Chapter 264: Chapter 264: Joanna Sherman’s Humiliating Moment: Who’s a Married Couple With You?
Levin Sawyer looked at Sophia Shaw with a pained expression. In the end, all he could do was hug Ms. Archer. "Ms. Archer, don’t cry. The worst is over, isn’t it?"
"From now on, our Faye and Bun will only have good days ahead. No one will be able to bully them."
Ms. Archer pushed him away. "What are you hugging me for? Go hug Faye."
Levin Sawyer: "..."
’He wanted to, of course.’
’He wanted to hold her tight, to crush her into his embrace until she was part of his very bones.’
’But he was even more afraid that he’d lose control for a moment and scare Sophia away.’
As soon as Levin Sawyer returned, Bun wasn’t as clingy with Sophia Shaw. Instead, he snuggled into Levin’s arms, his little hands gripping his broad chest.
But his big eyes kept darting toward Sophia, and he would grin and gurgle at her as if afraid of leaving her out.
Once Bun fell asleep, Sophia Shaw stepped aside, preparing to check her work messages.
She tapped her screen idly and opened her social media feed.
Joanna Sherman, who hadn’t posted in a long time, had a new update.
A man’s hand immediately caught her eye.
An IV needle was inserted into the back of it.
A smaller hand was holding the large male hand.
The photo didn’t show any faces, but the watch on the man’s wrist was enough to identify him.
Vincent Grant.
And with Joanna Sherman’s deliberately staged photo, Sophia Shaw finally realized that the watch on Vincent Grant’s wrist was the same model as Joanna’s—a matching couple’s watch!
The entire picture was filled with a thinly veiled implication.
’So, Vincent has been wearing that watch all this time, unwilling to take it off, just because it’s something he shares with Joanna?’
Joanna Sherman’s caption was also insidiously sweet: "When you achieve success and fame, I’m willing to fade into the background. When you are sick and in pain, I will never leave your side."
Reading the caption, Sophia Shaw burst out laughing.
’Shouldn’t the caption be the other way around?’
’When Vincent’s company was unstable, she pulled out and left to chase her dreams and happiness.’
’Now that Vincent is successful, she’s back for a piece of the pie.’
’She was nowhere to be found when he was struggling and working hard for his career, but now she’s an expert at finding any opening to show off her deep affection.’
After laughing at Joanna Sherman, Sophia Shaw found Vincent Grant just as ridiculous.
On one hand, he was so devoted to Joanna that they had to stick together even when he was sick. On the other, he wanted to be a good father and husband and make up for his past mistakes.
’He’s so busy, isn’t he.’
Sophia had no desire to watch these two scumbags perform. With a swipe of her finger, she closed the app.
And got busy with work.
「Elsewhere.」
"Auntie Joanna, what are you doing?"
Cedric Grant walked into the hospital room, looking with some surprise at Joanna Sherman holding Vincent Grant’s hand.
Joanna Sherman quickly pulled her hand back, quietly exiting her social media feed before speaking. "Your father’s fever just broke. I was worried, so I was checking his temperature."
Although Cedric Grant thought one should check a temperature by touching the forehead or armpit, he didn’t overthink it since Joanna Sherman said it so matter-of-factly.
Vincent Grant had been under extreme emotional stress lately and had just vomited blood. Even a body of iron couldn’t withstand it.
He had passed out before they could find a doctor.
Luckily, they were already at the hospital, so he was quickly sent to an examination room.
Vincent’s condition had stabilized, but he hadn’t woken up yet.
Cedric walked over and looked at Vincent lying on the bed, his young brow furrowed tightly.
He said, "Auntie Joanna, your leg is injured. You should go rest."
At the mention of her leg, Joanna’s face twitched imperceptibly as she glanced at the man on the bed.
But just an instant later, she smiled faintly and wheeled herself over to Cedric, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Don’t worry, Auntie can handle it."
"I’m not comfortable with you taking care of your father here all by yourself. Auntie will stay with you."
Joanna Sherman assumed Cedric Grant would be moved to tears by her staying with him despite her own injury, but Cedric just kept his head down without even a word of thanks.
Cedric was just a child. His father had suddenly collapsed right in front of him, which had certainly given him a terrible fright. He did want someone to stay with him.
But ever since he found out about the ridiculous things he had done, he suddenly found it difficult to be in the same room as Joanna.
Joanna’s presence was a constant reminder that he had made all those mistakes for her and her child.
All the neglect and unfair treatment his mother and sister had endured were because he had valued Joanna Sherman too highly.
"Auntie Joanna, you don’t have to," he said in a low voice.
’I was so awful, I deserve to be punished. Even if I’m scared staying with Dad by myself, it’s what I deserve.’
"There are doctors and nurses here. I’ll find them if I need anything."
"Auntie Joanna, you should focus on your leg and take good care of Stella."
In the past, Joanna Sherman would have just left.
Back then, she was high and mighty, admired by all, and Cedric would look up to her no matter what she did.
But now, she could clearly sense that Cedric didn’t like her as much as he used to.
The more she realized this, the more Joanna wanted to pull his heart back and hold it tightly in her palm.
She remained outwardly unfazed, maintaining a gentle, concerned smile. "My leg is fine, and Stella has a nanny looking after her. Auntie will stay with you until your father wakes up."
Cedric was, after all, just a child. Since Joanna insisted on staying, he didn’t know what to say and could only press his lips together and retreat to the bedside.
Joanna lowered her head, a hint of a smile flashing in her eyes. She went to the restroom to wring out a towel, then wheeled herself back to wipe Vincent’s face.
A nurse happened to walk in and see this. "You two are so devoted," she said. "You’re personally taking care of your husband even with your leg injury."
Joanna glanced in Cedric’s direction.
Cedric was lost in thought, his mind elsewhere.
"It’s what I should do," she said with a smile.
The nurse, who was in her forties, saw how this young woman was so hardworking and uncomplaining, not relying on others to care for her husband despite being wealthy. The admiration in her eyes deepened.
"Your husband is truly lucky to have married you."
Joanna smiled shyly, her gaze landing on Vincent with adoration.
"Well, a husband and wife should look out for each other."
"A husband and wife? Who said you’re a husband and wife?"
A discordant voice suddenly cut in.
Joanna turned her head to see Old Mrs. Grant approaching with a dark expression, supported by Sue.
Old Mrs. Grant’s eyes were sharp, her gaze piercing Joanna’s face. "Miss Sherman, my grandson never signed a marriage certificate with you, nor did he marry you. Don’t go around telling people you’re husband and wife!"
The moment she arrived, Old Mrs. Grant exposed their relationship completely. The nurse shot Joanna a meaningful look, her expression now full of disdain.
’Shameless women really do exist in this world.’
Humiliated by the public exposure, Joanna’s fingers, resting on her wheelchair, dug silently into the armrests.
When she and Vincent first started dating, Old Mrs. Grant had been very displeased.
Later, when Vincent broke with his family for her sake and started his own business, Old Mrs. Grant’s disapproval of her only grew.
But back then, Vincent had always protected her, so she hadn’t suffered much.
Now, with Vincent unconscious, there was no one to speak up for her.
Joanna was proud by nature. She couldn’t stand hearing such words and couldn’t stop herself from retorting.
"Grandma, how can you say that? Vincent only married Sophia Shaw because she went into the wrong room. He was supposed to propose to me that night."
"Vincent and I are the real victims!"
Old Mrs. Grant snorted. "You know perfectly well in your own heart whether you’re a victim or not!"
Although Old Mrs. Grant wasn’t entirely clear on the details of what happened back then, she had long since seen through Joanna Sherman’s true character.
"Also, I am not your grandmother. Don’t call me that!"
Joanna was so startled by Old Mrs. Grant’s line—"You know perfectly well in your own heart whether you’re a victim or not"—that her legs went weak.
