Chapter 179

"Bruce" Roxanne murmured, burying her head shyly against his chest, a satisfied expression on her face.

Bruce frowned, subconsciously pushing her away. He threw back the blanket and got out of bed, heading straight for the bathroom. His head swam; he needed a cold shower to clear his thoughts. Even after entering the bathroom, the dizziness persisted. He turned on the shower, the cold water a stark contrast to the lingering unease. As he showered, he felt a sticky residue on his skin, a remnant of the previous night's events—events he couldn't remember. His usually robust physique had never experienced anything like this before. He suspected Roxanne had drugged his dinner; otherwise, he wouldn't have slept so soundly. He finished his shower quickly.

Wrapped in a towel, Bruce emerged to find Roxanne shyly entering the bathroom. "Bruce, I'm going to shower," she said, her smile a clear reminder of their intimacy.

He changed clothes, a growing unease settling over him. He summoned Darcy, his most trusted and longest-serving bodyguard.

"Mr. Everett," Darcy said, "your orders?"

"Take last night's dinner to the lab," Bruce instructed. "Discreetly. Don't let anyone know."

"Yes, Mr. Everett," Darcy replied, immediately departing.

Bruce lit a cigarette, squinting his eyes as he inhaled deeply. A vicious glint shone in them. He hated being manipulated. If Roxanne had indeed drugged him, she was a schemer, and he wouldn't tolerate such a woman in his life.

"Bruce, I'm done showering!" Roxanne called, emerging from the bathroom with wet hair, wrapped in a towel. She perched on his lap, her arms around his neck, the casual intimacy a stark contrast to their earlier behavior. The implication was clear: they had slept together.

Disgusted, Bruce pushed her away.

"Lilia is being discharged today. I'm going to visit her."

"I'll go with you!" Roxanne offered.

"No need," Bruce retorted, already grabbing his coat and leaving.

Roxanne watched him go, a smug smile playing on her lips. She intended to entangle herself with him, making it impossible for him to easily discard her.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Joanna had completed Lilia's discharge procedures. Tracy had packed their belongings.

"Sweetheart, you're going home today!" Joanna smiled gently at Lilia.

After changing, Lilia's face fell. "Mommy, isn't Daddy coming to pick me up? He promised."

"He's very busy, sweetheart. If he's busy with work, we might not see him much."

Lilia nodded obediently, her disappointment palpable. "What about my brothers? Aren't they coming?"

Joanna hesitated, unsure how to explain that Davian and Irvin were detained at the Everett mansion—inaccessible to even her. She decided to avoid the complexities of adult issues.

"Let's go," she said, placing Lilia in her pram and pushing her towards the exit.

They had barely taken a few steps when Bruce arrived, rushing towards them in a suit and leather shoes. Lilia spotted him first. "Mommy, Daddy's here!" she exclaimed, pointing excitedly.

Joanna looked up to see Bruce, his hair styled in a messy yet handsome way.

"Lilia!" he said, lifting her from the pram and kissing her.

Joanna stared, a mixture of emotions—tears welled in her eyes, her rage bubbling to the surface.

"Bruce, put my daughter down!" she demanded, stepping forward to snatch Lilia. She feared he would take her away.

Bruce, taller and stronger, easily avoided her grasp, holding Lilia close.

"Give me my baby!" Joanna insisted.

Bruce glared at her. "It's best not to be so fierce in front of our daughter," he said coldly. "Lilia, Daddy will play with you today."

"Okay!" Lilia replied.

"Where do you want to go?"

"To Daddy's house!"

"Alright," Bruce agreed.

Joanna panicked, stepping in front of Bruce. "No, Lilia, go home with Mommy. You've just recovered."

"Mommy!" Lilia whimpered.

"You're not allowed to go anywhere!" Joanna repeated, her voice harsher than she'd ever used with her daughter.

Lilia's face paled with fear. "Okay," she whispered.

Bruce's anger flared at Joanna's harshness. "Joanna, what do you mean?"

"What do you mean?" Joanna retorted. "You're despicable! You said you wouldn't take my child, but you're acting like a bandit!"

Bruce took a deep breath. "I'm their father. Shouldn't I bring them home? You can visit anytime. You can even stay at the Everett house."

"That's impossible!" Joanna exclaimed.

"Why?" Bruce challenged.

Joanna's anger surged. He was marrying Roxanne; the idea of her living in the Everett household as his mistress was absurd. She knew his intention. He wanted her to be his mistress, to share him with Roxanne—a proposition she utterly rejected.

"Give me my daughter!" Joanna demanded.

"Joanna, can't you behave better in front of Lilia?" Bruce pleaded.

Lilia trembled. "Mommy," she whimpered.

Bruce soothed her. "Don't be afraid, sweetheart. Daddy will take you home."

"Okay," Lilia replied, sensing the tension between her parents. "Daddy, Mommy, can you not quarrel?"

"We're not quarreling," Joanna said, taking a deep breath. "Let's go. I'll take you home."

"I don't need you to. I'll take Lilia home," Bruce countered.

Bruce gritted his teeth. "Joanna, I'll say this once more: I'm taking you home. If you continue, I'll take Lilia."

Joanna glared at him; they stood in a tense stalemate. Bruce thought, This woman's stubbornness is unbelievable. Joanna, in turn, resented Bruce's overbearing nature.

Roxanne appeared, walking towards them in high heels, a smug smile on her face. Both Bruce and Joanna turned to her. She was impeccably dressed.

"Why are you here?" Bruce asked.

"I knew you were picking up Lilia, so I came to see her. Lilia, this is a gift from your aunt," Roxanne said, presenting an ornate gift box.

Lilia turned away. "I don't want it!"

Roxanne, undeterred, explained the doll's rarity and insisted Lilia accept it. Lilia refused, resting her head on Bruce's shoulder. "I don't like you," she declared.

Roxanne handed the gift to Tracy, who glanced at Joanna.

Joanna rejected the gift. "Take it away," she said coldly.

"Bruce, look how my sister's treating me!" Roxanne complained.

Bruce frowned. "Go home. You're not needed here."

"Oh, alright," Roxanne replied, then added, "Oh, Bruce, you forgot this!"

She produced an emerald pendant—a family heirloom Bruce rarely took off, except when bathing. Its presence was a blatant reminder of their night together. Bruce accepted it nonchalantly, having left it on the bathroom sink that morning. Roxanne's deliberate presentation, however, imbued the act with a new, ambiguous significance.

"I'll leave," Roxanne said, intimately taking Bruce's arm and kissing him.

Joanna felt a surge of disgust. She valued cleanliness and couldn't tolerate sharing a man. The thought of Bruce and Roxanne's passionate night filled her with revulsion.