Nora

Chapter 140:.

Hillary held up the few pages of evidence.

The first page was about her conflict with Tanya in the garden. The photo clearly showed that she had provoked Tanya first. The humiliated Tanya had fought back.

On the second page were photos of her talking to the lobby attendant at the Prism Club. The expression on her face in the photo was exceptionally smug.

Hillary clenched her fists. She wanted to say something, but before she could, Joel said unhurriedly, “There are surveillance cameras in both the garden and the club. If you continue to deny it, I can ask them for the video footage. Mrs. Jones, may I remind you that surveillance camera footage comes with audio these days.”noveldrama

Hillary’s response instantly stuck in her throat.

She stared at Joel in surprise. A moment later, she finally hung her head dejectedly and said, “It’s my fault this time, Joel…. I only did it because I panicked when I saw that Tanya was back. I was afraid she would take you away from me….. Joel, she told me she’s back this time so she can get back at me and take everything away from me.”

Hillary, who had her head down, began to cry. She said, “As you know, Tanya has been fighting me about everything since we were kids. I had no choice. I just wanted her gone. I just wanted to protect everything that is mine.”

He looked back at Joel and said, “There’s also Mia. Of all the gardens out there, why did he go to that one? Probably because he knows Mia is our daughter, so he went there especially for her. Joel, he must be planning to start his revenge on Mia. I don’t know how he did it, but he’s already bribed Mia. It’s only been a day, but Mia is already asking for her…”

He stared at Joel and continued. “It’s impossible for someone like Tanya to settle. Back then, for the sake of dancing, she abandoned you. Even if she won the championship, her life abroad for all these years must not have been that good either, right? That’s why she wanted to come back. He must be thinking about bothering you…”

‘Because of dancing, he abandoned you…’.

The words stabbed brutally into Joel’s heart like a knife.

He looked down and let out a cold laugh.

Maybe that woman would give up glory and wealth for dancing, but there was no way he would believe that she would bother him for glory and wealth….

No matter how much people changed, the pride embedded in one’s bones would never change.

Besides… She had gone to that garden for her son. Now that she had Justin Hunt, she no longer needed to bother him.

The icy smile on Joel’s lips was tinged with a hint of bitterness: he’d rather she bothered him.

“Joel, I’m really sorry. I won’t do anything again, no matter if Tanya provokes me again in the future. Don’t worry. Even if I betrayed you then, the two of you are still friends, so…”

Before Hillary could continue to sow discord, Joel said distantly, “What did I say to you then, when you came to see me with your daughter?”

What had he said?

Hillary bit her lip. Back then, she had made her way to the Smiths trusting her daughter. However, Joel had refused to marry her no matter what, and only gave her the title of fiancée.

It was she who had moved in with the Smiths with the excuse that her daughter needed her mother. From then on she took great care and pampered Mia, thus preventing Joel from pushing her away.

However, the night she moved in, an icy Joel told her, “If you are content with your lot and behave yourself, I don’t mind turning a blind eye to most of your actions. However, you can’t go public with the fact that you are Mrs. Smith. I won’t let you go in peace if I find out.”

Why would that matter to Hillary at that point? She had agreed to his terms immediately.

In the years that followed, she waited for Mia carefully, hoping that once enough time had passed, Joel would officially register their marriage to give the child a mother.

In this way, even if they did not have a wedding ceremony, she would become the real Mrs. Smith.

However, other than when picking up and dropping off Mia, she had no opportunity to meet Joel after moving in. It was no exaggeration to say that they were strangers with the closest relationship between them.

At this point in Hillary’s inner thoughts, Joel said, “Since you’ve broken the rules…. Get lost.”

Get lost?

Hillary raised her head and looked at him in disbelief.

Even as she was telling him to get lost, Joel’s upturned eyes still seemed gentle, despite being expressionless.

Startled, she asked, “What did you say?”

Joel stood up and said mercilessly, “You have violated our agreement.”

He had violated their agreement….

Hillary began to tremble all over her body.

To be honest, it wasn’t the first time she had violated it all these years.

The Joneses had already tacitly acknowledged them as husband and wife when she moved in with the Smiths. It was also because of this that the Jones’ business began to do better and better.

Hillary was even around when the Joneses first used the Smith name in their business. However, she later found out that Joel didn’t care at all even if he found out.

After that, she had let her guard down.

And now she was bringing up their agreement?

Hillary reached out and grabbed Joel’s sleeves. She said, “Joel, I was wrong. I really have seen the error of my ways…”

Joel removed her sleeve from her grip. There was no trace of emotion in those eyes of his expressionless countenance. He asked coolly, “Are you going to go by yourself, or do I have to have someone throw you out?”

Hillary’s legs went limp and she almost fell to the floor.

Five years.

She had lived here for five years.

How cruel and callous must a person be to not have the slightest feeling for her?

He sobered up immediately.

Counting on Joel’s sympathy or feelings for her would get her nowhere.

That little bastard was all she could count on now.

Hillary’s eyes reddened. She looked at Joel earnestly and said, “I was wrong, Joel. I’ll leave, but can you let me see Mia before I go?”

Joel stared at her.

“Okay. But when you see her… Surely you don’t need me to tell you what you can say in front of her and what you can’t, do you?”

Hillary’s gaze flickered. She lowered her head and replied, “No, I’m aware.”

Only then did Joel indicate to the nanny, “Get Mia.”

Mia was resting at home today and had not gone to school after suffering an allergic reaction the day before.

She was playing alone in her room. When the nanny brought her in, she shyly asked, “Mommy, Daddy…. What’s wrong?”

Hillary immediately went into a loving and devoted mood. She hugged Mia and said, “Mia, Mommy is going to be out for a while. You need to behave yourself at home, OK?”.

She had already thought of that. Joel had a thousand and one ways to throw her out if she made a fuss in front of her daughter.

His only option at this point was to make Mia resist leaving her, and make her cry her eyes out in his arms…. That was the only way Joel would let her stay.

He was confident that he had treated Mia well enough all these years. Besides, she was his mother; Mia definitely couldn’t bear to leave his side.

He glared at Mia and asked, “Will you miss Mommy, Mia?”

However, an expectant Hillary never expected Mia to nod and shyly respond, “Go ahead, Mommy. I’ll be good.”

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