Ch. 2451..2460

Chapter 2451

“Are you mute? Explain yourself! Why do you want to be with Larry? Why do you want to snatch him

away from me?” Gabriella started to sob as she spoke.

There’s no special reason. It’s just because of love. Besides, Larry and I have a consensual

relationship. I didn’t force him to be with me.

With Gabriella’s temperament, Joan did not see the point in talking any further. Hence, she decided not

to continue the conversation and leave her alone. “Gabriella, you should have a rest. I’ll be going now.”

After saying this, Joan turned to leave.

Women are the most terrifying creatures in the world; they allow emotion to overrule logic.

As she saw her leaving, Gabriella shot out of her bed and held onto Joan’s arm with a death grip, not

allowing her to go. “Joan, don’t go! Stop right there! You still owe me an explanation!”

Why did she become like this after getting knocked on the head? Joan thought to herself as she stared

at her curiously, sighing.

Left with no choice, she told her straightforwardly, “Gabriella, what exactly do you want? I’ve explained

everything to you. Larry and I are truly in love with each other. And you’re just a friend to him.”

How many times do I have to say this before she can finally understand? Love can’t be forced.

Everything is now set in stone. What is the point of dwelling over something that couldn’t be undone?

Can’t she just live a peaceful life with everybody?

With crocodile tears falling down her cheeks, Gabriella screamed, “Joan, I’ve always treated you like a

sister. Why are you doing this to me?”

What a joke! Is she not afraid that karma would come after her when she said that? Treat me like a

sister, huh? She tried to kill me and harm me countless times. Is that the correct way to treat a sister?

How ridiculous.

“Okay, I understand. I still have other things to attend to, so I need to get going. Have a good rest here.

Your maids will come here to take care of you soon.” Turning her back to her, Joan rolled her eyes in

disdain and walked to the door.

This b*tch! Gabriella clenched her fists tightly as her gaze turned cold.

“Joan!” she screamed, taking a vase from the cardiac table and threw it at the back of Joan’s head.

The moment it struck her, the vase broke into pieces, and she collapsed to the ground.

This is my revenge! Gabriella glowered at the woman lying on the floor, eyes full of hatred.

“Ouch…” Sprawled on the floor, Joan clutched her head and wailed in pain.

Seeing her reaction, Gabriella curled her lips and roared, “How was it? Does it hurt? When Ms. Young

hit me in the head, it was also painful for me!”

An eye for an eye! She’s ruthless! Joan staggered to her feet and dusted off her clothes. Feeling dizzy,

she rubbed her temples in an attempt to clear her mind. However, she suddenly felt warm liquid

trickling down the back of her head.

Am I bleeding? Worried, she touched the sore area where the vase hit and inevitably saw blood.

Just then, a nurse came in and immediately helped her up. “Miss, are you alright? Come, let me

bandage your wound.”

The nurse then brought her to the treatment room and dressed her wound. “What happened? Your

head is bleeding. Luckily, this is a hospital. Otherwise, you might develop complications if the wound is

not taken care of promptly.”

“Thanks,” Joan said in a soft voice.

Facing the nurse, she did not know what to say except “thank you.” Do I really need to tell her that

Gabriella hit her with a vase? Huh, whatever. I’ll just let her be.

After a few minutes, the nurse cleared her equipment and smiled. “Alright, you’re done. Be careful,

don’t hurt your head again. Don’t worry about it. You’ll be fine after a few days.”

“Nurse, when can I take this off?” Joan asked, pointing at the bandage on her head.

“Haha. You definitely can’t remove it now. Hmm, it needs to stay there for about a week. For the time

being, don’t do any vigorous exercise and rest well.” The nurse gave her a smile and walked away.

Chapter 2452

A week is too long! Larry will be back by then. If he knows about what Gabriella did to me, he won’t let

the matter slide. Hmm, whatever. Everything will work itself out. I’ll brush him off with an excuse when

he asks.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she touched her head and chuckled. Luckily, my IQ didn’t drop. After

collecting herself, she stood up and left the hospital light-footed.

As soon as she entered the house, Delilah came rushing to her and pulled her to the sofa, exclaiming,

“Oh my goodness! Joan, what have you done to yourself? What happened to your head? Tell me.”

“I’m okay. It’s just a minor wound. Not a big deal. See, I’m still hale and healthy.” Joan laughed, trying to

ease her worry.

Having expected Delilah’s reaction, she was not surprised to see her making a fuss out of it.

“How is this not a big deal? Joan, are you out of your mind? It’s your brain that got hurt, not your limbs.

It’s serious! So, how did you get this? Is it Gabriella? Did she hurt you?” Delilah raised her voice.

Seeing her getting agitated, Joan hesitated for a moment before she finally yielded and told her the

truth. She no longer wanted to have any involvement with Gabriella, so naturally, she did not want

Delilah to go and confront that madwoman.

After she finished explaining the happening, she held Delilah’s hands and said earnestly, “Ms. Young,

no matter what happens, I hope that we wouldn’t have any contact with Gabriella anymore. It doesn’t

matter who was the one who hurt me. Please don’t pursue the matter further. Let’s live peacefully like

this, okay?”

The sincere look in her eyes, the horrible injury on her head, and her wounded soul touched Delilah’s

heart.

She has always been a good girl. Since she has made up her mind, what else can I say? Delilah

opened up her arms and gave her a big hug, wanting to give her some warmth and comfort.

“Mom!” Lucius shouted out of the blue, running over to Joan’s side.

When he saw the bandage on her head, he frowned and stood on tiptoe to touch her head. “What

happened? Mom, why are you hurt? Who did this to you? I’m going to find that person!”

Amused, Joan and Delilah laughed heartily at his words.

He’s really grown up. How time flies. He even knows how to protect me now.

Joan stroked his hair lovingly and answered, “It’s okay, Lucius. I accidentally tripped and fell. Don’t

worry about it.”

“Really? Mom, don’t lie to me, okay? If not, I won’t share with you the candies Dad buys for me next

time.” He feigned sternness.

What an innocent, humorous boy!

Joan chuckled and changed the subject deliberately, “Okay. Lucius, what would you like to eat for

dinner? I’ll cook it for you later.”

“Hmm, let me think. Okay, I want to eat baked ribs.”

Joan nodded with a smile and went to the kitchen to prepare the meal.

The next day, in the office, Caspian began pacing in the office before mustering up his courage to ask

Jessica out for a date. He went into her office and asked with a glimmer of expectation in his eyes,

“Jessica, do you want to grab lunch together?”

“No,” she refused without a moment of hesitation.

Huh, why did she reject me so curtly? Caspian inched closer to her and scrutinized every inch of her

facial expression, trying to figure what was on her mind.

“What are you doing? Can’t you see that I’m busy?” Jessica grumbled, typing away on her keyboard.

Caspian furrowed his brows in displeasure. “I know you’re busy, but you have to eat.”

“I’m not free. You can go and eat first.”

Why is this woman so insensitive? For Pete’s sake, I just want to ask her out to give her a surprise!

Caspian took a deep breath and continued to ask patiently, “Then, when would you be done?”

However, she waved her hand at him, slightly annoyed. “It’s okay. Don’t mind me. I still have a lot to do.

Be good and have your lunch.”

Is she finding me irritable? Dejected, Caspian said no more and left her office.

Upon seeing the crestfallen look on his face, out of concern, Joan asked, “What happened with both of

you?”

“Joan, are you sure Jessica is a female? All women hope that their boyfriends would give them some

romantic surprises once in a while, but she rejected me again and again.” Caspian crossed his arm,

exasperated.

Chapter 2453

Indeed, Jessica was over-occupied in recent days; thus, she had been neglecting Caspian lately.

Apparently, Caspian could no longer stand it and started to blow off on her.

“That’s enough. You know better than me what kind of woman Jessica is. She expressed clearly when

she agreed to be your girlfriend that her focus would be on her career. And you promised that you

would help her with that. Now, how will you be able to help her with all these negative emotions?” Joan

cut him with a frown.

Since you have known everything about her, you should accept them. Isn’t this what love is all about?

To tolerate each other and try to be in the other’s shoes. That’s the only way to build a stable

relationship, and both of you can get along better. If I behave like you, without a doubt, I would have

long broken up with Larry.

“Even though that’s true, I still wish we could have a little quality time together.” Caspian looked utterly

dispirited.

“Hahaha!” Joan failed to suppress her laughter.

Since when did you become such a clingy man? You used to be tough and masculine, without a single

sense of romance. But look at you now. I bet you must have fallen for her deeply.

“Wait and see. I’m sure she will come to find you as soon as she finishes her work.” Joan patted his

shoulder while trying to comfort him.

Nonetheless, sometimes a man could behave like a kid. Actually, there is no harm to coax in front of

the woman he loves occasionally. In fact, women dig that. Right at that moment, Joan suddenly thought

of Larry. It’s been so long since he came to find me. He must be worn out at work.

“Joan, when you started dating with Larry, was it like this too?” Caspian stared at her earnestly,

anticipating her answer.

Surely, all relationships will sail through tribulations and difficulties. Sometimes they come from people

around us, while sometimes, they come from within the couple. Nevertheless, the secret is to keep an

easy mind.

“Of course. Larry and I have been through a lot. He has a successful career, and he is always busy. But

I understand that, plus he tried his best to take care of my feelings,” Joan responded honestly.

Realization instantly hit Caspian. It seemed that I have been overthinking. In other words, I have been

selfish. Even though Jessica is not exactly a workaholic, she is a woman with ambition. I should be

caring for her and protecting her instead of creating unnecessary troubles that distract her.

“Okay, I think I got it. Thanks, Joan.” Upon saying that, he rushed out.

What a cute man! Joan’s lips curled into a contented smile as she stared at Caspian’s back figure

vanishing into the air.

Just then, her phone rang beside her. She immediately picked it up and turned to speaker mode.

“How are you?” A man’s voice echoed from the phone.

A simple three-word phrase was sufficient to warm her heart to the fullest.

“Yup, everything’s fine. How about you?” Joan asked caringly.

“I’m fine. But I am swamped these few days, so I can’t go back yet…” Larry said hesitatingly.

“Don’t worry. I understand. You just go on and focus on your work. Everything’s great at home.”

Larry let out a sigh of relief after hearing Joan’s lovely voice.

Joan was fully aware of the current incidents within Norton Corporation, so she refused to give Larry

any extra burden. If it were before, she would seek Larry’s opinion in almost every decision around the

house. But now, she tried to reduce Larry’s worries as much as she could.

The two of them continued to exchange a few words before they hung up.

Joan lifted her head and stared at the cotton-gauze-shaped clouds in the sky, while her face displayed

a faint smile.

After all that she had gone through, she came to realize that a peaceful though dull life was indeed the

best life. It was indeed a blessing without having to worry about sudden ups and downs in life.

“Joan!” To her surprise, a familiar male voice emerged from behind.

A chill went up her spine and she hesitated to turn her face towards him. How she wished she could

ignore him and leave just like that. But the second she lifted her foot, that man appeared in front of her

and blocked her way.

Chapter 2454

“What a coincidence.” She had no choice but to greet him.

Caiden was gazing at her with a complicated expression. “Long time no see.”

All his deep yearning for Joan was perfectly expressed with these four words.

Joan was slightly startled by his gesture but immediately resumed her calm and let out an awkward

smile.

“Long time no see,” she replied faintly.

“I didn’t expect to run into you here. Let’s dine together,” Caiden continued to speak.

Forget it. I should keep my distance from him. I won’t want to put my peaceful life at risk!

“I’m sorry, but I need to get home.” She gave a quick reply.

“Joan, are you avoiding me?” He did not seem to let her go easily.

Joan lifted her head slowly to observe him while thinking in her heart. He’s changed.

He was wearing a black suit and leather shoes, along with his elegant hairstyle, making him look like a

domineering businessman. He is no longer that kid who liked to fool around and was arrogant at times.

Joan felt somehow gratified in her heart.

“Nope. Why would I?” Joan flashed him a smile.

“Joan, I’m sorry about what my Dad did to you. I was totally in blind. If I knew…”

“Caiden, it was all history now, isn’t it?” Joan interrupted him abruptly.

She’s right. It’s all history now. But what about them? Are they history too? No way! Caiden had never

stopped thinking about her all this while.

“So… can we still be friends then?” A few seconds later, Caiden spat out an unexpected question.

For a moment, Joan was lost for words. If it is just friends, why not!

“Of course. We’ve always been friends.” After some thoughts, she gave a steady response.

“Great. As a friend, I would like to treat you to dinner. Would that be okay?”

He sounded utterly determined and sincere, with a sense of begging within his tone.

“Let’s go then.” Eventually, she gave in to his invitation.

However, unbeknownst to Caiden, someone had been spying on him all these times, monitoring all his

actions and his private life.

“How are you nowadays? Your life must be a lot more peaceful without me, right?” In the restaurant,

Caiden was the one who initiated the conversation.

“Yup. I’ve saved lots of worries without you around,” Joan purposely responded.

With that, the previous awkwardness between them faded while they started to chat like good old

friends.

Meanwhile, a mysterious figure hid in a corner while taking endless photos, trying his best to capture

their meeting.

“I heard that Larry went overseas,” Caiden spoke while sipping on his coffee.

“Yeah. He’s busy recently,” Joan responded without much thought.

“It seems like he really loves you.”

Why does he say so out of a sudden? Joan lifted her head and stared at him with a puzzled look.

“You must have known that he terminated all the deals with my family because of you, right?”

At that instant, Joan was dumbstruck by his statement.

She did guess of that before, but Larry assured her that he did so out of the consideration of the

company’s long-term future. Thus, she did not further suspect after that.

“Is that so?” She asked with an awkward smile.

Caiden could fully comprehend Larry’s reason behind that particular decision. After all, no one would

want to bear the risk of his loved one getting hurt. This was the exact reason Caiden gave up on Joan

back then.

“Let’s not talk about this. Who knows, there might still be a chance for us to partner in the future?”

Caiden said.

Despite what happened, he still believed that one day Larry would come to know his true personality.

Right at the moment, there was somewhat anticipation shining on his expression.

“Mr. Owens, these are the photos for you.” A man in the cap handed over a sealed envelope to

Caiden’s father in the living room.

Keith opened up the envelope and scanned through every one of them.

Chapter 2455

Bang! Out of a sudden, those photos were slammed onto the floor.

Joan the sl*t! Why does she still cling on to Caiden? And also Caiden, why must he still hang out with

her? Keith rose slowly from his seat and wandered towards the balcony. His gaze darkened as he

stared into the distance.

“Keith, what’s going on? What are you mad at?” Caiden’s mother rushed into the room and asked

gently.

“It’s all because of your son!” Keith was beyond exasperated.

Caiden? What has he done? Isn’t he performing well in the company? She confusedly stared at Keith,

unable to wrap her head around it.

“Take a look yourself!” Keith pointed at those photos with his trembling finger.

I see. Both of them were dining in a restaurant. Yes, they looked happy, but this could hardly be

considered inappropriate behavior, could it?

She observed all the photos closely but failed to detect any issue.

“What’s wrong with the photos? I don’t see anything bad. They were just dining together, weren’t they?”

She gave her opinion with a soft voice.

It’s not as simple as it seems. Obviously, that woman is clinging on to my son!

“She is trying to get close to Caiden!” Keith stomped his foot in exasperation.

Unexpectedly, the woman in front of him started laughing. “Keith, you are overthinking. I know my own

son perfectly to know that he will never take back his words. And he said that he would never have any

relationship with Joan.”

As a mother, she was unshaken with her confidence for her beloved son, even though they did not

spend much time together. She was sure between him, and Joan was nothing but pure friendship.

“I can’t allow this. I must do something.” Keith was still mumbling angrily.

Concerned by his motive, Caiden’s mother stepped towards Keith.

“Keith, don’t act harshly. Joan has not done anything to Caiden, and Caiden is currently excelling in the

company, isn’t he? If you stick your nose into his business, I’m afraid he will create a fuss later,” she

persuaded anxiously.

However, Keith was too furious at the moment to accept her wise advice.

What a stubborn old man! He says that Caiden never comes back until there is a dead end. Wasn’t he

the same when he was young?

Slowly, darkness began consuming the city. Staring at the desolate moon in the sky, Caiden was

feeling extraordinarily lonely.

Back when Joan was still by his side, he was easily satisfied by her presence alone. She would not

need to do anything, and he could still feel like the luckiest man on this planet. Unfortunately, reality

had changed. Even if Joan might be close with him physically, their hearts felt like light-years apart.

“What’s concerning you? Are you alright?” Joan asked with care, supposedly as a normal friend.

“Nothing.” Caiden shook his head while displaying a helpless expression.

Maybe he’s just tired. She turned her face away and gazed out of the window.

“Joan, I wanted to ask you something.” Just then, Caiden opened his mouth again.

“Yes?” Joan shifted her gaze back to him.

“We’ve known each other for such a long time. Tell me something. Did you ever love me? I want an

honest answer.”

Apparently, that question was meaningless at the moment, and the answer was rather obvious.

“Where is this coming from?” Joan smiled with a complicated look.

If she answers a yes, I will give all in to pursue her. I will love her, protect her, take care of her and

never leave her. But I know her answer would be a no.

“Nothing. I was just curious about it. Please give me an honest answer,” Caiden said.

Joan knew perfectly that she could not possibly say yes, even if that was true. Moreover, there had

always been one man in her heart, and that was Larry.

“Caiden, we have always been friends, haven’t we?” Joan wisely directed the question back to him.

Chapter 2456

Caiden was somehow trapped by her tactful response.

“Yes… we will always be good friends, now and in the future!” He shouted suddenly.

He did not include “past” in his sentence, since as a matter of fact, he used to view her as his girlfriend.

“Let’s go. It’s late already. Let me send you back.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

They both had a pleasant time together, but little did they know that Keith had started planning a series

of moves in the dark.

“Hello, Caiden. Long time no see! I miss you!” Lucius was excited to see Caiden as he ran right

towards him when the latter appeared at his house.

“Really? How much do you miss me?” Caiden squatted down and gazed at Lucius in his eyes.

Right then, Lucius happily left a kiss on Caiden’s chin.

“How could Mr. Caiden be so free to come here?” Delilah emerged out from nowhere, while her tone

sounded clearly displeased.

Caiden understood that Delilah was supposedly still mad at the previous incident, but he did not mind.

“Ms. Young, I miss you so much that I come to visit you.” Caiden patted Lucius’s forehead before he

turned to hug Delilah.

“You little rascal, let go of me. Let me tell you this. If Mr. Owens were to create any more trouble, don’t

ever expect me to forgive you.”

Caiden could not seem to suppress the dull pain in his heart while listening to Delilah’s words. Indeed,

all those mistakes started with me.

“Ms. Young, I am terribly sorry. It was all my fault. Please forgive me.” Caiden kept on shaking Delilah’s

arm in a spoiled manner.

It was somewhat peculiar that every time Caiden met Delilah, he acted like a son seeing his own

mother. Perhaps this was a kind of fate that no one could explain.

“Caiden, is this how you treat your mother at home too?” Delilah responded faintly.

She assumed after he returned to the Owens family, his relationship with his parents would have

improved, but the reality was the opposite.

It was true that he would obey his father submissively in the company, and he took her mother’s advice

to lead a healthier lifestyle. However, when they were together, he still seemed to lack a sense of

comfort and freedom that belonged to a young man like himself.

“Nope. I only behave like this with you,” Caiden purposely responded.

Since when has he become so cringey? Delilah gently smacked his head and said nothing.

“Caiden, you like Grandma very much, don’t you?” Just then, Lucius appeared and hugged his thigh

while gazing at him with overjoyed eyes.

“Yes, I do,” Caiden responded with a faint grin.

He failed to sense the nosiness in Lucius’s tone.

As he always thought Lucius was still a kid, he never expected that he was indeed premature in terms

of a relationship.

“No way. How could you like Grandma? You are too young to be my Grandpa,” Lucius joked.

With that, Joan, who was sitting nearby, burst into laughter.

“What nonsense are you talking about? Stop it.” Delilah was obviously unsatisfied with that joke.

At the same time, Caiden was embarrassed and clueless about how to handle the situation. Thus, he

turned and walked towards Joan, leaving Delilah on her spot.

“Stop laughing. Why does he seem to know so much at this age?” Caiden asked in a low voice.

However, he did not realize his words sounded utterly misleading.

“Caiden, are you out of your mind? Haha. So are you admitting that you want to become his

grandfather?” Joan purposely teased him.

Upon hearing that, Caiden started to panic. “Joan, what are you saying? The kid has no idea, but you

should know better than anyone. You are the one who has always been in my heart, okay?”

Chapter 2457

At that instant, the air fell into an awkward silence, while a dark expression loomed over Joan’s face.

This was exactly what she feared to hear the most. On the other hand, Caiden was genuinely worried

about her reaction after hearing this.

“Alright, alright. Just explain to him later.” Caiden patted on Joan’s shoulder, trying to end the topic.

“Caiden, please answer me. Do you really want to be my Grandpa? Actually, it’s not impossible.”

Lucius had not given up on questioning Caiden.

Why is he so nosy all of a sudden? Where did he learn this? Caiden was at a loss by Lucius’s

interrogation.

“Kid, not only do I like your Grandma, but I also like you and your Mom.”

“What? No way! Mom belongs to Dad, so you cannot like Mom!” Lucius yelled aloud.

Great! This only makes it worse! At that instant, Caiden held his head in both hands, out of words.

“That’s enough, Lucius. Stop making fun of Caiden.” Joan came to his rescue.

What? So he is just joking with me? Caiden looked up at Lucius, only to see him gazing at him with an

amused look.

He realized he had been fooled by yet a kid. “Lucius, let’s see how I’ll deal with you!” He stood up to

chase Lucius.

“Caiden, how could you be such a fool? Can’t you see I am just joking around? Hahaha…”

Both ran wildly around the living room, whereas Delilah was busy preparing a meal in the kitchen while

Joan was setting up the dining table. What a warm and lovely scene it was.

Nonetheless, those heartwarming moments were all secretly captured, possibly becoming another time

bomb for Joan.

The next morning, Joan was wakened up by the warm sunlight that slipped through the curtain in her

room.

While still in bed, her arms extended into a stretch while she took a long breath. Her eyes were still

reluctant to open to face this world.

“Time for breakfast.” A familiar voice made her heart fell with a thud.

What’s happening? Isn’t that Caiden’s voice? Am I dreaming?

Joan laid a few slaps on her own face, trying to clear her head.

“Ouch!” Next, she pinched hard on her thigh to make sure she was not dreaming.

“Why are you torturing yourself in the morning?” Caiden’s voice echoed again.

It’s Caiden for real! She ran out of her room and scanned through the house confusedly.

“Didn’t you leave last night?” she asked directly.

“I wanted to leave, but Lucius kept holding on to my leg, so I could not,” Caiden replied.

Lucius, what have you done? Why do you always come up with such antics? If this spread out, what

will people think of it? And if Larry finds out, he’s gonna be jealous again.

“Don’t worry. I will make sure to explain to Larry later.” Caiden could read her mind.

He knew she prioritized Larry’s feeling in all circumstances.

Compared to before, Caiden no longer tried to get into a blind alley. He no longer thought of how to

pursue Joan. Instead of saying that he had given up on her, the fact was that he had seen through all

these.

If you really love someone, you will respect her choice. My biggest wish is for her to be happy. That’s

the only thing that matters. Caiden cast a smile at Joan without saying anything.

That particular smile made Joan stunned momentarily, for that was the sincerest smile she had ever

seen. That was a real smile of a true friend.

“Thanks a lot for breakfast!” Joan tried to collect herself from emotions.

“Welcome. You should go and wake Lucius, or else he might be late for school,” Caiden reminded.

In truth, he is also a good family guy! Joan smiled back at Caiden before heading towards Lucius’s

room.

Chapter 2458

“Dad, you’re back.” Out of a sudden, Lucius greeted from behind with sleepy eyes.

Caiden was startled but immediately resumed to normal expression.

“I’m not your Dad. I am Caiden!”

Meanwhile, on the other side, Keith commanded angrily into the phone. “Ask Caiden to answer the

phone.”

Jaden was recoiling in fear. “Mr. Owens, Caiden is still in bed. I will ask him to call you back when he

wakes up.”

Keith remained silent for a few moments. I bet he’s not in bed, because he’s not at home at all!

“Jaden, be frank with me. Caiden did not come home last night, did he?” Keith’s sharp judgment

drained the color from Jaden’s face.

“Mr. Owens, he’s back. Don’t worry. He’s still sleeping now.” Jaden failed to come out of another

answer.

This son of the b*tch is still lying! Keith clenched his fists tightly while trying to suppress his rage.

“Fine, I will go over now to wake him up!” Upon saying that, Keith was about to hang up.

“Wait, Mr. Owens. Actually, Caiden is not back.” Jaden had no choice but to confess the truth.

If he waited for Keith to come over and discover the truth, he feared that not only Caiden but he himself

would also be a victim of Keith’s fire of fury.

Upon hearing that, Keith abruptly hung up the phone without saying anything.

Caiden! When will you wake up from your stupidity? Are you going to be manipulated by that b*tch your

whole life?

Keith angrily grabbed his coat and left the villa.

Back in Delilah’s house, the four of them had finished a pleasant breakfast and were getting ready for

their separate ways. Caiden headed to his office, whereas Lucius went to the school. While Delilah

went into the garden like usual, Joan was left alone in the living room with her embroidery.

It was a new hobby that she picked up lately, supposedly to distract herself from the recent chaos.

“Ouch…” Just then, she accidentally poked her finger with the needle, and flesh blood streamed down

instantly. At that moment, she suddenly had a strange feeling that something bad was about to happen.

It doesn’t feel right. She stared anxiously at the embroidery and her bleeding finger. She had never

been so careless before.

Knock! Knock! Knock! Out of a sudden, someone was knocking on the door fiercely.

Who is it? It couldn’t be Larry or Caiden. Neither could it be Ms. Young nor Lucius. Could it be

Caspian? This knocking pattern does sound like Caspian.

Joan rose and stepped to the door, but she opened to a shocking scene that made her froze on the

spot.

“Who are you guys…” She choked on her words discovering a couple of strangers standing at the door.

“Good morning, Ms. Watts. Mr. Owens would like to talk to you. This way, please,” One of them

greeted.

“It’s me!” A familiar face poked out from the car parked not far away.

It’s Caiden’s father. Why is he here? She immediately put herself on guard while trying to guess the old

man’s intention for the unexpected visit.

A successful man like Caiden’s father should be busy with way more important stuff. What makes him

interested in talking to an ordinary woman like me?

“Good morning. How may I help you?” Joan walked over to the car cautiously.

“Get in the car.” Keith’s tone was relatively indifferent.

“We can talk here. I still have some errands to do.” Joan soon detected his motive was anything but

reassuring.

Who does he think he is to command me like that? This is hilarious. Is he seriously expecting me to get

into his car submissively?

“I will repeat once again. Get in the car now. Please don’t challenge my patience,” Keith said rigidly.

Now, who is challenging whose patience? I have finally starting to forget about the last incident, yet he

comes now to start another. I have enough with his tricks!

“If there is nothing important, then I’ll go first.” She started to walk back into the house.

At that instant, Keith, sitting in the car, signaled a gesture towards his bodyguards. Before Joan could

react, she was captured by them and forcefully pushed into the car.

Chapter 2459

“What are you doing? Let go of me!” In the car, Joan struggled relentlessly.

“If you don’t want to die a ghastly death, you had better shut it!” Keith abruptly snapped.

What the hell? He’s already up in years, so why is he still doing something so childish? At that, Joan

instantly went silent and said nothing further.

“What exactly do you want? If there’s something you want to say, just cut to the chase,” Joan roared in

the living room.

Ugh! I hate playing games and beating around the bush!

“Why, have you forgotten what you’ve done so quickly, Ms. Watts?” Keith drawled as he puffed away

while sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed.

Huh? I didn’t do anything at all! Joan stared at him with coldness emanating from her.

“Okay, I’ll bite. What have I done that’s so unforgivable to the Owens family?” she demanded.

Oh wow, she actually has the temerity to ask such a question, huh? Approaching a member of the

Owens family itself is an unforgivable sin! Keith snorted coldly, contempt written all over his face.

Thud! He then threw the bag beside him at her feet.

The moment Joan glimpsed the photos inside, surprise flooded her. Never had I expected him to have

people tailing his own son, and Caiden doesn’t even have any inkling of it!

“What’s the meaning of this?” Joan queried, lifting her head.

Good God, what else could it mean? It’s proof that she’s been pestering Caiden all along!

“Ms. Watts, I remember that I once told you to keep your distance from Caiden. However, you just

wouldn’t listen and simply has to hound him,” Keith murmured placidly.

“Wait! Hold on a moment! Please get your facts straight, okay? I, Joan Watts, have never pestered your

son, Caiden Owens. About the photos, it was just a chance encounter,” Joan explained.

Well, if I don’t clarify things, this old man before me might even have me bumped off.

“If you didn’t pester him, why did he share a meal with you? And why did he spend the night at your

place? Don’t you think that it’s outrageous?” Keith questioned.

It’s indeed rather outrageous, but there are plenty of outrageous things in this world. Why must he keep

harping on me? Furthermore, Caiden and I are merely friends!

“Mr. Owens, I’ll repeat this once more—Caiden and I are merely friends. That’s all there is to it, so don’t

read too much into things. As for him having spent the night at my place yesterday, it was just an

accident…”

However, her explanation was entirely wasted on Keith.

“Then, tell me what it would take for you to disappear from my son’s line of sight. Caiden warned me

against harming a hair on your head, so I won’t be using any physical force against you.”

From what he’s saying, I’ve got Caiden to thank, then? Joan inhaled deeply as she tried calming

herself down. What a ridiculous joke! Why is he pushing all the blame on me? Is the Owens family that

protective of their own that they are simply unreasonable?

“Ms. Watts, I think I have made things more than clear the previous time, but why must you keep

hounding my son time and again? You know full well that a relationship between the two of you is

impossible, so why won’t you let go instead of clinging on to him relentlessly?” Keith demanded bluntly.

His words and tone had Joan feeling exceedingly chagrined.

“I think you’ve misunderstood, Mr. Owens. I respect you because you’re Caiden’s father, but please get

your facts straight. Firstly, Caiden and I are merely friends. There’s nothing more to our relationship.

Secondly, it has always been your son pestering me all this while. I’ve never once taken the initiative to

contact him, and you can confirm this with him,” she asserted.

Chapter 2460

Ugh! I loathe being accused with unwarranted charges! Why should I be condemned when it wasn’t my

fault? Why am I the one to shoulder the consequences?

“As the saying goes, it takes two to tango. If you hadn’t encouraged him, why would he keep clinging to

you?” Keith continued censuring her rudely.

He should be asking Caiden this question instead! What can I do when he’s simply that shameless?

“Alright, I’ll be leaving if there’s nothing else.” As Joan said that, she made to leave.

“No way!” Keith bellowed.

Argh! What exactly does he want from me? Joan then whirled around and stared at the man before her

with vexation on her face. I detest being summoned for a chat in such a manner when he could have

just talked to me nicely. What the hell is this? Is he trying to brainwash me after having restricted my

freedom of movement?

At that thought, she snorted coldly, her expression disdainful.

“Why are you in such a hurry to leave? You haven’t given me your promise yet,” Keith abruptly growled.

What promise? To never again contact Caiden? Of course, that’s not a problem for me as long as

Caiden can do that.

“Don’t pester Caiden anymore. He still has many things to handle, so he doesn’t have the time to

consider you,” Keith ordered without mincing his words.

Good heavens! He must be off his rocker! This is something he should be telling his son instead of

warning me off.

“You’re barking up the wrong tree here, Mr. Owens. As long as Caiden doesn’t seek me out, I definitely

won’t take the initiative to look for him.” After Joan had said that impassively, she spun on her heels to

leave.

Gah! What a stubborn woman! Why is she so dense? Does she really not understand when I’ve

already said as much? All at once, Keith’s eyes glinted coldly.

“Have you ever considered leaving this city?” he suggested out of the blue.

Upon hearing that, Joan was momentarily taken aback. Does he mean that I’m to disappear from this

city? But why must it be me?

She slowly turned around and stared at the man in front of her incredulously.

“You heard me right. I mean, you can leave this city and never return. Well, at least before Caiden gets

married,” the man expounded.

At that, Joan hammered her fists against her head in an attempt to clear her mind.

So, this is what I can expect from the Owens family, huh? Well, I’ve gotten a front-row seat to it!

“Mr. Owens, I only address you so politely because I respect you. I’m not a member of the Owens

family, so I don’t have to listen to you. The bottom line is, I’m not going anywhere. I’m merely going to

live a quiet life here, so I hope no one comes and bothers me,” she countered candidly.

What kind of people are they? What’s the big deal about being a prominent family? There are plenty

more prestigious families in this world, yet none are as unreasonable as they are right now!

“Joan Watts, I’m giving you an opportunity now, so you’d better do as I say. Otherwise, it certainly won’t

end well for you!” Keith threatened.

In that case, I’ll just take my chances! It’s as simple as that.

“Please excuse me. I’ve got to go home now.”

“Men, get her!” With a sudden order from Keith, the few young men behind him instantly rushed over to

her, all wearing calm and unruffled expressions.

“Restrain her!” Keith abruptly commanded.

“Mr. Owens, Mr. Caiden doesn’t like anyone else touching his woman,” the butler reminded.

“Then, don’t tell him about it. Restrain her and dump her someplace else, quick!” Keith ordered.

Good Lord, what a sinister and malevolent man! At the turn of events unfolding before her, terror

engulfed Joan.

“You can’t do that! Truly, there’s nothing between Caiden and me!” she shrieked.

“Where do you want us to dump her, Mr. Owens?” one of the young men asked as he whirled around.

“Just dump her into the river!”

What? Is he actually planning to kill me? In an instant, Joan panicked. I’ve never done anything

heinous, so why do I have to suffer such tribulations?