Chapter 278
Kelly sighed and suddenly brought up something to me.
"Hey, I had a dream about him a while ago. He said you're still young and should focus on your career."
My heart ached a little.
When Gerald was alive, he was a smart and visionary guy. Otherwise, he wouldn't have bought so many properties and started his own business.
"Dad's definitely watching me run the company from up there... I'll head to the study and work late tonight. I can't let him down."
I said with a smile.
"You don't have to push yourself so hard. You're more important than the company. I know your dad."
Kelly pulled me into the kitchen to check out what delicious food Zola had made for dinner.
While waiting for dinner in the living room, Brett took out his homework and started working on it at the table, while I occasionally glanced at the TV.
Maeve finally replied to my message, but she didn't mention anything about Alfonso. She just reminded me again not to leak any information to Joanna.
[If you really want to investigate Alfonso, wait until I'm sure Joanna won't divorce Ronnie. I'll help you ask around.]
Help me?
Maeve's tone made me a bit puzzled.
Is she working so hard to build a relationship with me just to prevent Joanna and Ronnie from divorcing?
Does this mean she never intended to take Joanna's place?
I'm starting to think that everything might be just as Royce said, that Maeve is merely a tool for bribery.
So, for her, the person giving her orders is probably more important than Ronnie!
I forwarded the message to Royce.
Royce first replied with a question mark, then asked why I was still in contact with Maeve on WhatsApp.
I told him the truth, saying I wanted to get more information.
Royce quickly replied.
[Ronnie's status isn't that of an ordinary person. If Maeve has no ulterior motives, it only means the person behind her is much higher in status than Ronnie.]
I thought the same, so I asked Royce what we should do.
[That person is not to be messed with. Have Simon check Maeve's whereabouts and see if there are any clues.]
Things seemed to be at a standstill, slowly moving forward.
Just as I started to zone out, Royce's message popped up on the screen again.
[But no matter what, I'm here. Don't worry.]
That message made my heart settle.
I knew he would keep his word.
"Dinner's ready..."
Zola called out, and I put down my phone, pulling Brett to the table.
These past few days have been busy. Although nothing particularly significant happened, I was exhausted.
Only when I'm at home, surrounded by family, do I feel at ease.
The investigation into Maeve had stalled, but Kathy and I weren't idle.
A couple of days later, we informed Isadora of our plans.
Isadora expressed her regret.
"My husband is really worried about me and doesn't want me to leave the maternity center. Honestly, I'm bored to death here..."
Listening to Isadora's sweet complaints, Kathy and I exchanged glances.
"Don't make us jealous. Marshall is handsome and reliable, and your baby is so adorable."
Kathy gently teased the baby in the swaddle.
Isadora laughed, "I'm not trying to make you jealous. I'm genuinely frustrated! You guys are going to the spa, and I can't even go."
"There will be plenty of chances in the future. Just focus on getting better for now, and we'll have fun together later."
We talked to Isadora in advance to avoid any misunderstandings.
Joanna's situation had been a wake-up call for me.
No matter how busy I am, I should keep in touch with my friends. I managed to escape from Brandon's family's clutches thanks to these people.
After leaving the maternity center, Kathy and I headed straight to Joanna's new spa.
The new place was called "Tranquil Oasis Spa," featuring a new style with a serene environment.
As soon as we entered, we saw bamboo partitions and heard the sound of flowing water, which instantly made us feel relaxed.
Kathy and I suddenly felt less nervous, even though we knew today's conversation was important.
Joanna was in the lobby talking to an employee, seemingly discussing the spa's recent operations. The employee looked diligent and respectful while speaking with Joanna.
Kathy and I watched from the side, whispering, "Look, this is how Joanna usually does business. She's so serious."
"Keep your voice down. She'll probably have something to say to us when she comes over."
Our presence indeed caught Joanna's attention.
She turned to us, surprised, "Why didn't you call me when you arrived?"
"We saw you were busy, so we thought we'd wait over here," Kathy and I exchanged a glance.
Joanna laughed, "You guys are my friends. There's no need to wait. Come on, I've reserved the SVIP room for us to enjoy."
We then realized that after we mentioned the idea to Joanna, she had already booked the room.
"Isn't this room expensive? Won't it affect your earnings?" Kathy and I were taken aback, "How about we pay the member price?"
"Pay what? Do I look like I need your money?" Joanna pretended to glare at us, "Besides, I can't spend the money I have."
Her dad is a government official, and if their family lived extravagantly, it would easily attract criticism.
Joanna had mentioned this to me before, saying that her family had to be cautious even though she had her own business.
I thought, having money and power can be exhausting too.
"Today, we visited Isadora at the maternity center. She said she wanted to come, but Marshall is strict, so maybe next time."
As we followed Joanna upstairs to a private room, Kathy mentioned today's events.
Three attendants followed us, ready to serve us. They were young, polite, and helped us change clothes and get massages.
The three of us lay on three beds and started chatting.
When Joanna heard about Isadora, she couldn't help but show her envy, "Marshall is really good to her. It's hard not to be jealous."
"That's true... Marshall is a cop, and he's clean. Except for the danger of his job, there's nothing to complain about." Kathy sighed.
When it came to getting Joanna to open up, Kathy was much more natural than I was.
No wonder she could act and deceive Brandon in front of me back then.
It seemed that being in her own place today, Joanna was more open than last time, "If I could do it all over again, I'd want a marriage like Isadora's."
My heart tightened, "Is Ronnie not good to you?"
"Him?" Joanna sighed and suddenly fell silent.
Kathy and I exchanged a secret glance.
"What's wrong, Joanna? You can tell us anything." Kathy took the initiative to speak.