Ch. 2421..2430

Chapter 2421

“You don’t think that woman did it on purpose, do you? She wouldn’t actually try to get rid of the kid,

right?” blurted the man at the side.

I doubt it. She’s a maternal woman, after all. She won’t actually be so cruel that she would abandon her

child, right?

“Let’s wait a little longer and see how things progress.”

“Joan, do you really not know where Lucius is? I’ve searched every inch of the village, but Lucius is

nowhere to be found,” shared Caspian nervously.

“I honestly have no idea,” answered Joan while sobbing.

“What could she know? She knows nothing. All she does is cause endless troubles all day long. She’s

always either flirting with Dustin or messing with Caiden. Who knows how many enemies she has out

there?” insulted Delilah cruelly from the side.

Joan was stunned. She never thought that Delilah would see her like that, and she definitely never

expected the elderly lady to utter such harsh words.

“Calm down, Ms. Young. We haven’t gotten to the bottom of it yet. So let’s not jump to any

conclusions,” said Caspian hurriedly.

“Oh, shut it. I’ve had enough of your promises. I doubt you’ll be able to find the boy. I’m going to look

for him myself!” said Delilah as she moved to leave the place.

“You can’t go out there, Ms. Young. It’s too dangerous,” said Jessica, who immediately rushed over to

block Delilah’s path.

“Lucius’ gone, so why would I care about my own safety? I am not like a certain someone who is so

spoiled that she would stay home all day and be scared. Hah! She actually needs others to clean up

her mess and be responsible in her place,” dissed Delilah.

“That’s not fair, Ms. Young. It’s true that Joan can be too kind and indecisive at times, but she never

hurt either of you. The incident today is nothing more than an accident,” said Caspian.

Bang! Delilah left after slamming the door, completely disregarding everybody else’s stares.

“Hey, follow Ms. Young and keep her safe,” instructed Caspian via his phone before he hung up.

“Don’t listen to her, Joan. We don’t know what really happened just yet,” said Caspian.

The truth was that he had his suspicions, but he wasn’t sure. Larry had warned that Caiden’s dad

would not let Joan off the hook that easily.

“Does Larry know about this?” asked Jessica as she walked over.

“No, and don’t tell him just yet. He’s busy, so let’s take a closer look at the situation before doing

anything,” replied Caspian.

Even though she didn’t say anything, Jessica was feeling more and more unsettled.

If this is just a simple kidnapping case, the culprit would’ve already called and asked for ransom. Yet,

no one called even though so much time has passed.

What game are they playing? What are they aiming for? She paced around the house as a sense of

dread and despair gnawed at her.

Suddenly, the phone in the living room rang.

“Quick, pick up the phone, Joan. Remember to stay calm,” instructed Jessica right away.

Joan wiped her tears away and ran to the phone. She took a deep breath before she finally picked up

the phone.

“Ms. Watts, I’d advise you against calling the cops. Your son is with me, so don’t try to solve this matter

using any of your parlor tricks, either. It won’t work. I will text you an address later. Come find me

tomorrow morning.”

“Hello? How is my son-” said Joan. She never got to finish her sentence because the other party hung

up immediately.

I was right. They weren’t after Lucius. They were targeting me this whole time!

“How did it go? What did he say? Is the kid alright? How much are they demanding?” asked Jessica

from the side.

“He never mentioned money. He simply asked to meet up with me,” replied Joan.

Caspian instantly became more alert at that. Looks like I guessed right! he clenched his fist as his gaze

turned fierce.

“Don’t act rashly, Joan. Let me get things in place before you head over,” advised Caspian.

Chapter 2422

Joan turned to Caspian. She looked a little helpless and hopeless at that moment.

She didn’t know if Lucius was safe, nor did she know what troubles awaits her tomorrow. All she knew

was that she must meet with the kidnapper.

“It’s fine. If I can exchange my life to save Lucius, I’ll gladly offer it,” muttered Joan.

“What are you talking about, Joan? Both you and Lucius will be fine. So stop being so negative,” said

Jessica as she hugged Joan to comfort her.

What kind of f*cker would do something so vile and despicable? Jessica’s nails had dug into her flesh,

but she couldn’t feel the pain.

“Come now, stop crying…”

“Don’t worry, Joan. You can go and face them head-on. We will support you from the dark,” promised

Caspian.

“Okay,” replied Joan.

She wasn’t worried about herself at all. In fact, she would willingly sacrifice her life to protect Lucius.

“Joan, are you alright?” asked Jessica in a worried tone.

She noticed that Joan had been pale since that morning and looked extremely weak.

“I’m fine,” answered Joan softly while massaging her temple.

Still, Jessica could sense that something was off, so she deliberately asked, “Joan, did that guy call you

last night?”

Joan was momentarily stunned. She later shook her head as a hint of anxiety flashed past her eyes.

“N-no,” replied Joan.

Like hell he didn’t! Her look gave it all away. The kidnapper must’ve changed tactics all of a sudden.

Jessica walked to Caspian and whispered into his ears. Her words got his expression to take a sharp

turn.

“Joan, you must tell us every single thing that happened. We will not be able to work well otherwise,

and I won’t be able to explain myself to Larry,” said Caspian as he looked at Joan grimly.

Joan, who was sitting on the sofa, slowly shifted her gaze upward. She looked at the two people in

front of her and broke down.

“He called me again last night and asked to meet me in person,” confessed Joan.

I knew it! They must’ve learned about our involvement. Still, that is expected, thought Caspian. He

narrowed his eyes a little and gazed at the ceiling as if he was considering something.

“Alright, I got it. Here’s what we’re going to do. Joan, you will go meet him as requested, and I will send

our men home. After that, I will tail and protect you on my own,” said Caspian, his gaze determined.

Standing at the side, Jessica’s eyes bulged in surprise.

“What are you talking about? You’re going to do everything on your own? Have you gone nuts? What if

something unexpected happens?” she said in a worried tone after she dragged him to the side.

However, as far as Caspian was concerned, that was their only option. He promised Larry that he

would do everything he could to protect Joan, Lucius, and Delilah.

“It’s fine. I can handle it. I’m the renowned Caspian!” announced Caspian confidently while puffing out

his chest.

“No, that won’t do. I’m warning you, Caspian. You can forget about going on your own. If you insist on

doing that, I’ll go with you,” threatened Jessica.

Has this woman gone nuts? Why would she want to tag along to something so dangerous?

“Pfft, please. I’ll be thanking all the angels in heaven if you don’t faint from the fear of it all first,” dissed

Caspian, trying to dissuade her.

“I said no! Either you get a few men to go with you or I will go in their place,” insisted Jessica as she

gripped his collar.

When did she become so unreasonable? Caspian stared at the woman in astonishment. Curiosity

flashed past his eyes.

“Can I read this reaction as you being worried about me?” he teased with a smile.

Jessica let go of his collar right away.

I guess I was acting a little too aggressive just now… She adjusted her clothes to try to calm herself

down.

“The weather is pretty good today,” said Jessica as she approached Joan.

Caspian grinned in satisfaction as he watched her moving away.

Finally! I see that she really does care about me.

“Huh?” blurted Joan as she turned her head and stared at Jessica in confusion. The former then turned

to look out the window and check the weather.

Chapter 2423

How is the weather good? It’s all dark and gloomy out there, thought Joan.

“It’s going to be fine, Joan. Rest well here. I’ll go make some breakfast for you,” offered Jessica before

she went into the kitchen.

She can cook? Huh, that is surprising. Who would’ve thought that a lady born in a rich family could

cook? Joan looked impressed as she stared at the woman who was standing some distance away.

She heard from Larry before and knew that Caspian had always liked Jessica. She could also see how

Jessica had feelings for Caspian as well and how the latter had been suppressing those emotions.

Just then, Joan’s phone rang once more. She jumped and quickly picked it up.

“How are things at home? Is everything alright?” Larry’s voice sounded from the other end.

Joan turned to Caspian, then to Jessica. She hesitated to answer Larry’s question.

“It’s pretty good. Don’t worry about us. Are you still busy with work there?” asked Joan softly.

“Not really,” answered Larry. “The issue here is a little complicated though, so I will have to stay for a

few more days.”

Joan thought that she shouldn’t tell him about Lucius’ incident. I don’t want to distract him or affect his

work.

“Did Caspian visit?” asked Larry.

“Yeah, he dropped by yesterday. Everything is fine, don’t worry,” said Joan hurriedly.

Larry sensed that something was off with her voice and tone, but he didn’t think too much of it. He

simply assumed that Joan caught a cold and was in a bad mood, so he didn’t say much before he hung

up.

“Was that Larry?” asked Caspian directly.

“Yeah, but I didn’t tell him what happened,” replied Joan. She is just as thoughtful as she used to be.

She never changed and is still a kind woman at heart, thought Caspian.

Soon, it was finally time for Joan to embarked on her journey to meet the guy who kidnapped Lucius.

Before long, the car came to a stop at the entrance of an abandoned warehouse. There were obstacles

ahead, so Joan had to get out of the car and slowly walk to the abandoned petrol station that was some

distance away. Aside from her, there was no one else in sight.

“Is someone here?” shouted Joan as she scanned her surroundings. The entire place was quiet, and

no one responded.

“Hello? It’s me, Joan Watts!” called out Joan, but everything remained motionless.

“What is going on? Why isn’t anyone showing up?” whispered Jessica as she nudged Caspian’s arm.

“Stop talking and pay attention to the changes,” was his short reply.

Bang! A barrel suddenly fell from the tree. On the barrel was a message carved into it.

The message told Joan that the location of the meeting had been changed. She turned around and

stared at a random spot for a few seconds before she went back into her car.

“What does that mean? Why is she leaving?” asked Jessica.

“They must’ve changed the location. Let’s go,” informed Caspian before he held Jessica’s hand and

left.

“Is Joan going to be alright? We’re moving so much. Can she handle the hassle?” asked Jessica in a

worried tone.

“Don’t worry. We have settled on a few secret signs, so I can read her expression and her hand gesture

to decipher the message,” answered Caspian.

“Huh, you two are pretty in sync,” said Jessica, jealousy evident in her expression and her voice.

“It’s only natural that we did that. They are definitely monitoring Joan’s phone, so we could only

communicate this way,” replied Caspian.

Meanwhile, Joan was driving ahead in another car. Fear was apparent in her eyes, and she was so

nervous that her hands were trembling endlessly.

You can do this, Joan Watts. You have to rescue Lucius! She started distracting herself to calm her

nerves.

“I’m here. Where are you?” asked Joan nervously while she was in the car.

“Are you alone?” demanded the man.

“Yes, I am on my own, and I’ve reached the destination,” replied Joan.

“I’m warning you, Joan Watts, you’d better not try anything funny with me,” growled the man.

Joan’s legs were trembling at that moment. Anxiety was drowning her.

Has Caspian been discovered? No, that’s not possible. He has always been careful when he works.

There’s no way he’s been discovered…

Chapter 2424

Joan suddenly recalled what Caspian had instructed her earlier. He had warned that she must deny

having someone else following her, no matter what the other party said.

“Where is my son? When will you let him go?” asked Joan right away.

“Get out of the car and head over to the abandoned parking lot at the side. Your son is waiting for you

over there. He will leave, and you will stay. Either that, or neither one of you leave. Also, don’t try to fool

me. You are within my line of sight right now,” answered the man before he hung up right away.

His tone was so fierce that Joan couldn’t fight back.

She couldn’t send any messages to Caspian, and she had no choice but to listen to that man’s

instructions and get out of the car. She then headed directly to the abandoned parking lot.

“Caspian, look. Joan has gotten out of the car. Why didn’t she signal us?” asked Jessica nervously

inside the other car.

“Lower your voice. Joan probably couldn’t send any signals to us. Someone must be watching her,”

replied Caspian warily.

After saying his piece, the two adults got out of the car and headed to a corner at the side to keep

themselves hidden.

“Lucius? Lucius, where are you? I’m here,” shouted Joan loudly as she walked in.

“Mom!” the boy called out.

Hearin Lucius’ voice got Joan’s heart to thump excitedly. She traced his voice and ran over right away.

In the end, she found the boy beside a trash can.

“How are you? Are you hurt anywhere?” asked Joan in a worried tone while examining Lucius from

head to toe.

“Mom, what are you doing here? I’m fine. Mom, listen to me, they’re all bad people,” warned the boy as

he lay in Joan’s arms.

Naturally, Joan was well aware of that fact. She simply had no choice and had to listen to their

instructions to keep Lucius safe.

“It’s okay, Lucius. Go home now, and don’t worry about me. I have to talk to them about something,”

informed Joan while pinching the corner of her clothes a little.

“Mom, aren’t you going to go back with me?” asked the boy. His big, round eyes shone with curiosity.

“Walk down that route and keep heading forward. You’ll see Mr. Caspian there, and he will take you

home. Hurry along now. Don’t worry. I will be back soon,” replied Joan as she nudged the boy a little to

usher him out of the place.

“Alright. Do hurry home after your conversation ended, okay, Mom?” said Lucius loudly.

He had actually raised his voice on purpose. He overheard the men talking on the night before, and he

knew that there was no way that they could both leave together. Hence, he chose to leave first so that

he could alert the police.

Joan sighed a breath of relief when the boy finally left her line of sight.

“You can come out now,” shouted Joan. “The kid is gone, and I am the only one here.”

“Jessica, take the kid home first,” instructed Caspian as he tapped on Jessica’s shoulder gently.

“What about you? What are you going to do?” asked Jessica instantly.

“I will stay here and wait for Joan. I have to go rescue her, so I need you to take the kid home first then

call the police,” replied the man firmly.

Worry filled Jessica’s heart when she saw Caspian crouching there.

She was worried that something would happen to him, but she was also worried about Joan.

“No, I’m staying here with you,” replied Jessica as tears swirled around in her eyes.

“Be good. This is your mission. You don’t want everyone to die by those criminal’s hands, do you?” said

Caspian sternly.

“No,” replied Jessica, finally convinced. She sobbed and demanded, “Don’t let anything happen to

either of you, okay?”

“Lucius,” called out Jessica to attract the boy’s attention.

“Ms. Zimmer!” said Lucius. He ran directly into Jessica’s arms.

“How are you? Are you hurt?” asked Jessica immediately.

“I’m fine, but Ms. Zimmer, they have my mom. You must rescue her. She’s in danger now,” informed the

boy nervously.

“Calm down. We will find a way to help your mom. I promise,” replied Jessica to offer some comfort.

After that, she took Lucius away from that secluded area and headed directly to the police station.

Chapter 2425

Caspian was observing everything from a distance at that moment.

“So you’re Joan Watts? Huh, you have a pretty face,” murmured the man.

“What do you want?” demanded Joan immediately.

“Well, that depends on you,” replied the man.

“I don’t think I know any of you,” muttered Joan.

The men standing around her scoffed.

It didn’t matter if she knew them or not because they were simply paid to carry out those tasks.

“My gosh, woman. Why did you butt into the rich family’s business?” asked the man directly.

What the hell did I butt into? Joan didn’t understand what was going on and was staring at the men in

confusion.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Feigning innocent even at a time like this?”

Joan simply couldn’t recall who she offended or which rich family she pissed off.

“Just get straight to the point,” demanded Joan, who had finally lost all her patience.

“Well, to tell you the truth, we didn’t actually call you here to deal with a serious issue,” replied the man

to deliberately get under Joan’s skin.

Joan simply couldn’t understand what was being played out in front of her. She couldn’t even begin to

guess it.

Why isn’t she out yet? Caspian, who was hiding in the corner, was starting to worry.

Finally, he saw the men brought Joan out of the parking lot.

“Move! Don’t shout or make any sudden moves,” growled the man as he shoved her harshly and led

her to the car in front of them.

“Hold it right there!” roared Caspian as he dashed out of his hiding spot.

The men were surprised to see Caspian’s sudden appearance.

“You f*cking lied to me?”

Slap!

A loud slap landed on Joan’s cheek immediately.

She held her reddened face while her eyes burned with hatred.

“Step aside, dude. This has nothing to do with you, so butt out,” shouted the man nonchalantly.

“I won’t let you take that woman away!” Caspian growled.

Hah, he thinks he can be a hero? The man strode over to Caspian with an arrogant expression.

“Do you want to die, punk?” threatened the man.

Truth was, Caspian was ready to lay down his life. If Jessica came in time, he would be rescued. If not,

he would spend his last breath protecting Joan.

“Let her go. I will take her place,” said Caspian firmly.

The man standing in front of Caspian scoffed. He looked at the latter in distaste before spitting, “No can

do, punk!”

“The Owens family sent you, didn’t they?” taunted Caspian deliberately.

Hearing that, the man was momentarily stunned and at a loss for word.

“What are you bullsh*tting about? The Owens family? I have no idea who they are,” replied the man.

He was avoiding Caspian’s eyes the entire time he spoke.

Seeing how nervous the man was acting, Caspian knew right away that what he said was the truth.

“You should know that Joan is Larry Norton’s partner. You know what kind of a man Larry Norton is,

don’t you?” said Caspian.

Everyone in the city knew just how powerful Larry was. He was notorious for being aloof, aggressive,

and cruel when conducting business, never showing mercy to anyone. These hooligans actually had

the audacity to provoke the man. They’re definitely doomed now.

However, it was not possible for the hooligans to not know that Joan was Larry’s ex-wife. The reason

why they had no fear was that the head of the Owens family had already given his orders, making him

the one who would bear all the responsibilities.

“Just shut up and scram, would you? I don’t have time to chat with you,” said the man before he

shoved Caspian rudely.

In response, Caspian swung his leg over, tripping the man and making him fall to the ground. The

man’s subordinates, who were right behind him, were all left flabbergasted.

“Get him!” ordered the man on the ground. He let slip of his foreign accent as he put pressure on his

chest.

Upon hearing his orders, the men attacked simultaneously and pounced at Caspian.

They had more men on their side, so it didn’t matter how strong Caspian was. He simply couldn’t fight

that many muscular men all on his own.

“Do you really think you could take us on? Hah! Didn’t think so. Let me tell you something. There isn’t a

man in this world that I am too afraid to punch. How dare you attack me? You must have a death wish,”

taunted the man before he walked over and kicked Caspian.

“Stop it! I am the one you’re after. This has nothing to do with him. Let him go,” shouted Joan at the

side. She looked extremely worried at that moment.

Chapter 2426

“Joan, stop talking!” shouted Caspian suddenly.

Blood was dripping from the corner of his lips, and his arms and legs were full of injuries inflicted by

those men. He was panting, and his eyes were glowing with feral aggression. Nonetheless, he was not

physically able to do much.

“Are you trying to save him? Joan Watts, you can’t even see yourself, so why are you still putting on an

act and pretending to be nice?” growled the man coldly as he turned to stare at Joan.

“Do whatever you want with me, just let her go,” repeated Caspian with his head down.

Pfft, what an honorable man! Too bad he placed his loyalty in the wrong person.

“What is the relationship between the two of you? Is she really worth it? Are you really sacrificing your

life for her? The two of you aren’t having an affair, are you? But even if you were, it makes sense, I

guess. After all, Joan Watts is nothing but a slut who has seduced countless men,” insulted the man

directly.

“Shut your mouth! Joan is not the kind of woman you think she is,” howled Caspian.

Huh, he’s pretty adamant about protecting her.

“My, my, you must fancy her a lot, huh? Do you find her incredibly stunning? Come, let me take a

closer look. I’d like to see for myself just how sexy your figure is. How did you get so many men to fall

for you?” said the man as he approached Joan slowly, his eyes glowing with lust.

What is he trying to do? Joan instinctively backed away. Her emotions were running wild.

“What? Are you too chicken to face me? Aren’t you supposed to be really good? Don’t be shy. I’m a

man too, so come play with me. I’m curious about how you’d satisfy me,” said the man.

“Don’t you touch her!” growled Caspian from behind.

Unfortunately, his words were simply ignored.

The man had already diverted all his attention to Joan and couldn’t care less about Caspian’s threats.

“What are you doing?” Joan asked fearfully, mixed emotions overwhelming her.

I don’t think I’ve ever felt this scared before. At that moment, all Joan could think about was Larry. She

was worried that she would never be able to see him again, and she was worried that she would not

live to see the next sunrise.

“Come over and let me have a taste of your body. I am actually great at satisfying women, you know,”

said the man as he pulled her into his arms.

“You b*stard, let go of her. Don’t touch her!” roared Caspian.

“Let him go,” demanded Joan. She was trembling when she pointed at Caspian.

The man stared at her, then at Caspian, who was pinned down behind him. An evil grin slowly crept

onto his face.

“Do you take me as a three-year-old? I’m not an idiot. Besides, he did this to himself,” said the man as

he tried to take her clothes off. “Come on, then. Let me see how good you are.”

“Let go of me, you despicable jerk!” Joan choked out. She was struggling and sobbing, but she didn’t

dare to attack the man because she was worried about Caspian.

“Why? Don’t you girls love bad boys like me? This makes things exciting, doesn’t it?”

Rip!

The man had torn Joan’s coat off.

“Ah!”

Joan suddenly ambushed the man by biting hard on his arm.

“You b*tch! How dare you bite me? F*ck you. You’re so dead!”

Slap! A harsh slap landed on Joan’s head, and she saw stars.

“It is your honor that I am willing to f*ck you!” howled the man.

“Let Caspian go,” requested Joan weakly with her head down.

She was exhausted at that moment, and she didn’t have the energy to fight the man anymore.

“Or what? Who do you think you are? Ordering me like that,” growled the man before he kicked her.

Joan stumbled backward and fell to the ground.

“Joan! Are you okay? Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine!” Caspian called out.

But there was no way Joan would heed his words, for she already felt too much remorse toward

Caspian.

“Is this not exciting enough for you? Come then, let’s do it in front of him,” said the man before he

dragged her toward Caspian.

Chapter 2427

“Don’t touch me,” growled Joan. She used every bit of strength in her to push him away, but she soon

discovered that she was so weak that she couldn’t even walk right.

Rip! Rip! The man tore off her clothes one piece at a time.

“Stop! Let her go. Come after me instead!” shouted Caspian angrily.

Joan was pinned in the man’s embrace, helpless as he played with her. Before long, all that was left on

her were her short pants and her bra. Her fair skin and alluring figure were presented for all to see.

“You really are sexy. No wonder so many men fell for you,” commented the man as he nibbled on

Joan’s neck.

“Let me go,” begged Joan pitifully.

“No way. I will have you!” replied the man. He pulled her close in his arms, and with his free hand, he

caressed her body endlessly.

“Let go of her! Joan, hang in there!”

Caspian’s face was twisted in anger. Nonetheless, there wasn’t anything he could do.

“Stop!” Just then, a familiar voice sounded from behind everyone.

When Joan turned to look, she finally saw the face she had been longing to see, and her lips

instinctively trembled.

“What do we do now?” asked a subordinate who had rushed over.

“Is he on his own?” asked the man.

“For now, it looks like he is alone.”

“Then we’ll just gang up and run him down,” replied the man before he slowly approached Larry.

“What’s up?”

“What’s up? You’ve kidnapped a kid and are now trying to rape a woman. What do you think is up?”

growled Larry in response, his eyes glowed with murderous intent.

He had been suppressing his anger for a while because he knew that they outnumber him by ten to

one. Given the difference in manpower, they could easily kill him. As such, he had to buy some time for

his men to rush over.

“So? What does that have anything to do with you?” challenged the man.

“It has everything to do with me! Joan Watts is mine.”

“Mr. Norton, please be aware of one simple fact. Joan Watts is no longer yours. The two of you are

divorced,” reminded the man.

What a bunch of stupid pests. They know who I am, and yet, they are still stupid enough to act so

arrogantly?

“Who’s paying you to do this?” demanded Larry. He was deliberately interrogating the man to buy more

time.

“That definitely has nothing to do with you,” said the man before he laughed.

“Let Joan and Caspian go now, and I won’t come after you lot for what you have done. If you don’t, I

will cripple every single one of you,” threatened Larry with a straight face on.

Hearing that, Caspian knew then that Larry was truly infuriated. It had been a while since I last saw

Larry looking that fierce.

“Stop joking around, Mr. Norton. Are you sure we’re the ones that are about to be crippled? Maybe that

honor belongs to you,” refuted the man before he scoffed at Larry.

“Is that so?” said Larry. In the next moment, over a hundred men showed up behind him. Every single

one of them was armed with blades.

“Wait! T-This is just a misunderstanding. Mr. Norton, t-this is all just a joke. I was simply messing with

you. Haha, come now, there’s no need to make such a big deal out of it, am I right?” said the man. He

was quick to change his stance and admit defeat when he saw how many enemies he was facing. In

fact, his tone resembled that of a person who was begging for mercy.

You’re only realizing your mistake now? Caspian turned his face around. He looked at the men, whose

faces were painted with a beautiful shade of horror, and grinned.

“What? You’re only begging for mercy now? A little too late, don’t you think?”

Larry waved his hand, and his subordinates rushed over right away to grab the man before beating him

senseless. Since Larry had already said that he would cripple them, he was not going to hold back.

“Larry…” murmured Joan from some distance away. Her eyes were half-closed, and she was wrapping

herself up with her arms when she slowly fell.

“Joan! Wake up!” yelled Larry as he held her close.

Joan simply lay motionless.

Soon, the situation was under control. Their enemies were now lying on the floor, crippled. Larry

wanted to teach them a lesson and give them a constant reminder of what would happen if they go

after the woman he loves.

“I’m sorry, Larry,” apologized Caspian with his head down when they were inside the hospital ward.

Chapter 2428

“What are you apologizing for?” asked Larry as he shifted his gaze to Caspian who was lying on the

bed.

“I didn’t keep Joan and the kid safe,” answered Caspian in a guilty tone.

What an idiot. He’s already wounded to this extent, but he is still worried about that.

“That’s enough. Stop overthinking it. Just focus on getting better,” replied Larry.

Truth was, Larry was rather angry with Caspian’s decisions and actions. Yes, I did order him to protect

Joan, but he was not supposed to sacrifice his life.

Everything should be done in moderation and after careful consideration. Caspian lacks the ability in

strategizing and solving problems without resorting to throwing punches.

“How is Joan? Is she feeling better?” asked Caspian.

“She’s fine. She’s still unconscious, so I will head over and see how she’s doing now. Get some rest,”

instructed Larry before he left Caspian’s room.

“How is she, doctor? Is she alright?” asked Larry as he stared at the doctor.

“She’s in shock, so try not to let her out of the house too much for now,” informed the doctor. He then

added, “Take care of her and pay attention to her emotions. Wild sways in moods would not be

beneficial to her recovery.”

As he gazed at the woman on the hospital bed, Larry felt his heart ached for her.

He had gotten to the bottom of it all. The culprits had already confessed that the head of the Owens

family, Keith, was the mastermind.

“Larry…” muttered Joan as she shook her head in her sleep.

“I’m here, Joan. Wake up,” said Larry. He rushed over quickly to hold her hand.

“Larry!” shouted Joan suddenly as she sat up. Her eyes flung open, and she stared blankly ahead for a

moment.

“Joan, you’re okay now. Trust me. It’s all in the past,” promised Larry as he stroked her hair gently.

She couldn’t hold it in anymore. She snuggled into Larry’s arms and cried her eyes out.

“I-I thought I’d never see you again. I thought I’d die, and I thought you don’t love me anymore…”

All her suppressed anger and frustration flushed out of her lips in that instant.

“Silly girl, that will never happen. I’m here now, and everything will be better,” cooed Larry as he gently

stroked her back.

“Where’s Caspian, Larry? Is he alright? He got beat up because he tried to save me,” blurted Joan as if

she had suddenly recalled something.

“He’s fine. Don’t worry, and don’t overthink it. I’ve already settled everything,” replied Larry.

Meanwhile, the man in question was currently lying on the bed in the other hospital ward and was

resting with his eyes closed.

Bang! The door was suddenly flung open.

Caspian was about to open his eyes to check who it was when a woman suddenly leaned on his chest

and cried aloud.

What is up with this woman now? Did someone bully her? Or did she fail to bully someone?

“What’s wrong? Tell me,” said Caspian as he stroked her back to comfort her.

“Caspian, does it hurt?” asked Jessica softly while wiping her tears away.

I-Is she worried about me? Caspian was surprised. Huh, I didn’t think this woman actually cares that

much about me.

“It did hurt quite a bit earlier, but I’m alright now,” answered Caspian slowly.

“Look at you. Your face, your neck, your arm, your legs… There are wounds everywhere. It must hurt

so much. I told you not to go, but you insisted on being a hero. Now look at the state you’re in. Are you

happy now? You’re hospitalized!” growled Jessica angrily before she pinched his arm hard.

“That’s my boss’ wife. I have to save her, even if it meant sacrificing my life,” replied Caspian.

Jessica got jealous at that.

Why must he go to this extent to protect her? She’s only his boss’ wife. It’s not like she’s his wife. Could

it be that this assh*le actually have feelings for Joan? Suspicion flashed past Jessica’s eyes as she

glared at the man before her.

“Just say what you want. What’s the point in glaring at me like that?” said Caspian.

“Do you really only see Joan as your boss’ wife?” asked Jessica without beating around the bush.

Chapter 2429

Pfft! Caspian couldn’t contain his laughter, and he chuckled aloud.

“What else could I take her as, then? My mom?”

“Stop messing around. I’m being serious. Are you in love with Joan?” asked Jessica carefully as she

scrutinized the man on the hospital bed.

What is wrong with this woman? Did she take the wrong meds? Or did her brain got fried? Joan is my

boss’ wife, there’s no way I would see her as anything but that. Besides, I honestly have no feelings for

her.

“Stop spouting nonsense,” replied Caspian before he turned around.

Hold on, something is off! Jessica run around and looked right into his eyes in an attempt to read his

expressions.

“Tell me the truth. Have you tried courting her before? Did you come after me because she rejected

your advances?” interrogated Jessica.

Oh my gosh, her imaginations baffles me! Caspian stared at the woman he loved and shook his head

before sighing.

“My dear, Ms. Jessica Zimmer, can you please stop your nonsensical ramblings? Joan was, is, and will

always be my boss’ wife, okay? Also, I only see her as a family member and a friend. There is no love

between us. Understand?” said Caspian.

His words got Jessica to feel much better. She simply wanted to hear Caspian clarify everything and

deny having any feelings for Joan.

“Ah, I see,” replied Jessica.

“What did you think was going on?” demanded Caspian while glaring at her, seemingly a little upset.

“Aww, come on, why are you angry? I swear, your mood swings faster than that of a woman’s…”

muttered Jessica before she slapped on Caspian’s shoulder harshly.

“Ouch!” yelped Caspian.

“What’s wrong? Did I hit your wound? I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean it,” said Jessica apologetically while

massaging his shoulder for him.

“Mmm… that feels good. Do continue,” said Caspian with his eyes closed. He seemed like he was

really enjoying the massage.

He tricked me! What an assh*le! Jessica pressed hard and kneaded his muscles with force. Caspian

frowned. He wanted to say something, but he was too afraid to do so.

“Tell me, do you dare trick me again?” demanded Jessica.

“No, no, never again. Please, be gentler,” said Caspian hurriedly, begging for mercy.

That’s better. Jessica loosened her grip immediately and walked to the side to peel an apple for him.

“Caspian, you’re awake! How are you? Are you feeling better?” asked Joan weakly as she entered the

ward slowly.

“Joan? What are you doing here? I should be the one visiting you. Come, sit,” replied Caspian,

preparing to get up from the bed to help Joan.

“Don’t move around. I’ll do it,” instructed Jessica before she headed over to support Joan.

Caspian found it a little strange when he saw how uncharacteristically mature Jessica was being.

“I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have gotten injured or hospitalized,”

apologized Joan instantly.

She came just to apologize to Caspian.

“What are you talking about, Joan? We’re a family, so what’s with the apologies? It’s fine. I’ll recover

soon. Don’t worry. I’m just glad that you’re okay,” said Caspian quickly.

Jessica, who was standing at the side, turned to him immediately. She glared at Caspian, seemingly

unhappy with his response.

You assh*le. What do you mean when you say that you’re just glad that she’s okay? You obviously care

about her!

“Come have an apple, Joan,” offered Jessica before handing Joan an apple. “Larry said that you

should stay in the hospital and focus on recovering. Don’t think too much about anything else.”

“Here, this one’s for you,” added Jessica in a distant tone before she tossed a peeled apple to Caspian.

That is one harsh tone. What is she mad about now? Women are such strange creatures.

“It’s fine, Joan. I am supposed to do all that, so you don’t need to feel guilty. I promised Larry that I

would take care of you and keep you safe. In the end, not only did I fail, but you even got hurt. To be

honest, I am partially at fault for everything that happened.”

Chapter 2430

“Don’t say that. I feel guilty enough as it is…”

The two of them chatted and discussed the matter endlessly in the room. They had completely

neglected Jessica by then.

“Alright, stop it. Both of you. None of this is on either of you, okay? It’s actually my fault. I’m bored too,

so I’m gonna steal the blame just like how the two of you are doing,” teased Jessica.

Joan and Caspian chuckled at that. The atmosphere in the ward lightened up after that.

“What are you doing here? I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” said Larry as he entered the room.

“I came to visit Caspian,” replied Joan.

Larry was quick to take his coat off and drape it over Joan’s shoulders before grinning at her.

Look at how sweet her husband is to her. I’m so envious… Jessica sighed and was a little depressed.

“What’s wrong, Jessica?” asked the man lying on the hospital bed.

“Nothing,” replied Jessica.

Meanwhile, Larry was holding Joan’s hand, trying to comfort her and make her feel warmer.

“Don’t worry. Time will make everything better,” said Larry as he held Joan.

Jessica couldn’t handle it anymore.

“Seriously guys, must you do that here? Flaunting your love like that in front of single and lonely

people… that’s just cruel, man…” protested Jessica.

“You can be all lovey-dovey too. Just get together with Caspian,” said Larry before he deliberately shot

a look at Caspian.

What he said was possible, but Jessica felt that it was not time yet. She still had her own plans to carry

out.

“You two better hurry back. Who knows what you will do next if you keep being all lovey-dovey with

each other? I don’t want to see anything dirty,” said Jessica before she chased the couple right out of

the hospital ward.

“How can you be so rude? This is my room!” reminded Caspian.

“Well, what’s yours is mine.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because you like me,” replied Jessica with her head held high.

She spoke so confidently that it was as if they were already married.

“I want some dumplings,” said Caspian all of a sudden.

“Wait here. I’ll go buy some for you right now,” replied Jessica before she rushed out of the room.

Caspian was frowning at that moment.

What did she mean by that? Why does she care so much if she doesn’t love me? Caspian was utterly

confused at that moment.

“Don’t run around in the future. Rest assured that whatever happens, I will solve it,” said Larry before

he planted a soft kiss on Joan’s forehead.

“I was just a little worried about something happening to Caspian,” replied Joan.

After all, Caspian is Larry’s right-hand man. I can’t let anything happen to him.

“It’ll be fine. Be good and stay here. Focus on recovering. I have to go to the office now, but I will come

and keep you company at night.”

The two of them flirted a little more before Larry left.

Just then, Joan’s phone rang. The name that was flashing on the screen was none other than Delilah.

Joan hesitated a little as she stared at her vibrating phone.

She didn’t know how to talk to Delilah about the matter. After all, everything happened because of her.

Joan deliberated for a long time before she mustered up enough courage to pick up the call.

“I’m sorry, Joan,” said Delilah suddenly.

Joan was a little confused when she heard the older woman’s apology. She assumed that Delilah

called to yell some more at her, but that didn’t happen.

“Don’t be. This is all my fault, Ms. Young. Please forgive me,” said Joan hurriedly.

“Listen to me, Joan. I was too worried earlier because Lucius was missing, so I treated you poorly and

said some terrible things. I admit that I was in the wrong. I hope that you can forgive me and

understand where I was coming from,” said Delilah without beating around the bush.

Delilah had always been a straightforward woman, and she never liked to dilly-dally. She wasn’t

pretentious either, and that was why she had always liked Joan. However, Lucius’ disappearance had

overwhelmed her, and she was unreasonably rude to Joan. Delilah knew that she was out of line, but

she couldn’t help it.