?<strong>Chapter 277:</strong>


    Joelle was gearing up for her next performance. At the peak of her career, she had been a well-known figure in the violinmunity, earning admiration far and wide. Six years had passed; her passion for returning to the stage had only intensified. After healing from a hand injury, she treasured every chance to perform, dedicating herself fully to her craft.


    “Joelle, you’re aware that the sponsors have invested a significant amount in this show, right?”


    Joelle had just gotten out of the car, quickly putting on her earrings as she hurried along. “I know. Is everything ready?”


    “Everything’s prepared! Tonight’s dinner is to show our appreciation to our major sponsors!”


    In her profession, maintaining rtionships was essential. Joelle could manage the expense of such a dinner, and it could open many doors for her. Right before entering the private room, she had her assistant adjust her look. She wore a crisp white suit, her hair neatly tied back in a ponytail, and opted for rose gold jewelry. Her choice of attire was deliberate—this dinner was all business.


    As she opened the door, the vibrant atmosphere inside brightened further.


    “Oh, Joelle!”


    “Hi, Rex.”


    Joelle first greeted Rex Ellis, then made her way around the table to greet everyone else. Upon entering, she quickly surveyed the room. It was predominantly men, which made her d she had brought an assistant who could handle his liquor.


    “Joelle, I’ve been a long-time friend of your brother’s. When I heard about your concert, I immediately got my wholepany involved in supporting it!”


    “Thank you, Rex,” Joelle replied, raising her ss.


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    Rex teased, “Is that all you’re drinking? Doesn’t seem very heartfelt, does it?”


    “Please understand, Rex. I’ve been under the weather recently. A small drink to set the mood is all I can manage, but your support hasn’t been forgotten!” Joelle downed her ss in one swift motion.


    While Rex seemed to think Joelle wasn’t drinking enough, she had actually been sharing drinks with many guests since her arrival. Although she had an assistant capable of drinking on her behalf, there were some toasts she needed to handle personally. Yet Rex remained unimpressed. He set his ss down and leaned back, visibly upset.


    “Joelle, this doesn’t satisfy me. We’ve all put in a lot of effort to support you—spending money, arranging venues, and even gathering audiences for free. And now you’re holding back on the toasts with us?”


    Joelle’s assistant, always ready to assist, quickly stepped up with a smile.


    “Mr. Ellis, Joelle really doesn’t handle alcohol well. That’s exactly why she brought me along—to drink in her stead and keep youpany.”


    Rex covered his ss with his hand. “This is a drink she should be taking.”


    The room fell silent. Joelle had hoped that, as Shawn’s sister, these men would temper their expectations out of respect for him. But she had been overly optimistic.


    Rex had countless ways of coercing her to drink, and avoiding it wasn’t feasible. Joelle thought about her uing performance and Shawn. Why could others cope, but not her? She was capable of handling anything.


    “Alright then.” Joelle smiled and filled her ss to the brim. “You’re right. I owe you this drink.”


    She was prepared to ept Rex’s challenge. But what about the rest? Joelle couldn’t keep track of how many drinks she’d consumed. All she recalled was her assistant helping her out of the room. Once outside, she headed straight for the restroom.


    Her assistant waited outside for 20 minutes, but when she didn’te out, he felt helpless—he couldn’t just enter the women’s restroom, so he began to pace and call for assistance. Suddenly, amanding figure appeared before him. The man was dressed sharply in a ck suit with a dark shirt underneath, the top button undone to add a rugged allure. His appearance was notably handsome, the sort that even another man would acknowledge with respect.


    And if one manplimented another on his looks, it meant he was truly striking. Before the assistant could react, Adrian had already entered the women’s restroom without hesitation. When he emerged, he was carrying Joelle in his arms.


    “Joelle!” The assistant quickly stepped in front of Adrian.


    “Thank you so much!”


    “Move.”


    The assistant stood his ground. “She’s my boss. I need to take her home.”


    Adrian looked at him briefly. “Have you been drinking?” The assistant, worried Adrian might take Joelle away, wanted to deny it, but the scent of alcohol was noticeable.


    “I can call a driver. Thank you for helping, but I’ll take her from here.”


    The assistant eyed Adrian warily, but Adrian was even more cautious of him.


    “Move.” His tone was colder than before.


    The assistant became more urgent. “Man, you can’t just take someone away like this. If you don’t stop, I’m calling the police.” Adrian clearly didn’t n to hand Joelle over to just anyone. He trusted himself far more than others.


    “Go ahead.”


    “I mean it! I’ll call!” The assistant took out his phone.


    Adrian walked past him, his demeanor undisturbed. The assistant, rattled, followed closely; he was hesitant to make any sudden moves, aware that Adrian, with his well-built physique, was likely skilled in handling himself physically.


    “Who are you? You seem really familiar.”


    The assistant then recalled that Adrian had once been at Joelle’s studio, though he couldn’t quite ce him.


    Adrian’s expression was unyielding, his presencemanding. “I’m her ex-husband, the father of her daughter, and a friend of her brother’s. Any more questions?”


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