?<strong>Chapter 364:</strong>


    “Adrian!”


    “Joelle.” Adrian’s voice came through breathlessly, signaling his urgency. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get back to you sooner.” Joelle skipped any reproaches. “What’s the situation on your end?”


    “Michael and I have just finished our meeting with the seller. We’ve secured the heart and are now on our way back.”


    “That’s wonderful! Please be cautious!”


    Adrian was seated in the car, while Michael navigated at a dangerously high speed. They were being chased by several cars. Already, one of their headlights had been shattered during the journey. The mountain roads they traveled were treacherous and curvy, demanding both speed and careful driving. “Joelle, I need to hang up now.”


    Joelle sensed that things were still precarious. Having just concluded their deal with the seller put them at a heightened risk of attack. “Adrian, take care! Make it back safely!”


    She realized the call had disconnected when she received no reply. Her initial wave of relief quickly gave way to a resurgence of worry. Joelle sped her hands against her chest, praying intensely for Adrian and Michael’s safety.


    Leah appeared, leaning against the wall and clearing her throat. “Ms. Watson, you’ve arrived.”


    Joelle examined Leah’s right foot, which was encased in a cast and causing her limp. She assisted Leah back to her room. “You really ought to take better care of yourself at your age.”


    Leah smiled. “Thanks for your concern. I’m never quite at ease with Mr. Miller away.” Tears welled up in her eyes as she gently massaged her other leg. “Even though I’m just the housekeeper, I’ve watched him grow up. I’ve prepared more meals for him than for my own son.” Joelle empathized with her feelings. In affluent families, personal bonds often feel distant, with many developing closer rtionships with their housekeepers.


    Years ago, Lacey had even arranged for their old housekeeper to retirefortably. For Joelle and Adrian, Leah and the former housekeeper had long be part of their family. “Leah, don’t worry. I just spoke with Adrian. They’ve acquired the heart and are heading home.”


    Leah, moved, sped Joelle’s hand. “Really?”


    “Yes.” Joelle gently squeezed her hand. “You rest now. I’ll prepare something for you to eat.”


    “How could I possibly trouble you?” Leah was eager to rise from her bed.


    “How is it a trouble?” Joelle pressed her back down. “I’m no longer Mrs. Miller, and our rtionship isn’t just employer and employee now.”


    “No! That’s not right!”


    “Just think of it as a token of gratitude for all your past care. It’s merely a simple meal, nothing else. If you keep being so formal, I might not visit again.”


    At this point in the conversation, Leah feltpelled to ept Joelle’s kindness. She expressed her appreciation. “Ms. Watson, then I’ll gratefully ept.”


    “Alright.” Joelle made sure she wasfortable and left the room.


    The kitchen was fully equipped. Joelle quickly decided to whip up a few easy dishes. She had been bustling about the kitchen for half an hour when she suddenly heard noises outside. Peering out, she noticed police cars and an ambnce outside the house across the street, with neighbors gathered around.


    Before Joelle could understand what was happening, she saw Raelyn being carried out on a stretcher by emergency responders. Dropping the spat, Joelle hurried outside.


    “Excuse me, please let me through!” She made her way to the front of the crowd, taken aback by the chaotic scene. Raelyn was being loaded into the ambnce as police interviewed several onlookers.


    “I was just walking by and saw a woman rush out with a knife covered in blood!” Joelle listened as the crowd around her spected.


    “What happened in that house?”


    “You’re unaware? The woman taken by ambnce reportedly upset someone. They say she was stabbed thrice inside her own home. Had the police not arrived swiftly, she might not have made it!”


    “What? Did that really happen?”


    Joelle intended to visit Raelyn, but the ambnce doors were already shut. A chilly breeze swept through as the police ushered onlookers behind the caution tape. Joelle was troubled, feeling a sense of foreboding that had started to grow earlier.


    A police officer approached, donned in white gloves and carrying an object, though Joelle initially didn’t focus on it. “Captain, this item was found in the victim’s grasp. It could be linked to the assant.”


    The police captain examined it—a sapphire earring. Remembering the food left cooking, Joelle was ready to head home. Just then, Aurora’s voice pierced through the crowd. “Dunn, that looks like my mom’s!”


    Joelle halted,pelled to look back, without a moment to ponder why Aurora was there. Her immediate reaction was to scrutinize the sapphire earring held by the officer. That very morning, she had worn those earrings while meeting with Eliza. It was only well after Eliza departed that she realized one was missing, having presumed it was misced identally.


    “Little one, you’re saying this is your mom’s?”


    “Yes.” Aurora’s eyes widened as she scanned the crowd. “My mom is over there. Mom, look, doesn’t this earring look like the one you wear?”


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