Ch. 2001..2010
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2001
“What's the matter? Do you want me to go together with you?” Dustin asked as he stroked Lucius's head.
“Of course. I haven't seen you for a long time now.”
The man glanced at Joan as he grinned with delight. Dustin never thought that the little boy would speak favorably of him.
“Come on, Lucius. He's busy.” Joan tugged the child over to her side.
“Huh? Are you really busy?” The child turned around and looked at Dustin, who stood not far away.
“I'm not busy at all,” the man responded immediately.
Suddenly, Joan blushed in embarrassment.
What's wrong with this boy? He used to dislike Dustin, so why the sudden change now?
Dustin was curious about that too.
Only Lucius knew the real reason for that. He wanted nothing more than a favor from Dustin.
“Alright. I'll go and book a plane ticket then.” Having said that, the man turned and left.
Joan watched helplessly at the retreating figure.
Meanwhile, Gabriella, who was in the living room, exclaimed with a displeased look on her face. “What? She's going abroad? With that child?”
What is that b*tch up to again?
“Ms. Ward...” the man hesitated and stopped himself.
“Follow her at all times and be on standby,” the woman snarled.
Now that she's abroad, it's a good chance for me. The woman clenched her fists tightly, and pure hatred flashed across her face.
Not long after, the trio landed safely abroad. Delilah did not join them as she was preoccupied with something. Lucius, on the other hand, was boisterous throughout the journey.
At that time, Larry was standing by the window and waited for Joan's return.
Two hours went by, but there was still no sign of her. He kept glancing at his watch anxiously until the moon and stars shone brightly in the sky.
Not being able to hold back anymore, he took out his phone and called her, but he could not get through because she had switched off her phone.
“Ms. Young, why isn't Joan home yet? Is she working overtime again?” the man asked with a tone of worry.
“She left the country, and she took Lucius with her,” Delilah answered.
When did this happen? Why did no one tell me this?
“Why did she leave?”
“Oh, that. Lucius has never been abroad before, so Joan brought him along for the trip,” Delilah replied nonchalantly.
Why didn't she tell me? And why didn't she invite me along? In that instant, his eyes dimmed. Is there no way to go back to the way we were before? Can't she wait a little longer? Just a little longer for me to find out the truth.
“I don't want to be involved in the private matter between you and Joan. But I treat Joan as my own daughter, and I hope that you can make her happy in any possible way,” Delilah said. Sometimes letting go is better than holding on. Delilah carefully examined Larry who was standing in front of her.
Larry knew what she meant, but he just couldn't let go. He and Joan had gone through thick and thin together, so why should they give up now? Just because Gabriella is pregnant? But that's not my baby!
“There's something I want to explain, Ms. Young. I do admit that I was at the bar that day...” Larry said in a low voice.
He believed that Delilah would choose to stand by his side if he explained himself.
True enough, she did.
“Why didn't you say so earlier? Joan thought that the woman is carrying your child,” Delilah chided as she patted him on his shoulder.
Am I really that old now? I can never understand how young people think nowadays.
“What I'm trying to say is that Joan has been ignoring me lately. Besides, I can't prove myself now...” Larry said with a wince.
What a silly man.
What is love? Love is trusting one another unconditionally. Isn't Joan that kind of person? Delilah shook her head and sighed.
But this ain't too bad, either. Let it be a lesson for him. Nothing good ever comes from going to a bar.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2002
Ring! Ring!
Delilah quickly picked up her phone after looking at the caller ID.
“We're here, Grandma. It's beautiful here. You have to come here when you have the time...” Lucius shouted excitedly into the phone.
Larry, who was next to Delilah, could hear the phone conversation clearly.
“Alright. Be careful, you hear?” Delilah replied.
“Don't worry, Ms. Young. I'll look after them.” Suddenly, Larry heard a familiar male voice through the phone before the call ended.
The fact that Dustin was there infuriated Larry.
Why must she be together with Dustin? Why is that scumbag there? Larry clenched his fists as his scowl deepened.
“Don't think too much of it. Lucius wanted Dustin to be there to help with the bags,” Delilah gently patted his shoulder.
But that's not what Dustin had in mind. Joan is mad at me right now, and if that man takes this as an opportunity to get close to her... Larry's expression grew grim.
Delilah read his thoughts and stifled a laugh before she left quietly.
Let the couple sort out the problem themselves. When there's a will, there's a way.
Meanwhile, at the beach. Joan hollered, “Slow down, Lucius!”
“Come on, Mr. Dustin! Catch up!” the child shouted.
Affected by the young child's infectious excitement, Dustin played along with him.
Birds of a feather flock together. Dustin continued to stick around even though Joan had turned him down.
“Stop running!” Dustin shouted while he chased after Lucius.
“Come on, Mr. Dustin. Come and catch me!”
Both man and child were having fun running and chasing each other upon the shore.
Joan, who was sitting not far away, watched them and a smile tugged on her lips. She's happy as long as the child was happy.
In fact, as she pondered, she realized that Dustin was marriage material. If she had not set foot back in the country in the beginning, and if she had not turned down Dustin when he professed his love for her, then things wouldn't turn out to be this bad.
Joan lowered her head and looked glum.
“Come and join us, Mom!” Not far away, Lucius shouted excitedly.
“Alright. Coming!” Joan quickly got up and hurried over.
Once Joan had joined them, they had fun chasing each other along the shoreline.
“You're quite nice actually, Mr. Dustin,” Lucius suddenly said.
As though he had just received great news, a gleeful smile appeared on Dustin's face. The child used to think that Larry was the best man in the whole world. But now, it seemed that he and the man in front of him were getting along better than before.
“Hello, I'm sorry to interrupt. But can you do me a favor?” All of a sudden, a woman appeared in front of them.
“How can we help you?” Lucius leaned forward and asked her.
Since when did he become this nice? He must be smitten by this pretty woman. Dustin grinned amusingly at Lucius' friendliness.
“So, we're actually in the middle of a poster campaign to promote family vacation at the beach...”
It turned out that the woman wanted to work together with them to shoot a poster campaign. Joan hesitated. After all, Dustin was not the child's father. Furthermore, Larry would be upset if he were to know about this.
“Are you okay with that, madam?” the woman asked politely.
“Yes, of course!” Lucius answered loudly.
Oh, this child just agrees without even thinking about it! At that moment, Joan was put on the spot and blushed in embarrassment. Of course, Dustin knew what she was thinking, but he kept quiet. He respected Joan's choice, regardless of the outcome.
“Let's go, Mom. Look at how beautiful it is.” Lucius said as he pointed to the sea.
It's beautiful, indeed. It's just that we're here at the wrong time and with the wrong person.
“We're finally here at the beach. Come on, Mom.” The child persuaded as he shook Joan's arm to catch her attention.
“Alright. Let's go.” After a long while, she finally agreed.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2003
The three of them arrived at the studio together.
“Come with me, let's get you all ready. You'll have to change into a bikini...” the staff guided Joan to the changing room.
All of a sudden, Joan blushed at the sight of the bikini laid out for her.
“There's no need to be shy. Relax, it'll be over soon. Besides, nowadays people are more open to this kind of swimwear,” the staff prompted.
Soon, the three of them changed into their respective swimwear and began shooting.
“That's it. Mr., please place your arm around your wife's shoulder. Stand closer to each other. A little closer.”
“Good. Turn a little to your left. Mr., look at your wife lovingly. Yes, that's good...”
At that time, Lucius was so engrossed as he posed happily in front of the camera. He was totally unaware of how uncomfortable Joan was.
“Okay. This is the last shot. Mister, please place both of your hands on your wife's cheeks. Now, press your foreheads together...”
Both Joan and Dustin grew even more uncomfortable and embarrassed. After all, Joan was a married woman.
“Come on, don't be shy. We are all open now in this day and age. Even married female celebrities are fine with kissing scenes.”
“Come, I'll help you.” As he said that, one of the staff in front of him walked over to them.
With the staff's guidance, both of them stood so close until they were nearly pressed together. Just then, not only Joan was embarrassed, but Dustin's face was flushed as well.
“Okay. Let's begin...”
Finally, after what seems like forever, they completed the shooting for the poster campaign. At that time, there was a trace of sadness in Joan's eyes.
What will Larry think of this when he comes to know about it? Will he be jealous? Forget it. Why am I still thinking about him? We're about to be divorced soon anyway. Joan shook her head and sighed.
“Oh, look! Your shots came out really well! You guys look like a happy family.” A woman came over and sang praises.
A family? We're definitely not a family!
“We're not a family,” Joan said politely.
In an instant, the eyes of the woman dimmed, and she quietly backed off.
It was better to stay quiet than to continue on the embarrassing topic.
“It turns out that they are not a family. Are you guys sure it's okay to shoot like this? Will it...” the woman muttered.
“Take a look at this photo. His eyes are full of adoration for the woman. I'm pretty sure they'll become a family soon. Don't worry about it. They're probably in the middle of a lovers' spat.”
But Dustin had overheard the exchange between the woman and Joan.
She wasn't going to have a second husband in her life. A cold glint flashed across Dustin's eyes.
“Mr. Dustin, do you like my Mom?” Suddenly, Lucius came running to him and blurted out that question.
Why is he being so direct? Dustin tapped lightly on the child's forehead and smiled at him.
“Do you even know what it means by liking somebody?”
The child pouted, showing his displeasure.
“I know. Dad says that when you like someone, you'll think about her every day. You will miss her, and you will want to protect her and take care of her.”
Dustin was astonished by Lucius's remark.
“I'll like whoever who treats my Mom well,” the child uttered sensibly.
Dustin studied the child in front of him and thought to himself. He's really matured for someone his age.
Meanwhile, back in the office. “What's happening?”
“I don't know. Is Mr. Norton fighting with Mrs. Norton? Will they be getting a divorce?”
“Nonsense. They have a great relationship.”
A few colleagues were chattering away, and they were completely unaware that there was a silent figure behind them.
“Do you think Larry is being cheated on?”
In an instant, the air in the room stilled.
The figure behind them gradually moved to the front. It was none other than Larry, and his face was grim.
“Give it to me,” the man commanded.
The female colleague handed him the phone.
All of a sudden, a cold light flashed across Larry's eyes.
On the screen of the phone, it was a poster of Joan, Dustin, and Lucius. They looked like a family in the poster photo. Joan was smiling shyly at the camera, and Dustin had a big grin on his face. Lucius looked the happiest among them.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2004
Bang! Larry slammed the phone down on the table and left.
All the staff looked at each other and fell silent.
Larry stood by the window and balled his fists so tightly that his nails were digging into the skin of his palms.
“Larry!” Caspian panted as he came rushing in without even knocking on the door.
“Joan...” Caspian hesitated as he didn't quite know what to say.
What's wrong with her? She's happy! She looks happy when she's with that man. Misery flitted across Larry's eyes.
There was nothing between himself and Gabriella, so why won't she believe him? In that instant, he felt so hurt that it felt like a stabbing pain in his heart.
There was only one woman he loved, and that was Joan. He had never touched another woman other than her, but she wouldn't believe him. How could she get herself involved in a family poster shot with Dustin and Lucius?
What a joke! That's the love of his life, the woman he loved for many years.
“She must have her reasons for doing that, Larry. Let's wait for her to return, and we'll...”
“No,” Larry interrupted Caspian.
There's no need for that.
Anyway, she went ahead with the family poster shot without having any consideration for his feelings. There was nothing for her to explain. Besides, she looked happy on the family poster.
In that instant, deep sadness pasted on Caspian's face.
Is their relationship coming to an end? Just like Nancy and myself.
He had been a witness since the start of Larry and Joan's romantic relationship. Like any other couple, they had gone through highs and lows, from quarreling to making up. But now, they were like strangers to each other.
Caspian let out a long sigh and left the office. After pondering for a long time, he decided to give Joan a call.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Joan glanced at her phone and saw that it was Caspian.
“When are you coming back, Joan?” Caspian asked anxiously.
“In a few days. I'm having a getaway trip with Lucius...” Joan explained.
But she had no idea that the poster had already been circulating in her homeland.
“I suggest you come home soon, Joan. About Larry and Gabriella, it's not what you think. But it's not that simple, either. I promise you, there's nothing between him and Gabriella,” Caspian vowed confidently.
Joan hesitated for a while. Why is Caspian calling me? Shouldn't it be Larry calling me instead? Why Caspian? Is he avoiding me? Or is it because he has nothing to say to me?
Joan clenched her fists and snorted inwardly.
“Caspian, this is between Larry and me. You don't have to worry about it. Also, Larry is not feeling too well lately. So, please take care of him.” After saying that, Joan hung up the phone.
She knows that Larry is not feeling too well, and she knows that Larry needs someone to care for him. So why isn't she here to take care of him herself? Why is she away and did the poster shoot with Dustin? How is Larry going to deal with these so-called rumors?
Caspian's brow knitted.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Larry looked at his phone and ignored the incoming call.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the phone, Gabriella's eyes narrowed into a steely glare.
Why isn't he answering my call? Joan is no longer around, so what is he still busy with? It's obviously after work hours. Gabriella made another call to him.
Larry, who was annoyed by the constant ringing of his phone, turned off the phone and threw it on the sofa. Then, he rested his head on his arms at the table.
I'm sick and tired of all these.
He was not only physically tired, but he was also mentally drained to the brink of exhaustion.
Larry had never been so heartbroken until now. It only made matters worse when he saw the poster of Joan, Dustin, and Lucius together.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2005
Knock... Knock... Knock...
For a long time, the assistant knocked on Larry's door but didn't get any response.
“There's a meeting shortly, Mr. Norton. Do you want to reschedule?” the assistant asked carefully.
She had seen his reaction when he overheard the chatterings of his employees earlier on. She knew that Larry would be feeling dejected, so she came into his office to check on him.
“Reschedule it. Cancel all of today's meetings,” Larry said in a low voice as he rested his head on the table.
At that moment, his eyes were bloodshot and he looked haggard. The assistant started to worry.
“Larry, are you alright?” the assistant asked tentatively.
She had never seen him so disheartened before. Even when Norton Corporation was being acquired some time ago, he was never this despondent. But now...
He must really love Joan, too bad... The assistant's expression turned grim.
“Get me some flu medication.” Larry lifted his head up and said.
“Right away.” The assistant ran out of the office immediately.
“Lars!”
As soon as the assistant went out, the despicable woman came rushing in. Larry felt his head throbbing.
“Why are you here?” Larry asked coldly in a weak voice.
Why am I here? We'll be getting married soon anyway, so we might as well lay some groundwork now. A scheming smile crept onto Gabriella's lips.
“I'm here to check on you. You didn't answer your phone when I called you, so I thought something must have happened to you,” Gabriella said as she slowly walked up to him and gave him her most charming smile.
But Larry was dreadfully turned off.
“I'm fine. You can leave now,” Larry replied straightforwardly.
Her absence was better than anything else.
“Lars, are you chasing me away? We'll be living together soon anyway,” Gabriella snickered.
Who wants to live with a malicious woman like her?
“What's wrong with you? Are you not feeling well? Come on, let's go to the hospital.” Gabriella clung onto Larry and tugged him.
There was utter silence outside of his office.
“Don't touch me. Get your filthy hands off me!” Larry roared.
Just then, Gabriella stared at the man before her in disbelief.
Damn him! Why is he still thinking about Joan?
How ridiculous of him to be this lovesick! That woman has eloped with another man.
I should be grateful to you, Joan. Gabriella stared at him with fierce eyes.
“Lars, have you seen the news today?” Gabriella deliberately asked in a low voice.
Larry glared at the woman before him, and he knew what she wanted to say.
“Get lost. You'll be sorry if you show up in front of me again.” His outburst caused Gabriella to tremble, and she stumbled a few steps back.
“I'll leave now, Lars. Call me if you need anything.” With that, Gabriella rushed out of the office.
When she came out of his office, the employees quickly dispersed and went back to their seats. She could tell that they were discussing among themselves about Larry and herself again. Nevertheless, Gabriella walked past them proudly with a haughty look on her face.
“What's going on? Why is Gabriella getting so close to Mr. Norton recently?”
“I don't know. But something doesn't seem right. And Mrs. Norton hasn't come to the office recently.”
“Gosh, it can't be! Gabriella is the homewrecker?”
Just then, everyone was shocked to the core. The women went back to their seats with inconceivable expressions on their faces.
To them, this was a terrible conjuncture. From their point of view, Larry was a man with a successful career and a perfect gentleman. How could he possibly be involved with another woman, let alone someone like Gabriella?
“Mr. Norton!” The assistant rushed into his office with the medicine in hand.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2006
At that moment, Larry broke out in cold sweat. His worried assistant quickly retrieved a piece of tissue and wiped his forehead with it.
“Are you alright, Larry? Do you want to go to the hospital?” the assistant asked with genuine concern.
Larry had always been a strong person in her eyes, so she was clearly distressed when she saw that he had fallen seriously ill.
After all, Larry was an ordinary man too. His assistant sighed while she poured him a glass of water. She had been working with him for so many years, so she naturally knew his temperament well. For Larry to become so weak, it had definitely got to do with Joan.
“From now on, don't let Gabriella into my office. Send her away if she ever comes here again,” Larry snarled.
“Understood,” his assistant replied.
Meanwhile, Gabriella's phone rang. Ring, ring, ring...
“How is it?” Gabriella squinted and looked out of the window.
“They'll be back soon,” the man on the phone replied.
I'm not going to let her return so easily. Gabriella sneered.
“Fine. Make a move and show no mercy. I'll transfer the money to you once it's done,” With that, the vicious-looking Gabriella hung up.
Her last statement couldn't be more obvious. The man watched as Joan and Lucius played not far away from him. A cold glint flashed across his eyes.
What a woman! The man let out a sigh. Too bad she's a victim to a cruel tyrant.
“Mom, I'm going to the washroom for a while. Wait here for me,” Lucius said loudly to Joan.
“Alright, be careful,” Joan replied.
At that time, Dustin was lying on a recliner as he watched both mother and son playing in front of him. He knew that Joan didn't like it when others mistook them as a family. Therefore, he tried to keep his distance. He respected all of her decisions.
Suddenly, his phone rang. Ring! Ring! Ring!
“Mr. Silverman, when are you coming back? Mr. Norton is not feeling well, and there are a few things that require your attention.” Larry's assistant said softly into the phone, and there was a hint of anxiety in her tone.
He's sick? Dustin suddenly frowned.
What does that have to do with me? Dustin quickly resumed a composed expression.
Ever since he joined Norton Corporation, he was inspired to take over the entire Norton Corporation. He wanted to defeat Larry and to make him disappear once and for all.
Damn it! Dustin clenched his fists as he got up and walked to the side.
“I won't have the time to deal with the things in office...”
Suddenly, he heard a woman's piercing loud shriek.
Dustin quickly turned around, but Joan was nowhere to be seen.
“Joan?” he called out tentatively.
However, there was no sign of her anywhere.
Oh crap!
Dustin ran around in circles, trying to search for her, but there was no trace of her at all.
“Where's my Mom, Mr. Dustin?” Lucius, who just got back from the washroom, asked in confusion.
“She...” Dustin hesitated and stopped himself.
How am I going to tell him about Joan's disappearance? He's just a child. I can't tell him that!
“Why don't you go to the security room and wait, Lucius? Your mother and I need to deal with something, so it's better for you to wait in the security room. Don't talk to strangers and don't follow them. Do you hear me?” Dustin said sternly to the child.
“What's wrong, Mr. Dustin? Why do you look so worried? Why do I have to go to the security room? Where's my mom?” the child asked.
“Come on, be a good boy. I'll take you there. Just wait for us in the security room.”
After that, Dustin had a quick walk along the beach to look around, but he still couldn't find Joan.
Damn it! Who's behind this? A cold glint flashed across Dustin's eyes.
“Excuse me, did you see a Chanaea woman with long hair around here?”
“Nope.”
“I haven't seen her.”
“I don't know.”
He was given disappointing answers whenever he questioned passersby. None of them had seen Joan. At that moment, Dustin was about to lose his mind.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2007
“Joan!” Dustin faced the sea and hollered.
The people around him instantly turned to look at him as if he was crazy.
“Is that man crazy? Why is he shouting in public?”
“Must have gone mad. He was looking for someone just now...”
In distress, Dustin held his head with both of his hands. His eyes were reddened with tears as he cried in agony.
“Hey, Mister.” Suddenly, a little girl walked over to him.
Dustin was not in the right mind to entertain the child. At that moment, all he could think of was Joan.
“Mister.” The little girl tugged the edge of his shirt.
“Go and play over there, little girl. I'm not in the mood to play with you,” Dustin said as he tried hard to rein in his emotions.
If the little girl were an adult, he would have barked at her.
“Are you looking for someone, mister?” the little girl asked softly.
Instantly, Dustin's eyes lit up.
“Do you know where the woman has gone, little girl?” Dustin knelt to face the girl as he waited earnestly for her answer.
“She was taken by a man in a hat and a mask. They went that way,” the little girl pointed to a lighthouse that was not far away.
“That man was rough to her,” the little girl said angrily.
Instantly, Dustin stood up and ran like a madman towards the lighthouse.
I hope nothing has happened to you, Joan. Dustin clenched his fist anxiously.
Elsewhere, a hard slap landed on Joan's cheek.
Joan was woken up from the pain. She slowly opened her eyes and tried to find her bearings. When her vision cleared, she saw a terrifying stranger standing right in front of her. She felt weak and helpless.
“Who are you?” she asked feebly as she squinted her eyes at the man.
“Stop pretending to be so pathetic. I haven't done anything to you yet.” The man gave her a hard kick.
I'm not pretending. I really feel sick. She was in a foul mood last night and went for a walk alone on the beach to get some fresh air. She must have caught a cold from the cold wind.
Come to think of it, seems like the whole world is against me.
I must have done something bad in my past life to deserve to live such a difficult life. Joan sighed with a pained expression.
“Hey, wake up!” The man splashed a bucket of water onto her.
In that instant, Joan was jolted awake, and she shuddered from being splashed with water.
“Tell me, where did you keep your money?” The man demanded as he hooked a finger under her chin.
Although Ms. Ward will pay me for getting rid of this woman, why not extort more money from this woman? The man scoffed to himself.
Money will never be enough. And just like anyone else who is in a business, the objective is to achieve a twofold business profit. Of course, the man standing in front of Joan was no exception.
“I don't have any money,” Joan replied.
Slap! The man's palm landed squarely on Joan's face.
Damn b*tch! Just give me the money! The man lifted Joan and started to search her pockets.
She doesn't have any money!
In his anger, the man threw Joan against the wall, and blood trickled down the end of her lips.
“Let me go and I'll give you the money.” Joan gasped as she struggled to get up to her feet.
She staggered for a while and fell back to the ground.
“That won't do. I'll give you a few hours to think about where you put your money.” Having said that, the man slammed the door shut and locked the door.
In that instant, her surroundings became pitch black.
“Where are you, Larry?” Joan murmured.
Meanwhile, Larry was in his office flipping through some documents solemnly, but all he could think at that moment was Joan.
Bam! He threw the documents onto the floor in exasperation.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2008
The assistant who had been standing aside quickly placed the documents back on the table, a cautious expression on his face. Larry glanced disdainfully at the woman before him and continued to work.
“Lars!” a woman outside the office screamed hysterically.
Larry had informed the receptionist that Gabriella was persona non grata. She was now blocking Gabriella from entering the office.
“Get out of my way! Don't you know who I am? I'm Gabriella Ward!”
Gabriella landed a hard slap on the receptionist's cheek.
The receptionist glared at her with rage burning in her eyes.
“Ms. Ward, Mr. Norton gave specific orders that you were not to enter his office. I didn't tell you this so you could leave with your dignity intact, but you've left me with no choice. You should leave,” the receptionist stated coldly.
While she had but a handful of interactions with Gabriella, she could tell that Gabriella was an incredibly difficult person. She could also tell that Larry despised her very existence.
“Nonsense! That's a load of crap! Lars wouldn't stop me from entering his office. I'm going to be his wife, and I'm pregnant with his child!” Gabriella shouted.
All eyes turned to her at that moment.
“Is she crazy? Mr. Norton's been married for ages.”
“Yea, how could she claim to be his fiancée? She's delusional!”
“She's definitely trying to sink her claws into Mr. Norton.”
A few women began gossiping about the commotion.
“I'm telling the truth! You'd do well to respect me, or I'll screw all of you once I'm married to Larry!” Gabriella pointed menacingly at the gossips.
“That's creepy as hell. Let's go!”
“If she really becomes Mrs. Norton, I'm going to quit!”
The gossips commented snidely.
Gabriella had always been a temperamental woman. Her emotions had become even more unstable since her pregnancy. She lost her temper easily and frequently.
Sometimes, Larry wondered if she might be mentally ill.
“I'm really Larry's fiancée. The baby in my belly is-”
“Shut up!” A frosty bark reached Gabriella's ears.
“Lars, you're finally here! This lady wouldn't let me in to see you.” Gabriella rushed towards Larry and clung to his elbow.
“Gabriella, what are you doing? I told them myself not to let you in. Do you have a problem with that?” Larry glared at her., clenching his fists in annoyance.
Stupid man, why would he stop me from seeing him? Gabriella tried to rein in her emotions before she explained herself.
“Lars, I just wanted to see you. Are you still sick, or are you all better already?” She made a move to touch his forehead.
Larry ducked to avoid her hand.
“Why are you here to see me?” he asked indifferently.
What other reason could she have other than to latch on to me and torment me?
“We need to pick out a name for our baby.” Gabriella rubbed her stomach slyly.
What a joke! Larry felt this patience running thin. When is she going to stop her delusional act? That kid's not even mine!
“I'm busy. You can pick a name yourself,” he replied coldly and turned to leave.
“But Lars, it's always better if both parents come up with the name together.” Gabriella pouted coyly.
“Then I advise you to find the baby's real father!” He shrugged off her hand.
Gabriella froze in shock.
Does he know? A chilling gaze appeared in her eyes.
I've kept it under wraps for so long. How could he find out? She clenched her fists while her eyes burned with rage.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2009
I guess his suspicions aren't confirmed, or he wouldn't allow me to stay here for this long!
“How's it going?” The fury in her eyes was palpable.
“I found her,” the man on the other end of the phone answered.
“I asked how things were going!” Gabriella shouted into the phone.
This b*tch! Yelling at me even though I'm the one doing her dirty work. F*cking cold-blooded b*tch. No wonder she can order someone to be killed so frankly. He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.
“We're on it. I just found the woman today, so I should be able to get it done soon.” He made up an excuse to placate Gabriella.
I need to get the ransom before I get rid of Joan!
“Fine, get it done ASAP. I'll pay you double once she's dead.” Gabriella hung up without waiting for his reply.
His gaze seemed to brighten as he became excited at her promise.
So this woman's worth a pretty penny, eh? What a rarity. He laughed coldly.
Search and rescue efforts for Joan were still ongoing. Lucius was pacing in the security room. “Mr. Dustin, where's Mom? Why isn't she here yet?” Lucius looked at Dustin curiously.
Dustin was a bundle of nerves.
“Lucius, don't worry. Everything's fine. I'll find your Mom. Don't run around, ok?” Dustin addressed the boy before him earnestly.
He didn't want anything to happen to either Lucius or Joan. If he lost the boy before Joan was found, there would be hell to pay.
“I want to find Mom too! She must have missed me,” Lucius walked out of the security room as he spoke.
“Wait, Lucius!” Dustin ran forward to block his path.
How is he going to find his Mom when he's just a kid?
“Lucius, I need you to stay here and behave, or your Mom will really be worried. Come here. Just wait in this room. I'll look for your Mom with the cops.” Dustin carried him back into the security room.
They'd scoured almost every possible location they could think of: the beach, convenience stores, toilets, and hotels. There was still no trace of Joan. Dustin clenched his fists in anxiety.
The entry to the nearby lighthouse is also blocked, so she can't be there either.
Should I tell Larry? Dustin hesitated.
No way, why should I tell him now, he's going to divorce Joan! Dustin shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind.
Just then, Joan finally came to. She was sprawled on the floor.
She was surrounded by darkness. She couldn't make out anything beyond the light streaming in from a window on the far wall.
That's my only hope!
Joan got up slowly and fumbled her way to the window. The window was far too high, and she couldn't reach it. She turned and moved along the wall.
“Ouch!” She almost tripped over something in the dark.
It was a metal rod with a hook on one end.
Suddenly, Joan's lips curved up in a satisfied smile.
This is my way out! She moved toward the window again.
“Stupid b*tch! I can't believe she took out her temper on me! F*ck, who does she think she is-”
The voice of an unfamiliar man drifted into the room. Without a hint of hesitation, Joan placed the rod on the floor and assumed her original position on the floor. She shut her eyes.
Bang! The door was kicked open forcefully.
“Hey, get up!” He slapped her.
She lay as still as she could and pretended to be unconscious.
“Damn it, get up!” This time, he kicked her.
Joan could only resist the pain so she wouldn't give away her act.
“F*ck, why is she unconscious? Useless woman. I haven't gotten my money yet!”
He left the room and slammed the door behind him.
Joan immediately opened her eyes and listened carefully for his movements.
Thankfully, he seemed to have left.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2010
She picked up the rod and stood beneath the window. She began plotting a viable escape path.
She waited for ten minutes to make sure that her kidnapper was truly gone. Steeling herself, she picked up the rod and hooked it on one of the thin slants on the window. This window only had two thin slants, with a narrow gap in between. Joan would never have thought of escaping through the windows if not for her slender frame.
“Ah!” She fell off the rod on her first attempt.
She fell off the rod countless times. Each failed attempt chipped at her already limited stamina.
She didn't know how many times she'd failed before she finally managed to get up to the window.
The window was really high. If she jumped from this height, she could fracture a good number of bones or even die. Yet lady luck seemed to be smiling upon her today. Instead of solid ground, there was a calm river before her.
Not too far from the river was her kidnapper. He appeared to be gloating while he was picking berries.
Splash!
Joan jumped into the river before she could change her mind.
Her kidnapper turned around at the sound. Perplexed, he surveyed his surroundings.
I swore I heard something just now. But why isn't there anyone here? He started swearing as he ate the berries he had picked.
“F*ck! Dumb jerks and their stupid pranks!”
Joan was swimming frantically toward the other side of the river at that very moment. She wanted to find Dustin and Lucius as soon as possible. She fainted from exhaustion just as she pulled herself onto the riverbank.
“Miss, wake up!” A man was shaking her by her elbows.
I'm really tired.
In the hospital, Joan lay on the bed with her eyes shut. She had been hooked up to an IV drip, and she looked utterly exhausted. It was raining cats and dogs outside the hospital, with frequent flashes of lightning and thunder.
“What a poor woman. She's covered in injuries,” the nurse sighed, shaking her head at Joan's state.
“Maybe she was abused.”
A few curious onlookers had gathered in front of her bed to speculate on her condition, though they didn't linger for long.
“I need a family member to sign off on this!” the doctor shouted.
No one came forward. The people crowding Joan's bed were all strangers.
“Or whoever brought her to the hospital?” The doctor sounded somewhat displeased.
Joan opened her eyes at the loud and unfamiliar sounds. In her hazy state, she tried to figure out if she had escaped successfully.
“Where am I?” she croaked weakly.
“Don't worry. You're at the hospital,” a woman comforted her while she stroked Joan's hair.
What a poor woman!
Meanwhile, Gabriella was enjoying her coffee on the sofa in her living room. She flipped through a magazine with her right hand.
Suddenly, the cup slipped from her grasp.
Damn it! What's wrong with me today? I almost fell down when I got off the bed, and then I choked at lunch. I can't even enjoy a cup of coffee in peace.
Ring! Ring!
She immediately answered her phone when she saw the caller ID.
“What did you say? She ran away? What did I hire you for, then? Go find her! You better find that damn woman even if you need to dig her out from her grave!”
It was the fourteenth of September. Dustin was waiting patiently at Joan's bedside. “Joan, wake up.”
“Larry,” she mumbled in her sleep.
Dustin's gaze dimmed at her words.
“Mom, why won't you wake up?” Lucius shook Joan's elbows gently.
Still, there was no reaction from her.
“Dr. Silverman, that was so careless of you. How could you let her jump from such a height? Do you know how dangerous that is?” one of the nurses chided.
Luckily some of the staff in this hospital knew Dustin or he would still be looking in circles for Joan.
“How is she? Anything serious?” he asked urgently.
“She suffered a lot of injuries. It'll take time to heal,” the nurse answered.
Dustin tightened his grip on Joan's hands. His heart ached at her condition.
Suddenly, Lucius left the ward and headed for the reception. Dustin didn't realize that Lucius had left the room. All his attention was on Joan.