Joanna's shopping mood was swept away after the misfortune of meeting Ace and the two toxic women, so she went straight home after leaving the mall.
The following day, she woke up early. After changing into a black dress and tying up her hair, she went to the florist to get a bouquet of daisies and then drove to the graveyard.
It was the fifth of January, the death anniversary of her parents.
It had been three whole years since they committed suicide, and she had never visited them. Everyone said she was a cold-blooded, ungrateful wretch who forsook her family to please the Morans.
But only she knew how much she loved her family.
She was angry that they were not brave enough to live on, for their cowardice, their choice to leave in such a stupid and stubborn way, and for leaving her alone in the world!
She hadn't visited their graves for so many years because she hadn't wanted to face or accept this reality. Yet, it was different now. She had gained the courage to face everything because of the two little ones in her belly!
After this visit, she might leave the City without knowing when she would return.
Regardless, Joanna froze when she stood in front of the grave, as a bouquet of flowers was lying in front of the headstone of the joint grave. The bouquet was still fresh and undoubtedly pricey, judging from its elaborated arrangement.
But since the tragedy happened to her family three years ago, her relatives deliberately stayed away from the Pierce family to avoid getting involved, so nobody would possibly come.
So, who could these flowers be from?
With the questions in her mind, Joanna was about to leave after paying her respects, but an amber pendant beside the bouquet caught her eye. She picked it up with care and examined it. It was a delicate work, with unique characters carved inside.
She found it very familiar but failed to recall who she had seen wearing this, no matter how much she tried.
So, she put the pendant into her pocket and planned to return it to its rightful owner sometime.
Leaving the graveyard, Joanna was unaware that a man was sneaking up behind her. When she got into the car, the man dashed forward and stood in front of the car with his arms wide open.
That was… Mitch White?
With a cheerful look, the man said excitedly, "My darling niece! I finally found you. I miss you so much!"
It should be a touching scene when family members meet after three years, but who would have thought that a stern look would slide onto Joanna's face instead?
"Mitch, I've not forgotten how you kicked my family when we were down. It's still fresh in my mind, so stop pretending!"
Mitch felt so embarrassed that he did not dare look into Joanna's eyes when he tried to explain himself, "You have to understand, Joanna. Your aunt and I cut ties with you to save our lives back then. In fact, I still care about you and your mother deep in my heart…"
Not bothering to listen anymore, Joanna went straight to the point, "Cut the crap. Just tell me what you want!"
Mitch's eyes were tinged with greediness and slyness as he rubbed his hands. "Joanna, I heard that you are divorcing Ace. Since the Morans are rich, you must have received a large amount of alimony, right? So, can you help me out a bit?"
Joanna was somehow intrigued and wanted to see what this traitorous uncle of hers was plotting.
"What kind of help?"
He replied unabashedly, "Can you lend me some money? I don't need that much, just a few million! I desperately need this money!"
She replied to him lazily, "I didn't get a dime out of the Morans. I only got a law firm."
"What? Are the Morans so stingy that you only got a worthless law firm?" Mitch said as his expression twisted uglily. However, he did not give up and continued, "Did they really not give you a dime?"
"Yup."
Suddenly, Joanna recalled something and said, "Did you leave flowers on my parents' grave?"
Mitch was taken aback at first, but then he said cunningly, "Of course, it's me! Your mother loved flowers and all the beautiful things in this world. It's her anniversary today. As her brother, I should have done this for her!"
Joanna's lips curled into an uncaring smile. At this point, she was almost certain that the bouquet was not from her stingy uncle, so he naturally could not be the one who had dropped the pendant.
Either way,
She didn't want to be too harsh to him because he was her mother's brother.
"If you're really short of money, I can get you a job once the ownership of the law firm is transferred to me."
She rolled up the window and sped off without waiting for his answer, leaving Mitch with exhaust fumes and cursing
at the distant shadow of her car.
"What the hell?! You're just an abandoned woman! Get off your high horse!"
'But the Morans shouldn't be so stingy that they didn't give her a single dime, right?'
Rubbing his chin, Mitch had an idea…
Joanna returned home after leaving the graveyard. Just as she entered the door, she received a phone call from an unknown number.
It was Alice.
However, her tone was extremely polite and gentle, unlike her usual domineering tone when facing Joanna.
"I am sorry to disturb you, Miss Pierce. I've been cleaning the room recently and found some of your personal belongings. Do you have time to come and get them tonight?"
'Was Alice always so kind?' Joanna thought, obviously skeptical about it.
What was she up to this time?
Despite that, Joanna did not hesitate and replied calmly, "Sure, I'll drop by and get them later."
She left in haste last time, leaving some important belongings behind. Even if Alice did not call her, she would still find time to return to the villa to pick them up.
At around eight in the evening, Joanna got a cab and went straight to the Morans' villa. The servants were somewhat distant because the previous mistress was visiting. They did not even bother to greet her.
What snobs!
It did not matter to Joanna. She simply walked into the villa through the big door. The place where she had been staying for three years was still the same as when she left. It was just a pity that the people
had changed, and her heart inevitably felt sorrow.
'Bah! How unlucky I was to have wasted three years of youth in this damn place!'
The luxurious parlor was extraordinarily lively. Not only was the new mistress of this villa, Alice, was here, but Lucy and her boyfriend,were also there.
As soon as she saw Joanna, Alice immediately took on the role of the hostess and went forward to greet her warmly.
"Miss Pierce, you came. We were just talking about you!"
Joanna asked with an indifferent look, "Where are my things?"
Joanna was here to retrieve her things, so she would leave as soon as she got them. She had no time to be playing around with her.
"They're in your old room. I've asked the servants to pack them up so you can take them away whenever you want."
"Thanks."
When Joanna headed to the revolving staircase, Alice took her arm and said warmly, "Since you are already here, why don't you stay for dinner?"
"Dinner?"
Joanna turned her bright eyes on Alice, and they suddenly unveiled a hint of playfulness. "I am rather curious. When did my relationship with you become so close, Miss Alice?"
Her gaze was so sharp that Alice felt intimidated and instinctively avoided it.
Lucy came forward and sneered. "How petty of you to chicken out of a meal. It's no wonder my cousin doesn't want you!"
Joanna raised her eyebrows, amused. She found these two interesting, one playing nice and another nasty. What were they trying to achieve by acting so hard?
"Okay. It just so happens that I'm a little hungry."
She decided to go along with them. She wanted to see what they could come up with.
A feast was served, and there was even a bottle of white wine on the table.
Joanna's cheeks started to burn after she drank the wine Alice poured for her. With one hand propping her forehead and her eyes turning hazy and watery, she was unmistakably drunk.
"I feel so dizzy, and why is it so hot…"
Alice and Lucy's eyes lit up when they heard this, and they exchanged glances.
Lucy hurriedly said to her boyfriend, "She's done eating. Take her upstairs and help her carry her things down…"
At the sight of the drunken Joanna, he swallowed heavily and helped her up. "Don't worry. I will take good care of her!"
"It's your doomsday today, bitch! After taking that stuff, even a saint will become a slut. She won't be able to escape this time, not even if she has wings!"
Eyes glittering with a malicious light, Lucy urged Alice excitedly, "Alice, call my cousin. Doesn't this slut like to seduce men? Let's show him her true colors!"