?<strong>Chapter 260:</strong>


    The next day, Joelle asked Katherine to look after Aurora and Rnd. She returned home to find Rafael had spent the night in the study, surrounded by cigarette butts and empty bottles. When she entered the room, Rafael was just waking up, looking confused. He blinked, wondering if he was dreaming when he saw Joelle.


    “Rafael?”


    “Joelle!”


    Rafael patted his head, determined to clear his mind and recognize that it was really Joelle. Seeing that it truly was her, he wrapped her in a tight embrace.


    “Joelle, you’re here. You’vee back. You’re not leaving me, are you? You’ve forgiven me, haven’t you?”


    The look in Rafael’s eyes stirred both affection and frustration in Joelle. “Why did you let yourself drink so much?” she asked.


    Rafael clung to her, unwilling to let go. “I’ve asked Liza to have an abortion. We’ll be back soon. I know I’ve hurt you. Joelle, please let me make it up to you, okay?”


    “Okay.” Joelle fought back tears and helped him up from the sofa. “Go back to the bedroom and get some proper rest.”


    Joelle held back from scolding him. Did this mean she had forgiven him? Yet Rafael felt this wasn’t enough. His guilt gnawed at him, so he drew Joelle close once more. “Can we go back to how things were?”


    Joelle wasn’t entirely sure, but she knew they had to do their best to handle this crisis. Her silence left Rafael anxious once again.


    “You still me me, don’t you? It’s all my fault. I’ve been stupid.”


    Joelle exploded in anger. She hit Rafael on the chest repeatedly, shouting, “Yes, it’s all your fault! Once could be overlooked, but this happened repeatedly! Aren’t you a doctor? What kind of doctor are you? You’re a foolish doctor! Rafael, is there anyone more foolish than you in the world?”


    Tears streamed down her face as she hit him. Rafael, looking at her with pity, grabbed her fist and directed it towards his face. “Go on, hit me. I deserve it.”


    “Don’t act so pitiful. I really want to hit you,” Joelle said through her tears.


    “I won’t move away from your hits.”


    Seeing his weary face, Joelle found herself unable to go on. “No, I won’t do it. I’ll make you live with your guilt.”


    “Okay.” Rafael, relieved by Joelle’s response, pulled her into his embrace. “As long as you don’t leave me, it’s alright. Joelle, you’re all I have.”


    “Go take a shower! You smell so bad!”


    Their tears gave way to tentative smiles. Joelle then ushered Rafael towards the bathroom, leaving her to tidy the study by herself. Rafael hardly ever drank or smoked, so his excessst night was a clear sign of his regret.


    Joelle consoled herself while cleaning, thinking that every family has its burdens to bear. She sighed, hopeful for better days ahead. But as she carried the trash downstairs, the door burst open.


    Belle stormed in, pointing usingly at Joelle. “What right do you have to ask Liza to abort Rafael’s child?” When Joelle saw Belle with Liza crying behind her, she quickly understood what was going on.


    Joelle stood her ground, unable to tolerate her mother-inw any longer. Belle had continuously disrupted her and Rafael’s life. Despite being an elder, she no longer warranted Joelle’s respect.


    “Belle, do you truly wish for a child that should not exist to be born?”


    “Who says this child shouldn’t exist!” Belle retorted with hands on her hips. “Joelle, let me make this clear today! Liza is not rted to Rafael by blood. Now that they have a child, you should divorce Rafael and take your two children away!”


    Joelle couldn’t help butugh in disbelief at such an outrageous demand. “Divorce? And then what? Have your son marry your daughter? Even if they are not blood-rted, Rafael has always seen Liza as his sister. Even if you drive me away, they won’t marry each other.”


    “It’s none of your concern!” Belle drew Liza to her side. “I will have only one daughter-inw, and that’s Liza. Now that she is carrying Rafael’s child, I will pick a good day to officially make her my daughter-inw.”


    Joelle was seething with anger. Belle must have lost her senses. The idea of forcing two people, who had been siblings for over twenty years, into marriage and parenthood was absurd.


    Fresh from the shower, Rafael stepped out of the bedroom and scowled upon seeing Belle and Liza. “Mom, I will never marry her.”


    “Rafael,” Belle said angrily, “Liza is pregnant with your child now!”


    Rafael retorted, “I already have two kids.”


    “Nonsense!” Belle stepped forward. “What do those two children mean to you? You would rather raise someone else’s children than your own?”


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