Chapter 16: Giving You All the Love and Pampering You Desire 16: Chapter 16: Giving You All the Love and Pampering You Desire Recallingst night¡¯s events, the look in his eyes became scorching as he watched her. As Joanna Lawrence met his gaze, her heart rate sped up, and she felt a sudden panic. Desire and possessiveness filled the man¡¯s eyes as if she was already his prey. She even had the illusion that he had everything under control and knew she woulde to beg him today. ¡°Mr. Ashton.¡± She bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, and then looked at him: ¡°Aside from marrying you, I can agree to any other demands¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, he interrupted coldly, ¡°Then we have nothing more to talk about. You can leave.¡± Joanna clenched her fists. She remained standing motionless. Ashton Heath didn¡¯t force her to leave either. Both were silent. After a moment, Joanna took a deep breath, her voice trembling: ¡°If I marry you, will you have the surgery for Jeremy?¡± Ashton Heath narrowed his eyes: ¡°You agree?¡± Joanna smiled bitterly: ¡°Isn¡¯t that what Mr. Ashton wants? As long as you can cure Jeremy, I¡­ I¡¯m willing to marry you.¡± Seeing her face filled with bitterness and helplessness, Ashton¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, his expression displeased. He walked towards her. Stretching out his hands, he gently pressed them on her frail shoulders. His deep ck eyes showed an uncharacteristic seriousness, each word like a guarantee and a promise: ¡°Marry me, and I promise you won¡¯t regret it. I¡¯ll do everything I can to give you all the love and pampering you desire. From now on, we share both honor and disgrace.¡± * Obtaining the marriage certificate was quick. At the Civil Affairs Bureau, someone was already waiting outside to receive them. With the dedicated service, their marriage certificate was ready within minutes. As they left the Civil Affairs Bureau, Joanna stared at the red booklet in her hand, feeling utterly dazed. It was as if she were dreaming. Had she really¡­ married just like that? The event she had fantasized about and looked forward to a million times waspleted under such circumstances. * Once in the car, Joanna still appeared as if she were in a dream, her face dazed. At her side, her newlywed husband, Ashton Heath, turned his head and nced at her: ¡°Joanna, don¡¯t act like you¡¯ve been wronged. You married a handsome and rich husband who will pamper you in every way; you¡¯re not at a loss.¡± Although it was clear that he had deliberately orchestrated this marriage, seeing her distraught expression still made him feel ufortable. Joanna listened to his words and turned her head. His side profile was also extremely handsome, his eyes half-closed, and the top buttons of his high-quality ck shirt undone, revealing a sexy corbone. Against the light, his handsome features appeared even more profound and three-dimensional, with his Adam¡¯s apple exuding sexiness amid the strong air of abstinence. Undeniably, he was very good-looking. And, he was very rich. At first, she thought he was one of Heath Group¡¯s senior executives. However, only now did she realize that his status was far more prestigious than she had imagined. He was the President of the Heath Group, and the sole heir to the top wealthy family, the Heath. The Benington family could also be considered among the noble families of Closia, but ten Benington families could notpare to the Heath family. Objectively speaking, it was she who had taken advantage in this marriage. The disparity between them was vast, and they should have been twopletely separate social sses. He should have looked for a well-breddy of equal social and economic status as a wife, not an ordinary person like her, whose family¡¯s status had waned. Thinking of this, Joanna pursed her lips and said nothing. ¡°Mr. Ashton, Ms. Joanna. Are we heading back to thepany now?¡± Chapter 17 - 17 17 Lets go, Ill meet my brother-in-law ?17: Chapter 17: Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll meet my brother-inw. 17: Chapter 17: Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll meet my brother-inw. The driver had already changed his address to her, no longer referring to her as Ms. Joanna. ¡°Are you going to the hospital to see your brother?¡± Ashton Heath¡¯s cold gaze fell on her face. ¡°Yes.¡± Joanna Lawrence nodded. Ashton Heath then said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital first.¡± Joanna hesitated and quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll just take a cab by myself.¡± She knew he was very busy. When they left Heath Group just now, there was a huge stack of documents piled up on his desk. Although the two were now husband and wife, they were not together because they loved each other. Joanna didn¡¯t really see him as a real husband, so she didn¡¯t want to bother him too much. Ashton Heath ignored her and directly said to the driver, ¡°To the hospital.¡± With his insistence, Joanna couldn¡¯t refuse anymore. She was silent for a few seconds, pursed her lips, and then whispered, ¡°Thank you.¡± As soon as the words fell, Ashton Heath¡¯s deep, ck eyes enveloped her, his eyebrows knitted as if he wasn¡¯t very happy, ¡°Do you need to be so polite with your own husband? Joanna Lawrence, I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re not used to our rtionship yet, but from now on, I don¡¯t want to hear these two words from you.¡± When he said this, the air pressure around him was very low. The space in the car seemed to be cramped. Joanna felt a bit suffocated under the strong aura. She swallowed her saliva and unconsciously shrank back, replying in a low voice, ¡°Got it.¡± It seemed that she suddenly realized that her rich and handsome husband had a bad temper. Indeed, nobody¡¯s perfect. * They arrived at the hospital. The driver got out of the car, opened the back seat door and stood respectfully to the side. Joanna thought Ashton was only dropping her off. She grabbed her bag, got out of the car, and waved to the man inside the car, ¡°Well, I¡¯m leaving. You, you, be careful on the road.¡± Right now, she really wasn¡¯t used to their rtionship. Just a moment ago, they were strangers who didn¡¯t know each other. Now, this man had be her husband. She spoke and then turned to leave. But she heard a cold maic voice behind her, ¡°What¡¯s the hurry, who told you I¡¯m going back to thepany?¡± ¡°?¡± Joanna turned around. Ashton Heath also got out of the car, and he was walking towards her while fixing the buttons on his cufflinks. ¡°You¡­¡± She was stunned. Ashton Heath walked to her side. With an outstretched long arm, he embraced her into his arms. Surrounded by the warm and seductive scent of the man and his scorching hand holding her waist, Joanna¡¯s face instantly turned red. Just as she was about to push him away, she heard him say coldly, ¡°Joanna Lawrence, when you married me, I didn¡¯t mean for us to be fake husband and wife. Now that we¡¯re married, I should meet your family members.¡± Joanna¡¯s body stiffened for a moment. Of course, she knew that. Before they went to register for marriage, he had said that he wanted to be a real husband and wife with her. So any physical contact was normal. She¡­shouldn¡¯t push him away. She remained stiff in his embrace for a few seconds without struggling. Finally, Ashton was satisfied and smirked. The hand around her waist tightened slightly, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll meet my brother-inw.¡± Hearing him use the term ¡°brother-inw,¡± Joanna stiffened again. He held her as they walked into the hospital entrance. Wait, I have something to say,¡± Joanna tugged on his sleeve and stopped. Ashton Heath stopped as well. Chapter 18 - 18 18 From now on, you can only think of me in your heart ?18: Chapter 18: From now on, you can only think of me in your heart. 18: Chapter 18: From now on, you can only think of me in your heart. He lowered his head, furrowing his eyebrows as he looked at her: ¡°What else do you want?¡± She bit the corner of her lips, momentarily silent, as if deep in thought. After a moment, she spoke in a negotiating tone: ¡°Can we keep our marriage secret for now?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she felt the pressure around the man drop once again. Joanna Lawrence swallowed, not daring to look up at him. ¡°Jeremy doesn¡¯t know yet that I broke up with my ex-boyfriend. If I suddenly tell him I¡¯m married to you, he¡¯ll be shocked.¡± That was only part of her concern. On the other hand, Joanna felt that her marriage to Ashton Heath wouldn¡¯tst long. Perhaps it was just a whimsical decision on his part. Maybe, after a while, if he finds it meaningless, he¡¯ll divorce her. If it were anyone else, she wouldn¡¯t care whether or not people knew she was married. But Jeremy Lawrence¡­ He was the one she cared about the most. Young girls can¡¯t hide their feelings. Ashton Heath immediately sensed what she was thinking. Ayer of gloom covered his handsome face, a chill exuding from him: ¡°You mean, you want to have a secret marriage with me?¡± He, Ashton Heath, had never been treated this way before. Any other women who had a slight connection with him would eagerly announce it to the world. But this woman in front of him¡­ Was she so afraid of people knowing about their rtionship because she was still thinking about someone else? Was she still thinking about her ex-fiance? Thinking this, Ashton¡¯s face turned even more gloomy, his gaze so cold it was almost freezing. ¡°I¡­¡± Joanna looked into his gloomy eyes, and was somewhat scared speechless. ¡°Joanna.¡± The man¡¯s lean, cool fingers gripped her chin, his gaze sharp, each word punctuated: ¡°You are my woman. From now on, you can only think of me. I don¡¯t n to have a secret marriage with you, not now, not ever.¡± His fingers tightened slightly, his tone domineering: ¡°And you aren¡¯t allowed to think otherwise, understood?¡± His eyes were filled with possessiveness. The look he gave her was that of a predator eyeing its prey. This prey belonged to him alone, And no one else was allowed to touch it. Joanna was a bit frightened. this was the first time she had encountered a man so dominating and assertive. It seemed like he might devour her at any moment. * Outside the hospital room. While Joanna was still hesitating, Ashton had already stretched out his hand to push open the door, embracing her as they stepped inside. Jeremy was holding a book, reading. Upon hearing the noise, he looked up. Seeing his sister walk in embraced by a tall, handsome man with an elegant demeanor, Jeremy was startled, the book in his hands falling to the floor. Staring in shock, he eximed, ¡°Joanna, you¡­¡± Jeremy had also grown up with David Benington and Joanna. The three of them were very close. Because of this, Jeremy knew from a young age that his sister was expected to marry David, the elder of the Benington family. David had always treated him well, and Jeremy was quite pleased with his future brother-inw. To him, David was already his brother-inw. Seeing another man acting so intimately with Joanna, Jeremy could hardly believe his eyes. ¡°Who¡­ who is this? Joanna, you¡­?¡± ¡°Jeremy, this is¡­¡± Just as Joanna was hesitating how to introduce him, Ashton, still holding onto her, stepped towards the bed. Looking down at the evidently shocked Jeremy, he simply stated: ¡°I¡¯m your sister¡¯s husband.¡± Chapter 19 - 19 19 His sister Joanna...Could it be that she is cheating! ?19: Chapter 19: His sister Joanna¡­Could it be that she is cheating!? 19: Chapter 19: His sister Joanna¡­Could it be that she is cheating!? Joanna Lawrence: ¡°¡­¡± She twitched the corners of her mouth, not daring to imagine Jeremy Lawrence¡¯s reaction. ¡°Wha, what?¡± Jeremy stared, his eyes almost popping out, ¡°You¡¯re my brother-inw?¡± He looked frantic and lost, turning to Joanna like a child lost at a crossroads: ¡°Joanna, what¡¯s going on? Wasn¡¯t David my brother-inw? How did it change to someone else?¡± Ashton Heath¡¯s face darkened when he heard David Benington¡¯s name mentioned. Once he wore a gloomy expression, his aura became extremely intimidating. Jeremy was frightened and shivered immediately. Joanna was most concerned about him, seeing him in such a state, she red at Ashton Heath: ¡°Why are you scaring Jeremy? He¡¯s still a patient. What will you do if you frighten him?¡± By now, she wasn¡¯t so terrified of Ashton Heath anymore. Ashton Heath looked at her protective posture, unimpressed: ¡°As a boy, should you pamper him with such a timid nature?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s too terrifying,¡± Joanna, in ¡°protective mode,¡± retorted bravely, ¡°Jeremy isn¡¯t usually this timid.¡± Hospital bed. Jeremy slowly regained his senses from the shock. He looked at Joanna and then at Ashton Heath standing next to her, still finding it difficult to ept the truth: ¡°Joanna, is he really my brother-inw?¡± As soon as Jeremy finished asking, a strong gaze fell on Joanna¡¯s back. She nodded after a few seconds of silence: ¡°Yes.¡± Jeremy: ¡°!!!¡± ¡°Then you and David Benington¡­¡± As soon as David was mentioned, that terrifying brother-inw red at him again. Frightened, Jeremy stopped halfway through his sentence and didn¡¯t dare continue. Mentioning David Benington, Joanna¡¯s expression turned cold, and she said lightly, ¡°We broke up.¡± Jeremy was stunned: ¡°Why?¡± He sneaked a nce at Ashton Heath and suddenly thought of a possibility, which made him feel even worse. This man, who imed to be his brother-inw, was obviously not in the same league as David Benington. He was much more handsome than David, with a nobler temperament, and especially the unrivaled powerful aura, which was something David could never match. Without aparison, David¡¯s condition seemed good enough. But whenpared to this man, the difference was like heaven and earth. One was a young master from an ordinary generational friendship, while the other was a nobleman from a royal family, totally iparable. Jeremy wondered if his sister¡­ could it be that she cheated? As far as cheating and adultery were concerned, he absolutely despised such immoral behavior. But Joanna was his elder sister. If she reallymitted such acts as cheating, what could he do? Just as Jeremy was imagining various scenarios and struggling whether to choose forgiveness, he heard Joanna say coldly, ¡°He and Annie Lawrence are together now.¡± Jeremy fell silent for two seconds, then widened his eyes in shock and anger, ¡°He cheated? He¡¯s with Annie Lawrence now? How could they do this to you¡­¡± Joanna¡¯s face was expressionless, ¡°In short, I have nothing to do with David from now on.¡± ¡°Yeah, your sister has nothing to do with him anymore. Her man is now me.¡± Ashton Heath walked over, one hand resting on Joanna¡¯s shoulder, and gently embraced her. Joanna Lawrence: ¡°¡­¡± Jeremy: ¡°¡­¡± Once he found out that David had cheated on Annie Lawrence, Jeremy was not so resistant to epting the sudden appearance of his brother-inw. Chapter 20 - 20 20 I will take good care of you two, Joanna and your brother ?20: Chapter 20: I will take good care of you two, Joanna and your brother 20: Chapter 20: I will take good care of you two, Joanna and your brother He even felt quite relieved. His brother-inw, Ashton Heath, was far better in every aspect than David Benington. David didn¡¯t know how to cherish Jeremy¡¯s sister, Joanna Lawrence, but now there was someone who would. In the future, he would definitely regret it! Jeremy carefully called out, ¡°Brother-inw.¡± Ashton was very pleased with this greeting. He took off his watch and handed it to Jeremy. ¡°I decided toe here on a whim today, so I didn¡¯t have time to prepare anything. Please ept this as a token of my regard.¡± When Jeremy saw the watch, he gasped in surprise. It was a Patek Philippe diamond mechanical watch worth over two million dors. He casually gave away a gift worth several million dors? How rich was his brother-inw? Joanna was also taken aback. ¡°No, no, this watch is too expensive. Jeremy can¡¯t ept it.¡± ¡°If I say he can ept it, he can ept it.¡± Ashton stuffed the watch into Jeremy¡¯s hand, his sharp and deep ck eyes narrowing. He spoke in a decisive,manding tone, ¡°I have never taken back a gift I¡¯ve given. You can do whatever you want with it.¡± Jeremy was intimidated by his aura. He didn¡¯t dare to refuse but felt the gift was too valuable, so valuable that he didn¡¯t dare to ept it casually. ¡°Sis¡­¡± He could only look to Joanna for help with pleading eyes. At that moment, Ashton¡¯s phone suddenly rang. He took it out, nced at it, and answered. A few secondster, he hung up. ¡°There¡¯s a small issue at thepany that I need to handle.¡± He spoke to Joanna, ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner together tonight. I¡¯ll have the drivere pick you upter.¡± Then he turned to Jeremy: ¡°Rest well and recover. In the future, know that I will take care of you both.¡± They didn¡¯t realize how valuable Ashton¡¯s promise was. They also didn¡¯t know what it meant for a man who stood at the peak of power to give such a promise. * Ashton left soon after. Jeremy curiously looked at the expensive watch in his hand. ¡°Sis, who exactly is my brother-inw? Is he very rich?¡± Even David could not casually give a watch worth over two million dors as a gift. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s quite rich.¡± The Heath family, at the top of Closia¡¯s influential elite, was extraordinarily wealthy. Their wealth wasn¡¯t ordinary. ¡°This watch¡­¡± Jeremy struggled, unsure of how to handle the situation. ¡°Give it to me.¡± Joanna thought for a moment and reached out her hand. ¡°The watch is too valuable; we cannot ept it. I¡¯ll find a way to return it.¡± Jeremy nodded and handed her the watch. It really was too valuable of a present. Even if he epted it, he wouldn¡¯t be able to use it. He had to give it back. ¡°Sis, how did you meet my brother-inw? How long have you been dating?¡± Jeremy was full of curiosity about his handsome and generous new brother-inw. Joanna was peeling fruit for him. Upon hearing his question, she hesitated before handing him a piece of sliced apple. ¡°Jeremy, he and I¡­ we¡¯re married.¡± Jeremy stared at her in shock. ¡°You¡¯re married?!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°When did this happen?¡± ¡°Today. We got our marriage certificate beforeing to see you.¡± She initially wanted to hide it from Jeremy, but since Ashton had no ns for a secret marriage, she couldn¡¯t keep it from him any longer. ¡°Cough, cough, cough.¡± Jeremy was choked by his own saliva. He found it incredible, like something out of a fairy tale. Chapter 21 - 21 21 Marrying him, I feel like I got the better deal ?21: Chapter 21: Marrying him, I feel like I got the better deal. 21: Chapter 21: Marrying him, I feel like I got the better deal. ¡°¡±Joanna, what exactly is going on? You guys had a sh marriage, right?¡± He was a bit worried if Joanna was stimted by David¡¯s betrayal, and randomly married a man. But¡­ That brother-inw of his didn¡¯t look like a man who can be easily hooked up with. ¡°Jeremy, you don¡¯t need to worry about anything else. For me, the most important thing now is to cure your disease. As for Ashton¡­ he¡¯s an authoritative expert in cardio-cerebrovascr surgery. It¡¯s possible for you to recover with him performing the operation for you.¡± Jeremy understood everything after hearing this. ¡°Joanna.¡± His eyes instantly turned red, ¡°You married him because of me, didn¡¯t you? Is that true?¡± He didn¡¯t expect that his sister would trade her lifelong happiness to cure his disease. Even if his illness was cured, he would still feel guilty. ¡°Jeremy.¡± Joanna sighed softly, put down the fruit knife, wiped her hands with a paper towel, and held Jeremy¡¯s hand lightly, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t feel sad or wronged. Ashton isn¡¯t an old, bald, and ugly man. There are many women who would want to marry him. To be frank, I got an advantage by marrying him.¡± ¡°Joanna¡­¡± ¡°Who do you think is better, him or David?¡± ¡°¡­Of course, it¡¯s Ashton.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Joanna took out a paper towel, wiped the tears from his eyes, and said with a smile, ¡°I found a man better than David. You should be happy for me. Otherwise, wouldn¡¯t it be pathetic for me, rejected and alone?¡± * Outside the door. The two of them have no idea that their conversation was sent verbatim to Ashton Heath by someone. Heath Group. Ashton Heath was having a senior executives meeting. Mobile phones must be kept on silent during a meeting, so when they heard a mobile phone vibrating, everyone in the conference room started looking around to locate the source of the sound. After a few seconds, they saw President Ashton, sitting at the head of the table, picking up his mobile phone and looking at it. Senior executives: ¡°¡­¡± They were stunned, as Ashton usually never checks his phone messages during meetings. Something even more baffling followed. They were stunned to see Ashton, who is usually reserved, apparently smile. Though the smile was fleeting, they all saw it! Ashton Heath was looking at a Twitter message from Denver Lancaster. Denver: !! I just heard the girl say you all got married, don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s true!! Denver: You coerced her into getting a marriage license by proposing to do surgery on her brother? I didn¡¯t expect you to be that kind of person. Denver: The girl even imed she¡¯s made a profit by marrying you. Denver: She also said, you are better than her ex. No, she asked her brother, her brother said so. After reading all the tweets Lancaster sent, Ashton hooked his lip, and took a rare break during the meeting. He responded to Lancaster¡¯s message with one word: Hmm. Lancaster immediately replied: What does hmm mean? Did you really coerce her? Ashton Heath: I¡¯m better than her ex. Lancaster: ¡­ After a few seconds, Lancaster sent another tweet: You really got married? Ashton: Can a marriage be fake? Lancaster: Holy shit!!! * Six o¡¯clock in the evening. Ashton Heath¡¯s chauffeur arrived at the hospital on time to pick them up. The chauffeur was extremely respectful. When he saw Joanna, he respectfully greeted: ¡°Ms. Joanna.¡± Chapter 22 - 22 22 Our Mr ?22: Chapter 22: Our Mr. Ashton Has Androphobia 22: Chapter 22: Our Mr. Ashton Has Androphobia Joanna Lawrence gave him a slight nod. She was still not used to the title ¡°Ms. Joanna¡±. It felt odd to hear others call her that. The driver opened the rear door and waited for Joanna to get in before returning to the driver¡¯s seat. After getting in the car, Joanna realized that Ashton Heath was not in the vehicle. She casually asked, ¡°Is Mr. Ashton still busy?¡± The driver replied, ¡°Someone came to talk to Mr. Ashton temporarily, so he asked me to pick you up first.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± * On the road. Joanna felt that the driver kept stealing nces at her, and she didn¡¯t pay much attention at first, but when he kept doing so, she became a little uneasy. At a red light intersection, Joanna noticed the driver stealing nces again and couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Um¡­ you¡¯ve been looking at me, is there something wrong?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The driver was taken aback by her question, then nervously said, ¡°Ms. Joanna, don¡¯t get me wrong, I don¡¯t mean anything else. I¡¯m just¡­ curious¡­¡± ¡°Curious?¡± Joanna frowned in confusion. What was he curious about? ¡°Yes, curious,¡± the driver nced at the rearview mirror again, then said, ¡°Before Ms. Joanna, there were never any other women by Mr. Ashton¡¯s side. He hadn¡¯t even had a single romance. The madam introduced him to countless well-breddies, but he never gave them a single look. Sir Darren and Madam Heath were very worried because of this.¡± Joanna eximed in surprise, ¡°Really? You mean he hasn¡¯t had a single romance?¡± A man with such conditions would have been the center of attention for the opposite sex since childhood, right? How was it possible that he hadn¡¯t had a single romance? The driver sighed, seeing her surprised expression in the rearview mirror, ¡°You may not know, Ms. Joanna, but our Mr. Ashton has androphobia.¡± ¡°Androphobia?!¡± Joanna was stunned for a few seconds. What kind of illness was that? The driver exined, ¡°It means he dislikes women and doesn¡¯t want to have contact with them. Mr. Ashton has always kept his distance from other women, except for the madam and Madam Heath. This is also the reason why he is so outstanding, yet still single.¡± ¡°Mr. Ashton¡¯s condition is very rare and many doctors have been unable to cure him. So, when I heard that you two got married, I was very surprised.¡± Joanna was astonished and stayed silent for a while before asking doubtfully, ¡°So, what happens if he doese into contact with women?¡± The driver¡¯s expression turned solemn, speaking seriously, ¡°Mr. Ashton can develop severe allergic reactions. In mild cases, he gets rashes on his body; in severe cases, he may vomit, feel cold all over, or even faint.¡± Joanna: ¡°!!!¡± What?! Such a strange illness? But that¡¯s not right! He had even initiated a hug with her before, and she hadn¡¯t noticed any allergic reaction. It seemed as if the driver had guessed what Joanna was thinking, so he added, ¡°Mr. Ashton seems to have no allergic reactions to you.¡± The driver thought that this must be the reason why Mr. Ashton suddenly got married. Moreover, Ms. Joanna was quite good-looking, even he found her likable when he looked at her. However¡­ Madam Heath and Sir Darren probably didn¡¯t know about Mr. Ashton¡¯s marriage yet, and Madam Heath had been trying to match him with Reba Kelloway. Once they found out about this, their reactions would be unknown. * The driver drove to a shopping mall. After getting out of the car, he told Joanna, ¡°Mr. Ashton said for Ms. Joanna to go shopping at the mall first. This mall is owned by us, so whatever you like, please take it directly.¡± Chapter 23 - 23 23 My Baby Looks Good in Everything ?23: Chapter 23: My Baby Looks Good in Everything 23: Chapter 23: My Baby Looks Good in Everything Joanna Lawrence: ¡°¡­¡± Very well, very domineering. Her husband is indeed very rich. ¡°And also¡­¡± the driver took out a prestige card from his bag and handed it to her, ¡°Mr. Ashton asked me to give this to you. This card is a supplementary card of Mr. Ashton, you can use it freely.¡± ¡°For me?¡± Joanna looked at the card handed over to her, hesitated for a moment, and frowned slightly, ¡°No need, I don¡¯t need it.¡± She didn¡¯t have the habit of spending a man¡¯s money. Even if this man is now her husband in name. But in Joanna¡¯s heart, she hadn¡¯t really treated him as her husband. ¡°Ms. Joanna, if I don¡¯t do what Mr. Ashton has told me well, he will scold me.¡± The driver seemed to be pleading with her, ¡°If Ms. Joanna doesn¡¯t ept this card, I won¡¯t be able toplete my task with Mr. Ashton.¡± Seeing the driver¡¯s difficulty, Joanna hesitated for a few seconds and finally epted it. However, she never thought about using it. When she sees Ashton Heath, she will return this card along with the watch to him. * After going upstairs, a few people came to greet her. They were several senior executives of the mall, following Joanna reverently. Joanna shopped for a while, and felt ufortable with people always following her. She told them, ¡°You don¡¯t have to follow me, I want to shop alone.¡± The executives looked at each other, hesitated for a while, and then left. This mall mainly sold high-end luxury brands. The entire building was full of luxury brands. Before the Lawrence family¡¯s decline, Joanna would asionally buy some luxury goods. After the family¡¯s decline, she hadn¡¯t visited such a ce for a long time. She casually walked into a women¡¯s clothing store. The sales staff saw her ordinary dressing and had no desire to greet her; they just nced at her and went to serve other customers. Joanna didn¡¯t mind and started browsing on her own. She didn¡¯t n to buy anything, she was just killing time before meeting Ashton. A momentter. She was about to leave when she heard a familiar voice behind her. The woman¡¯s voice was coy and flirty, clearly trying to appeal to a man: ¡°David, do I look good in this skirt?¡± Joanna¡¯s steps froze. She slowly turned around, looked up, and saw a young couple standing in front of the fitting room mirror. One was her former fianc¨¦, and the other was her stepsister. Annie Lawrence had just finished trying on a skirt, turned around in front of the mirror, and then looked up at the man beside her with a radiant smile. ¡°Hmm, yes, it looks good.¡± The man¡¯s handsome face showed a gentle expression, and his voice was tender as he touched her head, ¡°My baby looks good in anything.¡± The affectionate ¡°baby¡± made the surrounding sales staff look envious. A sales clerkplimented, ¡°That¡¯s right, Ms. Joanna is beautiful and has such a good figure, she looks good in anything. Mr. David is also handsome and extraordinary. Ms. Joanna and Mr. David are indeed a talented and beautiful couple, a perfect match made in heaven.¡± Annie¡¯s smile grew brighter, and her eyes were full of affection as she looked at David, ¡°David, listen to them, they really know how to talk. I¡¯d feel embarrassed not to buy this skirt now.¡± ¡°No,¡± said the salesperson, sweet as honey, ¡°We¡¯re just telling the truth. Ms. Joanna is widely recognized in the entertainment industry as a beauty, and your beauty is well-known.¡± David¡¯s face was full of pride. Chapter 24 - 24 24 Joanna, what are you doing here ?24: Chapter 24: Joanna, what are you doing here? 24: Chapter 24: Joanna, what are you doing here? Annie Lawrence really was beautiful and a famous actress, so having her as a girlfriend would bring prestige wherever they went. Although the Lawrence family wasn¡¯t doing well now. But Annie¡¯s career in the entertainment industry was going well, and once she became an A-list actress, no one in the family would object if he married her. ¡°Then let¡¯s buy it,¡± David Benington said, enjoying the envious expressions on several salespeople¡¯s faces. ¡°See if there¡¯s anything else you like and we¡¯ll pay for it all together.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± Annie eximed happily, standing on her tiptoes to hug his neck and kissing him on the lips. ¡°You¡¯re the best, David!¡± The salesperson who attended to them looked at Annie with a mix of envy and longing. Annie was truly a winner in life. She was beautiful, her career was going well, and she had a boyfriend who treated her so well and was so generous. It was simply enviable. A dress worth several hundred thousand dors, bought without hesitation. Why couldn¡¯t they meet such a rich and handsome man? After kissing David, Annie happily turned back to pick more clothes. While waiting, David was led to the rest area by the salespeople. However, as he turned around, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure. ¡°Joanna?¡± His handsome and gentle face showed a hint of surprise as he stopped in his tracks. Then he frowned, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± The surprise on his face made it look like Joanna Lawrence had no business being in a ce like this. Annie, who was picking clothes, heard themotion and immediately turned around. When she saw Joanna, she paused for a moment before instinctively looking at David¡¯s reaction. Seeing David staring at Joanna without even blinking, Annie¡¯s face darkened instantly. Today, Joanna was wearing a white T-shirt with light blue capris and a pair of white sneakers. Her smooth and shiny ck hair cascaded down, and her face had light makeup that made her looked clean and refreshing. But even in simple attire, her stunning face was still captivating. The more Annie looked, the more jealous she became. Was this shameless Joanna Lawrence trying to seduce David on purpose? ¡°Joanna, what are you doing here?¡± Annie¡¯s eyes were filled with hostility. She walked in front of David and blocked him, looking defensive like she was guarding against a thief. Seeing her reaction, Joanna couldn¡¯t help but find it ridiculous. It seemed that every woman who had been a mistress and turned official would forget that they were once a thief themselves. Now, Annie was like that. Seeing this annoying couple in front of her, she had no desire to even speak. She gave them both a nk look and turned to leave. ¡°Joanna!¡± Annie stopped her and asked as if puzzled, ¡°Since you¡¯re here to buy clothes, why are you leaving without picking one?¡± Without waiting for Joanna to reply, she answered for her as if she suddenly understood, ¡°Oh, I remember now. You haven¡¯t been doing a lot of film shooting recently and have no ce to do minor roles. Plus, my brother Jeremy is sick and in the hospital, so you need toe up with his medical expenses too.¡± Upon hearing that Joanna was just doing minor roles, the salespeople immediately looked at her with disdain. No wonder she looked so poor. She really was broke. After hearing Annie call Joanna her sister, the salespeople¡¯s eyes were filled with even more contempt. Chapter 25 - 25 25 They Really Came to Steal ?25: Chapter 25: They Really Came to Steal 25: Chapter 25: They Really Came to Steal So this is the Ms. Joanna of the Lawrence family who, relying on her childhood marriage contract with Mr. David, wants to break up the loving couple David and Joanna? She really has no shame. Seeing that Annie didn¡¯t like her sister, the shop assistant took the opportunity to tter her with some cutting remarks: ¡°Ms. Joanna, is this poverty-stricken woman really your sister? You¡¯re a famous star, while your sister only does minor roles. Are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken in recognizing her?¡± ¡°Yeah, Ms. Joanna, you¡¯re so outstanding. How could you have such a lousy sister?¡± ¡°Hmph, since she doesn¡¯t have money to buy clothes, why is she even browsing in our store? Could it be she¡¯s just here to enjoy the air-conditioning?¡± ¡°I think she looks kind of sneaky. What if she¡¯s nning to steal something?¡± Annie enjoyed the shop assistants mocking Joanna, but put on a displeased face and said, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. My sister is not that kind of person.¡± After saying this, she looked at Joanna: ¡°Joanna, don¡¯t be angry. They don¡¯t understand you, that¡¯s why they said those things.¡± Joanna sneered. Actually, she had no intention of paying attention to Annie. As for those shop assistants, she also had no intention of bothering with them. But now¡­ Since these people were bullying her, she couldn¡¯t just not fight back, otherwise, she would be as soft as steamed buns! That¡¯s not Joanna¡¯s personality! ¡°Just because they don¡¯t understand me, can they talk nonsense?¡± She stared coldly at the shop assistants, ¡°Do they know that there¡¯s a price to pay for false usations?¡± As Joanna¡¯s icy gaze darted over them, they all hesitated, feeling a hint of fear. But thinking that Joanna was only an actor in minor roles, they became arrogant again. ¡°Hehe,¡± one shop assistant mocked, ¡°False usation? We didn¡¯t falsely use you. You have no money and dare to shop in a luxury brand store? If you¡¯re not trying to steal, what else can you be doing?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! You¡¯re clearly a thief, and you still have the nerve to threaten us. Acting like you¡¯re so amazing and want to make us pay the price. Who do you think you are!¡± ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, we¡¯re so scared! Tell us what price we¡¯ll have to pay!¡± ¡°Joanna,¡± Annie furrowed her brow, ¡°If you have any difficulties, feel free to talk to me and David.¡± Her words were akin to indirectly admitting the shop assistants¡¯ ims. Assuming Joanna was in the store to steal something. David also furrowed his brows, gazing deeply at Joanna: ¡°Joanna, are you really that short of money?¡± Seeing how Joanna had be after breaking up with him, unable to afford even a single piece of clothing, David felt a twinge of heartache. His eyes filled with sympathy and pity, he said, ¡°If you¡¯re really short of money, let me know. After all, I will help you no matter what.¡± Upon hearing David¡¯s words, Joanna felt that her understanding of him deepened by one moreyer. Her ten years of affection for him were really wasted on a dog. As for Annie¡¯s false usation, she could understand it. But him¡­ Did he really think she¡¯d stoop to stealing? She looked at him as if he were a dumbass, didn¡¯t say a word, turned around, and walked out of the store. ¡°She must be feeling guilty, huh? Really here to steal something.¡± ¡°How shameless, looking like a decent person, but actually a thief.¡± * Joanna left the store. Chapter 26 - 26 26 Miss me ?26: Chapter 26: Miss me? 26: Chapter 26: Miss me? The driver who apanied her saw her walk out empty-handed and asked, ¡°Ms. Joanna, didn¡¯t you find any clothes you liked?¡± ¡°Uncle Li.¡± Instead of answering his question, Joanna asked, ¡°Do you know Ashton Heath¡¯s phone number?¡± Uncle Li hesitated, ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Hmm, let me have a look.¡± Uncle Li: ¡°¡­¡± Was it possible that Ms. Joanna didn¡¯t even have her husband¡¯s phone number?! Although puzzled, he quickly took out his phone and found Ashton¡¯s phone number. Joanna nced at it and immediately called Ashton. It rang for a long time before the other side picked up. ¡°Hello.¡± A cold and deep voice came through, carrying a sense of indifference. Joanna fell silent for a few seconds before she spoke up: ¡°¡­This is Joanna.¡± There was a brief silence on Ashton¡¯s end: ¡°Is this your phone number?¡± It might have been Joanna¡¯s imagination, but after she told him her name, she felt that Ashton¡¯s tone had warmed up a bit. It seemed like it was a little gentler. ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded. There was another period of silence on Ashton¡¯s end. Several secondster, he finally spoke again: ¡°I¡¯ve saved it. You should save my number too.¡± ¡°Alright, I will!¡± Joanna clutched her phone tightly. The impulse she had felt earlier had faded somewhat, and she began to regret making this call. They had been married for less than a day. Although he was her husband in name, it was in name only. Would he think she was annoying for asking him for help like this? But she was really angry. She had never been used of being a thief before. If she couldn¡¯t vent her frustration today, she felt like she would die from the suffocation! ¡°Why did you suddenly call me? Did you miss me?¡± The man¡¯s low, seductive voice reached her ear, as if he was whispering right next to her, making Joanna¡¯s heartbeat suddenly quicken. Her face flushed red. Her: !!! How was she supposed to respond to that?! ¡°Mr. Ashton¡­¡± ¡°Call me by my name, or call me husband. I don¡¯t want to hear ¡®Mr. Ashton¡¯ again.¡± The man was forceful and domineering, leaving her no room for refusal. Joanna: ¡°¡­¡± Ashton: ¡°I¡¯m on my way. I¡¯ll be there in about twenty minutes. If you¡¯re hungry, you can order something to eat first, no need to wait for me.¡± ¡°Alright, I got it.¡± ¡°Joanna?¡± Ashton suddenly called her name. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Is there something you want to tell me?¡± Joanna hesitated for a few seconds before asking softly, ¡°I¡¯m at Quirky Haven Mall. I heard from Uncle Li that this mall is a subsidiary of the Heath Group. Is that correct?¡± Ashton: ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So that means¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Joanna: ¡°I¡¯m also the Lady Boss of this mall, right?¡± After uttering those words, she felt her face burning up. To her surprise, Ashton seemed a little taken aback by her remark. After a few seconds of silence, he chuckled softly, ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then¡­ In case the Lady Boss finds that the employees have bad attitudes and poor work performance, can she fire them?¡± Joanna was somewhat anxious. She nervously waited for a response. She was afraid that Ashton would refuse her. That would be humiliating and awkward for her. After several more seconds of silence, the man¡¯s tone suddenly became much colder: ¡°Were you bullied?¡± Chapter 27 - 27 27 I will take care of everything for you ?27: Chapter 27: I will take care of everything for you 27: Chapter 27: I will take care of everything for you ¡°I¡­¡± Before Joanna could say anything, his tone grew colder and said, ¡°You are the wife of President Ashton of the Heath Group, of course you have such power. What¡¯s the point of keeping employees who are blind to this fact?¡± Joanna¡¯s eyes lit up: ¡°So, you agree?¡± ¡°Joanna, you are my woman, Ashton Heath¡¯s woman. If anyone dares to wrong you, just tell me. No matter who they are, I will stand up for you.¡± ¡°Remember, once you marry me, you can do whatever you want. I¡¯ll back you up in everything.¡± Over the phone, the man¡¯s deep, arrogant voice softly entered her ear. He said: Joanna, once you marry me, you can do whatever you want. I¡¯ll back you up in everything. At this moment, a warm current gently flowed through her heart. Throughout the years when she had to rely on herself and force herself to be independent and strong, the only person she could rely on was herself. But now¡­ Suddenly, there was someone telling her that she could rely on him. No matter what happened, he would have her back. No matter if he was sincere when he said these words at this moment. She was still grateful. Feeling her eyes well up with tears, she took a deep breath and replied softly, ¡°Alright.¡± * After making the call to Ashton Heath, the senior executives of the mall came over swiftly. She returned to the store once again. Annie had picked out some clothes and was arm-in-arm with David at the register to pay for them. As Joanna entered the store, a shop assistant spotted her. The assistant¡¯s face immediately turned solemn and sneered sarcastically, ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t you leave already? Why are you back? Don¡¯t tell me you want to steal something from our store again?¡± Another shop assistant spotted her and caustically chimed in, ¡°I advise you not to disgrace Ms. Joanna any further by getting involved in these petty thefts. You might be shameless, but she still has her dignity.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Annie turned around and when she saw Joanna, she was momentarily stunned. ¡°Ms. Joanna, your thieving sister is back.¡± One of the shop assistants looked disdainfully at Joanna, then urged the others, ¡°She must be up to no good. Keep a close watch on her to make sure she doesn¡¯t steal anything.¡± Annie gave Joanna a long, hard look before her eyebrows knitted together slightly. ¡°Joanna,¡± she said hesitantly, her face pained and her lip caught between her teeth. ¡°Do you really like the clothes in this store? If you do, David will buy it for you. You don¡¯t have to¡­¡± Her voice trailed off, her eyebrows pressing together once more. As if the words toe would be difficult to say. The shop assistants all gathered around Annie, one after another,uding her, ¡°Ms. Joanna, you¡¯re too good to your thieving sister. Why should you just buy such expensive clothing for her?¡± ¡°Exactly, such expensive clothing is not appropriate for her. The clothes in our store are only suitable for someone as noble and elegant as Ms. Joanna.¡± ¡°Ms. Joanna, you have such a kind heart. This shameless woman has intervened in your rtionship with Mr. David, forcing you two, such a loving couple, to be apart for so many years. You really don¡¯t have to be this nice to her.¡± ¡°Some people really have no self-awareness. Do they not see how theypare to Ms. Joanna?¡± Joanna looked at these shop assistants who praised Annie to the heavens while they belittled her, and a cold smile appeared at the corner of her lips. Chapter 28 - 28 28 What Ms ?28: Chapter 28: What Ms. Joanna Taught 28: Chapter 28: What Ms. Joanna Taught She¡¯s no stranger to being looked down upon. But she has never encountered such tant disrespect before. Since Ashton Heath dered her as President Ashton¡¯s wife who has the authority to fire any Heath Group employee, she has no intention of keeping these nauseating bastards around. Behind her. The mall executive, having heard how the shop assistants ndered Joanna, broke into a cold sweat. These fools, they are definitely seeking their own doom. Though he wasn¡¯t sure about the rtionship between Joanna and President Ashton, But once Cody personally instructed them to treat this person well, she is definitely not someone they can afford to offend! Let alone bunch of insignificant shop assistants! If President Ashton¡¯s people were bullied in their mall, and the matter isn¡¯t handled correctly, he might have to pack up and leave too. Thinking of this, the executive¡¯s face immediately changed. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡± He stepped out from behind Joanna, facing those shop assistants with a livid expression: ¡°Ms. Joanna is a VIP guest in our mall; you dare to nder and treat her like this!¡± ¡°Ma, Manager Joshua Ranson?!¡± Seeing the CEO of the mall, their attitudes immediately grew respectful. ¡°Manager Ranson, you must have misunderstood?¡± A shop assistant nces at Joanna, still filled with disdain and scorn, ¡°We never disrespected Ms. Joanna. She is a VIP card customer at our store, how could we possibly nder her?¡± Manager Ranson scolded furiously, ¡°Did I hear wrong just now?¡± ¡°You must have mistaken the person.¡± The shop assistant looked at Joanna, still disdainful, ¡°Our VIP customer is Miss Annie Lawrence, not this Joanna thief. Manager Ranson, it¡¯s good that you are here, we suspect that this Joanna has a suspicious demeanor and she definitely stole something from the mall. You should have her searched immediately so that she can¡¯t take away the mall¡¯s property!¡± ¡°Yes, Manager Ranson, she definitely stole something!¡± ¡°You should call the police and have the cops take away the thief; there¡¯s nothing more disgusting than a thief.¡± Hearing these words, Manager Ranson was sweating colder and more profusely. His mind was full of expletives directed towards these idiots. Being an idiot himself is one thing, but they are going to mess things up for him too. Who the hell hired these idiots?! ¡°Enough!¡± At this moment, David who had been silent all the while, walked over. He had a stern face and spoke with anger, ¡°Joanna is not that kind of person, I trust her. You guys need to stop making a fuss.¡± After speaking, he frowned at Joanna and said with a touch of heartache in his eyes, ¡°Joanna, if you want to buy clothes tell me, and I¡­ ¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Joanna turned her back on him. From beginning to end, she didn¡¯t even spare him a nce. ¡°Manager Joshua Ranson, you can decide how to deal with this.¡± Facing Manager Joshua Ranson, Joanna confidently and coldly said, ¡°If the mall continues to hire such degrading staff in the future, then it¡¯s time to change the staff in the Human Resources Department.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Ms. Joanna¡¯s criticism is justified, this indeed is a failure on the part of our Human Resources department. Afterwards, I will definitely severely reprimand them. Ms. Joanna, please calm down, I will immediately fire these few employees who¡¯ve ndered you. Additionally, this mall will never hire them again.¡± Manager Ranson was incredibly respectful and he practically bent his back at a ny-degree angle in front of Joanna. Seeing their boss bowing and scraping seemed to petrify the shop assistants. Chapter 29 - 29 29 Its Us Looking Down on Others with Contempt ?29: Chapter 29: It¡¯s Us Looking Down on Others with Contempt 29: Chapter 29: It¡¯s Us Looking Down on Others with Contempt What¡¯s going on? Why is Manager Joshua Ranson so respectful to this woman? Isn¡¯t she just a poor woman who does minor roles? Also, did Manager Ranson just say he was going to fire them? A moment ago, they were still arrogant and acting as if they were in the right. But now, their faces have paled, and they all look panicked. ¡°Manager Ranson, we¡­¡± Several_shop_staff wanted to exin with fear in their hearts. ¡°You guys, get the hell out of here now!¡± Manager Ranson was furious, his usual demeanor and grace gone. His finger almost poked them in the noses as he scolded with a dark face, ¡°Our mall doesn¡¯t need low-quality employees like you!¡± ¡°Manager Ranson, we didn¡¯t do it on purpose. Please give us another chance.¡± ¡°Yes, Manager Ranson, we don¡¯t want to leave here. We have been working in this mall for five or six years, and we are very satisfied with everything here. Please don¡¯t fire us, we really can¡¯t lose this job!¡± Several_shop_staff begged humbly, unwilling to leave. All the industries under Heath Group¡¯s subsidiary offer welfare benefits far beyond those of otherpanies. They used to work in other malls before. But the benefits there were notparable to those offered here, and if they left here, they would not be able to find such a good job. Fearing that he would be implicated by their stupid actions, Manager Ranson remained indifferent to their pleas, insisting on firing them. After begging for a while and seeing that it was useless, they nced at Joanna Lawrence who was standing aside, and their eyes suddenly lit up. Hope sparked in their eyes. Although they still didn¡¯t know why Joanna could be so highly regarded by Manager Ranson or how he could even be so ingratiating and submissive in front of her. But since they were fired for offending her. If they could receive her forgiveness, wouldn¡¯t they be able to stay? Several_shop_staff dismissed their previous arrogance and walked up to Joanna, crying and begging her for forgiveness. ¡°Ms. Joanna, we were wrong. Please forgive us this time, and we will never dare to do it again.¡± ¡°Ms. Joanna, we are sorry, we were shortsighted. You shouldn¡¯t take offense with us, please give us a chance to make amends, we beg you.¡± ¡°Ms. Joanna, please be magnanimous and forgive us.¡± Watching these people crying and begging to repent, Joanna¡¯s heart remained unmoved. She was not a divinedy. Having been insulted and ridiculed by them time and time again, she could still forgive them now. If she did, she would be a fool herself. Besides, she knew these people too well. It¡¯s hard to change one¡¯s nature. They were snobbish to the core, and how could they genuinely change? She looked at them coldly: ¡°I will not forgive you. The lesson today is to teach you never to judge a book by its cover.¡± After saying that, she no longer paid any attention to them. She turned around and spoke to Manager Ranson, who was still standing behind her with a fearful expression: ¡°Manager Joshua, I¡¯ll leave this to you to handle.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Manager Ranson nodded repeatedly, ¡°Ms. Joanna, don¡¯t worry, I will definitely give you a satisfactory exnation.¡± Chapter 30 - 30 30 The One Who Stood Out Turned Out to Be Joanna Lawrence! ?30: Chapter 30: The One Who Stood Out Turned Out to Be Joanna Lawrence! 30: Chapter 30: The One Who Stood Out Turned Out to Be Joanna Lawrence! Joanna Lawrence nodded slightly and prepared to leave. Seeing that their pleas were useless, the shop assistants¡¯ faces became extremely ugly. At this moment, they regretted everything deeply. They had originally thought that Joanna Lawrence was an easily bullied weakling. But who could have thought that she would have a background! Thinking that their downfall was caused by trying to please Annie Lawrence, they ced theirst sliver of hope on Annie Lawrence. ¡°Ms. Joanna, we just offended your sister because we were helping you. You can¡¯t just ignore us.¡± ¡°Yeah, Ms. Joanna, please put in a good word for us with your sister.¡± The shop assistants cried and pleaded, hoping Annie would help them to plead for mercy. Annie was stunned at the sight of Joanna leaving. Her eyes were full of disbelief, and she clutched David Benington¡¯s arm: ¡°David, what¡¯s going on?¡± Initially, her n was to show off her superiority in front of Joanna and belittle her. But now¡­ The person that had taken the spotlight was Joanna. Annie couldn¡¯t ept this reversal. For a moment, her face became ugly: ¡°Why was the CEO of that store so polite to Joanna?¡± He even fired those shop assistants because of Joanna. What¡¯s so special about Joanna that she could have such face?! David also looked surprised, staring nkly at Joanna walking to the door. Thinking of a possibility, his face turned unpleasant. ¡°Ms. Joanna, please help us.¡± Several shop assistants were still crying and begging for Annie¡¯s help. Annoyed by their harassment, Annie frowned and said impatiently: ¡°It¡¯s not my business that you were fired. Stop bothering me. I can¡¯t help you.¡± Would she beg Joanna for them?! Never in her life. The reason they had tried to please Annie in the first ce was that she was a VIP customer of their store, frequently supporting their business. But now, they were about to be fired, and Annie refused to help them. Naturally, they wouldn¡¯t show her any more courtesy. They angrily said, ¡°Ms. Joanna, how could you do this? You are just using us and discarding us!¡± ¡°Ms. Joanna, I never thought you would be this kind of person.¡± ¡°Annie, you must give us an exnation today.¡± Annie was a delicate sheltered flower raised in a greenhouse. She was surrounded by the shop assistants who looked menacing and hurriedly retreated into David¡¯s embrace: ¡°David.¡± David, fearing the shop assistants would be too emotional and hurt the child in her belly, immediately protected her firmly in his arms, his face cold and his eyes fierce: ¡°What does the fact that you got fired have to do with Annie? Did she tell you to do this? If you continue to harass her, I won¡¯t be polite!¡± David¡¯s face darkened, his aura a little intimidating. Thinking of his identity, the shop assistants hesitated and did not dare to continue making a scene. They red at Annie with resentment. ¡°What are you all still doing here? Leave immediately!¡± Manager Joshua Ranson pointed at the shop assistants and angrily said, ¡°I¡¯ve already notified the Finance Department, you go and settle your wages and leave.¡± ¡°Manager Ranson¡­¡± ¡°Calling me Daddy wouldn¡¯t help either! Who let you guys offend Ms. Joanna! You¡¯re just asking for death! Get out of here!¡± Chapter 31 - 31 31 Joanna is not the type to covet vanity ?31: Chapter 31: Joanna is not the type to covet vanity. 31: Chapter 31: Joanna is not the type to covet vanity. * The shopping assistant left in dissatisfaction. Manager Joshua Ranson watched David Benington and Annie Lawrence, who were still in the store, and silently lit virtual candles for them in his mind. He knew who the young master of Benington Group was. Admittedly, he was a figure of some stature. However,pared to President Ashton, he was simply insignificant. Not even worthy of a mention. Although he and the woman beside him did not directly frame Ms. Joanna earlier, their attitude wasn¡¯t much better. If Ms. Joanna decided to retaliate against their disrespect, the Benington Group would certainly be in for a rough time. Pondering this, Manager Ranson cast a sympathetic look at the pair before he turned and got ready to leave. ¡°Manager Ranson¡­¡± A soft coquettish voice came from behind him. He turned back to find that it was the woman in David Benington¡¯s arms who called him. He was taken aback: ¡°Does thedy need something?¡± Annie Lawrence took a step away from David Benington, still holding his arm, and softly asked, ¡°I am the sister of Joanna Lawrence. Just now you helped my sister by disciplining those disrespectful employees. I would like to express our gratitude on her behalf.¡± Manager Ranson was again surprised and furrowed his brows, ¡°To do something for Ms. Joanna is my honor! I would certainly not dare to expect her gratitude.¡± The color rapidly drained from Annie¡¯s face when she heard this. Just who had Joanna associated herself with? Surely this Manager Ranson was behaving unusually humble and respectful. Her difort grew. She bit her lip and asked, ¡°Do you and my sister know each other well? How did you two meet?¡± Only then did Manager Ranson perceive her true motive. It seemed she was using this as a pretense to pry for information. Instantly, his face hardened, his tone colder when he spoke again, ¡°That is none of your concern. However, since you are her sister, allow me to remind you. Ms. Joanna is not someone you can offend. You best be more respectful toward her in the future.¡± After dropping this sentence, Manager Ranson turned and left. Annie Lawrence was so angry that her face turned green. She clenched her teeth, her expression indignant. ¡°David, did you hear what he said just now? Do you think Joanna is with some rich man?¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± David¡¯s face fell immediately. ¡°Joanna is not a materialistic person. She would never do anything like that.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Annie still wanted to say something. With a sudden turn, David looked back at her, ¡°Annie¡­ I have known Joanna for a full ten years. I know her too well. She would never do anything like that. We¡¯ve been together for many years, and she¡¯s never asked me for anything.¡± ¡°Whenever I give her an expensive gift, she always frets about the money I¡¯ve spent.¡± Seeing the longing in David¡¯s eyes when speaking of these moments, a me of jealousy ignited within Annie¡¯s heart. Although David always proimed his love for her verbally, yet when he mentioned Joanna, his eyes clearly showed his unwillingness to let go. Also, what did he mean by what he just said? Joanna had never asked him for money, Joanna did not want him to spend too much, hence Joanna wasn¡¯t a materialistic woman. So what about her? She often asked him to buy her gifts, expensive ones at that. Was he insinuating that she was a gold digger? As she thought of this, Annie¡¯s face darkened further, she was fuming inside. Yet she didn¡¯t dare to vent her anger in front of David. Chapter 32 - 32 32 Couldnt Make the Lady Boss Satisfied ?32: Chapter 32: Couldn¡¯t Make the Lady Boss Satisfied 32: Chapter 32: Couldn¡¯t Make the Lady Boss Satisfied ¡°Let¡¯s go, didn¡¯t you say you wanted to go to the rooftop restaurant at the Universe Center for some foreign cuisine?¡± David Benington probably realized that he hadn¡¯t said the right words just now, so he opened his mouth again, and his voice became much gentler, ¡°After dinner, we can go to the jewelry store. Didn¡¯t you have your eye on a ne before? Let¡¯s go buy itter.¡± Annie Lawrence¡¯s face finally brightened up. She looked up at David Benington¡¯s young and handsome face, and the unpleasant feeling in her heart finally dissipated. Even if Joanna Lawrence really had hooked up with a rich man, so what? The man she¡¯d hooked up with must be an old man. While David Benington was young, rich, handsome, and gentle and generous to her, he was nothing like those old and terrible men. Just as she started feeling a little superior, two other store attendants walked over and said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Joanna, Mr. David. We can¡¯t sell you our clothes anymore. We haven¡¯t touched a single cent from your card, and we¡¯ll return it to you now.¡± David Benington was taken aback and then his brow furrowed as he asked with a serious face, ¡°What do you mean, you can¡¯t sell to us anymore?¡± ¡°We¡¯re just following orders from above.¡± The attendant looked innocent, ¡°If Mr. David has any questions, you can talk to our manager.¡± The other attendant was putting away the clothes they had just bought, taking them out of the packaging bags, and hanging them back in the window disy. Annie Lawrence saw this scene and her face turned extremely unpleasant, feeling particrly embarrassed and losing face. She was so angry that her face turned green, looking extremely aggrieved as she teared up and said, ¡°David, is this my sister¡¯s doing? We¡¯re trying to help her out of the goodness of our hearts, how could she ¡­¡± ¡°You said you know her and that she wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. But, if she didn¡¯t meet someone very powerful, how could she have so much authority? David, I don¡¯t want to badmouth my sister, but Jeremy is still in the hospital, she hasn¡¯t been getting any worktely, and now that you¡¯ve broken up with her, her finances will inevitably be tight.¡± ¡°She really needs money now¡­¡± Annie Lawrence stopped talking at this point. David Benington pressed his lips together, and his face was so gloomy it didn¡¯t look right. * After leaving the female clothing store, Joanna Lawrence had no mood to continue shopping. ¡°Lady Joanna, aren¡¯t you going to shop anymore?¡± The driver apanied her, respectfully asking. Joanna Lawrence shook her head. She felt that her luck was terrible. Of all the stores in the mall, she had to enter the one where her sister and David Benington also happened to be. Now, she was so disgusted by the two of them and the store employees that she had lost her appetite for even eating. At this moment, her phone rang. She picked it up and saw that the call was from Ashton Heath. She had just saved his number in her contacts, and the Caller ID showed his name. ¡°Hello,¡± Joanna Lawrence answered. The man¡¯s deep, maic, and seductive voice entered her ear, ¡°Are you still shopping?¡± ¡°No.¡± Joanna Lawrence pouted, sounding a bit stuffy. ¡°Not happy?¡± ¡°No¡­ ¡± Ashton Heath suddenly said, ¡°It seems like the manager of the mall needs to be reced. Joshua Ranson can¡¯t even handle such a simple task. There is no need for him to be the CEO of Quirky Haven Mall in the Heath Group anymore.¡± Manager Joshua Ranson? Was he talking about the Manager Joshua Ranson who had helped her just now? Joanna Lawrence was surprised and asked, ¡°Why do you want to rece Manager Joshua Ranson?¡± Ashton Heath¡¯s voice was cold, ¡°His work is not up to par; he couldn¡¯t satisfy Lady Boss¡¯s needs, so what¡¯s the point of keeping him?¡± Chapter 33 - 33 33 Joanna Lawrence, what do you mean by this ?33: Chapter 33: Joanna Lawrence, what do you mean by this? 33: Chapter 33: Joanna Lawrence, what do you mean by this? Joanna Lawrence:¡±¡­¡± Her face flushed slightly:¡±Ahem, it has nothing to do with Manager Joshua Ranson. He handled everything well, and I have noints.¡± ¡°Then why are you still unhappy?¡± ¡°¡­Maybe I¡¯m just hungry.¡± Joanna had no choice but toe up with a random excuse. She heard a low chuckle from the other side of the phone:¡±I see. I¡¯m sorry I made you wait for so long today. In the future, I¡¯ll try to get off work earlier to be with you.¡± Joanna:¡±Ahem, ahem, ahem ¡­¡± That¡¯s not what she meant! ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Ashton Heath paused, then asked, ¡°Do you want me toe upstairs, or¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯lle to you.¡± Joanna Lawrence interrupted him before he could finish his sentence, ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a minute.¡±. Because of Ashton Heath¡¯s appearance. She was worried that if he came upstairs, he would attract a lot of attention. She thought it would be better to keep a low profile. * At the underground parking lot. A ck Bentley with its hazard lights shing. As soon as Joanna walked over, the back door opened. Inside the car. The man held a thinptop in his hands, loungingzily. His cold, deep eyes scanned theputer screen, then looked up to meet Joanna¡¯s gaze directly. Their eyes locked. His gaze was as deep as a quiet pool, reflecting her image in his dark pupils. The light in the underground parking lot was dim. There were lights inside the car. He sat in the warm light, his handsome face bathed in a gentle glow, his facial lines very soft. Even his gaze seemed softer. Joanna¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she hesitated. Ashton stared at her for a few seconds, then turned his head back:¡±Why are you standing there like an idiot? Get in.¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Joanna took a deep breath, touched her slightly hot cheek, and got into the car. * The car door closed. The space suddenly felt cramped. A subtle fragrance filled the car. Unlike the pungent smell of ordinary car air fresheners, it was a pleasing and elegant scent. Joanna¡¯s heart raced. Because ever since she got in the car, she felt a pair of eyes on her. The man beside her did not shy away from looking at her. Joanna felt uneasy under his scrutiny. Just as she was about to speak, his low, enticing voice sounded in her ear:¡±Why didn¡¯t you buy anything? Did Zack give you the card?¡± ¡°He did.¡± When he mentioned the card, Joanna remembered that she needed to return it, along with his watch worth over two million dors. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you buy anything then? Didn¡¯t see anything you liked?¡± Ashton frowned slightly, looking displeased that she hadn¡¯t spent a cent of his money. Joanna:¡±¡­¡± She took out the prestige card and the watch worth over 2 million dors from her bag, and handed them to him:¡±Ashton Heath, here are your things back. They are too valuable; Jeremy and I can¡¯t ept them.¡± Ashton Heath¡¯s furrowed brows deepened and darkened as he looked at the items she handed him. His expression was not good:¡±Joanna, what do you mean?¡± With his face darkened, Joanna became a little scared. She wasn¡¯t usually timid. But the man sitting next to her had an imposing presence. Joanna was genuinely intimidated by him. Under the oppressive and intimidating gaze of his cold eyes, Joanna swallowed nervously:¡±Ashton Heath, although we are husband and wife now, I don¡¯t feel quitefortable with our rtionship. I hope you can give me some time to adjust.¡± Chapter 34 - 34 34 Stop being mad at me ?34: Chapter 34: Stop being mad at me. Hm? 34: Chapter 34: Stop being mad at me. Hm? ¡°You¡¯ve been very kind to Jeremy, and I¡¯m grateful. However, this watch is really not suitable for him. Even if you force him to ept it, he wouldn¡¯t dare to wear it out. If you really want to give him a gift for meeting him, you can choose something less expensive.¡± ¡°As for this card¡­¡± She hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°I can earn some money on my own now, so I¡­¡± Before she could finish, the man coldly interrupted: ¡°I can take the watch back for now and give it to him when it¡¯s more suitable. But as for this card, you must take it.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°If people found out that my wife needed to earn her own money, do you want to humiliate me?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡± Ashton raised his hand to interrupt her again, his eyes slightly darkened and cold, ¡°Joanna, were you also this resistant to using David¡¯s money before?¡± Joanna was stunned. She pursed her lips, silent. Of course, she wasn¡¯t so resistant to spending David¡¯s money. But could it be the same? She had known David for so many years, but she had only known him for less than a day. Her silence made the man beside her even colder. In the driver¡¯s seat. Zack noticed the tension between the two from the rearview mirror and mustered his courage to ask, ¡°Mr. Ashton, Ms. Joanna, where do you want to go eat?¡± Joanna pursed her lips tightly without uttering a word. She was both frightened and upset with Ashton. But she didn¡¯t think she was wrong at all. So what if they were married now? They had just met for less than a day. To her, this so-called ¡°husband¡± was no different than a stranger. How could she get used to spending a stranger¡¯s money so quickly! When Joanna was angry, her face would puff up, and her eyes would round, ignoring others by turning her head away. Seeing her stubborn expression, Ashton felt the vexation in his heart dissipate in an instant. He chuckled and then ced a hand on her shoulder, turning her body towards him: ¡°Are you mad?¡± Joanna pursed her lips, lowered her eyes and refused to speak. Ashton raised an eyebrow, and the smile deepened on the corner of his lips: ¡°My apologies, I shouldn¡¯t have talked to you that way. Did I scare you?¡± The girl¡¯s eyshes quivered slightly, her teeth biting tightly onto her tender pink lips, her cheeks still puffed up. Ashton looked at her for a while, his fingers pinched her chin, lifting her head up. He lowered his voice, his gaze intense: ¡°Joanna, don¡¯t be mad at me, okay?¡± ¡°You can interpret my behavior just now as jealousy. I was just¡­ a little jealous of David.¡± His cool fingers touched her chin. As he drew closer, his enchanting scent invaded Joanna¡¯s nostrils. The way he caressed her earlobe when he called her ¡°Joanna¡± sent a sudden shiver down her spine. Her heart trembled along with it. The man¡¯s rising tone seemed to carry a hint of temptation, making Joanna¡¯s heart flutter. Her face flushed again, and, at this moment, she couldn¡¯t even remember if she was still angry. Looking up into his deep eyes, her heart quivered once more, her face blushing furiously. This man¡¯s face was too handsome and captivating. His gaze was even more deeply alluring. If someone wasn¡¯t careful, they could easily be lost in the ocean hidden within his eyes. Chapter 35 - 35 35 Mr ?35: Chapter 35: Mr. Ashton Turns Out to Be So Good at Flirting with Young Ladies 35: Chapter 35: Mr. Ashton Turns Out to Be So Good at Flirting with Young Ladies ¡°I, I¡¯m not angry.¡± Joanna Lawrence blushed, feeling a little breathless as he got closer. ¡°Really?¡± Ashton Heath closed the distance between them by another two centimeters, his warm breath brushing against her lips as he pressed her chin with his fingertips, gently caressing it, ¡°Then give me a kiss, and I¡¯ll believe you.¡± ¡°W-what?!¡± Joanna was startled, her eyes widening in surprise. Ashton watched her slightly parted pink lips, his eyes narrowing slightly, the depths of his gaze growing darker. Her lips tasted wonderful. A sweet vor. He had tasted them many times that night. Thinking of that night, his eyes darkened further. Feeling the heat of his gaze, Joanna¡¯s heart fluttered, and she pushed him away with a hand. She moved a little to the side, keeping some distance between them, blushing as she said, ¡°Ashton, be serious, will you?¡± He was making her extremely flustered. She had the urge to run away. She was like a startled little rabbit, her ears standing up in shock. Not only was her face red, but even her tender, delicate ears were invitingly tinged with a light pink color. Ashton resisted the urge to reach out and squeeze her ears, seeing how shy she was, and decided to let her go for now. After all, they had only been married for less than a day. He didn¡¯t want to scare her off now. ¡°Mmm.¡± Ashton straightened up, adjusting the cufflinks on his shirt, and said seriously, ¡°Let¡¯s go eat first. We¡¯ll do the frivolous things after we¡¯re full.¡± Boom¡­ Joanna¡¯s face turned a deep flush in an instant. Her entire face was as if it were about to catch fire. This man, Ashton Heath, looked so cold and abstinent. But deep down, how could he be so unserious? Was he like this in front of others? In the driver¡¯s seat. Zack, who had been listening to their conversation, couldn¡¯t help but blush as well. Oh, my! He never expected that Mr. Ashton would be so good at flirting with young girls. He had thought that Mr. Ashton wouldn¡¯t even know how to get along with Ms. Joanna. Now it seemed that he had worried too much. * The restaurant they were going to was a very high-end revolving restaurant. On the 68th floor of a tall building. The best seats in the restaurant were always reserved for Ashton Heath. The manager came out to greet them, and upon seeing Ashton Heath, he respectfully greeted, ¡°Mr. Ashton.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± Ashton nodded slightly. The manager looked at Joanna, who hade out of the elevator with him, baffled to see her dressed in student attire, and asked, ¡°Mr. Ashton, who is this¡­?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± As soon as Joanna opened her mouth, the man¡¯s arm wrapped around her waist possessively, holding her: ¡°This is my wife.¡± ¡°Ms¡­ Ms. Joanna?!¡± The manager was dumbstruck, his face a picture of astonishment. He looked at Joanna with disbelief, his expression so exaggerated that it seemed like he had just heard the Apocalypse was upon them. A few secondster, he finally came back to his senses and quickly bowed to Joanna, ¡°Good evening, Ms. Joanna.¡± ¡°Ah, good evening.¡± It was the first time Joanna had received such a respectful greeting, and she felt a little ufortable. Ashton nced down at her, the corners of his mouth turning up, as he supported her slender, soft waist and walked forward. After a few steps, Joanna suddenly felt a warm breath on her ear, and the faint, elegant scent from the man enveloped her. Chapter 36 - 36 36 You Are My Wife, Ashton Heath ?36: Chapter 36: You Are My Wife, Ashton Heath 36: Chapter 36: You Are My Wife, Ashton Heath His low, seductive voice prated her ear: ¡°Don¡¯t feel uneasy. You are my wife, Joanna Lawrence, and this respect and reverence is what you deserve. Later, you will find out that the benefits of being a youngdy of the Heath family go far beyond this.¡± ¡°Soon, you¡¯ll get used to being treated like this.¡± He got very close. So close that Joanna could feel his warm, soft lips brushing against her earlobes as he spoke. The scent of his body filled her nostrils and every breath was filled with intoxicating pheromones. She didn¡¯t know what kind of perfume he was wearing. The scent was surprisingly pleasant. Breathing in the man¡¯s scent and listening to his deep, seductive voice in her ear, Joanna¡¯s heartbeat quickened uncontrobly, her heart pounding so violently that her chest trembled. Such closeness¡­ was too intimate. Other than with David Benington, she had never been this intimate with any other man. ¡°Ashton Heath¡­ ¡± She turned her head, trying to get him to stay not too close, but as she did, his soft, sexy lips grazed her cheek. For a moment, they both froze. Joanna stared at him, her face blushing after a few seconds. She bit her lip, her eyes sparkling, and even her ears turned red. Ashton, too, was taken aback for a few seconds. Looking at her blushing cheeks due to shyness, the man¡¯s gaze deepened, with a dark me flickering in his eyes. On one side, the manager Moore of the restaurant witnessed this scene and was once again so amazed that his mouth hung open. My goodness. Everyone said that Mr. Ashton was pure-hearted and indifferent to women. Regardless of how beautiful, sexy, and hot a woman was in front of him, he wouldn¡¯t give her a second nce or show any interest. It was said that a popr actress once tried to hook up with him and managed to sneak into his hotel room. She then stripped naked and hid under the covers. That was a very sexy actress with a stunning figure who always yed sexy roles. But in the end, her attempt to hook up with him failed, and she was thrown out of the room by Ashton Heath¡¯s bodyguard. After that, she was blocked. Since then, many women who initially wanted to hook up with him were scared off and dared not act recklessly. From that incident, everyone knew that Mr. Ashton was only to be admired from afar and could not be touched. Even those who were tempted by him didn¡¯t dare to approach him easily. However¡­ If he didn¡¯t see wrong just now, the initiator was Mr. Ashton. Youngdy of the Heath family, on the other hand, seemed to want to avoid him yet didn¡¯t dare to. And her face turned red due to his flirting. It was extraordinarily peculiar. So it turned out that Mr. Ashton preferred the innocent-looking student-type girls. No wonder that sexy actress failed to seduce him back then. * Even after they were seated, the blush on Joanna¡¯s face didn¡¯t fade. Every time she thought about that idental ¡°kiss,¡± her heartbeat quickened. Ashton¡¯s gaze followed her constantly, his eyes burning with undisguised desire as he watched her. Joanna didn¡¯t dare to raise her head and look at him. Yet even without looking, she could still feel his fervent and direct gaze never leaving her body. She felt a sense of inexplicable panic. She had never felt this way when she was with David Benington before. But Ashton Heath¡­ Every time she saw this man, she became uneasy and restless. Chapter 37 - 37 37 Not Picky About Food, Easy to Raise ?37: Chapter 37: Not Picky About Food, Easy to Raise 37: Chapter 37: Not Picky About Food, Easy to Raise She felt a sense of unease, not knowing where to put her hands and feet. The waiter brought over the menu. Ashton Heath flipped through it and asked her, ¡°What do you like to eat?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with anything¡­¡± ¡°Not picky?¡± ¡°Not picky.¡± His Adam¡¯s apple moved slightly, and a lowugh emerged from his throat: ¡°Mhm, it¡¯s good not to be picky, you¡¯re pretty easy to handle. I like people who aren¡¯t picky.¡± Joanna Lawrence: ¡°¡­¡± Why did she feel that this man was flirting with her at all times! Her heart was already beating fast enough. If it went any faster, she wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it! ¡°Ashton Heath¡­¡± She took a deep breath, raised her head, blushing: ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± ¡°Hmm? Go ahead.¡± Across from her, the man¡¯s face was breathtakingly handsome, making it difficult to look at him for too long. After just a few seconds, Joanna¡¯s face turned red again and her heart raced, ¡°Why me?¡± Her eyes were filled with confusion and doubt: ¡°With your background, you could have many choices.¡± Why did he pick her? He could have randomly selected a well-breddy, who would still be better than her. Joanna Lawrence knew she had an advantage in her appearance, but she wasn¡¯t so narcissistic as to think that Ashton Heath was smitten with her beauty at first sight. Objectively speaking, with a man like Ashton Heath, who had this kind of status and looked this way, how could heck beautiful women by his side? What kind of stunning beauties hadn¡¯t he seen? Ashton Heath gently raised an eyebrow, ¡°Are you really curious?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re the only woman who doesn¡¯t repel me.¡± Ashton Heath didn¡¯t n on lying to her and told her truthfully, ¡°Apart from you, I feel ufortable when other women approach me. I thought we could live together for a while so I could figure out why.¡± After hearing his answer, Joanna Lawrence fell silent for a while. Previously, Zack had mentioned this to her. She didn¡¯t quite believe it at the time. But listening to him say it now, she felt there was no reason for him to lie to her. So, did she really have allergic reactions to other women? ¡°But you don¡¯t have to get married.¡± She furrowed her brows slightly: ¡°You should find a woman you like. Even if you don¡¯t have one now, you¡¯ll meet her eventually.¡± ¡°Like?¡± His deep eyes squinted slightly, ¡°What is liking?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Liking is when you miss someone when you can¡¯t see them. When you see them, you feel happy and content. And you really want to get close to her and do intimate things with her. When you¡¯re happy, you want to share your happiness with her; when you¡¯re unhappy, you want to tell her first. If you like someone, your face will turn red when you see them, your heartbeat will speed up and ¡­¡± ¡°Cough cough cough.¡± As she spoke, Joanna Lawrence¡¯s voice suddenly stopped, and her face turned red. What was she just saying? When she saw Ashton Heath, didn¡¯t her face turn red, her heart race, and feel all sorts of unease? Was it possible that she liked Ashton Heath? How could that be! She lifted her watery eyes and looked at the incredibly handsome man¡¯s face, and her heart rate picked up again. Thinking back to what she had just said, she became flustered: ¡°I, I was just babbling nonsense.¡± Ashton Heath looked at her thoughtfully. After a moment, he asked earnestly, ¡°Does it count if only two conditions are met?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Joanna Lawrence blinked her eyes. He pursed his lips and then said seriously, ¡°When I can¡¯t see you, I have thought about you. When I see you, I want to get close to you and do intimate things with you. Joanna, does that count as liking?¡± Chapter 38 - 38 38 Losing him, you will definitely be very painful ?38: Chapter 38: Losing him, you will definitely be very painful 38: Chapter 38: Losing him, you will definitely be very painful Joanna Lawrence froze for a few seconds, her face turning beet red. Her face was so hot that it felt as if it were on fire. ¡°Ashton Heath, you, don¡¯t joke around like that with me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a joke.¡± The man stared directly into her eyes, revealing an undisguised desire. ¡°Joanna, I really want you.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Joanna met his deep, burning eyes filled with desire, and in a flurry of panic, decided to flee. Her face was so red, she looked flustered as she stood up. ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom.¡± Having said that, she essentially ran away. * After washing her face with cold water for some time, Joanna finally felt her face cool down a bit. Her rapidly beating heart also slowed down gradually. However, every time she thought about what the man had just said, her heart would start to race again. He said: Joanna, I really want you. The deep, seductive voice seemed to resound in her ear again. Joanna covered her still hot face with her hand, and was about to leave the restroom when she heard a familiar voice behind her. ¡°Joanna? Is that you?¡± Joanna: ¡°¡­¡± Was her luck really that bad today? Otherwise, how could she run into Annie Lawrence again at this restaurant? Before she could speak, she heard Annie¡¯s voice again: ¡°So it really is you. What brings you to this restaurant? Did you make a reservation with someone?¡± Joanna turned around. Seeing Annie¡¯s annoying face made her extremely annoyed, and she didn¡¯t show her any kindness. ¡°Why I¡¯m at this restaurant is none of your business. Move out of the way and stop blocking the path.¡± However, Annie didn¡¯t budge. She examined Joanna condescendingly. ¡°Joanna, this restaurant is one of the most high-end foreign cuisine restaurants in Closia. To dine here, one must make a reservation at least half a month in advance. And, the minimum spending per person wouldn¡¯t be less than five digits.¡± ¡°Based on your current financial situation, I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t afford to dine at a ce like this.¡± Joanna looked at her coldly: ¡°Oh, really? So what?¡± Annie bit her lip and said softly, ¡°Joanna, I know things haven¡¯t been easy for you after David broke off the engagement. After all, you two have known each other for so many years, and even if there¡¯s no love left, there¡¯s still a bond between you. Losing him must be very painful.¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t let yourself sink any further because of it. Our Lawrence family has a certain status in Closia. If people find out you¡¯re hanging onto some rich guy, it would be such a scandal. How would our family face others then?¡± ¡°If you want to find a new boyfriend, there are many eligible bachelors in David¡¯spany. In time, David and I could help you pick a reliable one. Joanna, you¡­¡± ¡°Annie Lawrence, have you said enough?¡± Joanna¡¯s patience had reached its limit, and she couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Joanna.¡± Annie bit her lip, looking at her with false concern. ¡°I¡¯m only doing this for your own good. I really don¡¯t want to see you sinking any further.¡± ¡°Heh, sinking?¡± Joanna found this absurd. With narrowed eyes, Joanna¡¯s gaze was icy and mocking as she looked at Annie¡¯s delicate and pleasant face, devoid of any warmth. She took a step forward. ¡°Joanna, what are you trying to do!¡± Annie immediately covered her face and hastily took a step back. She had just been pped by Joanna not too long ago. Chapter 39 - 39 39 Dont you think that youre failing at being a human ?39: Chapter 39: Don¡¯t you think that you¡¯re failing at being a human? 39: Chapter 39: Don¡¯t you think that you¡¯re failing at being a human? Until now, her face still hasn¡¯t fully recovered from the swelling. In a few more days, she has to return to the film crew to start shooting. She absolutely can¡¯t have another injury on her face. Joanna Lawrence, standing at 168cm, was a good bit taller than Annie Lawrence, who was only 163cm. When Joanna looked down towards Annie, the coldness in her eyes startled Annie into retreating back another two steps. Seeing Annie cringe and step back, Joanna lifted her chin slightly, her voice cold, ¡°Annie Lawrence, just because you like to pick up trash, doesn¡¯t mean everyone else is the same. All you did was to seize an opportunity to pick up a man I discarded. Do you really think that¡¯s something to be proud of or happy about?¡± ¡°Years ago, in order to grab resources, you went from one sugar daddy to another, it¡¯s been tough but you managed to get where you are today. Now, with wounds healed and pain forgotten, have you also forgotten those past events? If I had decided to follow your footsteps back then, do you really think Annie Lawrence would be here right now?¡± ¡°Leaning on some rich dude?¡± Joanna spat the words out with contempt. ¡°That¡¯s your hobby, not mine.¡± ¡°Joanna Lawrence, you¡­¡± Annie Lawrence¡¯s face turned a shade dark. Her facade of being weak and benign, was finally being ripped apart. She gritted her teeth, seething with resentment, ¡°Do you know what people find most annoying about you? It¡¯s this smug, holier-than-thou attitude of yours! What are you still holding out for, even if you¡¯ve known David longer and your feelings for him were deeper, so what?¡± ¡°Now, he¡¯s in love with me!¡± ¡°Joanna Lawrence, you can¡¯t even keep the man next to you, don¡¯t you feel like a failure?¡± Annie yelled until her voice was hoarse, her eyes filled with resentment. She truly hated Joanna! She¡¯s hated her ever since they were little. Whenever Joanna was around, the spotlight was taken away from her. Joanna¡¯s face, as it was, was an absolute annoyance, but all the men seem to lose themselves whenever they set eyes on her. It took her a full five years to steal David from her. Even so, she can¡¯t afford to let her guard down even now. Because she could feel that David still had feelings for Joanna. If it hadn¡¯t been for her pregnancy and her making her rtionship with David known to Joanna, David wouldn¡¯t have called off the wedding so quickly. Moreover, the wedding was only called off because Joanna proposed it. Thinking of this, Annie felt even more resentful. Filled with jealousy and hatred, she raved, ¡°Joanna Lawrence, let me tell you, not only will I snatch your man, I¡¯ll snatch everything you care about. You love acting, right? But as long as I¡¯m in the entertainment industry, you can forget about making it big.¡± Watching the fury that Annie disyed, Joanna just lightly curved the corner of her lips, her expression didn¡¯t fluctuate much. ¡°Annie Lawrence, do you really think you can control everything?¡± So, Annie is pompous because she has David¡¯s support. If a fight for power is to be fought, would she be afraid? In her ear, she could suddenly hear the words Ashton Heath said to her: ¡®Marry me, and you can do whatever you want. I will have your back.¡¯ Her heart suddenly felt at peace. That man¡­ Even though she doesn¡¯t know him very well yet, she does know that he is not someone who would make promises lightly. With his promise, what does she have to fear? Chapter 40 - 40 40 Handsome, can I get to know you ?40: Chapter 40: Handsome, can I get to know you? 40: Chapter 40: Handsome, can I get to know you? ¡°Really?¡± Annie Lawrence despised Joanna Lawrence¡¯s seemingly indifferent manner. She gritted her teeth and threatened, ¡°Well, let¡¯s see then. Joanna, you like to y minor roles, don¡¯t you? So do it for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°I want to see just how powerful your sugar daddy is. If he can make you famous!¡± The Benington family may not rule Closia. But the Benington family¡¯s power is definitely not something that a few nouveau riche canpare to. Even if Joanna Lawrence is supported by a wealthy sugar daddy, what does it matter? No matter how powerful her sugar daddy, can he be more powerful than David Benington? Seeing Annie¡¯s overbearing and arrogant attitude, Joanna Lawrence only chuckled. She licked her lips and responded indifferently, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll apany you to the end. I also want to see how far David Benington can elevate you.¡± She¡¯s not the type to start trouble. But if someone challenges her, she¡¯s not afraid. After saying that, she pushed Annie Lawrence aside and walked past her. Annie Lawrence watched Joanna Lawrence¡¯s departing back, clenched her teeth, and growled resentfully, ¡°Joanna Lawrence, you wille back begging for me. Just wait and see.¡± Joanna Lawrence walked straight out of the washroom without any response. * Just after she stepped out, she saw a familiar figure leaning against the wall, as if waiting for someone. The man stood at 188 cm tall, with his exceptionally long legs crossed casually. One hand was tucked into his ck suit trouser pocket, and he stood with azy and rxed posture. His hair hung across his forehead, his proudly sharp nose and stiff jawline were extremely attractive. His thin lips were a pale water-red, full and moist, exuding a seductive luster. Even though he was bowing his head, obscuring his full features, the parts of his face that were visible were enough to attract attention. All the women passing by him were peeking at him. Their faces flushed, under the spell of adolescent infatuation. A bold woman, blushing, came up to him, and gazes up at him shyly, ¡°Handsome, can we get to know each other?¡± Ashton Heath lifted his eyes, his gaze was indifferent, his voice was equally cold, and stated distantly, ¡°No.¡± Joanna Lawrence: ¡°¡­¡± Watching the woman¡¯s face turn red in an instance, Joanna Lawrence felt embarrassed for her. She was aware that Ashton Heath was the type of man who would attract attention wherever he went. Good-looking, great physique, and excellent demeanor. He¡¯s definitely the epitome of ¡°walking male hormones¡±. It¡¯s perfectly normal for women to flirt with him. However, Joanna Lawrence found it amusing to watch how he was chased by women and how he dismissively rejected them. Even if a great beauty tried to flirt with him, he would coldly and directly reject her, without leaving her any face. Byparison, Joanna Lawrence suddenly realized that Ashton Heath¡¯s attitude towards her was far better. The woman who was rejected by him was momentarily startled and embarrassed, but then, she still asked persistently, ¡°Why not?¡± Joanna Lawrence blinked her eyes, pricking up her ears, and was also curious about how he would respond. Then Ashton Heath suddenly lifted his head, and his deep and captivating eyes, that could drown people in them, looked straight at her. The moment their eyes met, Joanna Lawrence was stunned. Chapter 41 - 41 41 In his eyes, he could only see one Joanna Lawrence ?41: Chapter 41 In his eyes, he could only see one Joanna Lawrence 41: Chapter 41 In his eyes, he could only see one Joanna Lawrence The handsome and noble man¡¯s lips curled up slightly. The cold and distant aura covering him instantly faded away as he slowly straightened his body and took strides with his long legs. In the astonished gaze of the woman, he made his way over to Joanna Lawrence step by step. Before Joanna could even react, the man¡¯s tall and straightfigure had already reached her, casting a shadow over her. Ashton Heath embraced her in his arms, his voice deep: ¡°Baby, why did it take so long for you to use the bathroom? If you didn¡¯te out, I¡¯d have gone in looking for you.¡± Not far away. The woman who tried to strike up a conversation saw this scene, what else was there to misunderstand? After giving Joanna a nce filled with envy and a bit of unwillingness, she turned away awkwardly and left. Joanna couldn¡¯t help but nce at the woman, hesitated for a moment and asked, ¡°Who is she? Do you know her?¡± She was a very beautiful woman. Ashton Heath followed her gaze and then casually retracted his eyes: ¡°I don¡¯t know her.¡± ¡°But I just saw you talking to her?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± The man was taken aback, then a lowugh sounded from his throat: ¡°Are you jealous?¡± Joanna¡¯s face instantly flushed red. ¡°No¡­ not at all,¡± she immediately denied, ¡°I was just asking casually. I¡¯m not so petty as to be jealous just because you talked to someone else.¡± Moreover, she was well aware of her status. They had only gotten married for certain reasons; they were not truly in love with each other. They were merely husband and wife in name. She had no right to be jealous. The moment she had her marriage certificate with him, Joanna had made it clear to herself that she would not do anything she was not supposed to do. ¡°You can be that petty.¡± The man¡¯s deep eyes gazed at her, saying, ¡°Joanna, we¡¯re married now, we¡¯re husband and wife. You¡¯re my wife, and if you think I¡¯m getting too close to another woman, you have the right to be jealous and angry.¡± Joanna raised her eyes, and when they met his deep, dark eyes, her heart suddenly skipped a beat, and her pulse sped up. ¡°But you really didn¡¯t need to worry about that woman just now.¡± Ashton Heathughed softly again, holding her and turning back to the restaurant, ¡°I really don¡¯t know her. She came over to strike up a conversation, but I have no interest in her at all.¡± ¡°As you saw, she has already left,¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re married, I¡¯ll behave as a husband should. So rest assured, I won¡¯t mess around with other women outside, let alone¡­¡± The man¡¯s words trailed off, falling silent. ¡°Let alone what?¡± Joanna raised her head to look at him and asked curiously. ¡°Let alone¡­¡± Ashton Heath turned his head, his eyes gazing down at her delicate and beautiful face, a fleeting strange color shing in the depths of his eyes, ¡°That woman is not even a fraction as good as you, and my taste isn¡¯t that low.¡± At that moment, Joanna¡¯s heart, which had just calmed down, began to race crazily once more. Chapter 42 - 42 42 Joanna also came here to eat ?42: Chapter 42: Joanna also came here to eat? 42: Chapter 42: Joanna also came here to eat? * Just after Joanna Lawrence and Ashton Heath turned to leave, Annie Lawrence came out of the bathroom. Just in time, she saw Joanna Lawrence and Ashton Heath¡¯s figures disappear around the corridor. Although it was just a brief nce, it was enough for her to see that the man holding Joanna was not some short, fat, greasy old man. He was tall, well-built, and dressed quite impressively. Even though she didn¡¯t see his face, just that silhouette was enough to make Annie¡¯s heart race. Surprised, she stood there in a daze, unable toe back to her senses for a while. Until a voice rang in her ears: ¡°Annie, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Annie seemed to snap back to reality, her scattered gaze refocusing. She blinked and looked at David Benington¡¯s gentle and handsome face, murmuring softly: ¡°David, I just¡­ saw Joanna.¡± ¡°Joanna?¡± David¡¯s expression changed slightly: ¡°You mean, Joanna is here for dinner too?¡± Of course, David knew the cost of dining at this restaurant. He also knew that Joanna was currently in a terrible financial situation and couldn¡¯t afford to dine here. Her appearance could only mean one thing. Someone brought her here. Annie noticed every reaction from David, and after a few seconds of silence, a hint of something strange shed in her eyes. She frowned slightly, ¡°Yeah, I saw Joanna with a man. They looked¡­ very intimate.¡± ¡°David, Joanna only broke up with you not long ago, and now¡­ she already found a new love?¡± Annie¡¯s words were loaded with insinuations. As expected, David¡¯s face turned sour after hearing that. He clenched his fists, ¡°Are you sure the person you saw was her?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Annie confirmed, ¡°I ran into Joanna in the bathroom just now, and even greeted her. She¡¯s still ming me and refuses to forgive me. She has a deep resentment towards me now. Just now, she even threatened me.¡± As she said this, Annie bit her lip, her eyes showing a hint of grievances. ¡°Threatened you? What did she threaten you with?¡± Annie lowered her eyes, looking pitiful and lovable, ¡°I noticed she¡¯s been struggling financiallytely, so I wanted to introduce her to some job opportunities, but she refused. She told me not to interfere with her life and used me of being someone who likes to recycle trash, picking up men she doesn¡¯t want anymore and treating them like treasures.¡± David¡¯s face turned pale, ¡°She really said that?¡± ¡°David, why would I lie to you? Judging by Joanna¡¯s tone, it seemed like she had nned to break up with you long ago.¡± ¡°David¡­¡± Annie clung to David¡¯s arm, her voice soft and weak, looking anxious and uneasy: ¡°Could it be that Joanna has really met someone powerful? She feels betrayed by us, so she wants to use that man¡¯s influence to get back at us?¡± David¡¯s face grew uglier, his eyes shadowed with darkness. He felt a surge of anger, as if he had been cuckolded by Joanna. Even though he and Joanna had already broken off their engagement, deep down, he still thought of Joanna as his woman. Chapter 43 - 43 43 We can introduce Joanna to him ?43: Chapter 43 We can introduce Joanna to him 43: Chapter 43 We can introduce Joanna to him At least, he absolutely couldn¡¯t ept that they had just broken up, and she was already with another man. After so many years of feelings between them, her heart must still have a ce for him. ¡°Annie, did you get a good look at the man Joanna was with? What did he look like?¡± David Benington just wanted to rify this matter now; he even wanted to find Joanna and ask for an exnation. ¡°No.¡± Annie Lawrence shook her head, her eyes flickered a little, thinking of that tall, straight, and extraordinary figure, she lied maliciously, ¡°However, judging from his back, he seemed to be quite old. He was dressed quite grand though; you can tell he¡¯s very wealthy at a nce.¡± Upon hearing that, David¡¯s face turned livid. His eyes were filled with rage: ¡°So she would rather turn to an old man for help than ask me? Does she hate me that much?¡± ¡°David, you know my sister¡¯s temperament.¡± Annie added fuel to the fire, ¡°She has always been arrogant, asking others for help is even harder for her than dying. Besides, she hates us now more than ever. There¡¯s no way she¡¯lle to us for help.¡± ¡°Even if you want to help, she won¡¯t ept it.¡± With that said, Annie sighed softly, her voice filled with concern: ¡°I can¡¯t bear to see Joanna wasting herself like this. We have to find a way to stop her from falling further.¡± David frowned with a somber expression, ¡°You just said she won¡¯t ept our help. What other options are there?¡± Annie¡¯s eyes twinkled as she stepped forward, gently holding David¡¯s arm: ¡°David, doesn¡¯t the Benington Group have a senior executive who¡¯s still unmarried? We could introduce Joanna to him.¡± ¡°Do you mean Manager Prowse?¡± David knitted his brows, ¡°Isn¡¯t Manager Prowse unsuitable? He¡¯s already in his forties, more than twenty years older than Joanna.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s true he¡¯s older, but older men do know how to cherish women.¡± With an air of sincerity, as if all for Joanna¡¯s good, Annie went on, ¡°He¡¯s more than twenty years her senior, so if they ended up together, he would probably cherish Joanna as if she were his daughter.¡± ¡°Besides, he works for yourpany, and we know him well. That¡¯s much more reliable than some unknown man from the outside.¡± ¡°Moreover, apart from his age, Manager Prowse is quite outstanding in other aspects. His annual sry must be several million dors, which could provide Joanna with a good life. No matter what, it¡¯s got to be better than the man she¡¯s with now.¡± In reality, Annie had only met Manager Prowse once. Not only was he older, but he was also balding, putting on weight, and only about 165 cm tall. Apart from his decent ie, he was quite ordinary in other aspects. David also remembered what Manager Prowse looked like, and his frown deepened as he remained silent with pursed lips. ¡°David¡­¡± Annie¡¯s soft, gentle voice sounded in his ear, and she went on softly, ¡°In terms of appearance, Manager Prowse is not a match for my sister. But when looking for a partner, appearance is secondary, character is what¡¯s most important. I think we can let them meet first.¡± David was silent for a long time. He naturally felt that Manager Prowse was not a match for Joanna either. But thinking about Annie¡¯s good intentions, he didn¡¯t want to let her down either. After a moment, he finally nodded, ¡°Alright, tomorrow I¡¯ll ask Manager Prowse what he thinks.¡± * The dining experience at a restaurant with five-figure per capita consumption was indeed different. Dinner was absolutely delicious. Following her principle of not wasting food, Joanna ate almost everything on the table. Chapter 44 - 44 44 Believe in Your Husbands Economic Strength ?44: Chapter 44: Believe in Your Husband¡¯s Economic Strength 44: Chapter 44: Believe in Your Husband¡¯s Economic Strength After eating, she felt incredibly full. The man sitting across from her elegantly wiped the corner of his lips. The waiter swiped the card and, with both hands, held out the prestige card, a symbol of status, and bowed as he handed it back to him. Ashton Heath took it. Raising his eyes, he nced at Joanna Lawrence, who was patting her full belly. The corners of his lips curved up: ¡°You seemed to have a good appetite tonight. It appears that the dishes here suit your taste. If you like it, we cane here every day.¡± ¡°Ahem, ahem.¡± Joanna was drinking water and choked a bit. Her face flushed a little, and she felt embarrassed. Was he subtly saying that she had eaten a lot? She did eat a lot tonight, it seemed. Of all the dishes on the table, she had eaten at least two-thirds. In contrast, Ashton Heath, a grown man, ate as daintily as a girl. ¡°Mmm, the food here is delicious, but it¡¯s too expensive. It¡¯s way too extravagant toe and eat every day.¡± ¡°As long as you like it,¡± Ashton Heath looked into her eyes, the corners of his lips revealing a charming smile, ¡°Besides, you should trust your husband¡¯s financial strength. Even if you eat three meals a day here, for the rest of your life, you won¡¯t bankrupt me.¡± Joanna: ¡°¡­¡± Alright. She knew he was wealthy. A meal costing tens of thousands of dors might be extravagant for her, but to him, it was probably just like an ordinary person eating a meal worth ten dors. When he referred to himself as her ¡°husband¡± just now, Joanna¡¯s heart raced uncontrobly once again. She was worried that the frequent increase in her heartbeat would actually lead to a heart attack. * After leaving the restaurant, Joanna went to the hospital to visit Jeremy Lawrence. Since Ashton Heath had nothing to do that evening, he naturally apanied her. Knowing how much Joanna cared for Jeremy, he, of course, had to work on building rapport with his little brother-inw. ¡°Mr. Ashton, Ms. Joanna,¡± Seeing the couple exit, Zack, who was waiting outside, respectfully called out before opening the car door. Once they got in the car, Zack asked for the destination and directed the car towards the hospital. Just as the luxurious Rolls-Royce Phantom pulled away, Annie Lawrence and David Benington, who hade out of the revolving ss door, stopped in their tracks. Annie stared at the ck Rolls-Royce entering the traffic, her expression frozen for a moment, disbelief shing in her eyes. Was Joanna in that car? Was her sugar daddy the owner of the car? Annie clearly knew how expensive that Rolls-Royce was. She had thoroughly researched various luxury brands, regardless of whether it was bags, clothes, jewelry, or cars and houses. It was a limited edition Rolls-Royce. At least twenty million dors in value. However, that was not the most important point. The critical factor was that the car¡¯s license te number consisted of four 8s. In Closia, only a few people could afford such a license te number. At first, she thought Joanna had just found a wealthy man. But now¡­ Those four 8s stung her eyes, igniting the jealousy at the bottom of her heart. Just from that license te number, Annie knew that the person in the car must have an extraordinary identity. ¡°David, is the woman in that Rolls-Royce my sister?¡± Annie bit her lip as she watched the luxurious Rolls-Royce drive further and further away until it disappeared from sight. David pursed his lips but didn¡¯t speak; however, his face looked ugly. The windows of the Rolls-Royce were open. Just now, he saw Joanna, with his own eyes, sitting in that car. Chapter 45 - 45 45 Heath Ashton, thank you ?45: Chapter 45 Heath Ashton, thank you. 45: Chapter 45 Heath Ashton, thank you. * At the hospital. After having dinner, Jeremy was watching TV. Seeing Joannaing in, he was very happy and affectionately called out, ¡°Sis.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Joanna looked at him and saw that he was in good spirits, much better than when he had juste out of the Emergency Room, and said with relief, ¡°What did you have for dinner? How do you feel now?¡± ¡°Ashton had dinner sent over tonight, and it¡¯s much better than the hospital cafeteria¡¯s food. I finished it all. He also bought me a lot of very expensive and high-quality supplements.¡± After Jeremy finished speaking, he looked at Ashton Heath and said shyly, ¡°Thank you, Ashton.¡± Ashton Heath just responded with a light ¡°Hmm.¡± It was only then that Joanna noticed that there were many bags piled up on the coffee table and sofa next to her. All of them were expensive supplements. The flowers in the hospital room had also been reced with the freshest bouquets. She paused for a few seconds and then looked at Ashton Heath with gratitude in her eyes, ¡°Ashton, thank you.¡± She didn¡¯t expect this man to be so attentive to Jeremy¡¯s needs. His promise to take good care of the two of them was not just empty talk. Ashton Heath¡¯s dark eyes narrowed, ncing at her, and said in a low voice, ¡°Thank me? Have you forgotten what I told you before?¡± Joanna was taken aback, her eyshes quivering slightly as she recalled his previous words. He had told her that he didn¡¯t want to hear the words ¡°thank you¡± from her anymore. But at this moment, other than using these two words to express her gratitude, she didn¡¯t know what else to say. ¡°Sis, Ashton.¡± Jeremy¡¯s ck eyes, which were almost identical to Joanna¡¯s, looked back and forth between the two of them in curiosity, ¡°What secrets are you whispering about?¡± ¡°Uh, nothing.¡± Joanna avoided Ashton Heath¡¯s gaze, walked quickly to the hospital bed, and picked an orange from the fruit basket, ¡°Jeremy, do you want to eat an orange? I¡¯ll peel one for you.¡± Jeremy blinked, looked at Ashton Heath again, and after a few seconds of thought, shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat an orange. Sis, I suddenly want to eat Small Steamed Buns from the shop at the hospital entrance. Could you buy some for me?¡± ¡°You want to eat steamed buns?¡± Rarely hearing Jeremy say that he wanted to eat something, Joanna happily agreed, ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll go buy some for you.¡± Ashton Heath was about to tell his bodyguard to buy them, but suddenly realized Jeremy was intentionally getting Joanna to leave the room. His little brother-inw seemed to have something to say to him. * After Joanna left. Ashton Heath casually pulled out a chair and sat down, crossing his long legs, and looked at the flustered and uneasy Jeremy on the hospital bed. Seeing the delicate-faced teenager looking nervous and uneasy, Ashton Heath¡¯s lips curved up slightly, ¡°Do you have something to say to me?¡± His little brother-inw was just like his sister. Both were timid and shy. In front of the two siblings, Ashton Heath¡¯s patience and temper became much better. When he talked to Jeremy, his attitude was already very gentle. However, for Jeremy, he didn¡¯t feel much gentleness¡­ He felt that his brother-inw had such a powerful presence and every time he just happened to sit down, it was like an emperor. Being alone in a room with him, Jeremy felt a lot of pressure He mustered up the courage to raise his head and meet Ashton Heath¡¯s eyes, ¡°Ashton, can I ask you a question?¡± Chapter 46 - 46 46 Besides her, there wont be any other woman ?46: Chapter 46: Besides her, there won¡¯t be any other woman 46: Chapter 46: Besides her, there won¡¯t be any other woman The beautiful boy¡¯s voice was a little timid. Ashton Heath nodded: ¡°Yeah, go ahead and ask.¡± Jeremy hesitated for a moment: ¡°Ashton, do you really like my sister, Joanna?¡± Ashton was slightly taken aback, not expecting him to ask that question. ¡°Are you worried that I¡¯m not sincere towards Joanna?¡± He answered with a counter-question. Jeremy hesitated again and stammered, ¡°Ashton, you¡¯re a great catch, and I¡¯m sure there are many women who like you. Although my sister is very beautiful, I don¡¯t think youck beautiful women around you either.¡± ¡°David¡­ Joanna and David Benington have known each other for a whole decade, but in the end, he still cheated on her. Joanna has already been hurt by him once, and I don¡¯t want her to be hurt again.¡± Although Jeremy was a little afraid of Ashton, he still mustered up the courage to speak up for Joanna¡¯s happiness. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth at Ashton: ¡°If you dare to let my sister down, I won¡¯t let you off the hook!¡± Ashton Heath: ¡°¡­¡± For the first time in his life, he was being threatened. And it was by his own nephew. But Ashton wasn¡¯t angry. He knew that the siblings cared for each other, and Jeremy¡¯s actions were out of concern for his sister, fearing that Joanna might be deceived. After a moment of silence, he curled his lips: ¡°Do you want to hear the truth?¡± The beautiful boy on the hospital bed clenched his fists: ¡°Of course!¡± Ashtonughed softly, then said, ¡°In fact, Joanna and I didn¡¯t get together because of love, so I can¡¯t answer whether I like her or not.¡± Jeremy frowned, looking somewhat angry: ¡°You¡­ ¡± ¡°Is it so important whether I like her or not?¡± Ashton raised an eyebrow, ¡°You just said so yourself, she and David had ten years of feelings, and they were betrayed, weren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve excluded Joanna to ask me so many questions, aren¡¯t you just worried that I might end up like David? I can¡¯t guarantee that I¡¯ll definitely fall in love with her, but since I chose her, I won¡¯t let her down.¡± Jeremy was stunned, his eyes revealing a hint of confusion: ¡°You mean¡­ ¡± ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee anything about feelings. But what you¡¯re worried about won¡¯t happen.¡± Seeing the boy still looking confused, Ashton got up, went to the bedside, reached out his hand, and gently patted his frail shoulders, ¡°Jeremy, Joanna is special to me. You could say she¡¯s one of a kind for me. The woman who apanies me for the rest of my life will only be her, and there won¡¯t be any other woman.¡± * Joanna had bought some steamed buns ande back, but Jeremy had no appetite after eating just one. The two of them chatted for a while until Jeremy showed signs of fatigue. Only after Joanna watched him fall asleep did she leave the hospital. The cool night breeze was refreshing on her face. It took her a few minutes to walk from the inpatient department to the hospital¡¯s main entrance. All around, it was quiet. Joanna gazed down at the shadows on the ground. The man¡¯s shadow was slightly taller,pletely covering her own. Joanna was fascinated with this sight, and without paying attention, she stepped on a small stone. Her foot slipped, and her body was about to topple forward. ¡°Ah.¡± She let out a soft cry, expecting to hit the ground, when a strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back up securely. Joanna bumped into the man¡¯s warm, firm chest. Above her was a deep, mockingugh: ¡°My shadow is so interesting to look at? Is it even better-looking than me, the person casting it?¡± Chapter 47 - 47 47 In your eyes, am I still just a stranger ?47: Chapter 47: In your eyes, am I still just a stranger? 47: Chapter 47: In your eyes, am I still just a stranger? Joanna Lawrence¡¯s face turned red in an instant, and after steadying herself, she hastily pushed him away. He actually found out¡­ How embarrassing! Biting the corner of her lips, her heart was in such a panic that she didn¡¯t dare to look at him. Blushing, she said, ¡°Just now¡­ thank you.¡± ¡°Thank you?¡± Ashton Heath stopped in his tracks. The man turned around, his tall and straight figure casting arge shadow thatpletely enveloped the petite figure in front of him. His eyes were slightly downcast, and his attractive eyebrows were knit together. ¡°Do you like saying thank you to me that much? In your eyes, am I still just an outsider?¡± Joanna blinked, ¡°I¡­ ¡± After saying just one word, the man reached out and pulled her into his arms again. That strong arm forcefully circled around her waist. The other hand pinched her delicate jaw, lifting it slightly, forcing her to look him in the eye. Catching sight of his deep, dark eyes, panic shed in Joanna¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ashton Heath¡­ ¡± Ashton half-closed his eyes, his gaze fixating on her light pink lips, his eyes deepening in color. He spoke, his voice low and deep, ¡°Joanna Lawrence, I am your husband, and you must get used to me quickly. I will give you one week to adjust. After one week, if you still cannot adapt, I will handle our rtionship in my own way.¡± As his words fell, he drew closer, lowering his head to kiss her lips as she stared in astonishment. As their lips and teeth shed, a satisfied sigh came from his throat. Her lips were just as sweet as he remembered. Once tasted, they were addictive. Joanna¡¯s body stiffened as he kissed her, and her mind went nk for a few seconds. Her eyes widened as she took in the handsome face mere inches away, feeling dizzy for a moment. Her heart raced wildly, her entire chest vibrating as though her heart would leap out of her throat at any second. ¡°You need to close your eyes when you kiss,¡± the man¡¯s warm, dry palm covered her eyes. Joanna felt weak all over as he kissed her, her cheeks flushed. Just when she thought she was about to faint fromck of oxygen, Ashton slowly ended the kiss. He reluctantly nibbled on the corner of her lips before letting her go. Joanna leaned against him, taking in deep breaths. Ashton looked down at her, his eyes aze and his voice hoarse, ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to breathe when you¡¯re kissing? Didn¡¯t your ex-fianc¨¦ teach you?¡± Her inexperience was beyond his expectations. Be it her inexperience that night or now, it was all very surprising to him. He remembered that it had been her first time that night. How could she still be so inexperienced in matters between men and women after being with David Benington for so many years? He found it hard to restrain himself from touching her, yet he couldn¡¯t believe that David was an abstinent man either. Chapter 48 - 48 48 My Patience Has Limits ?48: Chapter 48: My Patience Has Limits 48: Chapter 48: My Patience Has Limits Joanna Lawrence had a hard time catching her breath, lifting her head, her still enchanting ck eyes red at him, annoyed, ¡°How could you¡­ ¡± ¡°Of course, I can.¡± Ashton Heath tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smirked, ¡°Joanna, I¡¯m your husband. We are husband and wife now, don¡¯t you think I can?¡± ¡°So, Joanna ¡­you¡¯d better get used to me quickly. My patience is limited, you know?¡± As Joanna stared at the man¡¯s extremely handsome face, which suddenly erged in front of her eyes, his warm and moist breath on her lips made her heartbeat erratic again. * Joanna was still a student, a junior in college, and soon would be entering her internship. Usually, she lived on campus. With the two-day weekending to an end, she would have to attend ss tomorrow. Getting in the car, thinking about the kiss just now, she still felt restless, unable to calm down for a long time. The man¡¯s kiss was too passionate and too dominating. Joanna had never experienced such intense kissing before, as David Benington had always been gentle with her. She was a little frightened. For a moment, she did not know how to face the man beside her. As she panicked, she heard Zack, who was in the driver¡¯s seat, respectfully ask: ¡°Mr. Ashton, shall we go back directly?¡± Ashton Heath nced at the flushed girl beside him and said lightly, ¡°Mhm.¡± Once Zack got confirmation, he began driving away. Suddenly returning to her senses, Joanna turned to Ashton Heath and asked, ¡°Where are we going now?¡± Ashton opened hisptop and sinctly replied: ¡°Home.¡± Joanna¡¯s face changed: ¡°Home? Whose home?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± As if he found her question amusing, Ashton Heath looked up at her and smirked, ¡°So, we are married, and you never thought that we would have to live together in the future?¡± Joanna Lawrence: ¡°¡­¡± She really hadn¡¯t thought about it. Hearing him say that they had to live together, she feltpletely unsettled. ¡°But, but I¡¯m still in school,¡± she said nervously, ¡°I have to stay on campus. Our school has rules forbidding us from renting houses outside.¡± At first, she thought that since she was still in school and would have to live on campus, they wouldn¡¯t see each other very often. That¡¯s why she was so relieved to put her name on the marriage application form. She thought that perhaps he was just caught up in the moment with her, and if they didn¡¯t see each other often, he might forget about her soon. Ashton Heath said nothing, staring into her eyes for a few seconds before his thin lips curved upward. As if he had seen through her little scheme, Ashton closed theptop he had just opened, stretched out his long arm, and pulled the delicate woman beside him into his embrace. With one hand, he gripped Joanna¡¯s chin, leaned in, and said, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, today is the weekend. You¡¯re going to school tomorrow, right?¡± The petite woman in his arms was soft and fragrant. Ashton lowered his head and sniffed the faint aroma from her hair, ¡°Stay with me tonight, and I¡¯ll take you to school tomorrow.¡± When he suddenly embraced her and made her sit on hisp, Joanna¡¯s face turned red instantly. She pushed him a little. ¡°Ashton Heath, let go of me¡­¡± Chapter 49 - 49 49 I Have Everything Prepared ?49: Chapter 49: I Have Everything Prepared 49: Chapter 49: I Have Everything Prepared But he caught her little hand. He pinched her palm gently, chuckled softly, and said, ¡°I¡¯ve told you, you must get used to me quickly. Joanna, I¡¯m your husband. Any intimate act I perform towards you ispletely normal. I like you, that¡¯s why I act this way.¡± The girl had a delightful youthful scent. Ashton Heath¡¯s eyes shimmered as he held her chin, leaned slightly downwards, and amidst her surprised and panicked gaze, he kissed her again. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Joanna Lawrence¡¯s shocked voice was muffled entirely by the man. In the tangle, Their breaths mingled together. Between breaths, between lips and teeth, was all the man¡¯s captivating, domineering scent. In the front driver¡¯s seat, Zack, ncing at the scene in the rear-view mirror, couldn¡¯t help but blush. He never thought that the young master Ashton could also be this passionate. Whoever imed that Mr. Ashton was chaste andcked desire, didn¡¯t like women, and was not interested in them? This was clearly very interesting!! Well, well, it was truly a joyful event. He had been worried if there was something wrong with Mr. Ashton, but now, he could finally put his heart at ease. Looking at how much Mr. Ashton and Ms. Joanna adored each other, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if the little young masteres along soon. ¡°You can live at school usually, but you shoulde to my ce during the holidays. Hmm?¡± Ashton Heath finally ended the kiss when Joanna was about to faint fromck of oxygen. The man rested his forehead against hers, thest inflection of the word ¡°Hmm¡± on the rise, was seductively enticing. Joanna Lawrence raised her head cloudily to look at him, her eyes covered in ayer of mist. Ashton Heath held the young girl¡¯s delicate, palm-sized face against his forehead, and rubbed it gently. ¡°Joanna, don¡¯t refuse me. Come to my house?¡± Facing his eyes that were darker than the night, Joanna Lawrence seemed entranced, unable to utter any words of refusal: ¡°But¡­but¡­I did not bring any change of clothes.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Ashton Heath chuckled lightly from his throat, caressed her forehead again. His dark eyes gazed down at her, ¡°I¡¯ve arranged for everything you would need for your daily life.¡± Chapter 50 - 50 50 Will You Really Be My Savior ?50: Chapter 50: Will You Really Be My Savior? 50: Chapter 50: Will You Really Be My Savior? ¡°If you need anything, just let me know, and someone will prepare it for you.¡± Joanna Lawrence: ¡°¡­¡± Everything will be prepared? Why did she feel that¡­he had been considering inviting her to his home all along? * They were halfway through the ride. Unable to resist sleep any longer, Joanna dozed off in the car. Her head rested against the window, and perhaps because this position was somewhat ufortable, her brows asionally furrowed in her sleep. Several times, her head bumped against the window with a dull ¡®thud¡¯. Ashton Heath was handling some emails on hisptop. Before he even finished, he turned his head towards the sound next to him and took a nce. Seeing the sleeping girl with furrowed brows, Ashton closed hisptop, massaged the space between his brows and murmured quietly, ¡°Zack, slow down a bit.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Ashton.¡± After putting hisptop to the side, Ashton extended his hand and gently lifted the sleeping Joanna over to him, adjusting her position so that she was lying across hisp. Then, he draped the jacket he had taken off over her. A few strands of hair had fallen across her eyes. He brushed them aside and looked down at her for a few seconds, hisrge hand on her fair cheek, touching her delicate features gently. ¡°Joanna¡­¡± His slender pale fingers grazed over the girl¡¯s beautiful features. A hint of expectation appeared in his deep, cold eyes as he softly murmured, ¡°Denver Lancaster says you could be my saviour. Are you really my saviour?¡± Zack happened to witness this tender moment, and he was so shocked that his hand trembled, causing the ck Rolls-Royce to momentarily veer off track, almost hitting the guardrail next to it. Frantic, he quickly corrected the steering wheel, his forehead breaking out in a cold sweat. The movement of Ashton¡¯s hand caressing Joanna¡¯s cheek paused, he looked up, his icy gaze narrowed and he warned in a deep voice, ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Mr. Ashton.¡± Zack wiped his cold sweat, no longer daring to be distracted. * An hourter. The ck Rolls-Royce drove into a luxurious mansion located halfway up the mountain in the suburbs. The heavy Carved Copper Gate opened slowly, and the security guard in the guardhouse at the entrance saluted the people inside the car. Tall sycamore trees lined either side of the road, and the expansive well-maintained turf was neat and orderly. The Rolls-Royce then drove forward, finally stopping next to a fountain. Having parked the car, Zack got out and walked around to open the back door. As Ashton got out, the butler Rowan came forward immediately, bowing at a right angle and respectfully said, ¡°Good evening, Mr. Ashton.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ashton nodded slightly, leaned into the car, reaching to lift the sleeping Joanna out. When he emerged from the car again holding Joanna, Rowan was taken aback, his eyes wide open in shock. As if he had just heard that the apocalypse was upon them, his face conveyed disbelief. ??? Was he seeing things?! The person in Mr. Ashton¡¯s arms¡­ was a woman?! He felt a considerable shock. He quickly turned to look at Zack, his eyes questioning what was happening. Zack returned his gaze implying, yes, it is exactly as you see. Rowan: ¡°¡­¡± He felt out of sorts. Distraught, rather. That afternoon he had received a call from Mr. Ashton, instructing him to buy some women¡¯s personal items. At that time, he didn¡¯t think much of it and assumed that Mrs. Heath or Madam Heath would be visiting for a while. But who would have thought, the woman was neither Mrs. Heath nor Madam Heath. It was the woman in Mr. Ashton¡¯s arms!! Chapter 51 - 51 51 From now on, she is the hostess of Heath Villa ?51: Chapter 51: From now on, she is the hostess of Heath Vi. 51: Chapter 51: From now on, she is the hostess of Heath Vi. Wasn¡¯t young master allergic to women? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to have an allergic reaction upon contact with women? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to regard women as poison? Thinking of Ashton Heath¡¯s odd disease, Butler Rowan was the first to check if he had any signs of an allergic reaction. Not finding any abnormality, he still anxiously asked, ¡°Mr. Ashton, do we need to call Dr. Lancaster immediately?¡± Young master¡¯s strange ailment had always been treated by Dr. Lancaster, who knew his condition best. Ashton Heath nced at him, his gaze somewhat cold: ¡°No need.¡± ¡°But, Mr. Ashton, your health¡­¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Butler Rowan widened his eyes again, too astonished to speak. What did Mr. Ashton mean when he said it was no problem? Was he not allergic to the woman in his arms? My God, if that was true, wouldn¡¯t it be worth celebrating for everyone? But before Butler Rowan could recover from the shock, Ashton Heath casually dropped another line, ¡°This is Ms. Joanna, from now on, she is the hostess of Heath Vi. Pass on the order that no one is allowed to disrespect Ms. Joanna. To see her is to see me. If anyone disobeys, they will be immediately expelled from Heath Vi.¡± With that, he carried Joanna Lawrence into the White Castle ahead. Watching his young master carry away the suddenly appeared ¡°young madam,¡± Rowan was still stunned on the spot. ¡°!!!¡±. The nearly sixty-year-old uncle looked at Zack with a skeptical look, ¡°Gavin, what¡¯s going on? Is that really the young madam?¡± Zack also had a difficult expression on his face: ¡°Yes, she and young master went to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get a marriage certificate, and I drove them there.¡± Rowan: ¡°Did Sir Darren and thedy know about this?¡± Zack shook his head. Rowan¡¯s expression became subtle: ¡°I think there¡¯s more to this matter. Sir Darren might be okay, but thedy, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± Zack and he were on the same page, and both frowned. The Heath family¡¯s door was not so easy to enter. * Ashton Heath carried Joanna Lawrence into the hall. Several maids were surprised when they saw their young master, who never went near women, actually bring a woman back. Their eyes almost fell to the floor in shock. After Ashton went upstairs. A group of people couldn¡¯t help but gather together to discuss. ¡°Did my eyes deceive me just now? The young master was actually carrying a woman!!¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t seeing things; I saw it too!!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the young master allergic to women? Why can he hold her now? Who is she that young master even brought her back to Heath Vi!¡± At this time, another maid ran down from the upstairs. Because she ran too fast and was too anxious, she almost tripped. She covered her mouth, extremely astonished: ¡°Oh my God, let me tell you, I just saw the young master carry a woman into his bedroom!! Can you believe it? Tell me I¡¯m not hallucinating.¡± The other women looked at each other, already too shocked to know what to say. The young master, who had always avoided women due to his allergies, suddenly brought a woman back and even carried her into his bedroom!! Who in Heath Vi didn¡¯t know that the young master¡¯s bedroom was off-limits? Even thedy wasn¡¯t allowed to enter the young master¡¯s bedroom casually. They didn¡¯t even have the qualification to step in. The sanitation of the young master¡¯s bedroom was personally cleaned by Butler Rowan. The fact that the young master allowed a woman into his bedroom, what did it mean? Chapter 52 - 52 52 She Becomes His Only Exception ?52: Chapter 52: She Bes His Only Exception 52: Chapter 52: She Bes His Only Exception ¡°Just now, Mr. Ashton brought a woman in, did you all see that?¡± As everyone was wondering about Joanna Lawrence¡¯s identity, Mr. Rowan walked in. The maids saw him and respectfully called out, ¡°Butler Rowan.¡± Rowan nodded, his sharp eyes sweeping over the crowd, and said authoritatively, ¡°That¡¯s Ms. Joanna, our hostess from now on. If any of you dare to be even slightly disrespectful towards her, leave immediately. Did you all hear that clearly?¡± The maids widened their eyes in shock, their faces full of disbelief. After a few seconds, they replied in unison, ¡°Yes, we understand.¡± After Rowan left. There were gasps of astonishment from the crowd. ¡°My goodness, she¡¯s actually Mr. Ashton¡¯s wife?¡± ¡°So, did Mr. Ashton just suddenly get married?¡± ¡°Who am I? Where am I? What have I been through?¡± * Joanna slept soundly. Ashton Heath carried her into the bedroom and ced her on arge ck bed. During the whole process, she never woke up once. The young girl¡¯s petite body seemed even more delicate and frail on the soft, spacious bed. Tiny and curled up as soon as her body touched the bed, she looked like an adorable and soft kitten. Her shoulder-length hair draped down, covering half of her face. The other half that was visible was calm, docile, and irresistibly charming. Ashton sat by the bed, touched her soft little face, gazed at her quietly for a while, and then gently kissed her lips. The sweet scent on her lips stirred his emotions. Before her, he never knew that his self-control was so poor. He underestimated the attraction she had on him. Perhaps this woman was truly his savior. He resisted all women, but he couldn¡¯t resist her alone. It must be said, it was as if God had deliberately arranged this, making it so he couldn¡¯t ept any other woman, and making her the only exception. ¡°Joanna.¡± The man¡¯s voice was deep and in the quiet night, it carried a bewitching allure, ¡°If you are God¡¯s arrangement for me, then stay by my side forever, and never leave me.¡± ¡°And I will never let you go again.¡± * The next day when she woke up, Joanna found herself lying in a strange bed. The bedroom wasrge and luxurious, and every piece of decoration inside revealed its high price. The bed was pure ck, with ck sheets and nkets. Even the wallmp¡¯s shade was ck. This was a room full of masculinity. Her clothes had been changed, and she was wearing a set of light purple silk pajamas. The material was soft and silky, clearly very expensive. She sat up holding the nket, leaned against the headboard, and stared nkly for several seconds before suddenlying back to her senses. She found her phone, checked the time, and her face changed again. She immediately jumped out of bed. After washing up and getting ready as quickly as possible, she dashed out of the room and ran downstairs. * Just as she rushed downstairs, she saw a man in a ck uniform who looked about fifty years old. Seeing her, the man stepped back, bowed deeply at a ny-degree angle, and respectfully greeted, ¡°Good morning, Ms. Joanna.¡± Chapter 53 - 53 53 Cant go to school on an empty stomach ?53: Chapter 53: Can¡¯t go to school on an empty stomach 53: Chapter 53: Can¡¯t go to school on an empty stomach Joanna Lawrence was startled. She opened her eyes wide, a little frightened, and stepped back a bit, ¡°Who are you?¡± Mr. Rowan smiled, looking at the young Ms. Joanna who was not even twenty years old, and said gently, ¡°I am the housekeeper of the Heath Vi, Mr. Rowan. Mr. Ashton is having breakfast in the dining room. Are you also going to have breakfast now, Ms. Joanna?¡± Heath Vi¡­ Joanna was in a trance for a moment, then turned her head to look around, taking in the luxurious and extravagant mansion before her. So this is Ashton Heath¡¯s house. At first, she thought it was just a vi or something. But now¡­ She realized that it was indeed her poverty that limited her imagination. This castle-like mansion was muchrger than any vi. ¡°Is Ashton still at home?¡± She¡¯d just checked the time and thought he¡¯d already gone to Heath Group. Upon hearing her call Ashton¡¯s name directly, Mr. Rowan hesitated for a moment, but soon his face returned to its usual expression, nodding, ¡°Yes, Mr. Ashton is at home.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Joanna nodded and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go find him. Please show me the way.¡± Mr. Rowan hurriedly replied, ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Ms. Joanna.¡± * When Joanna walked for a few minutes before finally arriving at the dining room, she felt it was indeed necessary for Mr. Rowan to lead her there. Otherwise, she would surely lose her way. At the dining table with white carved patterns, several meters long, the man in loose casual home clothes held a cup of coffee and elegantly took a sip. Hearing the footsteps, he looked up. His deep ck eyes fell on Joanna, gazing at her for a few seconds; the man¡¯s handsome eyebrows furrowed slightly. As soon as he furrowed his brow, Joanna couldn¡¯t help but feel tense. She always felt like she had done something wrong. A momentter. Ashton raised his arm and waved to her, ¡°Come here.¡± The man¡¯s voice was as usual domineering and strong, carrying the majesty of a long-standing superior position, as ifmanding her. Joanna walked over. Stopping about a meter away from him. She looked down at the man¡¯s stunning, devilishly handsome face, her heart rate uncontrobly quickening; after taking a deep breath, she managed to calm her emotions. Frowning, she said anxiously, ¡°Ashton, I have something to tell you.¡± However, the man seemed unhurried, nced at her, and said indifferently, ¡°Sit down and eat first, we can talk about itter.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Joanna said hurriedly, ¡°I don¡¯t have time for breakfast now. Can you ask someone to take me to school right away? I have a very important ss today that I can¡¯t miss.¡± ¡°What ss? What time does it start?¡± The man¡¯s voice was still indifferent, unhurried. ¡°Performance ss,¡± Joanna took out her phone and checked the time again, growing more anxious, ¡°It starts at ten. There¡¯s less than an hour left¡­¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ashton nodded, indicating he knew about it. Then, he didn¡¯t say anything more. His attitude made Joanna extremely anxious. ¡°Ashton, you said you¡¯d take me to schoolst night. You can¡¯t break your word.¡± ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m not letting you go.¡± Ashton tapped the table lightly, motioning her to sit down, ¡°Eat first.¡± Joanna couldn¡¯t eat at all. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Joanna, be good.¡± The man¡¯s voice dropped a few notches,ced with a gentle tone as if coaxing a child, ¡°I¡¯ll help you with the ss issue, you don¡¯t need to worry. No matter how anxious you are, you still have to eat breakfast, you can¡¯t go to school on an empty stomach.¡± Chapter 54 - 54 54 Married a Very Awesome Husband ?54: Chapter 54: Married a Very Awesome Husband 54: Chapter 54: Married a Very Awesome Husband After saying that, he took out his phone and dialed a number. Soon, Joanna heard him speaking to the person on the other end with an authoritative tone, ¡°There¡¯s a performance ss at Closia Film Academy, Department of Art and Performance at ten in the morning. Find someone to inform them and change the time.¡± ¡°Hmm, change it to the afternoon.¡± It took less than a minute for him to hang up the phone. He put down his phone, looked up at Joanna, and said, ¡°The ss has been changed to the afternoon. Now, can you eat with peace of mind?¡± Joanna: ¡°???¡± Meow, is it really possible to do that? He just made a phone call, saying to change the time, and the time was changed? It seemed like she married a very powerful husband. Although she knew that Ashton Heath¡¯s identity was already powerful, she always felt that he was just good at making money. Only now did she carefully think about it and remember that her husband was not merely talented in making money. Not only was the Heath family wealthy enough to rival a country, but they also held a prominent position in other areas. It was said that the next presidential candidate would be Young Master Brandon, Brandon Heath. If she remembered correctly, a few of their school¡¯s libraries and teaching buildings were funded by the Heath Group. At this moment, Joanna suddenly realized that she had married into a very remarkable family. She also suddenly realized how excellent her husband¡¯s qualifications were. He was highly esteemed, handsome, and already at the pinnacle of themercial empire at a young age, bing a legend admired and sought after by countless others. He was also the ideal partner for many well-breddies. Such a man originally belonged to apletely different social ss than hers. Under normal circumstances, they wouldn¡¯t have the chance to intersect in their lives. But now¡­ He had actually be her husband. Even she herself found it incredible. If it weren¡¯t for her special nature that interested him, he wouldn¡¯t have looked at her with his qualifications, right? Thinking about it, Joanna felt that she had indeed taken advantage of this marriage. ¡°Come here.¡± Seeing her still standing there, Ashton frowned with some dissatisfaction, ¡°Why are you still standing there?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Joanna pushed away a chair beside her, but before she could sit down, she saw Ashton frown again. With a tap of his slender finger on the table, he spoke in an authoritative tone, ¡°Sit beside me.¡± Joanna nced at the position next to him, hesitated for a few seconds, and sat down. Before settling down, Ashton reached out with his long arm, embraced her around the waist, and held her in his arms. Joanna sat on hisp, his strong arm encircling her waist, gently pinching the soft flesh of her waist. Surrounded by a young girl, the fragrance filled his nose. He leaned in close to her hair and took a deep breath, his expression somewhat intoxicated. ¡°What perfume do you usually wear? Why does your body smell so good?¡± Why would her scent be so pleasant? As soon as she got close to him, he felt an inexplicable sense offort. It seemed as if every cell in his body had rxed. Afterst night, he was sure that she was the one destined for him. Last night, he slept very well, just like the previous time, and didn¡¯t wake up until daylight. Not only did he sleep for a full seven hours, but he also didn¡¯t wake up midway or have that nightmare again. These ordinary experiences for others were luxuries for him. Her appearance lit up themp in the dark world he lived in. From then on, he saw the light. She would never know how important she was to him. Chapter 55 - 55 55 Has Heath Ashton really never been in a relationship before ?55: Chapter 55: Has Heath Ashton really never been in a rtionship before? 55: Chapter 55: Has Heath Ashton really never been in a rtionship before? ¡°I, I didn¡¯t use any perfume.¡± As he held her like this, Joanna¡¯s face flushed, shyly saying, ¡°Ashton Heath, let me go.¡± Several maids were in the dining room. Seeing this scene, they were surprised, envious, and resentful. This mysterious Ms. Joanna seemed to be greatly favored by Mr. Ashton. Although she¡¯s very pretty, she looks quite young, and it¡¯s said that she¡¯s a student. They didn¡¯t expect the young master to fall for a young girl like her. Not only did Ashton Heath not let her go, he even lifted her chin and gently caressed it, his voice low, ¡°Hugged me the whole nightst night, and now you¡¯re not letting me hug you?¡± Joanna¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°I¡­ Ist night¡­¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Ashton¡¯s finger grazed her cheek, his voice softly murmured, ¡°Like an octopus, clinging to me tightly. You slept sweetly while I didn¡¯t sleep well the whole night.¡± Joanna¡¯s face turned an even deeper shade of red. She was so tired yesterday that she fell asleep in his car. She didn¡¯t remember anything that happened afterward. Thinking of spending the night in the same bed, her heartbeat elerated considerably. She was d she had fallen asleep early, so she didn¡¯t have to face the embarrassment of sharing a bed. Blushing, she asked, ¡°So, the clothes I¡¯m wearing¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I changed them for you. My woman can only be seen by me alone.¡± ¡°You, you changed them for me?¡± Joanna¡¯s eyes widened even more, her face burning as if it were on fire, flushed to the core. Embarrassed again?¡± Ashton pinched her chin, smiling at her shy appearance, ¡°Why do you get embarrassed so easily? Baby, I¡¯m your husband, isn¡¯t it normal for me to change your clothes for you?¡± ¡°Ashton Heath, don¡¯t say anything more¡­¡± As he spoke these words that made her blush and her heart race, Joanna felt her face getting hotter and hotter. Especially when he called her ¡°baby,¡± it was as if he was weaving a spell, making her heart tremble deliciously. At this moment. Joanna seriously doubted the truth of the words Zack had told her. Had Ashton Heath really never been in a rtionship before? How could he be so good at flirting? Even as a woman with a romantic history of her own, she couldn¡¯t help but feel her heart race under his charm. ¡°Baby, do you know what I want to do right now?¡± Ashton whispered, slowly getting closer, his warm breath spilling onto her ear, and in a low voice, ¡°I want to¡­¡± Only the two of them could hear what he said. Joanna felt as if her little heart was about to burst. With teary eyes, she looked up, ¡°Ashton Heath, I¡¯m hungry, I want to have breakfast.¡± At that moment, the maid brought Joanna¡¯s breakfast over. There was foreign cuisine, foreign cuisine, and various pastries and fruits. In short, it was a sumptuous spread. However, Ashton Heath showed no intention of letting her go. Chapter 56 - 56 56 I allow you to leave ?56: Chapter 56: I allow you to leave? 56: Chapter 56: I allow you to leave? With one hand holding her, he picked up a ss of milk from the table with the other and fed it to her, ¡°Come, drink some milk first.¡± Joanna: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Can I do it myself¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± The man raised his eyebrows, a seductive smile appearing on his devilishly handsome face. ¡°Don¡¯t like this way? Want me to feed you mouth to mouth?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Joanna sobbed, not daring to make any more requests. Her face turned red as she drank the milk, one mouthful at a time, held by the man. The maids behind her were almost in tears from envy. Oh, Ms. Joanna is just too lucky. Having obtained such affection from Mr. Ashton, she¡¯s beyond content in this life! At the same time, they became even more aware of Joanna¡¯s position in Ashton Heath¡¯s heart. Thisdy is very much loved by their young master, so they must treat her with respect. * Even eating breakfast made Joanna¡¯s heart race. It seemed like Ashton was addicted to feeding her. Throughout the meal, Joanna didn¡¯t lift her hands at all. After eating, Ashton went upstairs to change clothes, while Joanna waited for him in the Living Room. Ten minutester, Ashton came downstairs in his new outfit. The moment she saw him, Joanna was momentarily stunned. His haute couture tailored suit fit perfectly, entuating his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long legs, making his already perfect figure that could outdo any supermodel even more eye-catching. Those long, straight, and powerful legs were visually striking. d in a suit and leather shoes, he exuded an unparalleled, cold, and aloof temperament, with a strong sense of self-restraint from head to toe. Looking at his handsome and profound face, Joanna¡¯s heartbeat suddenly quickened by two beats. ¡°Mr. Ashton, the car is ready.¡± Mr. Rowan walked over and said respectfully. ¡°Mhm.¡± Ashton adjusted the buttons on his sleeve and walked towards Joanna. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you to school.¡± * Joanna didn¡¯t know whether Ashton really didn¡¯t sleep wellst night, but he had his eyes closed and was resting on the way there. Only at such times would Joanna¡¯s courage grow a little bolder. While he was asleep, she would asionally turn her head to sneak a peek at him. As soon as she thought of all the intimate things he had done to her before, her face would be burning hot. Her heartbeat quickened as well. As they approached the school, Joanna asked Zack to park the car in a less conspicuous spot. Although she was married to Ashton now, she didn¡¯t want too many people to know about it. Zack parked the car. Just as Joanna was wondering whether or not to say goodbye to Ashton, the man beside her slowly opened his eyes. His eyes, cker than the night, looked at her. With a slightly hoarse voice, he asked, ¡°Are we at the school?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Joanna nodded. ¡°I¡¯m going to get off now. Then¡­ see youter.¡± With that, Joanna opened the car door, preparing to exit. ¡°Did I say you could leave?¡± From behind her, the man¡¯s indifferent voice made Joanna¡¯s attempt to exit the car freeze. She turned her head: ¡°¡­Is there anything else?¡± The noble and handsome man frowned, sounding slightly displeased, ¡°Come here.¡± Joanna hesitated for a moment, but still moved closer. As soon as she neared him, Ashton pulled her into his arms. Before she could react, a hot kiss descended upon her. Just as Joanna was about to pass out, the man finally released her, panting. His slender fingers pressed against her lips, and with a husky voice, he said, ¡°This is a goodbye kiss.¡± * When she got out of the car, Joanna¡¯s legs were still weak. She covered her burning cheeks, and with a mixture of shyness and annoyance, nced back at the people inside the car before turning to leave. Chapter 57 - 57 57 Joanna Lawrence, how dare you hit me! ?57: Chapter 57: Joanna Lawrence, how dare you hit me! 57: Chapter 57: Joanna Lawrence, how dare you hit me! In the back seat. Heavenly Handsome Man watched her slowly walk away, with a slight smirk on his lips. ¡°Mr. Ashton, are we going to thepany now?¡± ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s go.¡± * Joanna Lawrence had just arrived at the dormitory building when she received a call from her roommate and best friend, Aria Rowlett. ¡°Joanna, why haven¡¯t youe to school yet? You¡¯d better hurry back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already downstairs at the dormitory building. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Moon Broadley says she can¡¯t get used to the upper bunk and wants to switch beds with you. She¡¯s throwing your stuff onto the ground right now.¡± What?! Upon hearing this, Joanna immediately felt furious. She hung up the phone and sprinted upstairs. Her dorm room was on the third floor. As she rushed in, she saw Moon Broadley throwing her quilt onto the floor. Not just the quilt. Many of her things from her bed had already been thrown onto the floor. ¡°What are you doing? You can¡¯t do this! What gives you the right to throw Joanna¡¯s things around?¡± Aria was trying to stop her, but to no avail. Moon Broadley impatiently pushed her away, snapping, ¡°Get out of my way. How is throwing Joanna¡¯s things any of your business? Do you still think you can gain any benefits from fawning over her? Mr. David has already broken up with her. She¡¯s nothing without him.¡± As she spoke, she continued to throw Joanna¡¯s other items onto the floor. Witnessing this scene, Joanna¡¯s face turned livid, and her fists clenched tightly. At that moment, someone noticed her, hesitated, and pulled at Moon Broadley¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Moon, Joanna¡¯s back.¡± Unflustered, Moon Broadley leisurely turned around. Upon seeing Joanna, her lips curled into a disdainful sneer, ¡°Joanna, you¡¯re finally back. Let me inform you now, I¡¯m taking your bed, and you can move to the upper bunk.¡± Looking at the clothes, quilt, and various books scattered all over the floor, Joanna¡¯s anger was palpable, her brows furrowed in agitation. She raised her head, her face greenish pale, her voice cold as ice, ¡°Did you throw all the things from my bed onto the floor?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Moon Broadley crossed her arms, raised her chin, and looked at her with an expression of arrogance, ¡°Who asked you toe back sote? I had no choice but to help you clear your bed.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re back now, you can move the remaining stuff yourself.¡± As her words finished, a pnded heavily on her face. The impact instantly turned her head to the side, causing her cheek to swell. ¡°Ah!¡± Upon witnessing Joanna¡¯s p, a girl standing next to Moon Broadley shrieked, pointing at her and screaming in anger, ¡°Joanna, how dare you hit someone!¡± Moon Broadley was stunned by the p. It took her a few seconds to regain her senses. ¡°Joanna, how dare you hit me!¡± Moon Broadley covered her face, incredulous. Joanna red at her coldly, ¡°You asked for this p. If you dare touch my stuff again, I¡¯ll hit you even harder!¡± She and Moon Broadley had always been at odds. They once had a good rtionship, but the moment Moon Broadley¡¯s crush publicly pursued Joanna, their friendship turned into enmity. In the past, even though Moon Broadley disliked her and was unhappy with her, she never dared to act like this. Now, it was merely because she knew Joanna and David had broken up. Feeling that Joanna no longer had anyone to rely on, she decided to settle both new and old scores. Moon Broadley, clutching her injured face, grimaced and gritted her teeth, ¡°I¡¯ve been patient with you until now because you were dating Mr. David. Now that you¡¯ve broken up with him, do you think I¡¯ll still be afraid of you?¡± Chapter 58 - 58 58 I Wont Let Myself Suffer a Loss ?58: Chapter 58: I Won¡¯t Let Myself Suffer a Loss 58: Chapter 58: I Won¡¯t Let Myself Suffer a Loss ¡°Without Mr. David, who do you think you are! Today I¡¯ll teach you a good lesson, you little bitch!¡± With that, she raised her hand, ready to p Joanna Lawrence¡¯s face. Joanna sneered and didn¡¯t move, grabbing her hand and pushing it back with force. Moon Broadley screamed, falling heavily to the ground. Moon hit her head on the metal frame of the bunk bed, causing a small cut on her forehead. ¡°Ah, Moon, you¡¯re bleeding from your forehead,¡± Tessa Wright eximed, as if stepping on a tail. The dormitory had a total of six people, divided into three small factions. Joanna and Aria Rowlett were in one faction, Moon Broadley and Tessa Wright were in another, and the remaining two were neutral. Seeing Moon get hurt, Tessa red at Joanna and raised her hand, rushing toward her, ¡°You bitch, David is already done with you, and you¡¯re still so arrogant. You dare to hurt Moon, I¡¯ll fight you to the end!¡± Joanna watched her coldly. As Tessa was about to reach her, Joanna stuck out her foot. ¡°Ah!¡± Another scream. Tessa also fell heavily to the ground in an embarrassing position, knocked off bnce. Her nose hit the hard floor, causing her tears to flow out in an instant, ¡°Joanna, you bitch. You dare treat me and Moon like this, we won¡¯t let you go!¡± Moon¡¯s fall left her dizzy and disoriented for a while before she came to her senses. She touched the blood on her forehead and her face immediately turned pale. ¡°Joanna, you actually dare¡­¡± Her teeth clenched, her eyes filled with rage, and she was furious to the extreme. ¡°Bitch, do you think Mr. David will still protect you? You dare treat me like this, just wait and see!¡± ¡°Joanna, you wait and see. We¡¯ll make you pay!¡± The two of them climbed up from the ground and ran out of the dormitory after threatening her. * ¡°Joanna, what should we do?¡± Aria worriedly said, ¡°Moon and Tessa have found a wealthy and powerful close older male friend, an affluent offspring with connections. They must have gone to him. Why don¡¯t you find a ce to hide for now, and avoid this storm first?¡± Although Joanna¡¯s recent actions against Moon and Tessa were very satisfying, she was vulnerable now that David was no longer protecting her. Aria had heard of Moon¡¯s close older male friend and knew he was a ruthless character. The more Aria thought about it, the more worried she became, ¡°Joanna, you¡¯d better leave now. Don¡¯t go to ss today; I¡¯ll ask for a day off for you.¡± The other two roommates also advised, ¡°That close older male friend of Moon¡¯s is indeed a ruthless character; he even crippled someone¡¯s leg before. It¡¯s better to avoid him for now.¡± ¡°Yeah, Joanna, you¡¯d better go.¡± As Aria spoke, she pushed Joanna toward the door. When they reached the door, Joanna grabbed Aria¡¯s arm and shook her head, ¡°Aria, I won¡¯t go.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t go?¡± Aria¡¯s heart was breaking, ¡°Baby, I know you¡¯re a strong fighter, and you¡¯ve never lost a fight. But no matter how strong you are, you can¡¯t overpower a group of men.¡± ¡°At this point, don¡¯t be stubborn. You need to go.¡± Joanna still shook her head. After a moment of silence, she took out her phone and made a reassuring gesture to Aria, ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? She¡¯s just going to find someone to help, right? Aria, she can bring in reinforcements, and so can I. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let myself be taken advantage of.¡± Chapter 59 - 59 59 I Wont Let Anyone Hurt You ?59: Chapter 59: I Won¡¯t Let Anyone Hurt You 59: Chapter 59: I Won¡¯t Let Anyone Hurt You Having said that, she slowly walked out of the bedroom with a puzzled expression on Aria Rowlett¡¯s face. * Joanna Lawrence stood in the hallway outside and called Ashton Heath. It only rang for half a ring before he picked up on the other end. ¡°You¡¯ve just left me for a while, and you already miss me?¡± The man¡¯s maic, charming voice entered her ears, as if carrying radio waves, making Joanna¡¯s heart tremble. She was flustered and her heart raced at his flirting manner of conversation. ¡°Do you need anything?¡± Fortunately, Ashton did not continue to tease her. His voice, which was so pleasant to the ears that it melted them, softly rang out, ¡°Did you encounter any trouble, and do you need my help?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± She was embarrassed at his words. She had just troubled him yesterday, and now again¡­ She even felt that she had too many troubles of her own. As if guessing what she was thinking now, Ashton continued, ¡°Just tell me directly if there is anything, don¡¯t feel embarrassed. Joanna Lawrence, I¡¯m your husband, and you can let me do anything for you.¡± Every word the man uttered was like a pair of hands filled with warmth, gently caressing Joanna¡¯s heart. Her heart felt warm. With his words, she no longer hesitated and said directly, ¡°Hmm, I do need your help. Can you send a few bodyguards to me? I probably need about four or five people.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Ashton¡¯s tone became serious in an instant. Even a few degrees colder. Joanna thought that since they were husband and wife now, and in some sense, Ashton could be considered her family, she did not hide anything from him. She told him about her conflict with Moon Broadley. In conclusion, she said, ¡°In short, she thinks that I stole her man, so she has always held a grudge against me. Now that she thinks I don¡¯t have anyone to rely on, she wants to teach me a lesson.¡± Joanna didn¡¯t even realize that when she talked to Ashton about these things, her tone was whining, as if she wasining with a coquettish tone. Ashton listened and then said after a brief silence, ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell her that your husband is more powerful than a hundred David Beningtons? If she offends you, she won¡¯t be able to escape the consequences?¡± Joanna: ¡°¡­¡± She didn¡¯t think about those things at the time. Originally, she didn¡¯t want many people to know she was married. She was only 19 years old, and getting married and settling down so early was not part of her life n. She always felt that letting others know she was married so early would be somewhat humiliating. Her ideal marriage age was 28. Moreover, even if she really told Moon Broadley that, the other party would surely not believe her. Moon would think that Joanna was bragging. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no one can hurt you with me around. I won¡¯t let anyone harm you.¡± A few secondster, the man¡¯s low and tender voice came through, ¡°Joanna, I won¡¯t let anyone hurt you.¡± The tender, low voice entered her ears, gently plucking at a string in Joanna¡¯s heart. It made her heart unable to calm down again. At this moment, Joanna felt that having someone to rely on was truly wonderful. It was as if she had found a shelter from the wind, no longer needing to worry about being caught in the rain. Her heart was so peaceful and secure, like never before. * After hanging up the phone, Joanna put away her cell phone and walked towards the bedroom. Her belongings were thrown all over the ce by Moon Broadley, and she needed to tidy things up. Chapter 60 - 60 60 Hes Not Easy to Mess with, Neither am I! ?60: Chapter 60: He¡¯s Not Easy to Mess with, Neither am I! 60: Chapter 60: He¡¯s Not Easy to Mess with, Neither am I! Seeing her walk in, the other two roommates looked at each other before finally asking, ¡°Joanna, are you sure you don¡¯t want to hide?¡± Aria Rowlett also looked worried, ¡°Baby, it¡¯s not toote for you to leave now.¡± Joanna Lawrence squatted on the floor, moving her things onto the bed one by one. She calmly said to Aria Rowlett, ¡°Aria, when have you ever seen me at a disadvantage?¡± Aria thought about it carefully, seemingly she hadn¡¯t. Joanna looked like the kind of pretty, adorable girl who was easy to take advantage of. But those who knew her well understood that her soft-spoken demeanor was just a facade. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have made Moon Broadley and Tessa Wright cry earlier. But¡­ ¡°Baby, that older male friend of Moon¡¯s is really not someone to mess with. They say he¡¯s involved in some shady stuff, you really shouldn¡¯t be so reckless.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s not to be messed with, neither am I.¡± With the assurance from Ashton Heath himself, she had nothing to fear. Her husband was very powerful too! Ten or a hundred of Moon¡¯s older male friends collectively couldn¡¯t match up to him. Aria Rowlett: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aria.¡± Joanna slowly stood up, patted her on the shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m not stupid, I¡¯ve brought backup. Moon and the others won¡¯t have an advantage over me.¡± ¡°You also brought support?¡± Aria remembered the phone call she had made earlier, curiosity filled her eyes, ¡°So, you were calling someone to help you? Who did you call? Can we rely on him?¡± ¡°We can absolutely rely on him. There¡¯s no one more dependable.¡± Aria looked at her, noticing herpletely unperturbed demeanor, and couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she had called David Benington. If it was David, there would indeed be nothing to worry about then. Moon¡¯s older male friend¡¯s family still couldn¡¯tpare to David¡ªno matter how one looked at it the Benington family was one of the top ten noble families in Closia. But she felt that it was unlikely. Given Joanna¡¯s temperament, if David betrayed her, there was no way she would ask him for help again. So, who could it be? * Heath Group. Inside the vast conference room. The senior executives were trembling, scared to even draw a breath. Just now, President Ashton vetoed one of their proposals. That proposal was the result of their team¡¯s tireless efforts, burning the midnight oil for an entire month before being finalized. But, President Ashton nced at it for less than a minute. He didn¡¯t even finish reviewing all the content before he shot it down. Shot it down¡­ The executives almost started to cry. Would they have to work overtime for another month? If they continued to work overtime, they would lose the little hair they had left on their heads. But if President Ashton said no, it was a no. Nobody dared to refute him. Even the veterans who had been with thepany for decades did not dare underestimate this young CEO who had just turned 25. ¡°This is what you guys came up with after a month of thinking? This idea that any college student could easily produce, you dare to bring it in front of me?¡± ¡°It seems that the Heath Group is harboring too many loafers, it¡¯s time for arge-scaleyoff.¡± At these words, the faces of all the senior executives in the conference room turned pale. *buzz buzz* At this moment, Ashton Heath¡¯s cell phone, which was lying on the table, began to vibrate. He, who usually would not even nce at his phone throughout a meeting, immediately lowered his head to pick it up. Then, he answered it immediately. After he answered, he didn¡¯t say anything else and got up to leave the meeting room. After he left, The senior executivesmented in shock, ¡°Who called President Ashton? He answered it so quickly?¡± Chapter 61 - 61 61 They Actually Dare To Be So Arrogant! ?61: Chapter 61 They Actually Dare To Be So Arrogant! 61: Chapter 61 They Actually Dare To Be So Arrogant! ¡°Do you guys remember, that thest time we had a meeting, President Ashton did the same thing?¡± ¡°Could it be that President Ashton is in love?¡± ¡°How could that be possible, President Ashton has always shown little interest in women. If he were in love, wouldn¡¯t there be some hint?¡± * Outside the conference room. Ashton Heath finished his call with Joanna Lawrence and beckoned Cody Aberton. ¡°President Ashton.¡± Ashton Heath loosened his necktie a little, then turned straight to the direction of the elevator: ¡°You host the rest of the meeting for me, I need to step out.¡± What?! Cody Aberton was stupefied. Such a senior-level meeting, how could he, a mere assistant, manage it? Plus, President Ashton was well into the meeting, why suddenly leave? This was a very important meeting. Cody Aberton immediately followed him. ¡°President Ashton, I can¡¯t do it.¡± He mustered up the courage to speak, ¡°They¡¯re all senior executives of thepany, I can¡¯t host their meeting, it¡¯s not right.¡± Ashton Heath, in a rush. He walked to the elevator, pressed the button: ¡°If I say you can, then you can. No more nonsense, this is part of your job. If you can¡¯t do it well, then leave immediately.¡± The elevator door opened. Having uttered these words, Ashton Heath walked in, and pressed the elevator door closed. Cody Aberton: ¡°¡­¡± Even with the threat of being fired, he dared not voice any objection. He couldn¡¯t even release a fart of opposition. No matter how great heaven and earth are, the boss is the greatest. No matter how difficult or arduous the task, he mustplete it. Thinking about facing so many executives soon, Cody Aberton felt enormous pressure. Why does he feel that recently, President Ashton has been more and more capricious? Leaving early from work on a whim, exiting important meetings halfway through. He clearly wasn¡¯t like this before! * Joanna Lawrence had just finished tidying up her bed, when she heard amotion from downstairs. The noise was loud, everyone in the dormitory ran out to see what was happening. She and Aria Rowlett also went to see. Looking downstairs, they saw a bunch of men, dressed and behaving in a very rowdy manner, attempting to enter the women¡¯s dormitory, with dormitorydy Octavia stopping them. Dormitorydy Octavia was over fifty years old, naturally she was no match for these men. While she wanted to stop them, she simply could not. One of the men showed an impatient look, walking up to push her, pushing Dormitorydy Octavia to the ground. ¡°Damn, they¡¯re outrageous. This is a school, they dare to be so arrogant!¡± Aria Rowlett was furious. Joanna Lawrence¡¯s face also darkened, her lips tightened: ¡°Moon Broadley has brought these men to the school, she¡¯s got some nerve.¡± If this incident were to be investigated by the school, Moon Broadley would definitely be punished. Moon Boadley understood this too. The reason she dared to do so, apart from that so-called tall, rich, and handsome close older male friend, there must be other backup ns. Otherwise, she would not behave so recklessly. Joanna Lawrence suddenly realized that she hadn¡¯t told anyone about her breakup with David Benington. But why did Moon Broadley and the others in the dormitory know about it? ¡°Aria, I need to ask you something.¡± Joanna Lawrence¡¯s eyes darkened, her gaze growing colder. In her heart, she already had some guesses. ¡°What is it?¡± Aria Rowlett, watching those rowdy men entering the women¡¯s dormitory, bing increasingly worried, ¡°Baby, where are the reinforcements you talked about, why haven¡¯t they arrived yet?¡± Joanna Lawrence fell silent for a moment, and asked: ¡°Who told you guys about my breakup with David?¡± Chapter 62 - 62 62 Kneel Down and Apologize to Us Immediately ?62: Chapter 62: Kneel Down and Apologize to Us Immediately 62: Chapter 62: Kneel Down and Apologize to Us Immediately ¡°What?¡± Aria Rowlett was stunned for a moment, then said, ¡°You¡¯re talking about this? It was Moon Broadley who said it. When she came back to school, she was very proud and told us about it, saying you cheated on someone else, so Mr. David doesn¡¯t want you anymore.¡± Joanna Lawrence: ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t cheat on anyone.¡± Darn it! It was actually that scumbag man and despicable woman who cheated on her, okay!? ¡°Baby, of course, I believe you.¡± Aria Rowlett frowned slightly and said, ¡°I know what kind of person you are. Moon Broadley¡¯s mouth is really bad. She¡¯s deliberately trying to ruin your reputation. Back then it was Jacky Prescot who fell in love with you at first sight and actively pursued you, not you intentionally hooking up with him. Why does Moon Broadley think you stole her man?¡± Joanna Lawrence pursed her lips and didn¡¯t say anything. She thought this wasn¡¯t done by Moon Broadley, but by someone else. David Benington would never talk about their breakup everywhere and would definitely not tell Moon Broadley about it. Therefore, the only possibility is that the news of the breakup came from Annie Lawrence. She deliberately leaked this matter to Moon Broadley, and the intention behind it is obvious. Thinking of this, Joanna Lawrence¡¯s eyes grew colder. Annie Lawrence¡­ There was a messy sound of footsteps. Aria Rowlett widened her eyes in panic, saying, ¡°Joanna, they¡¯reing up.¡± Joanna Lawrence slowly raised her head and saw Moon Broadley and Tessa Wright walking in front, followed by a group of seven or eight young people. Moon Broadley held her head and chin high, like a proud peacock, slowly walking in front of Joanna Lawrence. ¡°Joanna Lawrence,¡± she said with a gloomy face, ¡°if you kneel down and kowtow to me three times now and then go to the campus radio station to formally apologize to me, I might still be able to forgive you this time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Tessa Wright held her nose and said angrily, ¡°kowtow to us and apologize right now. If your attitude is good, we might let you off considering we are roommates. Otherwise, wait to be beaten.¡± ¡°You two are going too far!¡± Aria Rowlett said angrily, ¡°You obviously started bullying Joanna first, so why should she apologize to you?¡± ¡°Aria Rowlett, shut up! If you keep helping Joanna Lawrence, don¡¯t me us for dealing with you together.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Aria, this is none of your business.¡± Joanna Lawrence pulled Aria Rowlett behind her, raised her head, and looked coldly at the two arrogant girls, ¡°Kneel down to you? I only kneel to my parents and heaven and earth. What are you?¡± ¡°You guys started the trouble first, picking on me, so I taught you a lesson. Apologize? Hah, not in this lifetime.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Moon Broadley was so angry that her face turned green, gritting her teeth and saying, ¡°Joanna Lawrence, so you¡¯re not going to apologize?¡± Joanna Lawrence looked at her like she was an idiot, ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say that? It¡¯s so sad that your hearing is so bad at such a young age. Moon Broadley, I suggest you go to the hospital early to have a check-up, or you won¡¯t even know how you became deaf.¡± ¡°Slut!¡± Because of themotion here, many people came out of their dormitory to watch the excitement. As soon as Joanna Lawrence finished speaking that sentence, there was a burst ofughter around them. They were allughing at Moon Broadley. Moon Broadley felt humiliated, raising her hand to p Joanna Lawrence¡¯s face. Joanna Lawrence stood still and didn¡¯t dodge, just sneered and said, ¡°What, you want to fall again?¡± Chapter 63 - 63 63 Are you Joanna Lawrence ?63: Chapter 63: Are you Joanna Lawrence? 63: Chapter 63: Are you Joanna Lawrence? Having fallen before, Moon Broadley now had a lingering fear in her heart. She never thought that Joanna Lawrence seemed so easy to bully, but her fighting strength turned out to be so strong. Moon¡¯s hand hesitated in mid-air when she looked into Joanna¡¯s cold eyes, and a trace of fear grew in her heart. Instinctively, she wanted to step back. But she thought of the many people watching her, clenched her teeth and angrily cursed, ¡°Bitch!¡± Then, she tried to p Joanna¡¯s face. How could Joanna let her hit her? Before Moon¡¯s p couldnd, she caught it in mid-air. ¡°Ah, it hurts, bitch, let go!¡± The moment her wrist was caught, Moon¡¯s face twisted in pain. She struggled, trying to break free. Joanna was very strong. Even a man couldn¡¯t beat her in arm wrestling. Let alone a pampered Moon Broadley. With just a little effort, Moon¡¯s face turned red from pain, and she screamed without caring about her image, ¡°Joanna, bitch, let me go! I¡¯ll fight you to the end!¡± ¡°Oh, alright.¡± Joanna nodded, smiled slightly, and really let go of her hand. However, when she let go, Moon, who was still struggling, lost her bnce and fell to the ground in front of everyone. Falling at Joanna¡¯s feet in a kneeling position. ¡°Pfft¡­¡± Joanna couldn¡¯t help butugh. She shook her head, sighed, and then looked down at Moon, ¡°Ah, Moon Broadley, why are you giving me such a big show of respect? I can¡¯t bear it.¡± The onlookers burst intoughter again at Moon¡¯s pathetic state. ¡°How did Moon Broadley get so bold? Daring to provoke Joanna Lawrence. Isn¡¯t she afraid that Mr. David will teach her a lesson?¡± ¡°I heard that Mr. David and Joanna broke up.¡± ¡°What? My heartthrob finally broke up with Joanna, the little subus? Is the news reliable? Didn¡¯t Mr. David really like her? Why did they suddenly break up?¡± ¡°I heard that Joanna cheated.¡± ¡°With an outstanding boyfriend like Mr. David, she still wants to cheat? Mr. David treats her so well. Does this woman have any conscience?¡± A group of people started discussing back and forth. Moon Broadley was humiliated in public, so angry that her nose and eyes went crooked. She gritted her teeth and yelled at the bully youngsters, ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and deal with this bitch!¡± ¡°Joanna, you¡¯ve gone too far!¡± Tessa Wright turned around, feigned an extremely wronged expression, and said softly to a man next to her, ¡°Dominic, you saw it all, didn¡¯t you? Joanna is really too much. You must help me and Moon get our revenge.¡± The man called Dominic Hook had a cigarette in his mouth, half-closed eyes, and looked darkly and tantly at Joanna. Then a wicked smile appeared at the corner of his lips. ¡°So you¡¯re Joanna Lawrence?¡± The undisguised amazement and covetousness in his eyes, he asked with great interest. The young girl in front of him was dressed very ordinarily, just like a normal student. But that face, it was so beautiful that it made people¡¯s heart race. Her ck, shiny eyes were brighter than the stars, her features were so delicate that there were no ws to pick. Especially that white, glowing skin, so tender that it seemed like a gentle pinch would squeeze out water. Chapter 64 - 64 64 Truly a Siren ?64: Chapter 64: Truly a Siren 64: Chapter 64: Truly a Siren She wasn¡¯t wearing makeup, but her bare face was still a hundred times more beautiful than many women with exquisite makeup. Dominic had seen so many beautiful women, but all the women he had ever metbined couldn¡¯tpare to the beauty in front of him. Moreover, he had yed with many women. So he could tell at a nce that not only was Joanna beautiful, but her figure was also great. She was a beauty with both face and figure top-notch. Seeing such a great beauty standing in front of him, Dominic nearly lost his soul. He decided on the spot that he had to have her. Desire and ambition were too obvious in Dominic¡¯s eyes. Joanna frowned, disgust shing in her eyes, and coldly said: ¡°Are you Moon¡¯s close older male friend? Are you going to stand up for her?¡± Dominic removed the cigarette between his lips and smiled wickedly: ¡°Moon said you bullied her, is it true?¡± ¡°Dominic, you must teach this bitch a good lesson for me!¡± Seeing someone standing up for her, Moon climbed up from the ground, with an enraged expression as if she wanted to tear Joanna to shreds. Joanna¡¯s face was expressionless: ¡°So what if I did, and what if I didn¡¯t?¡± Dominic didn¡¯t speak. His malicious gazing eyes stared at Joanna, and after a while, he smirked: ¡°Both Moon and Tessa here are my sisters. You¡¯ve bullied them, and as their brother, I can¡¯t just sit on my hands.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± his tone changed, and the smile at the corner of his lips grew even more wicked, ¡°You are all good friends from the same dormitory. I guess there must be some misunderstanding, right?¡± ¡°Dominic, you¡­¡± Hearing him say this, both Moon and Tessa¡¯s faces changed instantly. Looking at Dominic¡¯s eyes when he gazed at Joanna, it was clear that he had the kind of interest a man would have in a woman. Their faces changed again and they cursed Joanna in their hearts over and over. What a siren. Seducing every man she sees. Dominic was clearly here to help them, but now he was being captivated by this little wicked girl. Moon¡¯s lungs were about to explode with anger, and she eximed frantically: ¡°Dominic, there¡¯s no misunderstanding! You saw how she bullied me just now. You said you would help us, don¡¯t go back on your word.¡± However, Dominic had already developed a strong interest in Joanna at this moment. He didn¡¯t care about them anymore. He ignored Moon and kept his gaze on Joanna, his intentions clear: ¡°Jeremy, why don¡¯t we find a ce and have a good chat? My name is Dominic, and my father is Derek Hook, the chairman of the Hook Group. I believe you must have heard this name before.¡± When Dominic said this, there was a sense of victory in his eyes. He saw that Joanna dressed inly, thinking that she muste from an ordinary background. For a rich second-generation like him to pursue her actively, she would surely not refuse. Girls like her tended to be gold diggers. And they rarely resisted. ¡°Dominic, how could you do this, you promised to help us!¡± Moon and Tessa were so angry that they nearly fainted, not expecting that Dominic could be so enchanted by Joanna. Dominic looked at them impatiently and snapped coldly: ¡°Shut up! I didn¡¯t ask for your opinions, so don¡¯t talk!¡± After saying that, he turned his head to look at Joanna again and raised an eyebrow: ¡°Jeremy, how about we have lunch together? Whatever you like, I¡¯ll have someone reserve a spot right away.¡± Chapter 65 - 65 65 Stinky girl, dont be shameless when given face ?65: Chapter 65: Stinky girl, don¡¯t be shameless when given face 65: Chapter 65: Stinky girl, don¡¯t be shameless when given face Joanna had seen too many men like Dominic Hook. Before Mr. David, many affluent offspring had pursued her. She knew these men¡¯s minds all too well. They only wanted to possess her because she was beautiful; once they had their fun, they would discard her. None of them were sincere. She was disgusted by such frivolous men. Thus, she gave Dominic a cold reception. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t have time. And also, I¡¯m not interested in having dinner with you.¡± Being rejected in public, Dominic¡¯s expression darkened. He spoke, his voice colder, ¡°You don¡¯t know Hook Group?¡± Joanna sneered and shrugged. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. Is it famous? I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡± His face further darkened after being rebuffed once again. Usually, this kind of affluent offspring easily had women to themselves, as their badpany always ttered him. This was the first time a woman dared to repeatedly embarrass and refuse him. Ashamed and enraged, Dominic red, threatening, ¡°Stupid girl, you¡¯re really asking for it. Onest time, are you going or not?¡± Seeing Dominic annoyed, Moon Broadley and Tessa Wright finally felt appeased. Joanna Lawrence really was shameless. While Dominic was furious, they must teach her a lesson. So the two poured fuel on the fire. ¡°Joanna, it¡¯s your good fortune that Dominic could even look at you. What do you think you are, daring to refuse him?¡± ¡°Dominic, teach this ungrateful woman a lesson.¡± Aria Rowlett realized the situation was dire. Joanna¡¯s backup had not shown, and she feared Joanna would be in trouble. After much hesitation, Aria secretly sent David a message on her phone. Aria Rowlett: Joanna is in trouble with some delinquents. Mr. David, can youe save her? Aria thought that even though Joanna and David had broken up, they had a lot of history, and David wouldn¡¯tpletely ignore her. Now, the only person who could help her was David. David immediately responded: What happened? Where is Joanna now? Aria Rowlett: Women¡¯s dormitory at school. Mr. David, hurry, or Joanna will get hurt. David: I¡¯m close to the school. I¡¯ll be there soon. Upon seeing David¡¯s reply, Aria let out a sigh of relief. He was close to the school, so he could arrive quickly. Just as Aria had sent the message, she saw Dominic enrage and grabbed Joanna¡¯s hand. ¡°Bitch, you¡¯re really getting full of yourself. Today, even if you don¡¯t want to go, I¡¯ll force you. You want me to get physical, huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen tons like you. Aren¡¯t you just selling yourself? I have money! One million dors a night, is that enough? If not, I¡¯ll pay more!¡± Dominic lost hisposure, revealing his true nature. He grabbed Joanna¡¯s hand, took out a stack of cash from his wallet, and smashed it into her face. As he threw the money, he cursed, ¡°Stop fucking pretending. You¡¯re just a used-up piece of shit. If you know what¡¯s good for you, follow me quietly. Otherwise, I¡¯ll make you suffer!¡± ¡°Joanna! Let her go!¡± Aria rushed to help, but several other men walked up and grabbed her. Chapter 66 - 66 66 Wow, who are those people ?66: Chapter 66: Wow, who are those people? 66: Chapter 66: Wow, who are those people? These people were all punks from the streets. Seeing Aria Rowlett¡¯s attractive appearance, several of them sneered, ¡°This chick looks pretty good too. Dominic, why not take her with us and let the brothers have some fun?¡± Joanna Lawrence¡¯s face changed when she saw Aria Rowlett being grabbed. She raised her hand and pped Dominic Hook hard, ¡°You bunch of trash, let Aria go.¡± ¡°p!¡± Dominic Hook was caught off guard by the p, and his face immediately turned very ugly. He red sinisterly, grinding his teeth, ¡°Bitch, how dare you hit me! I¡¯m going to kill you today!¡± With that, he grabbed Joanna¡¯s hair and yanked her head towards a nearby wall. Joanna Lawrence bit down on his hand in pain. Dominic cried out in pain and released her, flinging her away. The man was very strong. Joanna¡¯s strength was already considered strong among girls. But after being thrown by Dominic, she couldn¡¯t help but stumble back two steps and then fall to the ground. Dominic Hook red at the bloody bite mark on his hand, getting even more sinister. He actually pulled a knife out of his bag. There were many onlookers. But none of them dared toe forward and help. When Joanna Lawrence saw Dominic take out the knife, her face finally changed. Moon Broadley and Tessa Wright both had a smug, relieved smile on their faces, ¡°Serves you right, whore.¡± ¡°Dominic, teach this bitch a lesson! Let her be arrogant!¡± ¡°You should cut her face so that she can¡¯t seduce men with her flirtatious looks anymore!¡± Dominic Hook angrily ordered his men, ¡°Grab this bitch for me. I¡¯m going to kill her.¡± A few of his men rolled up their sleeves and walked menacingly towards Joanna Lawrence. Before they could even get to her, suddenly, a sharp sound of rapid footsteps echoed from behind. The onlookers gasped in unison, ¡°Wow, who are all those people?¡± ¡°Are they with Moon Broadley¡¯s side? They don¡¯t look like it, though.¡± Dominic Hook, Moon Broadley, and the others heard themotion and turned their heads. They were all stunned when they saw a group of tall, muscr men in ck uniforms walking towards them. There were about ten muscr men. Each one was over 6 feet 1 inch tall. Their physique and temperament were clearly of those who had been trained. And they were very skilled. They were definitely not people that any of them couldpare to. Before they could react to the appearance of these men in ck, they heard the leader say in a deep voice, ¡°Mr. Ashton ordered us not to let any of them go.¡± As the words fell, the group quickly charged forward. The street punks who were going to grab Joanna Lawrence were the first to be taken down. With a few miserable screams, apanied by the sound of bones cracking, three punks were wailing on the ground in the blink of an eye. The other punks rushed in to help. But they didn¡¯t even have a chance to strike before they were knocked down by the men in ck. There were more sounds of bones cracking. Those who fell to the ground let out pig-like wails. Some of them were in so much pain that they passed out on the spot. In an instant, Without even seeing how the men in ck attacked, all the punks Dominic brought with him were t on the ground. Seeing this scene, the onlookers were dumbfounded, too scared to even take a breath. Were these people here to help Joanna Lawrence? Chapter 67 - 67 67 Just a Minor Character of No Importance ?67: Chapter 67: Just a Minor Character of No Importance 67: Chapter 67: Just a Minor Character of No Importance Didn¡¯t Joanna and David already break up? Could it be that David still has feelings for her and has found someone to help her? Aria also thought these people were called by David. She patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that David wasn¡¯t too bad. At least at this moment, his timely help avoided a disaster. Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable. She walked to Joanna¡¯s side, reached out to help her up, and looked at her worriedly, ¡°Joanna, are you okay?¡± Joanna shook her head. Across from them, Moon and Dominic¡¯s group looked shocked. Looking at the few people who were still howling on the ground, Moon¡¯s face turned pale with fear and her lips were trembling, ¡°Who¡­ who are you?¡± No one expected that this group was actually here to help Joanna and the others. Moon was even more puzzled. Hadn¡¯t Annie told her that David and Joanna had broken up, and she could do whatever she wanted to Joanna? Then what was going on with these people? Apart from relying on David, who else could Joanna rely on? Could it be that Annie was lying to her? For a moment, Moon¡¯s face alternated between green and white, looking extremely ugly. One of the ck-clothed people nced at her and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re Ms. Joanna¡¯s ssmate? The one who brought these people to the school to make trouble for her?¡± ¡°I¡­ I am. What¡­ what do you want?¡± After seeing the skills of the bodyguards, Moon was frightened and took a step back behind Dominic. Dominic, who was also frightened by the sudden turn of events, tried to muster up a fierce look and gritted his teeth, ¡°Motherfucker, where the hell did youe from? Who dares to touch my people? Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°I have no interest in knowing who you are. But if you dare to mess with Joanna, you¡¯re courting death.¡± With that, the speaker waved his hand, instructing the other bodyguards, ¡°Break the legs of all the men and take the women away.¡± ¡°You dare! I am the only son of Hook Group¡¯s chairman. If you touch me, my father won¡¯t let you off!¡± ¡°Hook Group?¡± The leading bodyguard sneered, ¡°Just a second-rate small character. You don¡¯t know the depth of the sky and the earth. Today, even if we break both your legs here, your father will not dare to fart when the timees.¡± Hook Group was a well-known medium-sized enterprise in Closia. Speaking of it, it had some fame. Butpared to Heath Group, it didn¡¯t even qualify to wipe President Ashton¡¯s shoes. This kind of arrogant and domineering fool who didn¡¯t know his own weight was simply ignorant of the disaster he had brought to his family because of his stupidity. Just breaking his legs was getting off cheap. President Ashton was not such a kind person. Soon, Hook Group would disappear from Closia. Two bodyguards stepped forward to grab him. He swung the dagger in his hand and snarled, ¡°Get away from me, or I won¡¯t be polite.¡± ¡°If you dare touch me, I¡¯ll¡­ ¡± Dominic¡¯s cursing stopped abruptly. The next second, it turned into a pig-killing howl, ¡°Ah, my leg, my leg¡­ ¡± The bodyguard easily snatched the knife from his hand and grabbed him. Then, he kicked Dominic¡¯s kneecap. Dominic¡¯s face turned ghostly white in an instant, and with a ¡°plop¡±, he knelt on the ground, hugging his legs and wailing in pain. Chapter 68 - 68 68 You Wicked Woman ?68: Chapter 68: You Wicked Woman 68: Chapter 68: You Wicked Woman He was in so much pain he writhed on the ground, continuously swearing, ¡°You bunch of dogs! I¡¯ll kill you all! Kill you all!¡± Just as he finished cursing, he was kicked in his other leg. This time, he passed out from the pain. Seeing this, Moon Broadley was so scared her legs gave way underneath her. She couldn¡¯t stand anymore. When a bodyguard went to grab her, she had no strength left, her face filled with terror. She kept pleading, ¡°No, don¡¯t break my legs, please, don¡¯t!¡± Tessa Wright was also so scared that she copsed on the spot, her face as pale as a sheet. They were still just students. Even if they had been somewhat arrogant and domineering in the past, they had never seen violence like this. Witnessing Dominic Hook¡¯s legs broken and him passing out, the sight of such violence made them sob uncontrobly, trembling uncontrobly. ¡°Ms. Joanna, are these two your ssmates? How do you want us to deal with them?¡± The leader of the bodyguards walked over to Joanna Lawrence, bowed respectfully to her, with an extremely deferential attitude. ¡°Joanna, we were wrong. Please forgive us.¡± ¡°Joanna, for the sake of us sharing the same dormitory, please forgive us this time.¡± The terror of losing their legs made the two of them tremble even more intensively. They pleaded with Joanna over and over, crying so hard that they were snuffling. At this moment, they looked as wretched as could be. Joanna Lawrence looked at them coldly. ¡°Joanna.¡± Aria Rowlett said indignantly, ¡°You can¡¯t forgive them easily. They went too far just now.¡± If David Benington hadn¡¯t acted quickly, who knows what would have happened. Thinking of this, Aria Rowlett looked around, feeling a bit confused. Where was David Benington? Why hadn¡¯t she seen him? Was it because he didn¡¯t want to show up, so he didn¡¯te? ¡°Aria, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not a divinedy.¡± Joanna Lawrence gave her a reassuring look, then turned to look at the weeping Moon Broadley and Tessa Wright. After thinking for a moment, she said: ¡°Just follow the normal procedure. Do what you have to do.¡± What they did would warrant severe punishment from the school. For a third-year student, about to graduate next year, there was no more severe punishment than being expelled. Even though it¡¯s destructive of their futures, since they were the first to vite decency, they couldn¡¯t me her for reciprocity. The bodyguard nodded in understanding: ¡°Yes, I understand your intentions, Ms. Joanna.¡± After that, he waved his hand and ordered:¡± Take them away.¡± Hearing Joanna¡¯s words, Moon and others panicked, ¡°Joanna, we really know we were wrong. Give us a chance to correct ourselves.¡± ¡°Yes, we have been good friends in the same dorm for three years. Can¡¯t you forgive us just once?¡± Joanna gradually moved closer to the two of them. Looking down at them from above, she spoke word by word, coldly saying, ¡°You are wrong. I have never been friends with you. And, I only forgive those who truly regret their actions. For double-dealers like you, I won¡¯t give another chance.¡± Seeing that pleading was useless, the two who had just been promising to change immediately switched faces, angrily cursing, ¡°Joanna Lawrence, you vicious woman. You are so cold and ruthless to friends who have shared the same dorm with you for three years. You are so inhuman, you will pay for this in the end.¡± ¡°No wonder Mr. David broke up with you. No man would like a woman like you.¡± Chapter 69 - 69 69 Didnt He Go to Work ?69: Chapter 69: Didn¡¯t He Go to Work? 69: Chapter 69: Didn¡¯t He Go to Work? ¡°Joanna Lawrence, you¡¯re such a bitch!¡± Listening to those swearing words, Joanna Lawrence was emotionless. However, Aria Rowlett was a little worried about her, afraid that those words would irritate her, After all, she had just broken up with David Benington not long ago. After thinking about it, Aria Rowlett was about tofort her when she heard a gasp from the onlooking crowd, along with excited screams. ¡°Wow, who is that guy, he¡¯s so handsome!¡± ¡°He¡¯s so tall, I guess he¡¯s about 188 cm, and he has such a great body. Wearing a ck shirt really gives him that repressed vibe.¡± ¡°Oh my god, he¡¯s so freaking hot. I feel like even our school¡¯s top guy isn¡¯t as good-looking as him.¡± Aria Rowlett was stunned and followed the gaze of the others. When she saw the tall, upright ck figure not far from her, she was instantly stunned, her eyes widened in disbelief. Hearing themotion, Joanna Lawrence also turned her head to look. When she saw him, she waspletely dumbfounded. The man slowly walking towards her had a stunning, god-like face, a noble and distinguished temperament, deeply profound and sharp eyes. The pure ck shirt and trousers entuated the cold, repressed aura around him with great intensity. It was as if his body carried a natural radiance, instantly attracting the eyes of everyone around him. Standing beside her, Aria Rowlett¡¯s eyes were riveted. Excitedly grabbing her arm, she said to her, ¡°Oh my god, Joanna, did you see it? There¡¯s a super handsome guy up ahead.¡± Joanna Lawrence opened her mouth, but before she could say a word, she heard Aria Rowlett scream in even more excitement: ¡°Ah, Joanna, he¡¯sing this way! I feel like he¡¯s looking at us!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t take it, I¡¯m really excited. You tell me, this is not my illusion, that handsome guy is really looking at us, right?!¡± Joanna Lawrence: ¡°¡­¡± Looking at her best friend¡¯s excited, almost insane state, her mouth twitched involuntarily, rendering her speechless. Aria Rowlett was a true ¡°face dog.¡± She was the kind who would whistle at attractive guys when walking on the street. The depth of her infatuation was determined by the other party¡¯s attractiveness. This was the first time Joanna Lawrence had seen her so infatuated. So excited that she was almost losing her senses. But Aria Rowlett was not the only one losing her senses on the spot. The other girls screamed incessantly, instantly bing infatuated. The girls behind Joanna Lawrence were all so excited that they couldn¡¯t control themselves, with the screams of excitement and joy never ceasing: ¡°He¡¯sing our way! Is he looking for us?¡± ¡°Ah, I feel like I can¡¯t breathe. He¡¯s really so handsome.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not one of our school¡¯s students, is he? He looks quite mature in his dressing.¡± The appearance of the man caused the girls on this floor to boil with excitement. The only one who seemed rtively calm, with little emotional fluctuation, was Joanna Lawrence. However, she was only calm on the surface. From the moment she saw Ashton Heath, her heart was already filled with shock and turmoil. Why would he be here?!! Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be at work? Suddenly seeing him at school, especially in the girls¡¯ dormitory, made Joanna Lawrence feel a little dazed and unreal. She stared nkly as Ashton Heath slowly approached her. The distance between them was getting closer and closer¡­ ¡°Ah, Joanna, he¡¯sing! I¡¯m so nervous. Do you think we should take the initiative to say hello to him? But, what should we say?¡± Aria Rowlett, possessed by infatuation, wore an expression of both shyness and anticipation. Chapter 70 - 70 70 This handsome guy is actually here to look for Joanna Lawrence ?70: Chapter 70: This handsome guy is actually here to look for Joanna Lawrence 70: Chapter 70: This handsome guy is actually here to look for Joanna Lawrence Joanna Lawrence: ¡°¡­¡± She was also struggling with this problem. For a moment, she wondered if she should take the initiative to greet Ashton Heath. Or¡­ pretend not to know him? After some careful consideration, she felt that if she chose thetter, he would definitely be angry. Before she could figure out what to do, she felt a shadow falling in front of her. She looked up, only to see a stunningly handsome face with deep and strong features. The man¡¯s pitch-ck, cold eyes stared at her for a few seconds before he reached out and ced his slender, slightly cold fingers on her cheek. His voice was cold, seemingly carrying a hint of anger: ¡°What happened here? Are you injured?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Joanna opened her mouth. Before she could say anything, the man¡¯s gaze turned even colder, grabbing her arm and coldly saying, ¡°You¡¯re injured here too.¡± An ice-coldyer formed on his handsome face in an instant. When he spoke again, his deep voice seemed to be wrapped in ice, chilling to the bone: ¡°Who caused these injuries on you?¡± The man had a strong presence. That angry question made everyone present feel a little fearful. Even the girls who had been fawning over him earlier were frightened by the cold air emanating from him and dared not speak anymore. Joanna was also a little scared. She bit her lip and remained silent for a few seconds before saying weakly, ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just some minor injuries.¡± Ashton Heath pursed his lips, red at her, and lifted her horizontally in his arms. A sound of gasps rang out. ¡°What the hell? This handsome guy is here for Joanna Lawrence?¡± ¡°Holy crap, is this Joanna¡¯s new boyfriend? She just broke up with David Benington and immediately found someone so handsome?¡± ¡°So, the group of guys earlier weren¡¯t called over by David, but by this man?¡± ¡°I heard Joanna was dumped by David because she cheated on him. Is this the guy she cheated with? To be honest, in terms of looks and temperament, this guy is way better than David. They¡¯re not even in the same league.¡± Seeing Ashton Heath carrying Joanna Lawrence in a princess carry, everyone began to lose theirposure. Heated discussions buzzed everywhere. Aria Rowlett was dumbfounded. She looked at her best friend and then at Ashton Heath, her face full of astonishment: ¡°Baby, what¡­what¡¯s going on here?¡± How did this incredibly handsome guy end up holding her darling in his arms?! Joanna¡¯s face turned as red as a cooked shrimp when Ashton Heath gave her a public princess carry. She struggled for a moment, but the man¡¯s arm around her waist tightened, looking down at her and softly chiding, ¡°Don¡¯t move. Do you want me to kiss you in public?¡± Joanna Lawrence: ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s a shame that people call him some kind of abstinent handsome guy. That¡¯s not urate at all! From head to toe, where was he abstinent?! He would always take advantage of her, touching her inappropriately, and was clearly a hooligan! ¡°Ashton Heath, put me down.¡± Joanna¡¯s cheeks were burning hot. She lightly pounded his chest and said, both shy and annoyed, ¡°So many people are watching, what are you doing?¡± ¡°So what if people are watching?¡± Ashton Heath was indifferent and lowered his voice, his sultry and sexy tone making Joanna¡¯s ears tingle, ¡°You are my wife. If I don¡¯t hold you, who should I hold?¡± ¡°But¡­ I can walk on my own.¡± Chapter 71 - 71 71 It Seems Like Im Being Stalked by the Grim Reaper ?71: Chapter 71: It Seems Like I¡¯m Being Stalked by the Grim Reaper 71: Chapter 71: It Seems Like I¡¯m Being Stalked by the Grim Reaper This pampering ¡°Good girl¡± made Joanna Lawrence¡¯s face burn even more. She didn¡¯t know why every time she was in front of Ashton Heath, her face would easily blush. A casual tease from him would make her turn red. The surrounding whispers kepting. Moon Broadley and Tessa Wright, who were both held back, had shocked expressions on their faces, as if they had seen the sun rise from the west, full of disbelief. Then, deep hatred appeared in their eyes. At first, they both thought that the group of men in ck were called by David Benington for assistance. But now, it was obviously not the case. The men in ck were called by the handsome and noble-looking man right in front of them. Even if they still didn¡¯t know the man¡¯s identity, they could both see that he was definitely extraordinary. That kind of dignified, domineering presence, which made people instinctively worship and fear him, was definitely not something ordinary people could have. It was a kind of aura that belonged to those who had been in top positions for a long time and were used to issuing orders. Moon had a sharp eye. She immediately noticed the watch on Ashton Heath¡¯s wrist. Upon seeing this, her face changed and the jealousy in her eyes deepened. She had seen that watch at a luxury goods exhibition. It was a limited edition global watch, extremely expensive, costing at least more than 5 million dors. Moreover, only people with certain status could buy it. There were only three in the whole world. In other words, even David Benington would not be able to buy it. So¡­ Could this man¡¯s real identity be even more prominent than David Benington¡¯s? But why did his face look so unfamiliar? If he was indeed someone of prestigious status, why hadn¡¯t she seen him before? Moon didn¡¯t know that Ashton had only just returned to China from abroad this year. Because he didn¡¯t like to be high-profile, he rarely disclosed his identity to the public, so the domestic media rarely reported news about him. As a result, many people were unaware of his identity. Even so, Moon was incredibly envious in her heart. Why were all the men Joanna got with better than thest? David was envious enough, and now there was a man whose conditions were likely to be more than a hundred times better than David¡¯s. What a wretched woman! Has she managed to seduce all the men in the world? Why doesn¡¯t this shameless woman just go die! When Moon looked at Joanna with a gaze filled with hatred and malice, Ashton¡¯s cold eyes fell on her as well. Moon suddenly felt a chill. A chill that she couldn¡¯t control and instinctively feared. It was as if she was being stared at by the grim reaper. Her body trembled involuntarily, and she looked up to see a pair of sharp and cold eyes that seemed to be filled with ice, and her body trembled even more as she was enveloped in that chill. In front of this dignified and powerful man, her legs couldn¡¯t help but weaken, nearly kneeling on the ground. The man didn¡¯t say anything, but simply looked at her for a few seconds before turning away. But for her, these few seconds felt like she had taken a spin through the Ghost Gate. Moon¡¯s forehead broke out in a fine cold sweat, and she couldn¡¯t help but take deep breaths. ¡°So you¡¯re Joanna¡¯s good friend?¡±, Ashton Heath turned his gaze away from Moon and toward the still bewildered Aria Rowlett. Chapter 72 - 72 72 Each man she found was more outstanding than the last ?72: Chapter 72: Each man she found was more outstanding than thest. 72: Chapter 72: Each man she found was more outstanding than thest. ¡°Huh? Oh, yes, I am.¡± Aria Rowlett was still shocked, and took a few seconds to realize that Ashton Heath was talking to her, before finallying back to herself. Ashton Heath hooked his lips slightly, his voice gentle, ¡°Joanna got hurt, I need to take her to the hospital. She might bete to school this afternoon. If she can¡¯t make it to ss, could you help her ask for a leave?¡± ¡°Oh, alright, okay.¡± Looking at Ashton Heath¡¯s unbelievably handsome face, Aria Rowlett spoke so nervously that she stuttered over her words. Completely different from the usual careless and tomboyish behavior of hers. She even blushed. Seeing this, Joanna Lawrence couldn¡¯t help but sigh again at Ashton Heath¡¯s face, which was just too lethal. When did Aria Rowlett ever blush while talking to other boys? Ashton Heath hooked his lips again, ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you.¡± Aria Rowlett¡¯s face turned even redder, dizzy from his charming smile: ¡°I¡­it¡¯s¡­it¡¯s no¡­ no bother.¡± Ashton Heath¡¯s gaze then swept over the other two girls who shared the dorm room with Joanna Lawrence: ¡°Today¡¯s situation is special, I will treat you to a meal some other day.¡± After saying these words, he carried Joanna Lawrence and turned to leave. A few minutes after Ashton Heath left, a group of policemen arrived. Then, Dominic Hook and the gang of youths who came with him were all captured for the crime of provoking trouble. Moon Broadley and Tessa Wright were likewise taken away by the police while wailing and sobbing. In an instant, the scene was quiet. It was as if nothing had happened. But anyone who had witnessed the whole process knew exactly what had happened. ¡°Who on earth is that man? He seems to be very powerful.¡± ¡°Moon Broadley thought Joanna Lawrence had no one to rely on after breaking up with David Benington. Looks like she has bitten off more than she can chew this time.¡± ¡°When ites to picking men, I only admit defeat to Joanna Lawrence. The men she finds are all distinguished, really admirable.¡± * Joanna Lawrence was carried downstairs by Ashton Heath. She struggled several times during the process, but Ashton Heath refused to let her down. He carried her, calmly weaving through the campus. Along the way, they attracted countless curious nces. Joanna Lawrence, embarrassed, buried her head deep in his chest, hiding her face. The man¡¯s ck shirt had a very pleasant fragrance. Every breath she took was filled with his scent. Full of alluring pheromones. Her ears were against his heart, and she could clearly hear his strong and steady heartbeat. One after another, it¡¯s as if hitting her chest, making her heartbeat uncontrobly speed up. They reached the parking lot. Zack, seeing them, respectfully greeted, ¡°Mr. Ashton, Ms. Joanna.¡± Then he bent to open the back seat door. Ashton Heath got into the car while holding her. The car door closed and he sat down. Joanna Lawrence was then drawn into his embrace, wrapped in his arms. ¡°Ashton Heath, you¡­¡± Joanna Lawrence wanted him to let her go. But before she could utter her words, his zing hot kiss suddenly came down. His kiss was domineering and fervent, leaving her breathless, her body just melting in his arms. Zack got into the car. Seeing this from the rearview mirror, his old face couldn¡¯t help but heat up. Then he opened the partition in relief. As Zack started the car, he joyfully thought that, ording to this trend, the Heath family would soon have a little young master or princess. Chapter 73 - 73 73 I Want to Bully You Again ?73: Chapter 73: I Want to Bully You Again 73: Chapter 73: I Want to Bully You Again Mmm, very good, extremely good. On the back seat. Joanna Lawrence almost passed out from the unusually fierce and domineering deep kiss of the man. Her delicate and gorgeous little face was flushed red, with her fair hands weakly tapping his chest, ¡°Uh, Heath¡­Ashton Heath, let go of me.¡± The man¡¯s kiss was too domineering, too aggressive, and she felt faint. Ashton Heath opened his eyes. His dark and scorching gaze looked at the girl in his arms, whose face was red from his kiss, panting heavily, forcing him to end the kiss that left him still unsatisfied. His breath was chaotic, holding her burning cheeks, resting his forehead on hers and panting for a moment before slowly calming down. ¡°Baby, do you think God specifically arranged you to be by my side?¡± Ashton Heath lifted her chin, looking deeply into her eyes, ¡°Otherwise, why wouldn¡¯t I have a repulsive reaction to you? Why do I feel unprecedented rxation when I¡¯m with you?¡± ¡°Why¡­¡± he gently stroked her delicate and tender face, murmuring to himself in a low whisper, ¡°do you happen to grow up to be someone I like? Are you destined to be my Ashton Heath¡¯s woman?¡± From the moment they met, it was destined. Hearing him say these words, a blush spread on Joanna Lawrence¡¯s fair earlobe. This man¡­ He didn¡¯t hide his affection for her when he was with her. He always spoke whatever came to his mind when being around her. In this respect, he waspletely different from David Benington. David was always very gentle and gentlemanly in front of her, never saying anything that would make her shy, let alone hugging her and kissing her frequently. But, it seemed like she didn¡¯t dislike being treated like this. When he hugged her and kissed her, she didn¡¯t feel disgusted or repelled, just very nervous, shy, and her heartbeat elerated. ¡°Ashton Heath, can you let go of me?¡± Joanna Lawrence¡¯s face was flushed as she shrank into his arms, her voice thin and weak, like a poor little thing. Such a side of her made Ashton Heath more desirous to tease her. The man¡¯s kiss fell on her lips again, but this time it was just a light peck before retreating. He emitted a deep, seductiveughter from his throat, ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t.¡± Joanna Lawrence: ¡°¡­¡± She looked up with misty eyes that appeared a bit resentful and pitiful. ¡°Baby.¡± Ashton Heath¡¯s gaze deepened and, pinching her jaw, he sighed softly. There was forbearance in his eyes as he said, ¡°Stop looking at me like that, otherwise, I¡¯ll want to tease you again.¡± Joanna Lawrence: ¡°¡­¡± Chapter 74 - 74 74 No job is more important than you ?74: Chapter 74: No job is more important than you 74: Chapter 74: No job is more important than you The ck Bentley slowly drove along the campus road. As it was about to leave the campus gate, Joanna Lawrence frowned and said, ¡°Ashton Heath, I don¡¯t need to go to the hospital. Can you let me get out of the car?¡± Her fall wasn¡¯t serious at all. It was just some minor scrapes, and simply getting some iodine from a pharmacy would be enough. There was no need to go to the hospital. Ashton Heath nced down at her, ¡°Whether it¡¯s necessary or not, I have the final say.¡± Joanna: ¡°¡­¡± How could he be so overbearing! She knitted her eyebrows even tighter, ¡°Honestly, there is no need! I can just get some medicine from a pharmacy, and it¡¯ll be fine. You should go to work, I don¡¯t want to cause any trouble with your job over this small matter.¡± He was, after all, a big shot with countless daily tasks to manage. Normally, he must be quite busy. Joanna had never imagined that he woulde to school. Ashton Heath pinched her jaw, his deep, dark eyes gazing into hers. He looked at her for a moment and then whispered, ¡°Your issues are not minor matters. No job is more important than you.¡± Thump thump! In that instant, Joanna heard her heart violently pounding against her chest. At this moment, her mind seemed to go nk, as if her entire being, along with her soul, was drawn into the dark abyss beneath his gaze. ¡°Listen, Joanna, be good and let me take you to the hospital to get checked. Don¡¯t make me worry about you, okay?¡± The man¡¯s warm, dry hand gently stroked her delicate cheek, his eyes filled with a captivating tenderness. It was as if Joanna was bewitched, and she dumbly nodded her head. Chapter 75 - 75 75 Not Feeling Well at All ?75: Chapter 75: Not Feeling Well at All 75: Chapter 75: Not Feeling Well at All * On the way to the hospital, Ashton Heath phoned Denver Lancaster. It rang for a while before Denver finally picked up, sounding out of breath: ¡°Mr. Ashton, if you want advice on your emotional life, let¡¯s talk another time. Or let me sleep for a few more hours, thene find me.¡± Ashton Heath touched the soft hair of the girl in his arms and chuckled lightly: ¡°What happened, worked too hardst night?¡± Denver: ¡°¡­worked too hard my ass! I just came out of the Operating Room, alright? You try doing surgery for ten hours straight and see how that feels! I¡¯m so exhausted I feel like a dog, no, not even a dog, worse than a dog!¡± Listed to his buddy¡¯s full of bitterness andints, Ashton Heath¡¯s heart remained untroubled. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re as tired as a dog or anything else, you have to make an hour for me. I¡¯m taking Joanna to the hospital right now; we¡¯ll be there in no more than ten minutes. She¡¯s injured, you check on her.¡± Joanna Lawrence, nestled in his embrace: ¡°¡­¡± She really wanted to say that those little scratches on her didn¡¯t even count as injuries! ¡°Joanna?¡± Denver Lancaster suddenly heard Ashton Heath so intimately address a girl and didn¡¯t react for a moment. A few secondster, he suddenly realized, ¡°You mean your little wife? She¡¯s injured? What kind of injury? Is it serious?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Ashton Heath looked at the girl¡¯s tender white arm and leg with those abrasions, his face darkened, and he frowned, ¡°Her hands and legs are injured. You give her a good checkupter; otherwise, I won¡¯t be at ease.¡± Thinking that Joanna Lawrence had suffered some serious injury, Denver didn¡¯t refuse. He immediately agreed, ¡°Alright, let me know as soon as you get to the hospital, and¡­do you need a stretcher or something? Can she walk on her own?¡± Ashton Heath: ¡°¡­¡± A few secondster, he clenched his teeth and coldly said: ¡°No need! Bye, we¡¯ll talkter.¡± * Arrived at the hospital. After getting out of the car, Joanna Lawrence was picked up by Ashton Heath. Although the princess carry was romantic, she couldn¡¯t help but say helplessly, ¡°I can walk.¡± She just had some scrapes, not a broken bone. But the man had no intention of letting her walk, and directly carried her into the hospital. Along the way, they attracted quite a few curious nces. Joanna Lawrence, embarrassed, buried her head in his chest again. Ashton Heath carried her straight to Denver Lancaster¡¯s office. ¡°Come on, let me see, where is the young girl hurt?¡± Justing out of the operating room, Denver Lancaster¡¯s face showed obvious exhaustion, but when he saw Joanna Lawrence being carried in by Ashton Heath, he attentively examined her once over. Then he was visibly puzzled. He blinked and asked Ashton Heath, ¡°Ashton, where exactly is the girl hurt?¡± There were no apparent injuries on Joanna Lawrence. Could it be internal? Thinking this, Denver Lancaster carefully looked her over again and saw that her face was rosy and her spirit full ¨C she didn¡¯t look like she had serious injuries at all. Ashton Heath gently ced Joanna Lawrence on the sofa. Then he looked up and replied to Denver Lancaster¡¯s words: ¡°Is your vision bad? She has so many scrapes on her body, can¡¯t you see them?¡± Denver Lancaster: ¡°???¡± emmm, you can¡¯t be telling him that the so-called serious injury, which had to be personally examined by Denver, was just this abrasion?!! Thinking of this possibility, Denver Lancaster wasn¡¯t too happy. Chapter 76 - 76 76 Is He Even Human! ?76: Chapter 76: Is He Even Human! 76: Chapter 76: Is He Even Human! ¡°So, when you say the little girl is injured, you mean these scratches?¡± Ashton Heath showed no expression and coldly said, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Denver Lancaster: ¡°¡­¡± So Ashton really insisted on having him personally look at his wife¡¯s injuries, even though he had been performing surgery for ten consecutive hours, and it turns out they are just scratches? Does he have any humanity?! Is he even human! This man who prefers women to his friends! He is such a jerk, he will have no friends in the future! Denver was so upset and asked, ¡°Do you know how tired it is to perform surgery for ten consecutive hours?¡± Ashton nced at him and said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ve performed surgery for fifteen consecutive hours before. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a problem.¡± Denver Lancaster: ¡°¡­¡± Is that about you? You are an iron man, but not everyone is like you! Ashton showed no signs of guilt, and seeing his righteous appearance, Denver was even more furious and wanting to cut ties with him. Heined, ¡°President Ashton, Mr. Ashton, you¡¯ve been a doctor for several years now, can¡¯t you tell if your wife is seriously injured or not? She doesn¡¯t even need to go to the hospital for these scratches!¡± ¡°Ashton, let¡¯s go back.¡± Joanna Lawrence jumped down from the couch with an embarrassed expression. She walked up to Denver Lancaster, her face flushed and said, ¡°Director, I¡¯m sorry for bothering you. Don¡¯t listen to him, I¡¯m fine and I don¡¯t need an examination. You should go back to rest.¡± She didn¡¯t know how Ashton had the nerve to ask for this. It was just a few scratches on her body, and now a prestigious director had to personally examine her. Isn¡¯t this a waste of talent? Moreover, after she found out that Denver had juste out of the operating room not long ago, she became even more embarrassed. Even she thought that Ashton was really going too far! If she had such a friend, she would definitely sever ties! After Joanna spoke, she turned and walked towards the door. After taking only two steps, she was stopped by Ashton. The man forcefully pulled her back, holding her in his embrace. He lowered his head and whispered into her ear, ¡°If you don¡¯t let him examine you, then I¡¯ll have to do it myself. By then, I¡¯ll examine you thoroughly inside and out. Baby, if you like the idea of me examining you, let¡¯s leave now.¡± Joanna¡¯s body stiffened. She raised her head and gave him a shy and annoyed look. This hooligan! Ashton watched her wide-eyed gaze and blushing cheeks, letting out a lowugh from his throat. ¡°Have you decided? Will he examine you, or will I?¡± * Reluctantly, Joanna ended up receiving a thorough examination under Ashton¡¯s persistence. When the examination results came out, there were only minor abrasions and no other issues. Denver provided a bottle of iodine and a bottle of Luminex Healing Elixir. ¡°President Ashton, Mr. Ashton, are you satisfied now?¡± He handed the medicine to Ashton Heath, gritting his teeth and said, word by word. Ashton took it, nced at the instructions, and then turned to walk towards Joanna. He opened the iodine, dipped a cotton swab in it, and raised Joanna¡¯s injured arm. ¡°It might hurt a bit, just bear with it.¡± ¡°I can do it myself.¡± Feeling the resentful gaze from the side, Joanna was very embarrassed. If it wasn¡¯t for her, Denver would have gone home to rest already. ¡°Don¡¯t move around.¡± Ashton held her still and used the iodine to disinfect her wound. Chapter 77 - 77 77 Dont Overthink It ?77: Chapter 77: Don¡¯t Overthink It 77: Chapter 77: Don¡¯t Overthink It Joanna Lawrence cried out in pain, her face wrinkling from the hurt. Ashton Heath immediately stopped: ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± Before Joanna could say anything, Denver Lancaster nearby eximed, ¡°Youngdy, let me tell you, this is Ashton¡¯s first time taking care of someone else. If I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn¡¯t have believed it.¡± ¡°Even Ms. Reba, who grew up with him, has never received such treatment.¡± As soon as Denver finished speaking, he felt a chill on his back, as if cold air had entered his body. He shivered all over. When he looked up, he saw Ashton Heath with half-lidded eyes, a cold gaze and a hint of warning in his eyes. It took Denver a few seconds to realize that he seemed to have said something wrong. He hastily exined, ¡°Youngdy, don¡¯t misunderstand, Ashton and Ms. Joanna have a pure friendship that can¡¯t be purer. They¡¯ve known each other for so many years, and if there was something between them, they would have been together a long time ago.¡± Joanna Lawrence looked at Denver Lancaster, confused. Had she said something earlier? ¡°Really, Ashton and Ms. Joanna are just like siblings. You mustn¡¯t overthink it.¡± Denver added, worried that she wouldn¡¯t believe him. His exnations only made Joanna more confused. Meanwhile, Ashton Heath¡¯s face grew darker and his gaze colder. Denver suddenly realized that he seemed to be making things worse. His exnation seemed to imply that there was something between Ashton Heath and Ms. Reba. Seeing Ashton¡¯s expression getting worse, Denver quickly stood up and headed toward the door, thinking of how precious his life was, ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯m not needed here anymore. I¡¯ll be going now. Let¡¯s have dinner together when we¡¯re all free. Hahaha.¡± After saying that, he quickly left as if he had put oil on his feet. * After Denver left, Only Joanna Lawrence and Ashton Heath were left in the spacious Dean¡¯s Office. He continued to disinfect her wounds, and his movements were much gentler than before. After wiping all the injured areas, he sprayed Luminex Healing Elixir on her once more. As he wiped the wound on her leg, he crouched down and gently lifted her calf. Her leg felt warm from his breathing. It felt somewhat wet and ticklish. Joanna Lawrence looked down at him, carefully applying the medicine, and her heart rate suddenly increased. Perhaps it was because he had been a doctor before; he seemed very skilled at these things. After treating all her scrapes, Ashton Heath checked her shoulder carefully. After confirming that nothing was missed, he released her. ¡°Even though it¡¯s just a minor scrape, be careful.¡± He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. ¡°When you get back, remember to apply the medicine regrly and don¡¯t forget.¡± ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± Joanna Lawrence obediently nodded her head. She wanted to return to school early and asked, ¡°Can I go back to school now?¡± Ashton Heath nodded. He nced at his watch and realized it was time for him to return to thepany. There were still many things waiting for him to handle at thepany. This trip had been a small break from his busy schedule. ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± Joanna Lawrence had always been well-behaved at school, never skipping sses or leaving early. The performance ss that afternoon was one she really enjoyed, taught by a teacher she liked, and she didn¡¯t want to miss it. Chapter 78 - 78 78 Hmm, dont overthink ?78: Chapter 78: Hmm, don¡¯t overthink 78: Chapter 78: Hmm, don¡¯t overthink ¡°Wait.¡± Ashton Heath reached out and held her shoulder, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something. Joanna Lawrence blinked, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± His eyebrows furrowed slightly, and there was a hint of hesitation in his eyes. After a while, he said, ¡°I can exin the matter that Denver Lancaster just mentioned.¡± Joanna Lawrence had a confused face: ¡°??¡± She was stunned, ¡°Exin¡­ What?¡± Ashton Heath¡¯s deep and enchanting dark eyes stared at her for a while, and he said seriously, ¡°The Miss Reba that Denver mentioned is named Reba Kelloway. She is the daughter of the Kelloway Group, and indeed, we grew up together. Sir Kelloway and my grandfather have long been family friends, so our families have always been on good terms. Before, there did exist the intention of a marriage alliance between our two families, but neither Reba nor I had any interest in that, so the matter was dropped.¡± ¡°Joanna, Reba is two years younger than me, and in my heart, she is no different from a sister.¡± ¡°So, you don¡¯t have to worry about her presence.¡± Joanna Lawrence: ¡°¡­¡± She¡­ is not worried. It seemed that she had never said she was worried. Why did both he and Denver think that she would misunderstand something? She really did not misunderstand or overthink it! Moreover, even if he really had something with Miss Reba, she would not mind it. Their marriage was nothing more than a mutually beneficial agreement, without any element of love. She needed him to perform surgery on Jeremy Lawrence, and he chose her because she was the only woman he would not reject. If it weren¡¯t for her unique traits, he would never have chosen to marry a woman like her. Joanna Lawrence was very self-aware and knew her ce, so she would not get jealous for no reason. However, seeing how seriously Ashton Heath was exining, she still responded, ¡°Hmm, I understand. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t mind her.¡± Ashton Heath looked at her for a moment, ¡°You really don¡¯t mind?¡± ¡°Really!¡± She nodded vigorously, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say it, you consider her as a sister. I believe you.¡± ¡°Okay, don¡¯t overthink things.¡± Ashton Heath reached out to touch her head and said with a smile, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll take you back to school.¡± * Meanwhile, on the other side. After Aria Rowlett sent a text message to David Benington, he decided to find Joanna Lawrence immediately upon receiving it. Annie Lawrence was with him. They were in a jewelry store, picking out jewelry. ¡°David, does this ne look good on me?¡± Annie Lawrence was trying on a pink diamond ne, and she looked at David with a charming smile. David nced at her, his mind evidently elsewhere. He hesitated for two seconds, then took out a prestige card from his bag and handed it to Annie Lawrence, softly saying, ¡°Baby, I have something urgent to deal with and can¡¯t apany you any longer. Feel free to buy anything you like, and I¡¯lle to you after I¡¯m done, okay?¡± Upon hearing that he was about to leave, Annie Lawrenceined, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You said you would be with me today.¡± Before David could say anything, Annie Lawrence nced at the phone in his hand and asked suspiciously, ¡°David, who did you just chat with?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± David looked at her, hesitated for a moment, and then told the truth, ¡°Annie, a girl from Joanna¡¯s dormitory just texted me, saying that Joanna is in trouble and asked me to go there immediately.¡± ¡°She seemed quite anxious, and I¡¯m worried that Joanna might get hurt.¡± Chapter 79 - 79 79 Its Impossible for Her and Me Now ?79: Chapter 79: It¡¯s Impossible for Her and Me Now 79: Chapter 79: It¡¯s Impossible for Her and Me Now Upon hearing that it was rted to Joanna, Annie¡¯s face changed instantly. Her eyes darkened, and she looked up at David with worry, asking anxiously, ¡°What happened to Joanna?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± David frowned, ¡°But if it¡¯s not something troublesome, Aria wouldn¡¯te to me for help. So¡­¡± ¡°I understand what you mean.¡± Annie gently patted the back of David¡¯s hand, empathetically saying, ¡°If Joanna is really in trouble, we have to help her. But before that, I think it¡¯s better to find out what happened first, and then make a decision. What do you think?¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°Joanna and I go to the same school, and I have quite a few friends there. How about this? I¡¯ll call my friend right now and ask her to find out what happened. If Joanna is really in trouble, my friend won¡¯t sit by and do nothing. Having her help Joanna would be much faster than us rushing over, right?¡± Thinking over it, David found her words reasonable and nodded, ¡°Alright, go ahead and call your friend.¡± A minuteter. Annie hung up the phone. She smiled at David and said, ¡°It¡¯s all clear now; it¡¯s just a small dispute between ssmates, nothing serious.¡± David was stunned, ¡°Just a small conflict among ssmates?¡± Why did Aria make it sound like it was serious? ¡°Yeah,¡± Annie leaned on him, holding his arm, and said with a somewhat helpless tone, ¡°Why would I lie to you? Joanna is my sister; if someone was bullying her, how could I not worry about her?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°David,¡± Annie sighed, her voice deep, ¡°There¡¯s something I don¡¯t know if I should say.¡± David lowered his head to look at her, ¡°What is it?¡± Annie bit the corner of her lip, her eyes filled with resentment, ¡°I think Joanna is still thinking about you. You¡¯re such a great guy, David; she must be unwilling to let go of you just like that. She¡¯s just looking for an excuse to see you now.¡± ¡°Otherwise, I really can¡¯t understand why she would ask you toe over for just a small quarrel among ssmates!¡± David was dumbfounded. He didn¡¯t know why, but when he heard Annie say that, a sense of delight rose in his heart. Was Joanna still thinking about him? Did this mean that she still had feelings for him, that she couldn¡¯t forget him? Her previous coldness and distance were just pretend. That¡¯s right, it must be like this. She had always been a proud girl, and after experiencing his betrayal, how could she not be angry, resentful, and hateful in her heart? But that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t love him anymore. Their years of love¡ªhow could they be forgotten so easily? Thinking of this, David¡¯s mood turned joyful, and he hid that bit of delight in his heart, embracing Annie in his arms, ¡°Baby, are you jealous? Now that I¡¯m with you, you¡¯re the only one in my heart.¡± ¡°Whatever Joanna thinks, she and I are impossible now.¡± ¡°David,¡± Annie bit her lip pitifully, hugging him, ¡°I know I¡¯m the only one in your heart, but I¡¯m still so afraid.¡± ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± Looking at the red-eyed, pitiful girl in his arms, David felt pity and gently kissed her forehead, speaking softly, ¡°I¡¯m all yours, body and soul, what else is there to be afraid of?¡± Chapter 80 - 80 81 What on Earth Happened ?80: Chapter 81: What on Earth Happened? 80: Chapter 81: What on Earth Happened? ¡°You and Joanna have a significant history, she must hold a special ce in your heart. I¡¯m scared that you may regret being with me.¡± ¡°Silly girl, don¡¯t talk nonsense. How can I possibly regret it? Knowing you, being with you, is the one thing in my life I would never regret.¡± The more afraid Annie appeared, the more gratified David felt. It made him feel needed by her, as if, without him, she wouldn¡¯t be able to go on. And he really did feel that way in his heart. Annie is vulnerable, she needs a man she can depend on. Without someone taking care of her, her life is sure to fall apart. Joanna, on the other hand, is a different story. Despite her delicate facade, inviting pity and sympathy, she is a very independent woman. Even without him, she can still lead a good life. But if Annie lost him¡­ ¡°Really?¡± Annie raised her teary eyes, choked up, ¡°Could you promise me one thing?¡± ¡°Okay, tell me.¡± Seeing her pitiful look, David said, feeling sorry, ¡°No matter what you ask, I promise.¡± ¡°Since Joanna still cares for you, in the future, could you try to meet with her less? David, you¡¯re my boyfriend now, I don¡¯t want you to see other women.¡± She pouted, her tone sour with jealousy, ¡°Even if that woman is Joanna, I can get jealous too.¡± Hearing this, David was initially displeased, but observing her childish jealousy melted away his displeasure. It was because she cared too much about him. If she didn¡¯t love him this much, she wouldn¡¯t be this worried. With that thought, David¡¯s sympathy for her doubled. Without any hesitation, he nodded, ¡°Alright, I promise you.¡± A trace of triumph flickered in Annie¡¯s eyes, ¡°Then you will now¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not go.¡± David softly ruffled her hair, ¡°It¡¯s a small disagreement, no need for me to intervene. Let¡¯s continue choosing jewelry.¡± ¡°David, you¡¯re the best.¡± Annie tiptoed to give him a kiss on the lips, her face beaming with satisfaction. Ah, Joanna, what about your longstanding rtionship with David? In his heart, aren¡¯t I more important? * After leaving the hospital, Ashton Heath dropped Joanna off at her school. He watched her enter the school gates before letting Zack drive towards the office. Upon reaching the office, he called in Cody Aberton. ¡°President Ashton.¡± Cody entered the president¡¯s office and greeted him respectfully. Ashton picked up a document, without lifting his gaze, ¡°Tomorrow, negotiate the acquisition of Hook Group.¡± Cody was startled, ¡°Acquisition? President Ashton, are you nning to acquire Hook Group?¡± This came quite unexpectedly. He hadn¡¯t hinted at any intentions of this before. ¡°Yes,¡± Ashton flipped through a few pages of the document and added, ¡°Also, make a call to the principal of Closia Film Schoolter, inform him about two female students who exhibit poor conduct, so he can take expulsion measures.¡± Cody: ¡°¡­¡± Why say he¡¯s going off to acquire apany and expel students from a school after just one trip? What had happened exactly? As for the school, there¡¯s no big issue. The Heath Group holds a significant amount of shares in Closia Film School, in other words, Ashton is a key board member of the school. Chapter 81 - 81 82 Its getting cold, let the Hook Group go bankrupt ?81: Chapter 82: It¡¯s getting cold, let the Hook Group go bankrupt. 81: Chapter 82: It¡¯s getting cold, let the Hook Group go bankrupt. Not to mention expelling problematic students, with a single word, he could even rece the principal. But Hook Group¡­ Cody Aberton thought for a moment and spoke honestly, ¡°President Ashton, Hook Group is a well-known medium-sized enterprise with a decent scale and is not struggling with revenue. If we suddenly propose acquisition, they might not be willing.¡± Ashton Heath lifted his head, and with a nce from those cold eyes, Cody Aberton dared not speak anymore. ¡°Are you implying that whether the Heath Group acquires apany or not depends on the consent of the otherpany?¡± Upon hearing this, Cody Aberton trembled with fright and quickly responded, ¡°President Ashton, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Ashton Heath half-closed his eyes, pped the file onto the table, and said, word by word, coldly, ¡°If they are not willing, then short them in the stock market and make Hook Group go bankrupt. When the timees, they will be begging Heath Group to buy them out.¡± A look of surprise crossed Cody Aberton¡¯s eyes. Shorting Hook Group in the stock market? That would require pouring in a lot of money, right? Although Heath Group isn¡¯tcking such a sum, the original intention of acquisitions is to make a profit. But if President Ashton operated in this manner, he wouldn¡¯t be aiming to make a profit at all. He would be losing money. He had been with President Ashton for many years, and he had never seen him engage in loss-making deals, This was truly an unprecedented first. Cody Aberton felt that all the unorthodox things President Ashton had done recently seemed to be rted to Ms. Joanna. This time, would it be about Ms. Joanna again?! ¡°¡­Yes, President Ashton!¡± Although Cody Aberton was full of questions, once the boss had made a decision, besides obeying, dare he ask another question?! President Ashton said to make Hook Group go bankrupt, then Hook Group must go bankrupt! No matter whether the sky is cool or not! * The next day. Joanna Lawrence heard that Moon Broadley and Tessa Wright had been expelled from school. They were publicized throughout the school due to the severity of their actions. At the same time. That afternoon, all major Financial News Channels were broadcasting the bankruptcy of Hook Group overnight, stating that Hook Group¡¯s stock price had plummeted overnight, so quickly that there wasn¡¯t even a chance to salvage the situation. Hook Group was also a locally known enterprise that had been operating for over twenty years without encountering any significant financial crises. Just overnight, it all of a sudden went bankrupt, surprising everyone. People were specting about the reason behind Hook Group¡¯s bankruptcy. Someone suggested that Hook Group had internal problems all along but just kept it from the public. Now, it could not hold up anymore and is finally exposed. Some people believed that the boss of Hook Group offended someone, and someone intended to ruin Hook Group. If it were thetter, given the astounding power and wealth of these people who could bring Hook Group down overnight, one could only imagine their might and money. As everyone was specting, Joanna Lawrence heard the news and was shocked. She texted Ashton Heath, ¡°Is the bankruptcy of Hook Group¡­ your doing?¡± Ashton Heath replied quickly, ¡°Yes.¡± Seeing his reply, Joanna Lawrence was stunned for a moment. She asked again, ¡°Is it¡­ because of me?¡± Ashton Heath: ¡°Yes.¡± Joanna Lawrence: ¡°¡­¡± Even though she wasn¡¯t well-versed in business, she understood that causing a fairly sizablepany to go bankrupt overnight wasn¡¯t a simple task. She never thought Ashton Heath would go this far for her. In fact, she hardly suffered any losses yesterday. Speaking of which, the ones who suffered were Moon and her group. She thought that beating those guys up and having them visit the police station would be punishment enough. Chapter 2208 - 2202: Is He Pursuing Rebecca Kelloway?

Chapter 2208: Chapter 2202: Is He Pursuing Reba Kelloway?

Under the re of the bright lights, the dazzling glow of each gemstone was almost blinding. "Wow, it¡¯s so beautiful!" "So pretty!" A group of women at the venue were amazed by this set of jewelry, eximing in admiration. Joanna Lawrence stared at the stage and couldn¡¯t help but say, "It is indeed beautiful. No wonder it was Queen Elena¡¯s favorite set of jewelry." Upon hearing this, Yannick Luther turned his head and gave Ashton Heath a meaningful look. Ashton nced at the stage and, without revealing any emotion, leaned down and whispered in Joanna¡¯s ear, "Do you like this set of jewelry?" He was leaning so close that Joanna¡¯s ear felt ticklish. She looked up and casually replied, "Mhm, I like it." Which girl wouldn¡¯t like shiny things like this? Moreover, this set of jewelry had already been around for several centuries, and yet its luster and purity remained so good. "Okay." Ashton only said this before picking up the auction paddle, ready to bid on the jewelry. "Wait!" Joanna suddenly realized and grabbed his hand. "Ashton Heath, what are you doing?" Ashton looked at her: "Buying this set of jewelry for you." Joanna: "!!!" She didn¡¯t say she wanted it. Was it just because she said she liked it a moment ago that he decided to buy it for her? She truly liked it. But she never thought about having him buy it for her. While the jewelry set was beautiful, it wasn¡¯t suitable for daily wear. Buying it would most likely mean it would just sit in their home as a collector¡¯s item. The starting bid was ten million dors. Who knew how much the final price would be. Joanna felt that spending so much money just to have it as a collector¡¯s item waspletely unnecessary. Even though she knew her husband was very rich. "Why would you buy it for me? I didn¡¯t ask for it." "Didn¡¯t you say you liked it?" "Yes, I like it. But it doesn¡¯t mean I need to own it." "If you like it, then we should buy it." "I just think it¡¯s a beautiful set of jewelry. Don¡¯t buy it for me. I won¡¯t wear it anyway. It¡¯s a waste of money." Joanna attempted to snatch the auction paddle from Ashton¡¯s hand. At this moment, however, a man¡¯s voice from behind them rang out, "Eleven million, five hundred thousand dors." The voice was very close. Joanna turned her head and saw a man sitting a row behind them, bidding with his paddle. Then, she saw Reba Kelloway. Reba Kelloway was sitting next to the man. Joanna heard Reba ask the man, "Manager Joshua Ranson, are you interested in this set of jewelry? Are you nning to buy it for someone special?" The man turned his head, looking tenderly at her, "Ms. Kelloway, didn¡¯t you say you liked this set of jewelry? All I¡¯m doing is trying to make you smile." "Manager Ranson, are you...for me?" "As long as Ms. Kelloway likes it, I¡¯ll buy it for you. Besides, I think there¡¯s no one more suitable to own this set of jewelry than Ms. Kelloway." Those around them heard their conversation and envious voices began to emerge. "Who is that man? Is he pursuing Reba? He¡¯s certainly very generous." "Don¡¯t you know? That¡¯s the young master of Sheldon Group. Sheldon Group has been developing quite well in recent years, so they have plenty of money. Although this young master isn¡¯t as good-looking and rich as Ashton Heath, he¡¯s still quite impressive. If he¡¯s courting Reba, he would actually make a great match." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 2210 - 2204: The Competitive Spirit Was Suddenly Stimulated

Chapter 2210: Chapter 2204: The Competitive Spirit Was Suddenly Stimted

The noble madam set a final bottom-line price for herself. If the cost exceeded twenty million dors, she would no longer bid. "Twenty million dors! Is anyone willing to offer a higher price than Madam Young?" This price made the man beside Reba Kelloway, who wholeheartedly intended to win her favor, hesitate. After all, although he wanted to win Reba¡¯s heart, they hadn¡¯t confirmed any rtionship between them yet. Was spending more than twenty million dors to pursue a woman worth it? As the man hesitated, the surrounding gossip started again. "Do you think that Mr. Sheldon will continue bidding? It seems like he¡¯s hesitating." "He wants to buy the jewelry as a gift for Reba, right? Now that everyone knows about this, if he gives up, wouldn¡¯t Reba feel like she¡¯s losing face?" "That¡¯s right. If it were Ashton Heath, he¡¯d probably spend up to one hundred million dors to win the bid. If Mr. Sheldon doesn¡¯t bid further, it would just prove that Reba isn¡¯t worth more than twenty million dors in his heart. Wouldn¡¯t that be a p in her face?" As these people discussed, they watched Reba with the mentality of enjoying a good show. Reba had no interest in the man beside her. So she didn¡¯t have any feelings for his actions of spending money on jewelry to win her favor. But after hearing the surrounding people¡¯s gossip, her expression changed bit by bit. Looking at the crowd seemingly waiting to see her make a fool of herself, she clenched her lips. Herpetitive spirit was ignited, making it impossible to remain calm any longer. She turned her head, pretending not to know that the man¡¯s bid for the jewelry was to win her favor, and whispered to him, "Manager Joshua Ranson, this jewelry set is beautiful, and I really like it. Can you do me a favor and not raise the price, so I can have it?" "Ms. Kelloway, do you really like this jewelry?" "Yes, it¡¯s so beautiful. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it. I want to get this jewelry. Can you ..." The man stared at her stunningly beautiful face, seemingly captivated for a few seconds. Reba¡¯s voice became even lower, as if whispering sweet nothings into the man¡¯s ear, "Manager Joshua Ranson, can you? I really want this jewelry." At first, the man was still hesitating whether to continue bidding or not. However, upon hearing Reba¡¯s gentle whisper in his ear, he felt as though his entire body turned limp and his blood boiled. On impulse, he immediately said, "As long as Ms. Kelloway likes it, I¡¯ll give it to you." "But how could I ept it? I can¡¯t let you spend that kind of money for something I want." Reba refused decisively. The more she refused, the more the man wanted to give it to her. "Why not? Your happiness means more than anything. Such jewelry is meant for a beauty like you. No one else would deserve this jewelry set other than you, Ms. Kelloway.". "But it¡¯s too expensive..." Reba¡¯s face showed conflict. "As long as Ms. Kelloway likes it, no expense is too great." The man looked infatuated, staring at her while expressing his devotion, "Please don¡¯t refuse, give me the opportunity to give you a gift." After saying that, he raised the sign in his hand, fearing further rejection from Reba, and promptly bid, "Twenty-five million dors." "Wow!" Gasps of astonishment sounded around them. "Mr. Sheldon is very generous towards Reba. He must really like her." "With this price, no one else should participate in the bidding, right? It seems like the jewelry will fall into Reba¡¯s hands." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 2212 - 2206: Suddenly Someone Snatches It Away

Chapter 2212: Chapter 2206: Suddenly Someone Snatches It Away

Reba Kelloway and the man beside her both froze simultaneously. People around them also looked in the direction of the voice. Ashton Heath, sitting in the front row, calmly raised his sign. Seeing him raise the sign, Yannick Luther smirked, with a "I knew it" expression, and said: "Ashton, I knew you would make a move. But the timing of your move was so tight, just one more second, and these jewels would belong to someone else." "Ashton, what are you doing?" Joanna Lawrence stretched out her hand to tug at his sleeve, squinting her eyes a bit nervously, "Didn¡¯t I tell you that I don¡¯t want these jewels? Why are you still going to bid for them?" She kept her voice low, audible only to the two of them. Ashton Heath lowered his head to look at her: "Don¡¯t you like them?" Joanna Lawrence: "..." She did like them, but she had told him that she just found them beautiful and wanted to appreciate them, that¡¯s all. What a spendthrift! This was thirty million dors, not thirty thousand! "If you like them, bid for them," Ashton Heath reached out and rubbed her head, smiling indulgently, "I don¡¯t want others to say that I¡¯m stingy and won¡¯t give a single penny to the woman I love. I don¡¯t care if they say something about me, but I won¡¯t allow them to ridicule you." "There have only been others envying my woman, never my woman envying others." Ashton Heath hadn¡¯t heard all the whispers from before, but he caught a few. As he said, he didn¡¯t care much about how others saw him. But he couldn¡¯t tolerate others making fun of Joanna Lawrence. "Impressive, absolutely impressive." Yannick Luther gave Ashton Heath a thumbs up, his face full of admiration, "Ashton, I just realized that when you say sweet nothings, you¡¯re even cheesier than me. I admire your self-taught talent." Ashton Heath expressionlessly red at him. "Thirty million dors, Mr. Ashton Heath has raised the price to thirty million dors. Is there a higher price?" The auctioneer¡¯s excited voice rang out again. Ashton Heath¡¯s unexpected move stunned the people at the venue. The women who had just been envying Reba Kelloway now directed their envious gazes at Joanna Lawrence. "Who was it that said Ashton Heath was stingy just now? I knew it, the President of the Heath Group¡¯s money is endless. Where would he be unwilling to spend these tens of millions of dors?" "Did you see that? Reba Kelloway¡¯s face seemed to turn green. She must be fuming. She thought those jewels would surely be hers, only to be intercepted by someone else." "Do you think Mr. Sheldon will continue bidding? If he is not willing to bid any further, and these wjewels are taken by Ashton Heath, wouldn¡¯t that leave Reba Kelloway with no face?" "Continue bidding? That would be simply looking for embarrassment. In terms of money, who canpete with the Heath family?" "It depends on how much he values Reba Kelloway and whether he¡¯s willing to spend a lot of money to save face for her." Reba Kelloway had never expected Ashton Heath to make ast-minute move like this. She was dumbfounded for a while beforeing back to her senses. The man beside her was obviously surprised too, maintaining the same expression on his face for quite some time. Ashton Heath had gone straight to a price of thirty million dors. That additional twenty million plus dors was already painful for the man. When the auctioneer on stage asked again if there was a higher bid, he hesitated. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 2213 - 2207: Already Beyond Their Expectations

Chapter 2213: Chapter 2207: Already Beyond Their Expectations

It was genuine that he wanted to pursue Reba Kelloway. However, his bidding opponent was Ashton Heath He was very clear in his heart that he could not possiblypete with Ashton Heath. At this moment, Reba found herself stuck in a bind. Everyone knew that the man by her side intended to win the jewelry set on the auction table for her. If they suddenly stopped bidding now, how humiliating would that be for her? Reba turned her head and looked at the man beside her, noticing his hesitation. She pretended to be understanding, sighed gently, and said: "Manager Joshua Ranson, let it go. You can¡¯t win against him. Let them have this jewelry set; I don¡¯t need it." "I don¡¯t want Manager Joshua Ranson to do all this hard work for my sake." The man was still hesitating. Her words provoked his will, and he rashly said: "Ms. Kelloway, no matter what, I¡¯ll find a way to get it for you. Even if it means losing everything, I won¡¯t hesitate." The man knew that Reba still had Mo Ye Si in her heart. The meaning of Reba¡¯s words just now was that he didn¡¯t have as much strength as Mo Ye Si. Although this was the truth, no man could ept that the woman he liked thought him inferior to another. So, the more Reba said this, the more he wanted to prove himself to her. If he couldn¡¯t even buy her a piece of jewelry, how would she see him? Would he still have a chance? "But Manager Joshua Ranson, it¡¯s too expensive." Reba bit her lip, looking reluctant. "You don¡¯t have to spend so much money on me. In fact, I don¡¯t even like this jewelry set that much. Just forget it." "How can I do that?" The man frowned, "I promised to give it to Ms. Kelloway, I can¡¯t go back on my word." "Manager Joshua Ranson..." "Ms. Kelloway, you don¡¯t need to persuade me further. Just wait, I¡¯ll definitely win this jewelry set for you." The man dered with noble aspiration. Having said that, he passionately raised his card, "Thirty-five million dors!" "Wow, Mr. Sheldon is fighting for hisdy." "It seems that he has really fallen for Reba. He¡¯s really willing to spend on her. But can he win against Ashton Heath?" "This will be a good show. They¡¯re both bidding for jewelry to please the woman by their side; let¡¯s see who is more generous." "Although Reba didn¡¯t end up with Ashton Heath, she met a man who is so willing to spend money on her. She¡¯s quite fortunate." "Thirty-five million dors!" The auctioneer eximed excitedly, "Is there any higher offer than thirty-five million dors?" The price of this jewelry set had already exceeded their expectations. They originally thought it could sell for at most thirty million dors. But looking at the situation now, it might not even sell for forty million dors. Both the auctioneer on stage and the other people sitting below were watching with the attitude of enjoying a good show, waiting to see how high the bidding price would be. In the end, who would be the one toughst? Upon hearing the price, Ashton Heath just gave a slight smile and raised his card once more, his voice was calm as well: "50 million dors." A collective gasp resounded. He directly raised it by fifteen million dors. The bidding man¡¯s face once again froze. However, looking at Reba sitting beside him, he clenched his teeth and continued to bid stubbornly: "55 million dors." Apanying this was Ashton Heath¡¯s indifferent voice: "70 million dors." The bidding man¡¯s face had turned the color of pig liver. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 2214 - 2208: Why Must She Be Treated Unfairly

Chapter 2214: Chapter 2208: Why Must She Be Treated Unfairly

This was the first time he had encountered someone like Ashton Heath bidding at an auction. He was simply too willful. The man couldn¡¯t even imagine how outrageous the price would be if he continued bidding. Even if he was determined to win Reba Kelloway¡¯s heart, he couldn¡¯t afford to keep up with this price. It was at this moment that he realized the massive financial gap between him and Ashton Heath. "70 million dors now. Is there anyone offering a higher bid?" The auctioneer was so excited that his voice significantly increased in pitch. There was silence for a few seconds. "Is there anyone offering a higher price?" The auctioneer inquired again loudly. Reba Kelloway¡¯s face turned ugly as she clenched her fists and looked at the man beside her. The man turned his head and, not wanting to keep up the fa?ade, said apologetically, "I¡¯m sorry, Miss Kelloway. I really can¡¯tpete with President Ashton. I said I would give this jewelry set to you, but now I¡¯m going back on my word. I¡¯m truly sorry." "If it were anyone else, I might have a shot. But against President Ashton, there¡¯s no way I can outbid him. Miss Kelloway, I¡¯ve tried my best." The man¡¯s voice lowered, feeling defeated. When Ashton Heath stated the 70 million dor bid, Reba Kelloway no longer had any expectations from the man beside her. Because she realized that Ashton Heath was determined to have that jewelry set. Who could possibly outbid him for something he wanted? So, Reba Kelloway didn¡¯t me the man beside her. Just a second ago, she was the envy of others. The next moment, she was humiliated in front of so many people. She didn¡¯t understand. Why did Ashton Heath have to be so difficult with her? Why did he have to make her lose face in public, time and time again, and be the joke of others? How could he treat her like this! No, this definitely couldn¡¯t be his intention. It must have been Joanna Lawrence. It was Joanna Lawrence who made him do this. That vile woman didn¡¯t want her to steal the limelight and deliberately used this to humiliate her! "Manager Joshua Ranson, don¡¯t me yourself. It¡¯s not your fault." Reba Kelloway clenched her teeth, her hateful gaze fixed on the front row. "You really can¡¯t beat Ashton Heath. Forget it. If they want that jewelry set so much, let them have it." "Is there anyone bidding higher than 70 million dors? 70 million dors going once, 70 million dors going twice, 70 million dors going thrice! Sold! This jewelry set, which was Queen Elena¡¯s favorite, now belongs to Mr. Ashton." In the final call of the auctioneer¡¯s hammer, the jewelry set was won by Ashton Heath. Needless to say, Reba Kelloway¡¯s face was extremely unsightly. The others who had witnessed the exciting bidding war were now eagerly discussing it. "I knew it. With Ashton Heath making a move, no one could possibly outbid him. Spending 70 million dors to buy this jewelry set, the Heath family¡¯s wealth is just too substantial. The Ranson family is decent too, but they really can¡¯tpare with the Heath family." "Luckily, Mr. Joshua Ranson knows his limits and didn¡¯t continue to bid. Otherwise, how would he save faceter." "Ashton Heath spent 70 million dors to buy this jewelry set for Joanna Lawrence, and it¡¯s as if he snatched it away from Reba Kelloway. Kelloway must be livid. What was originally her chance to show off has now turned into a p in her face." As Reba Kelloway listened to the surrounding discussions, her teeth dug deep into her lip, her face burning as if she had been pped several times. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 2215 - 2209: Baby, our family is not short of money

Chapter 2215: Chapter 2209: Baby, our family is not short of money

"Ashton Heath, have you lost your mind?" At this moment, Joanna Lawrence felt as if her heart was bleeding. Ashton Heath had spent seventy million dors to auction a set of jewelry for her. All the women at the venue were looking at her with envy. But Joanna herself didn¡¯t seem to feel pleased. She was nothing but in pain, pure pain. She felt that Ashton Heath must have gone crazy. He was just a spendthrift! million dors! Even though Joanna was wealthy now, she still felt that seventy million dors was an enormous figure. If seventy million dors were used to buy a vi, she would find it worthwhile. But spending seventy million dors on a set of jewelry seemed unworthy to Joanna. Even if she liked that set of jewelry very much. She herself would also hesitate to spend so much money on it. Ashton Heath looked at her: "Baby, what¡¯s wrong?" "Why did you spend so much money on that set of jewelry? Ashton Heath, it¡¯s too expensive. You shouldn¡¯t have paid so much for it." Joanna said, still in pain. After all, she was already married to Ashton Heath. His money was her money. "Whatever you like, no matter how expensive, is worthy of you," Ashton Heath looked at her painful expression, smiled a little, and tousled her hair, "Baby, we¡¯re not short of money. Buy anything you want, don¡¯t need to worry about money." "My biggest motivation for making money is to spend on you. If you hesitate to spend, what is the point of me making money? I feel that it¡¯s worth it to please you with my money, not to mention seventy million, even seven hundred million." Yannick Luther, standing by the side, was dumbfounded. He looked at Ashton Heath as if he was seeing him for the first time. He felt that he might not know Ashton Heath well enough. The Ashton Heath he knew, was he so good at whispering sweet nothings? Besides, he could evene up with sets of sweet words. He was even better at pleasing women than him, a person who was known to be a master in the love realm. Yannick Luther thought, luckily Ashton Heath had been indifferent to women for over twenty years before Joanna appeared. Otherwise, all those beauties would have been wooed away by him, right? * Reba Kelloway left early. After Ashton Heath had won the auction for the jewelry set, she left. She felt she had lost all her dignity and became a joke in everyone¡¯s eyes. She couldn¡¯t bear to stay at the banquet any longer. She didn¡¯t want to see how sweet Joanna and Ashton Heath were together any more either. She was afraid that she might lose her temper and do something irrational. An hourter. Kelloway Residence. After getting out of the car, Reba Kelloway walked into the hall and heardughtering from inside. She looked up and saw Regina Kelloway sitting next to Lady Patrice. Lady Patrice was holding her hand, saying something with an affectionate look in her eyes. The maids in the hall saw Reba Kelloway and greeted her respectfully: "Ms. Joanna." "Reba, you¡¯re back," Lady Patrice waved at Reba and said with a smile, "What a coincidence, your younger sister just got home ten minutes before you did. She was just asking about you, and here you are." "Didn¡¯t you go to a banquet? How did youe back so soon?" Reba Kelloway didn¡¯t answer, instead she lowered her eyes to look at Regina Kelloway. Seeing her younger sister¡¯s return, Reba didn¡¯t seem much delighted, her facial expression was quite cold. Especially seeing Regina¡¯s sweet and innocent face, Reba¡¯s expression grew two shades colder. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 2216 - 2210: How Can She Be Like That Despicable Person!

Chapter 2216: Chapter 2210: How Can She Be Like That Despicable Person!

It was because she saw the shadow of that bitch Joanna Lawrence in Regina. How could her sister, Reba Kelloway, be like that bitch! Reba was very dissatisfied that when the Kelloway family was in trouble, the entire family¡¯s burden was ced on her, making her bear it all by herself. But Regina was allowed to do nothing. Their parents, Princeton and Lady Patrice, imed it was because Regina was still young. However, this reasoning wasn¡¯t something Reba could ept. In her eyes, her parents were simply favoring Regina. Moreover, when she learned about the rtionship between Regina and Jeremy Lawrence, Reba¡¯s hatred for Joanna also made her dislike Jeremy. The boy she disliked was the one her sister liked. Reba couldn¡¯t ept that. That incident also caused Reba to have a grievance with Regina. "Joanna." Regina noticed Reba looking at her and called out softly. Reba just nodded and tersely replied, "Hmm." Afterward, she didn¡¯t say anything else. Lady Patrice was somewhat unhappy with her attitude but didn¡¯t dare to say anything. The reason the Kelloway Group survived its crisis and was rescued from the brink of bankruptcy was due to Reba receiving an investment. Also, all the subsequent Kelloway business deals were negotiated by Reba. Thus, Princeton decided to allow Reba to take charge of the Kelloway Group. Now, Reba was the one who had authority in the Kelloway family, and even Lady Patrice had to watch her words. "Reba, go upstairs and change your clothes. By the way, have you had dinner yet? If not,e downter, and I¡¯ll make ate-night snack for you and your sister." "Are you going to cook yourself, Mom?" Reba asked. Lady Patrice smiled and nodded, "I¡¯ll cook some noodles for you and your sister. Do you want some?" Reba also smiled and said, "I¡¯m going to benefit from Regina¡¯s presence then. Regina, do you know, Mom usually never cooks. It¡¯s only when youe home that she¡¯ll personally cook a meal." "Look at how much Mom loves you." After Reba said those words, the hall was silent for a moment. For four or five seconds, Lady Patrice¡¯s facial expression was stiff. "Reba, what are you saying? If you want to eat my cooking, just tell me. I¡¯ll cook for you anytime." Lady Patrice¡¯s expression was a bit awkward. Reba curled her lips slightly, her smile faint, "We have maids and chefs at home, I wouldn¡¯t want to bother you with cooking. Besides, some things change when you ask for them yourself." "I¡¯m not hungry. You just make the snack for Regina. Don¡¯t worry about me." After saying those words, Reba turned and walked upstairs. "This, Regina, your sister..." Lady Patrice¡¯s eyes expressed grievance, as if she had been hurt by Reba¡¯s words just now. "What¡¯s going on with your sister?" Lady Patrice¡¯s eyes were a bit watery, she wiped the corner of her eyes with her hand and choked up, "Did I say something wrong? I seem to have made her angry." "Mom, it¡¯s not your fault." Regina bit her lip. She knew very well why Reba was truly upset, "Perhaps she encountered something unpleasant at the banquet, which is why she came home early." "Mom, wait a moment. I¡¯ll go upstairs to see Joanna." "Hmm, it might be that. Go quickly and see her. Ask her what happened." As Lady Patrice spoke, she sighed, "Reba has been in a bad moodtely. In hindsight, I shouldn¡¯t have brought her to the Parker family¡¯s event that day." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 2217 - 2211: He said he has someone he likes now.

Chapter 2217: Chapter 2211: He said he has someone he likes now.

"To the Parker family?" Regina Kelloway was taken aback, "Why are you taking Joanna to the Parker family?" Lady Patrice paused before saying, "Previously, the Parker family showed interest in establishing a marriage alliance with the Kelloway family. I thought since Joanna and the Parker boy knew each other since childhood and both families are well acquainted, plus the Parker boy has liked Joanna since they were kids. If she marries him, she won¡¯t be treated poorly." "If the two families could sessfully establish this marriage alliance, it would benefit both the Parker and Kelloway families. I even asked Joanna, and she agreed." "But I never imagined..." Lady Patrice¡¯s face darkened as she thought of what had happened that day. Regina was stunned for a few seconds. She hadn¡¯t known about this. However, she did know that Frank Parker had liked Joanna for many years. However, Joanna was in love with Ashton Heath. "What happened that day?" Regina asked curiously. Lady Patrice nodded, her face darkening, and said, "I thought this matter was a certainty. But to my surprise, while Joanna agreed, Frank Parker suddenly refused. You don¡¯t know how much face he¡¯d lost refusing Joanna." "He showed no respect for the Kelloway family. Forget about you, even I was furious. What¡¯s wrong with the Kelloway family now, does that mean Reba doesn¡¯t deserve Frank? Reba doesn¡¯t mind his sickness, and he has the audacity to turn her away." Regina was shocked, "Frank rejected Joanna? How could that be, he loves Joanna so much, he has always wanted to marry her." "Yes, he has always shown that he likes Joanna. We all thought he loved Reba very much. That¡¯s why the two families had this intention. Who knew..." Lady Patrice said angrily, "He said he found someone he likes. I don¡¯t believe there could be a woman better than Reba. He will regret it sooner orter!" Regina was truly shocked to hear Lady Patrice¡¯s words. She was also surprised that Frank Parker rejected Reba Kelloway. If the Kelloway family was in a difficult situation before and Frank Park, considering the Parker family¡¯s interests, didn¡¯t want to marry Reba, Regina would have understood. After all, you can¡¯t live off love. Their families were, to begin with, interest-oriented. But now, the Kelloway family is already out of trouble. Moreover, ording to Lady Patrice, it was the Parker family that took the initiative to propose a marriage alliance with the Kelloway family. So why did Frank Parker refuse? "Frank has always loved Joanna and was willing to marry her. If he rejected her, he must have had an insurmountable reason," Regina said this. "Insurmountable reason." Lady Patrice scoffed, "He simply changed his mind and fell in love with another woman. From now on, I want to see what kind of woman he fell for." "Mom, don¡¯t be angry." Regina patted Lady Patrice¡¯s chest gently, soothingly saying, "Joanna is so excellent, she will certainly find a remarkable husband in the future. Actually, I think it¡¯s a good thing that the Parker family refused." "A good thing?" "Yes, I believe Frank¡¯s personality doesn¡¯t match well with Joanna¡¯s. If they truly ended up together, they might not be happy." "Well, that¡¯s true. My daughter is so excellent, she won¡¯t have any trouble finding a good match." "I¡¯d better go and ask Joanna." Regina said, standing up, "Mom, I¡¯lle back down in a while and keep youpany." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 2219 - 2213: None of the Heaths’ men are any good.

Chapter 2219: Chapter 2213: None of the Heaths¡¯ men are any good.

"Joanna, I¡¯m not..." Regina Kelloway hurriedly tried to exin. "Regina, you should know very well how the Heaths treated our Kelloway family before, right? Jeremy Lawrence is now the youngest master of the Heaths, he is one of the Heaths. The Heaths are our enemies, and you¡¯re still in contact with an enemy? How can you do this to your Kelloway surname!" Regina knew that she couldn¡¯t anger Reba Kelloway at this time. But upon hearing Reba say such things, she couldn¡¯t help but defend Jeremy: "Joanna, it¡¯s true that the Heaths never helped our Kelloway family. But this matter can¡¯t be med on Jeremy either. He is just a junior in the Heath family, and he was just acknowledged not long ago. Even if he wanted to help, he would be powerless." "Hmph," sneered Reba, "So what? As long as he¡¯s one of the Heaths, he¡¯s an enemy of the Kelloway family. You¡¯re not allowed to have any contact with him in the future!" Regina looked at Reba like this, feeling incredibly strange. "Joanna, I haven¡¯t had much contact with Jeremy in a long time. I¡¯ve already left Closia, and I won¡¯t have much to do with him in the future. However, Jeremy is not my enemy; he hasn¡¯t done anything to wrong me." "I won¡¯t me the Heaths¡¯ unwillingness to help on him." Even knowing that Reba would definitely be angry, Regina still said so. As expected, just as her words fell, she saw Reba¡¯s face darken: "So you¡¯re saying, you¡¯re not willing to listen to me? You still want to continue interacting with Jeremy?" After thinking about it, Regina sincerely said to Reba: "Joanna, I am not a child anymore. Please don¡¯t treat me like a child all the time. I know how to handle my rtionship with Jeremy." "Regina Kelloway!" Reba¡¯s face turned ck, "I will never allow you to have any contact with Jeremy. Listen well, I am now in charge of the Kelloway family. If you don¡¯t behave, I will cancel all your supplementary cards, and you will never get a penny from me again." Regina was stunned. She looked up, disbelievingly, at Reba. Reba had been overbearing before, But not to this extent. "You can interact with any other guys, but not Jeremy!" Reba gritted her teeth, "If you still consider me your sister, then listen to me." "Joanna, why? Just because Jeremy is a member of the Lawrence family? Is the real reason because of Jeremy¡¯s sister? Because Jeremy¡¯s sister and Ashton are together, and you don¡¯t like his sister, so you don¡¯t like Jeremy either." Regina hesitated for a few seconds before finally voicing her thoughts. For a moment, Reba¡¯s face turned ugly. She red at Regina angrily. "None of the Heaths are decent. Do you think Jeremy is good? Everything I¡¯m doing now is for your benefit. You¡¯re still young and naive, and it¡¯s easy for you to be manipted by them." "Do you think I¡¯m harming you?" "Joanna, I know you mean well, but..." "Just listen to me." Reba didn¡¯t let her finish and forcefully interrupted her. * After leaving Reba¡¯s room, Regina stood at the door, dazed for a while. Reba firmly opposed her having any contact with Jeremy. She even threatened to cut off her financial resources. This was the first time Reba had been so overbearing with her. Sinceing back this time, Regina felt that Reba had changed a lot, to the point where she felt like a stranger to her. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 2220 - 2214: Should I Help Him?

Chapter 2220: Chapter 2214: Should I Help Him?

No wonder even Lady Patrice said Reba Kelloway had changed. Regina Kelloway didn¡¯t doubt at all that Reba could truly do all those things. The Reba Kelloway of today was no longer the same person as before. * Joanna Lawrence and Ashton Heath also left the banquet early. In the car, Ashton Heath thought about what he¡¯d seen earlier and asked her, "What¡¯s going on with Gary?" "Huh?" Joanna Lawrence looked at him, puzzled. Ashton Heath held her close, fiddling with her diamond earring as he chuckled, "I saw him pulling and tugging with a girl. They seemed to have a rather unusual rtionship." "You saw that too?" Joanna eximed. "Hmm? So, you also saw him pulling and tugging with that girl?" "Yep," Joanna nodded, "I did." "Do you know that girl?" "I don¡¯t. Gary said he knew her from before, and her name is Zoey Turpin. She just recently returned to the country from abroad. I had actually wanted to ask you what kind of rtionship she and Gary have, but it seems you don¡¯t know either." "Zoey Turpin?" Ashton Heath paused for a moment and then said, "That name sounds familiar. Now I remember, she and Gary did know each other from before." "You know her?" Joanna immediately asked curiously, "Then are she and Gary just regr friends?" "Of course not. Gary White wouldn¡¯t pull and tug like that with an ordinary friend." "Then are they..." "They are friends, but more than just ordinary friends. She used to be his student." "What? Gary was a teacher?" Joanna was very surprised. "He was a visiting professor at an Art Academy for a year. Zoey Turpin was attending that school. That¡¯s how they met each other." Ashton Heath thought about it andughed. "Why are youughing?" "Back then, some rumors spread about the Art Academy. Do you want to know what the rumors were?" Joanna¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity as she immediately nodded, "Yes!" Ashton Heath thought for a moment and said, "There were rumors of a teacher-student romance between Gary and Zoey Turpin, but they wereter refuted." Joanna Lawrence: "..." A teacher-student romance?! "At first, I thought it was just a rumor, but it doesn¡¯t seem that simple now." "What do you mean by that...?" "I¡¯ve never seen Gary White pull and tug like that with any other woman." Ashton Heath said only this sentence. Joanna Lawrence understood him. "So you think that Gary likes Zoey Turpin?" "It¡¯s not necessarily ¡¯like.¡¯ But it¡¯s definitely not just treating her as a friend." Joanna Lawrence didn¡¯t say anything. She had noticed it too. However, since Gary White refused to admit it, what could she do? Moreover, Joanna thought that the reason Gary wouldn¡¯t admit it was probably because he hadn¡¯t realized it himself. Just like how she had actually fallen in love with Ashton Heath a long time ago but only realized it in hindsight. "But, Gary said that he treats Zoey Turpin like a sister." Joanna Lawrence bit her lip and sighed, "Do you think he hasn¡¯t realized that he¡¯s fallen for her? If that¡¯s the case, should I help him out?" She was really afraid that her obtuse brother would miss out on a great marriage. "It¡¯s not impossible what you¡¯re saying. But I think it¡¯s better to let him handle this kind of thing himself and not interfere too much. Baby, Gary is already thirty years old, and men at this age are already mature in their dealings. He knows what to do." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 2221 - 2215: You Are My Destined Goddess

Chapter 2221: Chapter 2215: You Are My Destined Goddess

"You don¡¯t really understand what¡¯s going on between them. Sometimes, good intentions might backfire. What do you think?" After listening to his words, Joanna thought for a while and lightly nodded her head. Alright. Her primary concern was to find a partner for her brother sooner, rather than considering other factors. What Ashton said seemed to make a lot of sense. "I¡¯m just afraid that my brother can¡¯t see his own heart clearly and will make some regrettable decisions. But since you said that, I won¡¯t interfere." Ashton smiled: "If he really can¡¯t see his own heart, then it means that this rtionship is not meant for him. Many things depend on fate, like you and me, or Brandon and Aria. When fate arrives, what¡¯s yours will always be yours. What¡¯s not meant for you can¡¯t be forced." "Wow." Joanna blinked and looked at him with admiration. "Hm?" Ashton raised an eyebrow, "What¡¯s up?" Joanna couldn¡¯t help butugh: "I think what you just said is very philosophical. I didn¡¯t expect you to believe in fate. I thought you wouldn¡¯t be so superstitious." "Oh? This is not superstition." Ashton reached out and gently knocked on her forehead, "I didn¡¯t believe in these things originally, but since meeting you, I do think that fate exists." Otherwise, how could he exin that he would be allergic to any other woman he touched, but not her? And how could he exin that Brandon had been single for thirty whole years, never taking a fancy to anyone but Aria, Joanna¡¯s best friend? He married Joanna, and Brandon married Aria. And Joanna and Aria were the best of friends. Some coincidences forced him to believe in certain things. "Really?" Joanna looked up with a smiling face, her eyes curving, "So you believe that I¡¯m your destined one?" "Yes, I believe." Ashton¡¯s thin lips curled, his eyes full of indulgence, "Baby, you are my destined one." Joanna smiled in satisfaction, raised her head, and gently kissed his thin lips: "Then you are my fated one, too." "By the way, how is Jeremy¡¯s surgery preparationing along?" Jeremy¡¯s College Entrance Examination was over, and the date for his surgery had been set. Although Ashton was the main surgeon, and despite his repeated assurances that the surgery would be sessful, Joanna felt more and more worried as the day drew nearer. She had faith in Ashton¡¯s skills. But she was also very worried about Jeremy. "Of course, there¡¯s no problem." Ashton smiled and pinched her cheek, "Baby, haven¡¯t I told you? Don¡¯t worry, Jeremy¡¯s surgery will definitely be sessful. After the surgery, he will be a normal person." "I know." Joanna sighed softly, "I just can¡¯t control myself and can¡¯t help but worry. Do you find me annoying? I¡¯ve asked you so many times, but I still don¡¯t trust you." "No." Ashton¡¯s gaze turned gentle, "You are worried about him because you care so much about Jeremy. I understand." Joanna leaned into his embrace: "Yeah, although Jeremy is not my biological brother, there¡¯s no difference between him and a real brother in my eyes. After our foster mother and grandmother passed away, the Lawrence family was almost just the two of us depending on each other. Jeremy had a harder time than me when he was younger, and now that he¡¯s finally back to the Heath family, The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!