?<strong>Chapter 311:</strong>


    Thisment struck Joelle so sharply that she became noticeably unsettled, her fingers tensing slightly. Clearly, there was chemistry between her and Adrian, as she had harbored secret feelings for him over the past eight years. Once she became an adult, her affection for Adrian had evolved beyond mere sibling-like bonds. The sight of him with other women filled her with jealousy, envy, and even drove her to madness. Her feelings had intensified over time, but now, they had fizzled out into nothing.


    Joelle managed a smile. “Do you actually take Leo’s words seriously? How could there be any feelings between us? Did you ever truly care for me even for a moment during our marriage?” Adrian was once again overwhelmed with guilt. “That’s all in the past now.”


    “What does it matter if it’s in the past? You were fully aware of your actions. However, I must thank you,” Joelle said, her smile radiant. “Without you, I wouldn’t have be the mother of two wonderful children. They are my greatest priority now.” Adrian paused, then added, “The children still need a stable home to grow up in.”


    “In their eyes, Rafael will forever be their father. Despite his absence, I’ll never allow anyone to rece him.” Joelle didn’t make these remarks to provoke Adrian. She simply wanted to convey that no one surpassed Rafael in being a father.


    The room fell silent for a moment, the tension evident. Suddenly, the bathroom door swung open. Aurora, reaching up on her toes for the doorknob, entered with sparkling wide eyes. Following her, Rnd clumsily fell to the floor. The children, like little angels descending from above, eased the tension.


    “Are you guys fighting?” Adrian and Joelle responded simultaneously, “No.” Aurora, clever for her age, nced back and forth between them, perceiving tension. “Our kindergarten teacher says when you argue with someone, you must make up and apologize to stay good friends!” Then, Aurora grasped Adrian’s hand with one hand and Joelle’s with the other. “Holding hands means making up. You two are still good friends!”


    As their hands met, Joelle restrained herself from pulling away to spare Aurora’s feelings, and Adrian did the same, intertwining his fingers with hers. Joelle’s difort grew. “Come on, make up now!” Aurora urged, looking up at the two uneasy adults with a broad smile. “‘Why aren’t you making up yet? Oh, right, the teacher mentioned you have to hug to really make up. Come on, you two should hug!”


    Just as Joelle was about to pretend to be angry to divert from this ufortable subject, Adrian pulled her into a tight embrace. Hisrge hand pressed firmly against her back. “The greatest gift I’ve ever received is you bringing Aurora into our lives.” Joelle was rendered speechless, her body frozen in his hold. Adrian’s words struck a deep chord, one she knew she’d always remember.


    Adrian spent some more time ying with Aurora, then left shortly before dinner. At the dinner table, Aurora kicked her legs joyfully. Joelle observed how quickly her daughter had connected with Adrian, marking him as her first immediate bond. “Aurora, do you like Mr. Miller?”


    “Yes, I do! He seems a bit cold, but I really like him!” Joelle could only muster a wistful smile, at a loss for words. Perhaps this was for the better. After Rafael’s abrupt departure, both Aurora and Rnd had been depressed for a while. If Adrian could help fill that gap, it might be good for their emotional well-being.


    While the world of adults was oftenplicated, filled with silent feelings and drama, Joelle hoped to give her children a pure and joyful childhood. The following day at noon, Joelle was cleaning her violin when her assistant burst in. “Joelle, why didn’t you inform us about thetest news? That’s not cool!” “Whattest news?”


    The assistant arrived with a lunch box, dessert, and coffee in hand. “Your boyfriend brought lunch for the entire studio. He’s not only good-looking but also generous! I’m so jealous!” Realizing what might be happening, Joelle set down her violin and went to verify. She assumed the guy mentioned by her assistant was Adrian, but to her surprise, it was Jonathan, who was casually adjusting the nts on her desk, seated in her office chair. Leo, ever expressionless, stood by his side.


    “What are you doing here?” she asked. Jonathan looked around casually. Joelle’s office was enclosed by ss rather than walls. Many eyes were already fixed on him curiously. “Do you enjoy being the center of attention?” he asked.


    Without a word, Joelle drew all the blinds down, then confronted Jonathan with her hands nted firmly on the desk. “Have you seen enough? What do you really want?” Jonathan remained silent, simply raising his hand. Leo promptly ced a tablet in it. Without so much as a nce, Jonathan handed the tablet to Joelle. “I heard Adrian wasn’t kind to you.”


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