Chapter 349

349 Out in the Open

“It’s okay. He is not my boyfriend yet.”

Jane tidied up her dress and walked to the door. She opened the door and said, “Hi, Jayden.”

“Hi, beauty.”

Isabella’s spoon fell into the pot.

When did the two of them...

At the Peace City Hospital.

Joseph sat on the sofa in the VIP ward. His upper body was full of bruises, and his face was covered with band-aids.

Doctor Morris was putting ointments on him.

Joseph lied and told Charlie that he had found Isabella and that they had made peace. He couldn’t be seen returning empty-handed with a swollen face. Thus, Joseph decided to not return to the Wilson Manor for the next few days.

.....

He sat motionlessly and looked at the tea table in front of him. He looked pale.

After a while, his phone rang. He answered the phone and said at last, “Send the deciphered content to my phone.”

Then he put down the phone and closed his eyes. “Gerry.”

“Mr. Joseph.”

Gerry, who was outside, immediately walked in when he heard the voice. Joseph turned his head and looked at him closely. He said to Doctor Morris and the nurses beside them, “Please leave us.”

“Yes, Mr. Joseph.”

After they left, Gerry paused for a moment. “Mr. Joseph, what can I do for you?”

Joseph didn’t say anything, staring at the phone on the coffee table.

A few seconds later, Joseph’s phone rang.

???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????

Joseph picked it up to check the message and threw it to Gerry. “Take a look.”

Gerry took the phone. His eyes flashed.

“At 1:35 a. m. on the 9th, two missed phone calls from ‘Isabella’. The first call rang 3 times, the second 1 time before they were hung up. One message – ‘Help.'”

Joseph said indifferently, “Gerry, how do you explain this? You handled the investigation that night. You told me that Isabella didn’t send me a message or call me.”

Gerry clenched his fists. “I’m sorry I failed my duty. Maybe...”

“Gerry.”

Joseph interrupted, “stop it.”

Then he took out the checkbook and wrote a check. “If my memory serves me right, you’ve been with me for seven years. This is seven million. You can find a girlfriend and do some small business, then build a family, and live a normal life.”

As he spoke, he tore off the check and handed it to Gerry.

Gerry looked at Joseph but ignored the check. He suddenly got down on one knee, his eyes trembling violently. “Mr. Joseph...”

Joseph lowered his eyes to look at Gerry and said in a low voice. “Gerry, tell me, was this your idea, or was Stella behind this?”

Gerry trembled, and he did not know how to answer.

Joseph sighed and handed the check to Gerry again. “Take it.”

“No! Mr. Joseph, you know that Stella saved my life. She said that as long as I helped her this time, we would be even. Mr. Joseph...”

Gerry, who had always been expressionless, appeared anxious for the first time. “I didn’t mean to do this behind your back. I just...”

“You just don’t want to owe Stella?”

Joseph’s eyes dimmed, “Stella did this...”

He paused for a moment. “Gerry, you have followed me for many years. Don’t you know the consequence of this matter? Have you ever thought about what I should do if something were to happen to Isabella that night? What kind of remorse and self-blame will I have to live with?”

“No! I will not do that to you. I did this because I thought that Miss Isabella was safe...”

Gerry fell into deep regret and continued, “I thought that there was no point in investigating the matter. Stella begged me to cover it up for her, so I did it! Mr. Joseph, I never thought of betraying you! I never thought of putting you in that kind of position!”

Joseph didn’t say anything.

Gerry knelt and moved two steps forward. “Mr. Joseph, you can punish me however you like, but please don’t push me away. I said I would follow you for the rest of my life. Please give me another chance.”

Joseph looked at Gerry who had put down all of his dignity. He sighed softly and said, “Gerry, I have always treated you as a brother, so you don’t need to talk to me in such a humble tone. But you know me. What’s done is done. Find a chance to say goodbye to William and the others and then leave Peace City...”

Before Joseph could finish, Gerry suddenly pulled out a sharp knife from his waist and slashed his left thumb!

“Gerry!”

Almost in the blink of an eye, blood splattered everywhere. Joseph hurriedly stood up and lifted Gerry’s hand – his left thumb had been cut off. Joseph said angrily, “Are you crazy?”

“Doctor!”

Joseph pressed the bell on the bedside. “Come over immediately!”

Gerry held his bloodstained hand. His face was pale, and he was sweating profusely. He put up with the pain and said, “Mr. Joseph, you gave me this life. I’ll never betray you. Give me another chance to prove my loyalty. If one finger is not enough, you can have my hand. Please let me make up for what I did!”

“Are you crazy? I don’t want your finger!”

Joseph growled, “We are not a mafia! What do you think I am?”

The doctor rushed in. Seeing Gerry’s condition, he quickly helped him away. “Hurry up with the operation!”

At the same time.

At Jane’s apartment.

“Wow.”

Jayden held a glass of red wine in his hand. He seemed to be a little surprised by Isabella’s presence. He raised his eyebrows and asked, “So, Isabella is also here?”

“Good evening, Jayden.” Isabella nodded awkwardly.

“By the way, is everything okay today?”

Jayden took off his coat and asked in a mysterious voice, “Did Joseph and Cedric fight for you?”

Isabella was speechless.

Jayden immediately laughed. “It’s so fun. I want to see it. They often go to the underground boxing arena together, but I’ve never seen them fight for real. I didn’t expect it would happen today, and they fought for a woman!”

Isabella didn’t say a word.

Jane gossiped, “What? What fight?”

“Nothing.”

Jayden held Jane with his arm and winked at her. “Isabella must have saved the universe in her last life.”

Jane leaned into Jayden’s arms, looking very pleased.