?<strong>Chapter 293:</strong>


    Leo opened the back door, allowing Jonathan to stoop low and climb inside.


    “Jonathan, where are we headed now?”


    Jonathan had reserved that afternoon for a visit to Gina. He initially intended to stay for dinner, yet he inexplicably decided against it.


    “Let’s just drive around.”


    “Alright.”


    As they drove through the city, Leo quickly picked up on Jonathan’s growing discontent.


    “Are you thinking about Gina?”


    Pulling his attention away from the window, Jonathan responded tersely, “Have someone keep an eye on her. Make sure she’s safe if anything arises.”


    “Understood.”


    A look of concern crossed Leo’s face, hinting he had more to discuss. Reading him well, Jonathan urged, “Go ahead; say what you need to say.”


    “Sorry, Jonathan. I know it’s not my ce, but I think Gina is bing too dangerous. Her actions are spiraling out of control. With the police on her trail, if you continue to shield her, trouble is bound to happen soon.”


    Jonathan acknowledged Leo’s concern with understanding. He ced aforting hand on Leo’s shoulder. “You know, she once saved my life when I was young. I gave her this ring as a token back then. Without her intervention, I wouldn’t be here today.”


    Mentioning the ring only deepened Leo’s resentment towards Gina.


    “That ring is an heirloom from your family, yet she tried to sell it.” Jonathan chuckled. “She was desperate then. Besides, if she hadn’t tried to sell it, I wouldn’t have been able to find her so easily.”


    Two years ago, Gina had been deceived and stripped of her savings. Being highly educated, she struggled with the humiliation. The debt collectors were relentless, constantly calling her and giving her no space to even catch her breath, much less think about ending her life.


    Out of desperation, she was forced to sell her belongings, and that was when the emerald ring appeared. At that time, Jonathan was overseas. Upon learning of the ring’s sale, he tracked it back to Gina and reconnected with her, addressing their shared past.


    Back then, he had been caught in an ambush and was nearly dead. It was Gina who took him to the hospital. To show his gratitude for saving his life, Jonathan gave her his ring. However, due to the unstable circumstances, his family moved him back home for safety. He had not seen Gina since then.


    “But—”


    “Enough!” Jonathan interrupted Leo. “I owe her my life. I’ll support her in whatever she does. I won’t tolerate anyone who mistreats her.” With Jonathan’s firm deration, Leo had no choice but to remain silent.


    Katie conveyed Gina’s scheme to Adrian. Adrian wasted no time in strategizing with Shawn.


    “Adrian, I don’t want to sound overly cautious, but can we really rely on what Katie tells us?”


    “We can believe half of it.”


    “What if something serious does ur?” Shawn questioned.


    Without wavering, Adrian responded, “I’ll be close to Joelle and ensure nothing harms her. I’ll protect her at all costs, even at the risk of my own life.”


    Shawn was momentarily speechless, holding his phone.


    “Then, I must express my gratitude. If we manage to apprehend Gina this time, I’ll forgive past grievances, and we can remain friends.”


    Adrian, typically a man of few words, simply answered, “Okay.”


    After ending the call, Shawn faced Joelle, sitting across from him.


    “You caught all that, didn’t you?”


    Joelle had been noticeably tense since Adrian’s deration. What did he mean by that? His statement deeply affected her.


    “Does that touch you?” Shawn teased.


    Joelle responded decisively, “No.”


    Shawn clicked his tongue and sighed. “We really owe him this time.” Joelle agreed with the sentiment. Lately, she found herself reconnecting with Adrian, unsure whether to see it as positive or not.


    “Never mind,” Shawn said casually. “The important thing is to capture Gina!”


    “Yes.”


    “Mom, look what I found!” Aurora, followed by Rnd, burst in, clutching a ring in her hand. “Mom, look, it’s a ring.”


    Shawn raised an eyebrow. “Oh, let’s see it!”


    Aurora eagerly showed it to Shawn, leaning against his leg and daydreaming. “When I grow up, I’ll use this ring to get married!”


    Shawn inspected the ring closely in the light. “Isn’t this just a regr ring? From what I can see, it’s second-hand and probably worth no more than two hundred dors.”


    “How much is two hundred dors?”


    “That’s a lot. Enough to buy you loads of candy!”


    “Wow!”


    Shawn flipped the ring in his hand. “Where did you find it?”


    Aurora pointed and said, “In the basement! It’s mine!” In the basement, everything had been moved from their old home. They were items of no use but still preserved. A realization dawned on Joelle, and she suddenly recalled where the ring came from. “This is mine!”


    “No, it’s mine!” Aurora insisted.


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