Ch. 1881..1890

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 1881-Something seemed to have alarmed Maxwell when he grabbed Sunny's hand and said, "Hurry! Take me back to that floor!"

Sunny looked at Maxwell with confusion. "Dad, what's going on? Do you know that little girl?"

Maxwell did not have time to explain. Instead, he just said, "Just get me up there now! We need to find out which ward that girl is in!"

Seeing Maxwell's urgency, Sunny did not press further. He stepped back into the elevator and pressed the button for the previous floor.

Once they arrived, Maxwell immediately walked out of the elevator. "Sunny, which way did you see the little girl go?"

Sunny pointed in a particular direction and replied, "That way."

Maxwell immediately strode toward that direction, checking each ward as he went.

Meanwhile, Emily was eating the supper Melinda brought her on her bed. For some reason, she had jolted awake in the middle of the night with her heart racing. She felt a strong sense of unease and an inexplicable worry for Corinne.

However, she hesitated to call Corinne as it was already midnight, yet her inner anxiety prevented her from returning to sleep. In fact, Corinne had visited her until late at night, but she could not help but think something bad had happened to her daughter.

Melinda was worried about Emily, so she ordered supper for her to divert her attention.

She was truly a good friend. There was no awkwardness between her and Emily due to Adam's arrest. They were open with each other, and their relationship was back to how it used to be.

"Emily, stop zoning out. Eat your food while it's still hot! Don't worry.

Corinne is a lucky one, and she'll be just fine! You can't let a nightmare make you so anxious. Plus, Corinne isn't alone right now. Jeremy is there with her.

Everything will be okay!"

Melinda's caring voice brought Emily back to reality. She forced a smile and nodded.

'Melinda’s right. It's just a nightmare, and Moonie will be fine. I shouldn’t overthink it. I'll just go to sleep after supper. I can give Moonie a call once it's daylight,' thought Emily.

Emily forced herself to calm down. After a few spoonfuls of stew, her chest tightened inexplicably again, making it hard to swallow. 1 Noticing Emily's discomfort, Melinda asked, "What's wrong? Emily, are you okay? Should I call the doctor?"

Emily set aside the bowl, placed her hand on her chest, and took a deep breath.

"It's okay, Melinda. It's too late to bother the doctor. I just… I just feel a bit uneasy, probably because of the nightmare earlier. I'm okay."

That did nothing to lessen Melinda's worry. 'Emily, you don't look well. Don't tough it out. We're in a hospital, and there are doctors on night duty. You won't be bothering them; it's their job. Wait for me, okay? I'll go get the doctor to check on you."

She thus got up to look for a doctor. Before that, she instructed Lilin, who happened to be awake, "Lilin, keep an eye on Miss Emily. I'm going to get the doctor for her."

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 1882-Lilin nodded in response.

As Melinda opened the door, she was taken aback to see Maxwell hesitating at the entrance.

"How did you…"

Melinda looked at Maxwell in shock before turning back to look at Emily.

Emily was still trying to steady her breath with her hand on her chest. She noticed that Melinda was not moving, yet she did not hear the door closing.

When she looked toward the entrance, her eyes widened in shock as well.

The man she had not seen in almost two decades stood at her door. Both of them shared a moment of mutual astonishment.

A minute later, Emily shifted her gaze away and said coldly, "Mel, close the door!"

Melinda snapped out of her surprise. She gave Maxwell a complicated glance and was about to close the door when Maxwell blocked it with his arm and said gruffly, "Let me see her."

He knew he was not welcome there, but he insisted on seeing Emily.

Melinda felt conflicted. She glanced back at Emily, who still had her face turned away, expressing her refusal. Melinda then shook her head at Maxwell.

"She doesn't want to see you. Leave."

Maxwell continued to block the door, unwilling to withdraw his hand. "I just want to see her…"

Melinda found herself in a dilemma as closing the door at this point would only trap Maxwell's arm. As she pondered her next move, Maxwell pushed the door open and walked in.

It was too late by the time Melinda tried to stop him. "Hey! Wait, you can't-"

However, Maxwell did not get close to Emily. He kept a distance of about two meters away from Emily's bed.

"Emily…you're still alive."

Emily refused to meet his eyes; she kept her gaze low. She then took a deep breath and retorted, "What's the matter? Are you disappointed that I'm still alive?"

Maxwell's eyes dimmed. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to explain himself. In the end, he decided against it and said, "I'm just glad you're still alive."

The disturbed Emily found it harder to breathe with the unwelcome presence.

"You should leave now."

After a moment of silence, Maxwell asked in a low, concerned tone, "Emily, why are you in the hospital? Are you sick?"

Emily, refusing to make eye contact, responded with an unusually emotional tone, "That's none of your business! Please leave my room immediately!"

Maxwell was about to say something, but Emily cut him off, "Out! Get out right now! Don't let me hear your voice again!"

Sensing Emily's heightened emotions, Melinda hurriedly approached Maxwell.

"Maxwell, Emily needs her rest. Please leave for now. We can discuss anything else later!"

Maxwell was upset, but he still turned away and exited the room dejectedly.

Melinda, too, left the ward after Maxwell. She needed to get the doctor to check on Emily. After all, Emily was not feeling well, and Maxwell's appearance agitated her even more. Melinda was genuinely worried about her.

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 1883-As Melinda stepped out, Maxwell approached and asked, "What happened to Emily? Is she sick?"

Melinda glared at Maxwell and replied sharply, "She's not sick. She's injured."

Startled, Maxwell asked worriedly, "Injured? How did she get hurt? Who did this to her?" "You did!" replied Melinda with a darkened expression.

Maxwell was stunned and ashamed to the point of speechlessness.

Melinda continued angrily, "You caused all this! Emily wouldn't have to entrust Corinne to the Carews if your family hadn't forced her to take desperate

measures. Corinne wouldn't have suffered so much from a young age, and Emily wouldn't have gone to confront Marvin, which led her to end up getting slashed by his crazy wife! You've already made things hard enough for Emily. If you have any conscience left, please stay away from her! You've seen it yourself how much she doesn't want to see you!"

Maxwell felt a sense of shame but also confusion. "I admit I’ve let her down, but why would she avoid me or entrust Corinne to someone else? I've been trying to find her…"

A ball of anger rose up Melinda’s chest when she heard that. "Maxwell, how can you even ask such a question at this point? If your family hadn't sent people everywhere to hunt down Emily and her daughter back then, do you think she'd willingly leave her child with someone else? Your family didn't believe in her innocence. Your parents thought she had ruined your family's reputation, and because of that, she can't even return to her own family. She feared bringing trouble to them, so she went into hiding with Corinne! And now, you're here acting innocent and asking me these questions!"

Maxwell was even confused. "Hunted her down? What do you mean?"

Melinda frowned contemptuously. 'Look at him, pretending to be blameless!

How could I ever believe he's truly remorseful? No wonder Emily hates him so much!' "Enough, I'm busy! Emily is waiting for me to call the doctor! If you have even a bit of conscience, stay away, and don't bother her!"

After saying this, Melinda walked past him to get to the nurses' station.

Maxwell stood still as his mind went over what Melinda said.

Sunny, who had been observing from a distance, approached him with a concerned look. Dad, are you okay?"

Maxwell snapped out of his thoughts, waved his hand, and said, "I'm fine.

Let's go home."

Sunny nodded, supporting his somewhat absent-minded father as they walked toward the elevator.

"Sunny, have some men watch over this ward. Make sure they're not alerted of this," said Maxwell sometime after.

Sunny paused for a moment, then nodded. He had heard and witnessed everything earlier. He already guessed the identity of the woman in the ward.

He was feeling a whole mixed bag of emotions due to the awkward position he found himself in-being the son of both Maxwell and Phoebe.

Regarding Phoebe and Anya… Well, it was best not to dwell on it.

After leaving the hospital and getting into the car, Maxwell remained absent - minded. No one knew what was going on in his mind.

Concerned about Maxwell, Sunny reached over and waved his hand in front of his eyes. "Dad, are you okay?"

Maxwell snapped back to reality and glanced at Sunny as if recalling something.

"Sunny, what time is it now?"

Sunny checked his wristwatch. "It's past four in the morning, almost dawn. Dad, you haven't slept much, so you should get some good sleep once you're home."

However, Maxwell said, "Sunny, I’m not going home. Take me to the summer villa."

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 1884-Sunny was shocked to hear Maxwell wanted to go to the summer villa. He frowned and asked, "Dad, are you planning to visit Mom?"

Maxwell nodded. "I need to ask her a few things." "Do you have to ask her in person, Dad? Your current health isn't suitable for a long and tiring journey…"

said Sunny resignedly.

"Take me there right away! If I don't get some answers, I won't be able to sleep even when I get home, so turn the car around!"

Sunny wanted to persuade Maxwell but ultimately decided against the idea. He signaled the driver to take them to the family's summer villa instead.

Phoebe had been living in the summer villa all these years, claiming it was her choice. In truth, however, she was sent to live there by Cedric, Beatrice, and Maxwell due to her wrongdoings. Sunny, who had been abroad for these years, had not visited Phoebe at all.

When he was in the hospital corridor and overheard Maxwell and Emily’s conversation, Sunny started having suspicions.

Clearly, Maxwell shared his suspicions, believing that Phoebe was responsible for the misunderstandings of the past.

Melinda brought the doctor to the ward for Emily's check-up. The doctor mentioned that Emily's irregular heart rate was likely due to emotional stress and reassured her that there was no significant issue. He advised her to rest well and avoid overthinking.

After the doctor left, Melinda expressed her concern to Emily. "See, Emily? The doctor says you're thinking too much. You can't keep going like this. Otherwise, your mental well-being will suffer, even if you recover from your injuries!"

Emily managed a weak, yet apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Melinda. I’ve made you worry again. You spent the night taking care of me, ordering supper, and even handling uninvited guests…"

Melinda sat down, took out her phone, and snapped a picture of Emily." Look at yourself now. You look worse when you're smiling than when you're crying."

'Melinda's right. I look horrible,' Emily mused as she observed her wry expression on Melinda's phone.

Melinda placed her hand on Emily's back. "Emily, I know seeing Maxwell must've been tough on you, but he's gone now. I told him everything he needed to hear, and he most likely won't bother you again."

Emily paused for a moment before asking, "What did you tell him?" "I told him that he's caused enough harm to you and Corinne. I told him that if he had any conscience left, he shouldn't disturb you again. But…"

Emily waited silently for Melinda to continue speaking while gazing at her with bright, shiny eyes.

"Maxwell didn't seem to know that you were hunted back then. When I accused him of it, he asked me what I was talking about with a blank look on his face.

Then again, I think he might be pretending."

Emily's disappointment in Maxwell deepened.

"Alright, Emily. At least we can be sure Maxwell won't bother you for the time being. Lie down and rest for a while, stop overthinking things," advised Melinda.

Emily nodded, even though she did not feel sleepy as her mind was still in turmoil. The notion of controlling one's thoughts was always easier said than done, or else there would not be so many mental health issues in the world.

Nonetheless, Emily still had to feign sleep so that Melinda would be able to rest peacefully. Thus, she laid down and closed her eyes.

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 1885-After tucking Emily in, Melinda walked over to the other bed where Lilin was lying. The little girl was already fast asleep, yet her furrowed brow hinted at a troubled dream.

Melinda gently smoothed out the wrinkles between Lilin's eyebrows, then lifted the covers and laid down beside her, quietly closing her eyes.

Despite her skill in counseling Emily, Melinda could not entirely suppress her own worries. She was concerned about Adam's well-being in prison.

'That grumpy guy has never been easy to handle. Will he still be throwing tantrums at the others there? Sigh…' Melinda thought to herself. The challenges

in life seemed to be universal.

Melinda was unable to find solace in sleep, so she gave up on it and sat up.

When she realized that it was already dawn, she decided to get up and grab some breakfast for Emily and Lilin.

Melinda slipped into her shoes and put on her coat before making her way to the door of the ward. As she opened it, she coincidentally bumped into Corinne, who was just about to knock.

Melinda was surprised to see her. "Corinne? What are you doing here so early?"

Corinne was not alone as she was cradling Joey in her arms. Joey could not fall back asleep after being startled by a nightmare, so Corinne decided to take a walk to shift his focus. Additionally, she wanted to check on Emily.

"Joey got a little hurt, so we're staying in the hospital. He couldn't sleep, and we thought we'd drop by to see my mom," Corinne explained.

Melinda looked at the marks on Joey's tiny face. She could not help but ask worriedly, "Poor boy. How did he get those marks on his face?"

Corinne did not want to worry Emily, so she opted for a partial truth. "He had a minor bump. Missus Addison, is my mom still asleep?"

Melinda glanced back at the bed where Emily lay asleep and raised a finger to her lips, signaling Corinne to keep quiet. "She just managed to fall asleep. Let her rest a bit more. I’m heading out to grab some breakfast at the hospital entrance. How about joining me? I can get something for you and the little one as well."

Corinne looked into the room, confirming that Emily was still asleep. After a moment's thought, she nodded and said, "Sure."

They closed the door to the room and entered the elevator together.

Corinne wrapped Joey in her coat as they stepped outside so that he would not feel cold.

"Missus Addison, you mentioned my mom had a hard time falling asleep. Do you know why that is? Has she been having trouble sleeping these past few days?" asked Corinne.

Melinda hesitated for a moment, glancing at Corinne before deciding to share a bit more. "Your mom had a nightmare that woke her up. Later, she saw someone she didn't want to see. It stirred up a lot of emotional turmoil and brought back some painful memories."

Corinne frowned. "Someone my mom didn't want to see? Who was it?"

Melinda sighed. "Who else could it be? It's your biological father, Maxwell Rivera. He somehow found where your mom is staying, came in, and spoke a few words to her-which were quite distressing for her."

Corinne frowned as she recalled that she had indeed seen Maxwell when she was coming to see Emily.

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 1886-'But how did he know where Mom's ward is?' wondered Corinne.

Even Corinne held strong hostility toward Maxwell, let alone Emily whom he hurt deeply.

"He dared to show up in front of my mom again? Missus Addison, don't worry.

This won't happen a second time,” reassured Corinne.

Once Joey was discharged and things settled down for Corinne, she would warn Maxwell not to disturb Emily anymore.

Melinda let out a sigh. "Corinne, do you really believe that your mom's heartache will magically disappear as long as your dad stays away from her?

Your mom has been wandering for so many years, and she's never been truly happy. One reason is the guilt she carries for losing you, believing that her failure to protect you led to your death. The other reason is the emotional scars from her past marriage. Yes, she hates Maxwell, but how can such deep hatred exist without a foundation of love? When your mom just escaped from the Riveras, she was barely thirty. With her looks and brain, she attracted admirers everywhere, but she never entertained any of them. Why do you think that is?"

Corinne pondered over Melinda's question before answering, "Because she was hurt so deeply that she doesn't believe in love anymore?"

Melinda nodded. "That's a part of it, but I think the main reason is that she's never truly forgotten Maxwell. No one can ever live up to him in her mind. That's why she won't entertain anyone's advances and shuts everyone out."

Corinne was taken aback. "Missus Addison, are you saying that my mom… still loves Maxwell?"

"That's what I think. Otherwise, she wouldn't have reacted so intensely when your dad showed up. Regardless of the events from all those years ago, almost two decades have passed. Most people would have found some peace by now.

But your mother seems stuck in those memories, unable to move on."

Ding!

The elevator doors opened, and Melinda walked out slowly.

Corinne followed Melinda thoughtfully. "Missus Addison, how do you think we can help my mom move on?"

Corinne's eyes darkened in understanding. But I feel like Maxwell isn't worth my mom wasting any more emotions on him."

Corinne frowned and thought, 'Missus Addison's right.'

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 1887-Corinne also knew that Maxwell did not really have feelings for Phoebe. After all, they slept in separate beds for years.

However, Maxwell still caused irreparable emotional damage to Emily. He betrayed Emily and doubted her innocence, causing her to flee and live a rootless life for many years.

Nevertheless, Melinda's words stirred something within Corinne. The value of a relationship was not determined by others; only the individuals involved could say whether it was worth it.

In her case, everyone thought she was stupid not to move on after her three - year wait for Jeremy, but she never wavered in her decision.

Melinda had already bought breakfast while Corinne was lost in deep contemplation.

"Corinne, they only serve sandwiches here. I got a couple for you and Joey. You guys should be okay with that, right?" asked Melinda.

Corinne snapped out of her thoughts and nodded. "Thank you, Missus Addison."

Melinda smiled. "No need to thank me. It's only sandwiches. Let's head back.

Emily should be waking up soon. Having breakfast together will surely improve her mood. Since she woke up from that nightmare, she's been talking about you a lot. It was late at night, and she didn't want to disturb your sleep by calling, so she held back."

Corinne smiled and sincerely said, "Thank you, Missus Addison. You really are an amazing friend to my mom. I can't imagine how tough it would've been for her all these years without your companionship and care."

Melinda approached Corinne with the sandwiches and gently patted her arm.

"Companionship is a two-way street. You see me taking care of Emily now, but you might not know how Emily was there for me, encouraging and supporting me during my toughest times. It's just something friends do for each other."

Corinne looked at Melinda with deep gratitude. Emily was lucky to have such a caring and supportive friend.

"Alright, let's go. I can tell your son is hungry. See, he's drooling over these sandwiches in my hands!" Melinda playfully teased Joey.

Indeed, Joey could not take his eyes off the sandwiches. The enticing aroma whetted his appetite; he really wanted to eat the sandwiches.

Joey did not expect to be caught staring at the sandwiches longingly. He shyly nestled against Corinne's shoulder, avoiding eye contact with everyone.

This elicited a hearty laugh from Melinda, and Corinne affectionately ruffled Joey's hair.

"Silly boy. Missus Addison got you a sandwich, too. We can eat it as soon as we go back to our ward," said Corinne, i Joey was so shy that he could not speak, and he snuggled even closer to Corinne. Thus, she did not force him to say his thanks.

Corinne was still thinking about Emily and Maxwell, and what Melinda had told her earlier.

"Missus Addison, do you really think there's a misunderstanding between my mom and Maxwells, there al orange or them to reconnect? Are you hoping I can help them clear up the misunderstandings and rebuild their relationship?"

"Corinne, I just want Emily to be okay, to be as happy as she used to ben when ! füst got to know her. It's been ages since I've seen her genuinely

happy! Of course, I can't say much.

You're her precious daughter, so shell accept whatever you do without hesitation. She'llalways listen to you ahd be comforted by you. I hope you can help Emily let go of the pain from the past. Whether she decides to give Maxwell another chance or not, I just want her to be genuinely happy," said Melinda.

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 1888-Corinne did not quite buy into Emily's claim of not wanting to know, so she continued, "Moonlight flowers are being grown In the Riveras' garden. It's exceptionally beautiful, rare, and notoriously challenging to grow."

Emily was taken aback. She looked at Corinne in shock. "What…?’’ "Maxwell told me it was his wife's favorite flower. He spends almost every day meticulously caring for those flowers. Oddly enough, he didn't seem to pay much attention to his current wife. They rarely spent time together. In fact, they slept in separate beds."

Emily was stunned by this unexpected information. She looked at Corinne with a mix of confusion and surprise. "Moonie, why are you telling me all this?"

Corinne pursed her lips. "Just sharing what I observed and heard at the Riveras' residence. Oh, and I also heard that Maxwell didn't want to marry his current wife. Their two children were conceived through medical means."

'What?! Conceived through medical means?’ thought Emily in shock.

Corinne shared no further information after that and went back to eating her sandwich. She did not want to speak favorably of the Riveras or her emotionally distant biological father. Everything she said was based on the facts she knew.

Corinne did not want to bring up the matter with Emily. However, Melinda's advice encouraged her to share in the hope that it might help Emily move on from the past and find peace in her later years.

After finishing breakfast and chatting about some unrelated matters, Corinne picked up Joey and went back to the pediatric ward since it was almost time for the nurse to do a checkup on the little boy.

Emily did not keep Corinne any longer after learning the situation.

'Maxwell planted Moonlights in the garden? That used to be my favorite flower, but.Jt's not suitable for the climate of this city. How could he make Moonlight flowers bloom in such a climate?’ wondered Emily.

Melinda smiled with relief after noticing the positive change in Emily’s mood.

'Thank goodness. Corinne is really clever and understanding.' When Corinne came out of Emily's ward with Joey in her arms, she saw someone she had not seen for a long time.

Tommy stepped forward and greeted her respectfully. "Ma'am, Mister Jeremy asked me to come here to look after you and Mister Joey."

Just like many years ago, Tommy was Jeremy's most trusted right-hand man. However, when Tommyland Jeremy disappeared together three years ago, Corinne thought he had been killed by Sophia's lackeys.

Thus, Corinne was both surprised and delighted to see him again.

"Mister Tommy, where have you been all these years?"

"Thanks to Mister Jeremy, I learned many advanced skills in the years.

working for him. Sophia's peoplen found me somewhat usefut, so they spared my life but kept me as a slave in a technology company in Molomia.

They forced me to work for them without pay and kept me under constant surveillance. Mister Jeremy just sent someone to rescue me."

Corinne patted his shoulder. "I'm so glad you're back! You're beenp m through'à rot too, it seems."

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 1889-Corinne nodded. ’I understand."

Corinne had a clearer idea of what to do. Despite having a finite lifespan, people often get stuck in a certain relationship, leading to sorrow and a lifetime of regrets. At the end of the day, no one could perfectly control their own emotions, and that included herself.

Emily was already awake when they returned to the ward. She got out of bed and covered Lilin with the blanket she kicked off. Then, she gently tucked the loose strands of hair behind the little girl's ear.

Emily could not help but think of her own daughter. 'Moonie should've grown up carefree and peacefully by my side, but because of my own judgment…she had to grow up being mistreated by everyone around her.' The thought depressed her yet again.

It was then she heard the door to the ward open. She turned her head and saw Corinne. Her eyes instantly brightened at the sight of her.

"Moonie, you're here!"

Corinne smiled at Emily, then gently placed Joey on the floor. "Joey, be a good boy and go eat your sandwich with Missus Addison, okay?"

Joey was indeed well-behaved. With Corinne around, there was nothing he feared.

After settling Joey, Corinne approached Emily. "Mom, why did you wake up so early? Missus Addison mentioned you didn't sleep well last night."

Emily feigned a nonchalant smile. "It's okay, I just had a bad dream. I'm not tired anymore."

Corinne decided not to press further for the time being. "Well, let's have breakfast, then. Missus Addison got us some sandwiches!"

Emily nodded. She was not hungry, but the chance to have breakfast with Corinne was something she cherished.

There was a small table in the ward where they gathered, except for Lilin who was still sound asleep.

Melinda looked after Joey to allow some time for Corinne to have a heart- toheart talk with Emily.

Initially, Corinne said nothing about the Riveras to Emily, only telling her to1 eat more', out of concern it might affect Emily's appetite. It was not until Emily nearly finished her sandwich that Corinne finally broached the topic.

"You know, Mom… I've been to Rivera's residence over the years."

Emily stiffened for a moment before looking at Corinne with a mix of surprise and unease.

Emily was not particularly hungry. She was about to put down her sandwich, but Corinne insisted she eat more. Little did she know that as they continued eating, Corinne would spring the topic of the Riveras on her.

Moonie…has been to the Riveras' residence?' thought Emily.

Corinne toyed with her sandwich wrapper absentmindedly as she continued, "'ve been there a rewn times follone thing or another. Back then, they didn't know I was Luna Rivera. Later, Lucas found out, and recently, Maxwell did, too."

Maxwell's name still caused a slight jolt in Emily's heart. She frowned and reached out to hold Corinne's hand. "They didn't do anything to you, did they?"

Corinne shook her head. "No. Lucas always wanted me to go back with him.

He's been kind to me. As for Maxwell, he also wants to take me back as his daughter, but I ignored him."

Emily sighed with relief upon confirming that the Riveras had not terrorized Corinne.

"That's good. Lucas has always cherished you. My only wish as an mother is for both okyou to be happy andiwell As for the others, you don't have to see them if you don't want to."

Corinne nodded, then said, "Mom, do you know what flowers are planted in the Riveras' garden?"

Emily was surprised as to why Corinne would ask her something like that. She blinked.in cohfusion and shook het head before saying glumly, "I don't know. I don't want to know anything about them."

The Day I Kissed An Older Chapter 1890-Tommy bowed. "Ma'am, you're too kind! Without Mister Jeremy, I wouldn't be where I am today. It's the least I can do!"

Corinne admired Tommy's abilities and character. She did not say more about the topic. Instead, she asked, "And where is he? Why isn't he here?"

"Mister Jeremy is on his way. He should be here in a little while."

Corinne smirked. "He's always like this. He said he'd go get us some food yesterday, but after he left, he never came back. Instead, he got his subordinates to deliver it."

Tommy chuckled. "Ma'am, you've misunderstood. Mister Jeremy didn't want you to worry, so he didn't tell you the whole story. Yesterday, our people caught Anya. He was concerned she might deny being the mastermind behind Mister Joey's kidnapping, so he personally supervised the police interrogation and confronted her. Mister Jeremy also took care of Sophia. She and Anya won't be causing any trouble for us soon."

'Anya's been caught, huh? Good. I'll never have to worry about her coming for Joey again!' thought Corinne.

Through the incident, Corinne could almost confirm that Anya was the one spreading rumors at Joey's kindergarten.

'This vile woman is truly twisted for not even sparing the child she once adopted!'thought Corinne.

As she walked back to the ward with Joey in her arms, Corinne muttered," This is all Jeremy's fault for being so fatally handsome. Just look at this mess he's brought upon us! You better not follow in his footsteps!"

'Fatally handsome? Ma'am is as direct and sharp-tongued as ever,' thought Tommy, who nearly burst into laughter at Corinne's remark.

Not long after returning to the ward, a nurse came in to check on Joey. She changed the dressing on his wounds and drew some blood for testing.

Before leaving, she told them to wait for the result. If everything checked out fine, Joey would be able to leave the hospital.

While waiting for the result, the door suddenly creaked open. Corinne glanced outside, thinking the nurse had come back with Joey's test result. However, it was actually Jeremy who came in.

Corinne's eyes dimmed. She then pouted and returned to her seat.

Jeremy raised an eyebrow when he noticed her reaction. "What's this? Are you disappointed to see me?"

"I thought it was the nurse bringing Joey's test results."

"Daddy!" cried Joey happily with open arms when he saw Jeremy.

Jeremy walked over and held Joey in his arms. "Have you been a good boy?

Did you listen to Mommy when Daddy wasn't around?"

"Yes, Daddy. But don't go away for so long next time, or Mommy will miss you…"

Corinne blushed when Joey unwittingly revealed her feelings. Her gaze betrayed her restlessness.

"Ahem!"

On the other hand, Jeremy's eyes sparkled with joy.

"Oh? Is that so? How much does Mommy miss me?" he asked while looking at Corinne.

"She misses you a lot! She keeps checking the time and keeps asking why you haven't returned," answered Joey.

Corinne could not bear Joey inadvertently revealing too much, so she got up and snatched Joey from Jeremy's arms. "Nonsense! When did I miss him? Joey, you're not being a good boy right now."

Joey was a little confused as he did not know what he had done wrong.

He just wanted to express the love between Corinne and Jeremy.

Jeremy was amused by Corinne's shy and annoyed demeanor. He patted her head an said coaxingly, "Wow, you're really angry at me, aren't you? Okay, okay. It's my fault for coming late."