Ch. 1631..1640
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1631
“Work is important, but your health is too. Stop eating the deliveries that the company ordered in. Call me. I’ll bring you food instead. Also…”
The smile on Larry’s face was only growing wider over time. He pressed her head on his chest and breathed in the scent of her shampoo. “Got it, my dear bossy wife.”
He then cupped her cheek and tapped his nose on hers. However, the expected kiss never came. Instead, Larry had a solemn look on his face. “You were drinking?”
Feeling embarrassed, Joan stuttered, “J-Just a little bit of red wine.”
“You can’t drink when I’m not with you the next time. Not red wine and not even a cocktail. Not even with girls!”
When she heard that, Joan felt the urge to tell him that she had dinner with Dustin. Things would have been fine if Larry did not know Dustin, but he did.
To avoid any misunderstandings, Joan swallowed the words at the tip of her tongue.
She buried her head in the crook of his neck. The cologne on him made her feel at ease, and she rubbed her face on his shirt.
The world was so big, but his shoulders were the safest spot she found.
The more one feared a misunderstanding, the more it would happen. That was how cruel fate was.
On the third week of returning to Nirhaven College, Joan felt no difference in her routine. She went to classes and did her revisions. When she was , she would return to her work at Opulent Designs. However, her workload was much lesser than before due to the little time she had.
A solemn-looking Dustin in glasses was a common sight she saw on campus. Every time he saw her, he would smile at her as he touched his glasses.
College students had an abundance of time. Although the two were only greeting each other normally, the scene became a topic for the college students to gossip about.
“Isn’t Joan the wife of Norton Corporation’s president?”
“What? I thought she’s studying here after studying abroad?”
“She wasn’t studying abroad. She dropped out early on, so she’s just back to study.”
Even in a prestigious college like Nirhaven College, gossips were the norm. At the start, Joan did not mind the words, but soon, many joined in the gossips. In days, the rumors were like thunderclaps, deafening in her ears.
She never forgot Dustin’s confession before he left. He was the one to cure her, and that was something that made her feel guilty until now.
It was not that she did not know what Dustin’s feelings were. Hence, to avoid the rumors from spreading, she decided to keep a distance from him. From then on, every time she saw Dustin, she would lower her head and walk away. In fact, Joan was even wearing darker clothes to keep a lower profile.
Dustin was quick to figure out what was going on. However, he did nothing about it. Instead, he went to the design department’s classroom and left a note at Joan’s place. I’ll be waiting for you in the library until you come. From Dustin.
After reading it, a myriad of emotions surged into Joan’s heart, and she kept the note away.
She wanted to pretend as if she did not see it, but the thought of how Dustin was the only one to keep her company when she was deathly ill overseas plagued her mind.
When she was trapped in a tight spot, Dustin was the one who said he would stay by her side. Joan could not choose to avoid him. Eventually, she had to find a way to resolve it. Facing it was the best way to resolve it.
The dusk was as beautiful as a watercolor painting. Before the sun fully set, Joan reached the library.
By then, Dustin had been there for a while. When he saw her, he softly said, “I knew you’d come.”
“I was thinking that I have to eventually resolve some things.” Joan pulled the chair out. “Dustin, I’m immensely grateful for how you’ve cured my illness back then, but let’s keep a distance on campus. We’ll avoid seeing each other whenever we can.”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1632
Dustin turned away and dropped the smile. “You really don’t want to see me.”
Joan blurted out, “It’s not that I don’t want. I just can’t.”
“So you know. You’ve never forgotten about what I’ve said to you.”
“I’m married to Larry now.”
Abruptly, Dustin burst into laughter. “You must have misunderstood me. Am I not your friend?”
“Of course we’re friends,” Joan hastily uttered. “But those rumors are killing me.”
“If that’s why you’re ignoring me, I can stop those rumors by tomorrow. Will that make me a good friend?”
Finally, a genuine smile grew on Joan’s lips. She nodded fervently. The reflection of her figure in the mirror behind her was seared into Dustin’s mind.
Joan never expected the news to travel into Larry’s ears so quickly.
It happened when Larry was at his peak period. The moment he heard about it, a rush of frustration took over his heart. However, he chose to believe in Joan.
As he could not stop his work, he made a call to a familiar number. In minutes, Caspian barged into the room and shouted, “Boss, what’s the matter?”
“Find out the recent interaction between Joan and a man named Dustin. Also, find out who’s the one spreading the rumors.”
Caspian’s heart skipped a beat. When Larry noticed the other man was silent for a long time, he asked, “Is there anything wrong with that?”
“No… Of course not. I-I’ll take my leave now,” Caspian stuttered, not daring to even look at Larry.
Larry was perplexed by Caspian’s actions, but before he could ask him about it, the latter had fled the scene.
“What? Are you serious?” Nancy could not believe what she was hearing. “Did you hear him wrong? How can this be?”
“There’s no way I could have heard him wrongly. The man we saw that day? Boss is asking me to check his recent interaction with Joan.” Caspian then hugged his arms. “If only we told him that day. What do we do now?”
Nancy patted Caspian’s shoulders. “I’m sure Joan won’t do anything to hurt Larry.”
“I know the two of them are close, but how is she going to explain the rumor? It takes two to tango!” Caspian scratched his head, looking stumped. “Argh! How could I have betrayed Boss’ trust?”
“No. We can’t add fuel to fire. Larry’s already beyond busy recently. If he finds out about these unexplainable events, he’ll only get more frustrated.” Nancy sighed.
At that very moment, Caspian felt that there was no harder decision than the one he was facing. Firstly, he could not tell Larry about what he had seen. Secondly, he was supposed to be the one to help Larry with his troubles and worries and not the one to add fuel to fire.
This time, Larry did not receive any news from Caspian about the incident. He knew Caspian was an honest individual; he was truthful to him about everything. Larry kept telling himself that he had to believe in Joan, but the longer the rumor spread and the quieter Caspian was, and the more anxious he became.
Thus, he spent his time visiting his parents to find out about how Leslie was now. The boy was growing fast. When he was born, he was completely red. Now, he was plump and fair. In other words, he was adorable.
“Leslie, can you call me Daddy?” Larry was hunching over by the cradle, coaxing his child. Meanwhile, the baby was making noises as he looked at the hanging elephant.
Right then, Larry’s mother came over with some soup. “How can a baby so young call you? Come here. You must be tired from work. Come and have some soup.”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1633
Before Larry could reach out for the soup, the happy baby abruptly burst into tears.
Instantly, the baby’s wail made Larry’s heart leap to his throat. He hurriedly leaned closer and uttered, “Mom, what’s going on? He was just fine a moment ago.”
Vivian then lifted the baby into her arms. After a while of coaxing, the baby finally fell silent. Beside them, Larry thought, Raising a kid is really the most difficult thing in the world. If I hear the baby crying while I’m working, I don’t think I can be that patient.
“The baby misses his mother. Kids these ages are usually very close to their mothers. If he can’t see his mother and can’t sense her around, he’ll get agitated.”
Vivian frowned. “It’s been more than half a month since she came to visit the kid. You should tell her to come more often. How can the kid stand not seeing his mother?”
Joan… hasn’t come to visit Leslie in half a month?
Somehow, Larry felt that there was a connection between the rumors he heard and how Joan had not come to visit Leslie for half a month.
A conclusion appeared in his head—Joan and Dustin are back together. She has forgotten to visit our child.
If that was not what things were, then Caspian would have swiftly returned with good news after he instructed him to investigate the matter. However, Caspian did not.
Staring at Leslie’s innocent wide eyes, Larry shook his head vigorously, hoping to get rid of those thoughts.
He told himself, What a husband and wife need most is mutual trust and understanding.
By the time Larry reached home, it was seven in the evening. The moment he stepped into the house, he heard the sounds of running water from the bathroom. Thus, he knew Joan was home earlier than him. As Larry ruminated over the events, he accidentally dropped the jacket Joan had placed on the chair.
When he crouched down to pick it up, a folded piece of note fell out of the pocket.
After unfolding it, a line of unfamiliar handwriting entered his vision. Larry’s eyes widened, and the last word made the hairs behind his neck stand as his fingers trembled.
At the same time, the bathroom door behind Joan slowly closed. She was drying her hair with a white towel.
Larry had not said a word to her after coming home, and she did not know why he was crouching on the floor. Right as she was about to tap on his back, he abruptly jumped to his feet. When he spun around, the gaze he had on her was a furious one.
“Larry? What’s the matter?” Joan asked.
Instead of answering her immediately, Larry raised his right hand. The note between his index and middle fingers made Joan’s heart rise to her throat.
“Joan, tell me. What’s this?” Larry gritted out.
“A note that my friend gave me. What’s wrong? Is there a problem with it?” Joan calmly asked.
After all, it was true that Dustin was her friend. She was not lying to him.
However, her reply only infuriated him even more. “A friend? What a friend he is! You would rather not see Leslie for half a month for this overseas friend of yours. I see. So this friend is more important than your kid. Why don’t you introduce me to your friend?”
Every word from Larry was coated with mockery. The word “friend” had become a trigger for his angry outburst.
If he had not been betrayed a few years ago, if Dustin had not taken Joan away a year ago, and if Caspian had not been silent, he would have believed every word of Joan’s.
“What do you mean, Larry? Are you saying that I’m lying to you? I’ve only been to two places—the college and the office. I have no excuses to give if you think that I’ve been neglecting Leslie. However, how can you suspect that my friend and I…”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1634
For some inexplicable reason, Joan didn’t dare look Larry in the eye.
“Dustin?” Larry scoffed with his eyes filled with contempt. He continued to pressure Joan until she had her back against the wall. “He really hasn’t given up, has he.”
Joan looked at Larry fearfully, his anger visibly reaching its limit. His voice carried with it a hellish tone. “Do you know how preposterous it sounds when Dustin uses the word ‘friends’?”
“Why must you insist on seeing him in such a negative light?” Joan retorted as she gently shoved him away.
When Larry saw that she pushed him on account of Dustin instead of apologizing, he fell into a jealous rage and blocked her escape with his arms.
“Are you defending him? Are you regretting that you didn’t leave with him one year ago? And now that he is back, you can’t help but want to leave with him?” Larry crumpled the note in his hand and hurled it forcefully against the wall, causing it to ricochet away.
Joan couldn’t believe what Larry had accused her of. She assumed after what they had been through, both of them would become more mature and trusting of each other. However, she didn’t expect their trust to have broken down so easily.
Briefly stunned, she asked him, “Larry, don’t you trust me? Does this mean you’re doubting me?”
“Yes!” Larry was never one to hide his words. “Don’t think that I’m not aware of the rumors swirling around. Putting aside the fact I don’t believe in you, what about you? What have you done for me?”
Larry’s thundering voice shook Joan to her core. Despite the innumerable things she wanted to say, she calmed herself down when she saw how hysterical Larry had become.
“There’s nothing for me to explain. If you don’t believe me, just forget it. Larry, let go of me. Both of us need to calm down.”
When Larry retracted his arms that were in her way, Joan stormed into the study without even looking back. When he saw her dispassionate silhouette, he was overwhelmed with disappointment.
Calm down? Joan, how do you expect me to calm down?
Leaning her back against the closed doors, tears streamed down Joan’s cheeks.
The disappointment she felt was no different from the time when she saw him making out with Gabriella while delivering a contract to his office.
“Why, Larry? Am I a shameless traitor not worthy of your trust to you?”
Despite trying desperately to hold back her tears, they pitter-pattered continuously onto the floor.
“Mr. Norton, here is this quarter’s financial report. Please see if there are any changes that need to be made…”
“Get out! Just get out!” With a shove of his hand, the documents the secretary brought were swept onto the ground, causing a bunch of papers to be strewn all over.
With sweat breaking out on her forehead, the secretary quickly gathered the documents from the floor. Although Larry had a bad temper, he had never vented on his subordinates to such an extent. Having been on the receiving end of his outburst, his secretary was so fearful that she didn’t dare look up. Ignoring the order of the papers, she quickly grabbed all of them and stuffed them back into the file.
Given how angry he was, everything Larry saw seemed to irritate him. Filled with rage, he was further annoyed by the pile of reports on his table that required his approval. Grabbing a cup from the corner of his desk, he then smashed it onto the ground forcefully.
Upon impact, the drink splattered all over, just like a turbulent wave on a calm ocean surface.
Kneeling by the ground to pick up the report, the secretary was shaken by what had happened. Immediately, she stood up and rushed for the door. Just when she was about to exit, she bumped right into someone coming in.
When she saw who it was, she nodded respectfully in acknowledgment. The person didn’t say a word and just motioned for her to leave quickly.
Given how light the footsteps were, Larry knew who it was without looking. Nevertheless, his mood was equally foul while the room was still filled with tension.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1635
“You too, get out!”
Caspian kicked aside the reports on the ground. As the secretary had left hastily just now, there were footprints all over them. When he saw Larry bury himself in work, Caspian’s guilt intensified as he struggled with his own emotions.
“Boss, why are you making things difficult for yourself?” Feeling guilty, Caspian lowered his voice.
“After going through so much in recent years, why are you letting something trivial bother you to the extent you’re hardly recognizable?”
Larry cleared his throat. “Trivial?” He sounded as if he was deeply hurt. “If you have been lied to twice by the one you love, Caspian, do you think you can still stand here and calmly tell me this is just a trivial matter?”
When Caspian remained silent, Larry continued asking, “Have you known about this for a while now?”
He continuously fiddled with the cover of his fountain pen. “Previously, whenever I asked you to investigate something, you would always inform me of the result right away. But this time, you didn’t.”
“After cycling through all the possibilities, Caspian, and the fact that we are comrades that have faced death together, I realized there is only one reason that can put you in such a dilemma. And that reason is Joan.”
Caspian gulped as if something had grabbed him by the throat. Evidently, Larry was someone who easily saw through him. There was no need for him to even explain himself.
By then, Larry had calmed down as he placed his fountain pen back on his desk. Stepping over the documents that he swept away earlier, he walked up to Caspian. Staring at the old scar Caspian received during training years ago, he remarked, “I won’t make things difficult for you. Just tell me yes or no.”
The atmosphere in the office continued to be tense. Caspian’s silence caused Larry to feel as if his world had collapsed.
Shifting his gaze away from Caspian’s old scar, Larry stepped around him, brushed past his shoulder before walking away.
Both men, one in a suit while the other in track attire, had conflicted expressions on their faces.
It was as if they were so near that they could return to the time when they celebrated their victories on the battlefield together and yet, they were also so far apart that the word “brotherhood” no longer meant anything.
The moment Larry placed his hand on the doorknob, Caspian’s throaty voice rang out.
“Joan dined with the man in the restaurant.” As if Larry wasn’t going to believe him, Caspian added the next second, “I saw them with my own eyes.”
This time, it was Larry that fell silent. He couldn’t imagine how difficult it was to express his feelings when he was struck by sadness, heartbreak, doubt, and anger all at the same time. Hence, the only emotion he could show was a frightening sense of calmness.
As for Joan, she was in an equally bad place emotionally. Locking herself in her room, she took leave from school before throwing her phone aside.
She blamed herself for not being careful and letting Larry see the note she carried.
Shaking her head vehemently, she tried to put that irrelevant idea out of her mind. Instead, she told herself to be focused on why Larry reacted so violently when he saw the note. After all, there was hardly anything written on it.
During the incident with Carl where they even appeared on the news headline, Larry had only instructed Caspian to find out who the culprit was. Unlike today, he didn’t flare his temper at her then.
Larry always looks for Caspian whenever he needs counsel…
That’s right! Caspian! This time, I’m sure he will talk to Caspian too.
Joan’s eyes sparkled as she found Caspian’s number. After giving it some thought, she ended up calling Nancy instead.
She figured that it would be easier to talk to another woman about this. After all, Caspian and Larry were friends that were willing to die for each other. If she had approached Caspian directly, it might seem awkward for both of them. Furthermore, she wasn’t sure if he was willing to tell her what she wanted to know.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1636
In contrast to Caspian, Nancy was different. She was about Joan’s age and had sincerely wished them happiness during the wedding. With that thought in mind, Joan gave Nancy a call.
“Hello, Joan?”
Before she could say a word, Nancy’s voice rang out over the line. As if she was grasping desperately for a lifeline, Joan responded in anticipation, “Yes, it’s me!”
“Joan, I know why you’re calling me. But I don’t know how to explain this to you. I can only tell you that when you and Mr. Silverman were dining at the restaurant, Caspian and I happened to be there. However, he didn’t tell Larry about it.”
“But yesterday, when Larry came to see Caspian, asking him to investigate the matter, I noticed how conflicted Caspian looked. Hence, he would likely have told Larry about it.”
After Nancy finished her long explanation, both of them fell silent.
While Joan was trying her best to dissect Nancy’s words, the occasional honk from the busy traffic disrupted her thoughts.
“Joan, who is… Dustin?” Nancy asked bluntly as she wasn’t a sensitive person.
Despite her best efforts at trying to sound calm, Joan replied with a trembling voice, “Nancy, wh-what do you mean?”
When Nancy heard the anxiety in Joan’s voice, she began to panic and desperately explain herself, “No… It’s not that, Joan, I don’t mean it that way. I… I was just asking. I have faith in you, but…”
“He is just a friend. When you saw me that day, I was on the phone with Larry. I wanted to tell him who I was dining with. However, he was just too busy and assumed I was meeting another female friend. Before I had the opportunity to explain, he ended the call. I didn’t lie to him!”
The moment she finished, Joan ended the call, worried that Nancy would raise another question which showed her suspicions. She rather leave things that way.
Meanwhile, when she heard the sound of a key unlocking the door, Joan knew that it was none other than Larry given the time.
As Larry sprinted up the stairs, he banged on her room door the moment he arrived. He roared, “Open up! Joan! I know you’re in there!”
Joan was cognizant that running away wouldn’t solve anything. Given how Larry was almost going to tear down the door with his bloodshot eyes, Joan finally opened it before he resorted to further violence.
“It was Dustin who dined with you that day,” Larry asserted. It wasn’t even a question where he would give her a chance to explain. Has he concluded that I lied to him over something as trivial as dinner?
His words only served to intensify the dejection Joan felt. The only reason both of them ended up in such circumstances was that they were too young.
“Are you going to be with him now?” Larry’s voice was hoarse while his eyes filled with despair.
Joan’s expression had lost her usual vibrance.
“How can you even think that…”
Suddenly, her voice turned raspy and her eyes widened in rage, “Larry, after being together for so many years and even having a son together, how could you think of me that way? You don’t trust me at all!”
It takes more information to make you believe something you don’t want to believe than something you do. Joan was someone stubborn to the marrow. She would never explain herself to someone that didn’t believe in her. As for Larry, his mind was bombarded by all the information he received over the past few days.
Ever since he knew Joan, he could never think rationally about any matter that involved her. Because of that, Caspian’s final sentence “I saw it with my own eyes” kept repeating in his head.
As if he was possessed by a demon, he reached out his hand and pushed Joan forcefully toward the ground. Staggering backward, she finally lost her balance and collapsed onto the floor.
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“How am I supposed to trust you? Caspian saw you going out with him in secret with his own eyes! Just to avoid things going awkward between us, he chose not to tell me the truth.”
Larry added, “I now know why you wanted to go back to Nirhaven College. That’s where you can spend time with him. Why didn’t you tell me you were dining with him that day? Why didn’t you tell me that he was at Nirhaven College too? If there’s really nothing going on, why are so many people talking behind your back? Joan, tell me! Explain yourself to me!”
Just when she thought she had the world, the pain in her knees reminded her otherwise. It seemed to be mocking her choice of the man that she sacrificed everything to love. It also served as a warning, that everything that had happened wasn’t a nightmare, and was real.
Clenching her own sleeve, Joan sought solace within her own heart. With an expressionless face, she replied, “Since you already have an answer, why do you bother asking me.”
Larry let out a gut-wrenching laugh. It was so sharp that it seemed to pierce both their hearts. With his bloodshot eyes, he declared, “You admitted it, Joan! You admitted it!”
“Larry, ever since we got back together, I never expected both of us to fall apart like that. In my mind, I thought that we had been through everything. But I was wrong. We don’t seem to be on the same ground. You trust yourself more than you trust me.”
Gritting her teeth, Joan pulled herself up with the support of a chair. As tears rolled down her cheeks despite her best efforts to stop them, she pursed her lips. “Let us calm down. We should… take a break.”
In the end, she didn’t even remember how she left the house that day.
Her pain slowly emanated from her heart and quickly tore through every fiber of her body, to the extent she was numb.
Before the matter reached the ears of Finnick and Vivian, she decided to drop by first. Coincidentally, both of them were not at home. Only the nanny was there, watching over Leslie.
When the nanny saw her, she warmly greeted Joan and invited her to see Leslie. Hence, Joan approached carefully.
Leslie who was quietly laying in the nanny’s arms, suddenly cried non-stop the moment Joan took over. Panicking in response, Joan realized that she had not seen Leslie in a long while.
Despite being his mother, her presence caused Leslie to feel fearful and unsettled. Joan was heartbroken upon realizing the fact.
Under the nanny’s guidance, Joan carried Leslie the same way the nanny did. After crying for a while, Leslie finally calmed down. It may have been due to a special connection between mother and son. After all, Leslie did spend ten months inside Joan’s body.
Leslie had grown really fast. The last time she carried him, he was a lot lighter than he was now. Looking at his chubby face, she saw him smiling without a care in the world.
It was this smile that triggered Joan’s resolve to raise Leslie herself. Therefore, she had to take him away.
If Larry continued to misunderstand her, their marriage would likely end prematurely. Hence, she also would also try her best to get custody of him.
“I’m taking Leslie out to get some sun,” Joan remarked.
The nanny didn’t dare protest. After all, Joan was his mother and had every right to take her son wherever she wanted. Therefore, she could only remind Joan, “In that case Mrs. Norton, please remember to come back early. Or else, old Mrs. Norton would be worried.”
After bundling up Leslie’s blanket, Joan carefully put her arm around his neck and lay him gently on her arms.
She didn’t understand why she was feeling that way. Also, she was relieved that Larry’s parents were not at home, providing her the opportunity to take Leslie away. As if she hadn’t come here today, she would never be able to see Leslie ever again.
Meanwhile, Larry and Caspian were oblivious to the fact that while they were arguing in the office, someone was eavesdropping by the door, and had heard the whole exchange. This person was currently sitting on a leather sofa, leisurely lighting up a cigarette.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1638
As smoke puffed out of his mouth into the air, he crossed his legs languidly. Beside him, a gramophone was playing a piece of classical music from Remdik.
“Dustin, why must you spread the rumor?” He gently tapped the ash off his cigarette. “My friend, not that I’m flattering you but you have outdone yourself this time, to the extent of having Larry and Caspian running in circles.”
Smirking, Dustin took a sip of the coffee as he continued to listen. “Dustin, why are you going through all this trouble? Don’t tell me that you still have feelings for her after so many years?”
“What do you mean by that? She means everything to me. If not for her, I wouldn’t have returned to this country on purpose.”
The man threw away the cigarette butt. “Let me give you some friendly advice. That woman is not only married but is also a mother. You’re a rich and young college professor who is well known in the medical fraternity. Why must you insist on tormenting yourself over her?”
Dustin finished his coffee in one gulp.
“You are still too young. In this life, it’s really hard to find someone you truly love. What’s even harder is to have the opportunity to pursue her.”
“What? Are you planning on breaking them up?” The man raised his eyebrows. “Putting all that aside, even if you managed to do so, what are you going to do about the child? Are you really that magnanimous to stay by her side and raise someone else’s kid?”
Instead of replying, Dustin burst into laughter.
“Caspian, drink some water. Don’t just sit there and sulk.” Nancy was holding a glass of water as she stood meekly behind him.
Caspian’s hair was in a mess. Ever since she knew him, she had never seen him so distraught before.
“Caspian, please say something, alright? You’re making me worry…” Realizing Caspian was ignoring her, Nancy approached him and patted him on his shoulder.
“Nancy, we shouldn’t have hidden the matter from Boss. Despite knowing that it would be impossible to hide anyway, we still proceeded with the foolish choice. Do you know that how disappointed he was when he looked at me this morning? Ever since we survived our time in the army, Boss has always trusted me. But this time, he was really disillusioned.”
Nancy too was filled with guilt. If it wasn’t for her hesitation, Larry and Caspian’s relationship wouldn’t have been strained to this extent.
She just couldn’t figure out one thing. Given Joan’s character, it was unlike her to do something that would cause Larry to misunderstand and fly into a jealous rage.
When Nancy put her arms around Caspian, she noticed the vibe he was emitting was very solemn in contrast to when she first met him. As for Caspian, he felt really bad on her behalf.
As both of them had just gotten married, they didn’t expect to encounter problems in such a short time even though it was their friends who were going through a relationship crisis. However, their relationship was even closer than that of normal siblings.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Norton, Mrs. Norton, it was Ms. Joan that demanded to take Leslie out. As she is Mr. Larry’s wife, I didn’t see a problem with her doing so…” The nanny stood in front of them meekly.
Filled with anxiety, Vivian was sweating profusely. “She is not answering her phone. Taking Leslie out isn’t the problem. But why isn’t she bringing him back?”
With a phone in hand, Finnick tried calling Larry’s office but the line was always busy. Despite his usually calm temperament, Finnick was enraged.
Rolling up his sleeves, he threw the phone onto the sofa. “What is it that is keeping him so busy? To the extent, he no longer cares about his son!”
“Can it be that both of them are in a fight? In her anger, Joan might have taken Leslie along with her?” Furrowing her eyebrows, Vivian tugged at his shirt worriedly. “What are we going to do if Joan has left with Leslie and doesn’t allow us to see him again? He is our grandson, for goodness sake!”
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“Alright, I know. Stop whining. You’re giving me a headache. Did you get through to Joan yet?”
Vivian was so anxious that she was on the brink of tears. “Not yet. Just before this, no one answered. But now, her phone has been switched off!”
Finnick’s eyebrows knitted intensely before he suddenly had an idea. “Caspian! Quick, call him!”
Nancy patted Caspian on his shoulder. “Don’t worry. As long as they love each other, I’m sure their relationship will survive whatever obstacles they may face.”
Suddenly, their quiet moment together was shattered by a ringing tone. Caspian took out his phone, and both of them exchanged glances before he answered, “Hello, Mr. Norton?”
“Caspian, are you together with Larry now? Do you know where both of them have taken the child?”
The moment he heard Finnick, Caspian’s heart sank. “I’m not with him. What happened?”
Vivian snatched the phone over. “For some reason, Joan has taken Leslie somewhere. Did she have a fight with Larry? Why would she take the child and not bring him back? Can it be that something has happened to them?”
When Caspian suddenly thought of the perpetrators from before that had threatened Joan, he was reminded of the innumerable rivals Larry had. Many of them would stop at nothing to break them up. However, he didn’t dare voice out his fears while Nancy gulped anxiously by his side.
“Don’t fret. I will do everything in my power to bring the child back safely.”
Caspian was a man of his word. He contacted the local police station and enlisted every available man they had to check the residential area’s security feeds. In the end, they did see Joan carrying the child out of the area.
Tracking the direction Joan had traveled, he checked all the surveillance cameras along the way and pinpointed the location of where she was staying at.
Just when he prepared to head out together with Nancy to persuade Joan to return home, he suddenly received a call from Larry.
Larry told him that Joan was back and wanted him to stop tracking her. Consequently, Caspian and Nancy were both puzzled by the instructions.
If he is asking us to stop our investigations, does it mean that both of them have made up? If they have both cleared the air, why didn’t Joan return with Leslie?
During the time when she was alone, Joan thought a lot about her situation.
She wondered if her relationship with Larry had hit the point of no return. But then, she recalled that they had survived many trials and tribulations together.
She had assumed that their life would only get better. But, Larry’s actions had repeatedly hurt her. And now, a single word from Caspian was enough to overturn the relationship that they shared.
She was cognizant that Caspian and he were friends who were willing to die defending each other. Putting that aside, she wondered how the trust between herself and Larry became so fragile.
Sitting by the window in her room, she gazed out the window listlessly and didn’t even realize that Larry had returned. The night view of Marsingfill was filled with lights as usual, but it wasn’t enough to illuminate their large house.
The quiet atmosphere caused Larry to assume Joan wasn’t at home, causing him to be outraged. When he was about to give her a call, he noticed her spacing out in the room.
When he saw her pale face and slender figure, his heart began to waver.
Over the last few days, he kept thinking about her late at night and wondered if he had really misunderstood her. It was obvious to him how depressed and exhausted she looked. Her gloomy expression had overwhelmed the zest she used to have.
Recently bogged down by work, he figured that he should have kept his temper in check. He realized he shouldn’t have been swayed by rumors and make judgments based on them. Thinking back, he recalled a time when he quietly swore to treat her like a queen. But ever since she had Leslie, he hardly spent any quality time with both of them.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1640
Larry approached Joan from behind. She regained her senses only after he put his hand on her shoulders. After pondering for a long while, she finally uttered, “Do you still trust me?”
Before Larry could answer, she added, “Within the next few days, I plan to move out with Larry. He is still young and needs me by his side. Hence, I want to raise him myself.”
The moment she finished, he tightened his grip on her shoulders, digging his nails into her flawless, pale skin. Despite the pain she felt, she didn’t flinch at all.
Larry roared, “Leslie needs you? Are you saying that he doesn’t need me, his father? Have you been planning this all along? Why do you need to make yourself sound noble? I think you must have already decided to return to Dustin’s side and take Leslie with you. Let me tell you straight up. Don’t even think about it!”
Joan was sick of the repeated quarrels they had and wasn’t bothered to explain herself anymore. Since he didn’t believe in her, there was no point in doing so anyway.
“Since that’s what you think, so be it. Let’s stop arguing. I’m already fed up.”
Deep down in his heart, Larry hoped that Joan would protest and tell him he was wrong, asserting that there was nothing going on between her and Dustin. Instead, the calmness and indifference she displayed simply caused him to lose his mind.
The next moment, he pushed her forcefully onto the bed. With his sanity lost, he felt the need to show his dominance over her. He could only feel secure with her underneath him.
“Argh! No! Larry, you b*stard! Get off me!” Joan struggled vehemently as if she was about to be raped. She didn’t expect to have said something like that while attempting to resist.
“You have finally said it out loud. Are you really that desperate to leave me?” Larry scoffed, “Isn’t this normal for us?”
Joan’s resistance was visibly too weak to fend Larry off. By denying him, she had only served to fan the flames of his lust instead, strengthening his urge to dominate her.
“You are my wife. What’s wrong with us making love?” He restrained both her hands with one hand and pinned her leg with his own. When she was unable to struggle anymore, he used his hand to untie the knot of her bare-shoulder top.
Joan had no choice but to let him have his way. This was the first time she found him frightening.
As the moonlight shone through the window, he could clearly see her porcelain white figure. Brushing his fingertips over her breasts, he felt as if they had grown perkier ever since Leslie was born. As he let out a muffled moan, he allowed himself to sink into madness and ravage her.
Joan had no choice but to give him rein. She felt that he was both familiar and distant at the same time. When she was suddenly seized by sudden sharp pain below, as if she had been pierced raw, she cried out in agony. However, her cries only served to excite Larry further.
Suddenly, she opened her eyes. “Larry, I hate you.” As tears streamed down her cheeks, she wasn’t sure if they were caused by the pain or something else altogether.
It wasn’t until the morning light shone through the full-length windows onto her bedsheet did Joan awoke from her dreams. She vaguely felt Larry’s fingers run along her cheeks together with his love and affection.
Unfortunately, there was no one beside her. Shoving the blanket aside, the pain she felt below served as a reminder of everything that had happened the night before. She didn’t expect him to take her like a beast.
Deep down, despite how rough he was, she knew that he had submitted to her will. However, there was no time to think about Larry now. Feeling fearful, she tidied herself, grabbed her bag, and ran right out.
Leslie!
When she left her rented place, she had intended to have a proper discussion with Larry. If negotiations failed, she would then leave with Leslie and raise him alone. However, she didn’t expect Larry to act with such insanity, causing her to leave Leslie alone in her place.
“Leslie?” Ignoring the pain she felt, Joan rushed toward Leslie’s bed.
His face was red everywhere. As she gently patted his cheeks, she called out his name repeatedly. However, he was still in deep sleep.