Chapter 6 Self-Directed and Self-Acted

• The force of the blow caused Patricia's face to turn to the side. Everyone was stunned as Gemma stepped on her hand.
• Patricia screamed in pain, as the pain was real this time.
• Gemma bent down slowly, her eyes filled with even more coldness. She said indifferently, "Since you accuse me of bullying you, and you enjoy acting so much, it would be unfair of me not to cooperate with you in proving your accusation, wouldn't it?"
• "Don't think that having someone to support you means…” Patricia couldn't take the pain and pushed Gemma away, retreating to where Joel was.
• "Pay attention; this is what I call pushing you," Gemma said, not polite at all. She grabbed Patricia and spun her around, kicking her into the water.
• Patricia screamed again, soaking wet and embarrassed. Being thrown into the water was completely different from jumping in herself.
• "You said that I wanted to silence you? Well, don't worry, not only will I not silence you, but I'll make you even more famous," Gemma sneered, looking down at her with contempt in her beautiful eyes.
• After speaking, she turned and walked away, changing the atmosphere immediately.
• Joel looked at her with a complex expression, as if he had never known her before. Everyone who came here was astute, and it was clear who was playing games.
• "Joel, I'm cold..." Patricia couldn't stay in the water and had to come out with the help of the staff.
• Joel pursed his lips; his face was dark. "Did you orchestrate this yourself?"
• "No, how could I? Joel, why do you believe outsiders instead of me? You didn't see how arrogant that woman was. How she acted, I... If I wasn't good, why would Adam ask you to take care of me?"
• Patricia looked anxious, seeing that the situation was not good. She wanted to take the opportunity to leave.
• Joel just looked at her calmly, his gaze deep and unreadable.
• "Joel, believe me, that woman is too malicious..."
• "What's this?" Before she could finish, someone in the crowd exclaimed, pointing at the big screen. A photo of Joel and Patricia appeared - the same one she had sent to Gemma years ago.
• "Oh my god, did they go to a hotel?"
• "They've been rumored to be getting married, so it's not surprising."
• "No, look at the time!"
• The time on the photo was circled, and it was from two years ago.
• This was like a bombshell, and the crowd was about to explode.
• "I heard that Mr. Summers had already divorced, and this was before the fire. He was already cheating!"
• "Yeah, shameless! What kind of leading lady is she? She slept her way to the top!"
• "Wasn't the fire deliberate? How coincidental that his wife died in the fire and they're still so high-profile! It's a disaster..."
• Joel listened to the harsh words being spoken about him, his eyes dark. Why couldn't he remember this photo?
• Thinking back to Gemma's attitude on the day of the divorce, it was no wonder everything went so smoothly. The thought made him feel a sharp pain in his heart.
• Patricia was dumbfounded. She never dreamed that the photos she took would be publicly released. Seeing Gemma and Ian leaving gloriously not far away, she was so angry that she trembled all over.
• "Joel, listen to me explain!"
• Joel had no time to deal with her and watched as Gemma sat sideways in the Bugatti. Ian helped her bring her legs up and even tidied her skirt. Without hesitation, he chased after them.
• Gemma glanced at the man who stopped them and said, "Is Mr. Summers rushing over to defend his fiancée?"
• Upon hearing the words "fiancée," Joel furrowed his brows. "If I have offended Miss Lewis, I apologize, but you should also apologize to Patricia."
• "What if I don't go? Does Mr. Summers plan to fight back?" Gemma sneered and met his gaze. Ian casually pulled her to his side, making the chill on Joel's body even stronger.
• Joel stared at the man's hand sharply and spoke coldly to Gemma, "You weren't like this before."
• "Do you know me well?" Gemma's smile faded away bit by bit. "But I do know how to hit people. I'm a very vicious woman."
• Joel was choked by her words and even forgot that he had chased after her to explain the photos. Now, it seemed unnecessary.
• Ian stepped on the gas pedal, and the car raced away like an arrow leaving the bow. Gemma seemed absent-minded.
• "Still thinking about it?"
• "No, I just feel that my taste in men is pretty bad." Gemma tugged at the corner of her lips. She was so stupid to have stayed by his side for three years.
• The photos were just a belated gift, and this was only the beginning. Compared to the humiliation she had suffered, Patricia's embarrassment was not even worth mentioning.
• *
• When Joel returned to the car, Patricia was wiping her hair with the towel the waiter had given her. Upon seeing him, she began to explain incoherently.
• His phone beeped, and a message popped up. At the same time, all the guests at the venue received a message, which was a replay of Patricia and Gemma's conversation by the fountain just now. The video clearly showed Gemma standing still and Patricia jumping into the fountain by herself.
• Gemma's face was blurred, but Patricia's was not. Moreover, her facial expressions were enlarged. In the high-definition video, she was seen laughing triumphantly, completely different from her pitiful appearance just now.
• Joel stared at it, and the atmosphere in the car became heavy. He felt his head pounding, and his eyes were cold.
• What was he doing just now, asking for an apology for Patricia?
• This was Gemma's response to him, mocking him for being foolish and being played like a fool while still angrily seeking justice.
• His phone rang, and it was Brad who called. "Mr. Summers, Miss Quinn's video is trending, as are your photos."
• Patricia's agent was also contacting her, and the online hype was skyrocketing, especially the photo. Netizens were all talking about it.
• Joel fiercely smashed his phone onto the car seat. Patricia's face turned pale, and fear crept all over her body.
• She never expected that her ugly deeds would be exposed so clearly, first in the photos and then in the video, making her dizzy and disoriented.
• "Joel, listen to me; it's not what you think; it's not, I..."
• "Okay, you speak." Joel was surprisingly calm.
• Patricia was dumbfounded. How could she explain it to dispel his doubts?
• With a restrained and deep tone, Joel said, "Haven't you always wanted to go to the Wittler Church in Reechers to pray for Adam? Let's go tomorrow."
• Unable to vent her anger, Patricia cried and begged bitterly.
• Joel had someone send her back, and he drove to a place where no one was around, smoking cigarette after cigarette.
• This time it was self-directed and performed, but what about the past? Would Patricia also direct and perform, and what about others?
• Similar things have probably happened more than once, and Joel is restless and uneasy. It seems that many things have deviated from the track since Gemma "came back to life".