?<strong>Chapter 279:</strong>


    “I invited Jackie here,” Shawn said.


    Joelle quickly understood why. Shawn might still harbor uncertainties regarding Gina. Within their social group, the driver, despite his unremarkable status, held the most knowledge. Typically, elderly drivers were provided for by their employers, ensuring afortable retirement. Yet, they possessed many secrets unknown to the average person. Shawn was eager to gather more information from Jackie.


    “Let Jackiee over and visit the kids,” Joelle said, unable to deny the request.


    Therefore, on the afternoon of the following day, Joelle drove to the airport to fetch Jackie. Jackie came from the south. He wasn’t particrly tall, but he was always meticulous. Joelle greeted him with a wave. Holding his luggage, Jackie scanned the surroundings warily, leaving Joelle at a loss for words. She then escorted him home.


    Jackie had heard about Joelle’s two children and inquired about them. “I heard you have a son and a daughter?”


    “Yes,” Joelle answered, smiling. “The older one is a daughter, three years old, and the younger is a son, two years old.”


    “That’s wonderful! A son and a daughter, that’s perfect!” By chance, Joelle noticed a white minibus tailing them from the airport. Perhaps she was being overly cautious.


    “Jackie, my brother invited you here to discuss a matter, but he didn’t share the details with me. Do you know what it’s about? Could you enlighten me beforehand?”


    Jackie sighed and said, “Joelle, please wait until we meet your brother. I’ll share everything I know then.”


    “Alright.”


    But just as she finished speaking, a silver minibus suddenly charged towards them. Joelle couldn’t avoid the collision and hit the minibus. The impact left her dazed. Luckily, Joelle only suffered some bruises, but Jackie had passed out, his head bleeding.


    Then, an even more dreadful situation unfolded as several people disembarked from the minibuses parked ahead and behind. While Joelle was preupied with checking on Jackie, she didn’t notice someone opening her door. Suddenly, she felt a sharp blow to the back of her head. As her consciousness faded, Joelle saw Jackie being pulled from the car.


    “Jackie!” Joelle then lost consciousnesspletely.


    When Joelle regained consciousness, she found herself lying in a familiar yet strange bed. When Joelle opened her eyes, her surroundings were both unfamiliar and recognizable. She was in the bedroom of the house she and Adrian had shared after their wedding. She had chosen the chandelier that hung overhead.


    Sitting up quickly, she locked eyes with Adrian, who was seated beside the bed. His expression was nk, and he wore a pristine white shirt that outlined his muscr chest. “Why am I here?”


    Before Adrian could respond, Leah entered the room, visibly anxious. “Ms. Watson, I brought you here. I was out buying vegetables when I saw your ident. You really scared me! I didn’t know what to do, so I called Mr. Miller!”


    For the moment, Joelle believed Leah’s words. She reached up to feel her head, but Adrian caught her wrist. “Your wound’s all wrapped up. Best not to touch it.” Suddenly, memories flooded back to Joelle.


    “Jackie!” She threw off the covers. “I need to find Jackie! They’re targeting him!”


    Adrian had grown up alongside Joelle, so he was well aware that Jackie had once been the Watson family’s driver. He halted the frantic woman. “I’ve already informed Shawn. Shawn is out searching for Jackie. You’re injured as well. You should rest.”


    “I’m fine!” Joelle did her best to remainposed. “I must find him. They were targeting Jackie right from the start!”


    Adrian couldn’t persuade her to stay. “I’lle with you.” Together, they drove to the site of the ident.


    By the time they arrived, the area had been cleared. Some bystanders had seen the collision and even witnessed an elderly man, his face bloodied, being dragged away, but no one knew where he had been taken. Joelle questioned the neighboring shopkeepers one by one. Her face was partly covered by gauze, and she appeared anxious. The shopkeepers, moved by her distress, were honest with her, though they had no useful information to share.


    Adrian escorted Joelle back to the car. “Please, listen to me. Let’s go back and wait for Shawn’s update.”


    Joelle was restless. Feeling responsible for Jackie’s mishap during his stay with her, she was not only self-reproaching but also deeply concerned for him. Who would target such an elderly man, who hadn’t visited Illerith in many years?


    “Adrian, did you tell my brother? They’re after Jackie!” Adrian took out his phone and said to Joelle, “Tell me everything.”


    Joelle gathered her thoughts and exined, “A white minibus followed us from the airport. The silver minibus that hit us targeted the passenger side, so I only got minor injuries. They abducted Jackie and left me behind, which means they didn’t want to harm me. But why did they take him?”


    As she pieced together the details, Shawn’s call came through. “Jackie is dead.”


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