?<strong>Chapter 579:</strong>


    “What do you mean?” Leah asked in confusion, as she ced a ss of freshly squeezed orange juice in front of Joelle. Joelle’s cheeks flushed a shade of pink. It was a secret between them.


    “It’s nothing, really.”


    After finishing her meal, Joelle was about to head out when Adrian called her. He had just arrived at his destination and was briefing Joelle on his ns.


    “Thank you,” Joelle said, appreciating his efforts.


    “There’s no need to thank me. I’m not just doing this for you. To be honest, the thought of being ignored for the next two months is worrying me.”


    Joelle retorted, “Am I really neglecting you that much? It can’t be that serious, can it?”


    Adrian answered with gravity, “I’ve prepared a chart. Would you like to see it?”


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    “No, no,” Joelle chuckled. “I promise to make it up to you once you’re home!”


    “Look after yourself first. And remember, for each pound you lose, I expect ten more minutes of your time,” Adrian teased.


    Pain began to throb in Joelle’s jaw again. She felt a chill, yfully called him a rascal, and ended the call.


    Her car pulled up in front of a club. The valet came over, and Joelle passed him her keys before going inside to meet Katherine.


    Inside, Lily had brought a stack of presents after learning Katherine was pregnant.


    “You and Shawn are really moving quickly!” Lily eximed, cing her hand on Katherine’s belly, amazed at the thought of a new life growing inside.


    Just then, Katherine’s stomach moved slightly.


    “It moved! It really moved!”


    “Rx! It was a hup from me,” Katherine chuckled.


    Joelle smiled and said, “The baby’s only a month along. It’s hardly developed yet.”


    Lily rubbed her forehead. “I’ve never had a baby. How would I know?”


    Katherine suggested, “Try having one with Ferris, then you’ll understand it all!”


    “Ferris? Shawn’s friend? Lily, are you two…?” Joelle asked in surprise.


    Lily got up, her cheeks reddening as she mped a hand over Joelle’s mouth.


    “What are you thinking? I’m just trying things out with Ferris!”


    Joelle nodded.


    “He’s really a nice guy.”


    “I know,” Lily responded, taking her seat again, though her forehead creased in concern.


    “But why hasn’t such a decent man been in a rtionship at his age? Could there be something off about him? Maybe he’s odd in some way?”


    When women gather, gossip was sure to follow. Shawn had once joked that if Katherine and Joelle spent even an hour together, there wouldn’t be a single person in Illerith left unjudged.


    Now with Lily joining them, it took less than ten minutes for Ferris to be put under the microscope, awaiting judgment.


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