?<strong>Chapter 220:</strong>


    Joelle arched an eyebrow in surprise. “Is yourpany in some kind of trouble?”


    Katherine waved a hand. “Let’s not dive into that mess. I’m already working on untangling it.”


    Joelle knew Katherine well enough to recognize that if a solution were truly in sight, Katherine would have kept quiet. The fact that she was even venting about it suggested the storm was fiercer than she let on.


    “Maybe I could ask my brother to lend you a hand?” Joelle offered.


    Katherine chuckled. “Your brother? He can barely keep his own ducks in a row. What could he possibly do for me?”


    “Actually…” Joelle hesitated. She knew Shawn was managing a substantial business empire overseas, with assets that could probably fund a small nation. Though she never got the full picture, Shawn had once assured her that their family wouldn’t need to worry about money for three lifetimes.


    But there was a catch—Shawn had sworn Joelle to secrecy, making her promise never to reveal this, not even to Katherine.


    “My brother could probably help you out,” Joelle finally said.


    Katherine shook her head. “No, thanks. I’ll ask Bobby. Besides, I’m worried your brother might still harbor feelings for me. Things could get awkward, and I don’t have the energy to deal with that.”


    After Katherine left, Joelle’s unease gnawed at her. She picked up the phone and called Shawn.


    Shawn listened in silence before speaking. “If she doesn’t want my help, I’m not going to force it. She mentioned Bobby, right?”


    “Don’t you still care about Kathy?”


    The line crackled with sudden intensity. “Who said I was into her?”


    “Then why did you pay so much attention to her before?”


    “That was because…” Shawn calmed down and covered his forehead. “I thought she was the one who was pregnant. I never really had feelings for her.”


    “Really?”


    A little sheepishly, Shawn admitted, “Yeah.”


    “Alright, let Kathy figure it out on her own then.” Joelle had briefly entertained the idea of matchmaking them, but it seemed the threads of fate were tangled in ways she hadn’t anticipated.


    Shawn called his assistant. “I want you to find out what’s going on with Katherine’spany.”


    The assistant’s eyes widened in surprise. “Mr. Watson, are you finally nning to reveal everything to her?” Such a revtion would surely shake the ground beneath their feet.


    “No,” Shawn replied with measured calm. “Adrian has some projects for me. I want you to pass those on to Katherine, but make sure she doesn’t know it’s from me. Find a way to help her quietly.”


    “Understood, Mr. Watson.”


    Later, Rafael and his family entered Joelle’s hospital room. Joelle instinctively tried to sit up, but Belle was quick to stop her.


    “Sweetheart, you need to rest,” Belle chided gently. “Rafael already told me everything. It’s his fault for sneaking out to drinkte at night and stressing you out.” As Belle spoke, she yfully jabbed Rafael.


    Joelle greeted Belle with a warm smile before turning her attention to Rafael’s sister, Liza Romero. “Liza, it’s been ages!”


    Liza returned the smile. “Joelle, it has been too long.” Belle looked at Joelle with concern. “I was nning to have you and your brother over for dinner. But it looks like we’ll have to push that back. Joelle, let’s discuss the wedding ns after you’ve fully recovered.”


    Joelle nodded. “I’m sorry for causing you worry.”


    “As long as you’re alright, that’s all that matters.” They sat and chatted until the sun dipped lower in the sky. Liza eventually nced at her watch. “It’s gettingte, Mom. We shouldn’t keep Joelle any longer.”


    “You’re right,” Belle agreed. “Joelle, we’ll head out now. Take good care of yourself.”


    “Bye,” Joelle replied.


    As they prepared to leave, Liza couldn’t resist teasing Rafael, “Aren’t you going to see us out?”


    Catching the hint, Joelle spoke up. “Rafael, why don’t you walk them out?”


    Rafaelplied, following them to the door. Belle linked arms with Liza, a contented smile ying on her lips. “Now that things between you and Joelle are sorted, your father and I can finally sleep easy. And with two beautiful children, a boy and a girl, it’s like a dreame true.”


    Liza nced at Rafael. “Rafael, are you marrying Joelle just because of the children?”


    “No.” Rafael’s expression turned somber. “I’ve had feelings for Joelle for many years.”


    Belle’s eyes widened in surprise; this was news to her.


    “Really?”


    “Yes,” Rafael confirmed.


    “I always thought you had no interest in romance, keeping your feelings locked away so tightly! Now I understand why you’ve stayed away from home these past three years!”


    Liza’s smile faltered, her gaze lingering on Rafael. On the third day of Joelle’s stay in the hospital, Gina said she wanted to see the children.


    “Gina, the children are with my brother right now. I was in a car ident recently and I’m still recovering in the hospital.”


    “What?” Gina’s tone shifted to one of rm. “Joelle, are you alright? I’ming over right now!”


    “Gina, it’s really okay.”


    But Gina’s worry couldn’t be soothed, and she arrived at the hospital within twenty minutes.


    “Joelle, you’ve got to be more careful! Just hearing about a car ident gives me the chills. You know, your mother passed away in a car ident.”


    Joelle’s eyes dimmed with sorrow, and Gina quickly closed her mouth.


    .


    .


    .