Chapter 3 Return Of Ex-wife

• It was late afternoon after the mortuary house picked up Raymond’s body.
• Joanna walked out of the hospital with the others. “Where do you live? My driver will give you a ride!” Bruce said. His voice was kind of hoarse because Joannal had not spoken to him once before this.
• Joanna smiled politely and shook the car keys in her hand. “Thanks, but I drove here.” The indifferent look on her face made it look like she was simply being polite to a total stranger. Yet Roxanne took it that Bruce was hitting on Joanna. Her face fell, and quickly, she held Bruce’s arm affectionately, saying, “Joann, why don’t you move back in with us? At least, you don’t have to be alone, and…”
• “It’s easier for me to stay in a hotel. Bye!” Joanna waved politely and headed for the underground parking. Soon, a silver Bentley pulled out of the parking lot, and it roared off while in front of the crowd. “It seems that my sister has been living a good life these years! She could enjoy such a rich life without any help from the family.”
• Bruce did not reply. During the four years when Joanna had been gone, for various reasons, Bruce did not marry Roxanne.
• Moreover, with these four years, he realized that Roxanne was simply not the one for him. The only reason that he did not break up with Roxanne was because of his family. The Haynes family was a wealthy one, but it was nothing compared with the Everetts. However, the elders of both families were close friends. That was why the Everett family had always been taking care of the Haynes family.
• Except for that, there was another crucial reason. Ten years ago, Bruce nearly drowned while he swam, and it was Roxanne who saved him. Ever since then, he swore that he would love and protect this girl for the rest of his life.
• “Joann has always been striving since she was just a kid. She is smart and good with men, too. See her fancy. clothes and car? She must have hooked up with some wealthy fellow again. Unlike her, Roxy, you are always stupid and innocent, and people all try to take advantage of you.” Ingrid seemed to be praising Joanna, but it was not hard to recognize what she was implying.
• “Mom, what are you talking about?” “Oh, I just want you to learn from Joann. Do you see how good she’s been doing? Girls like her are never for us to be worried about wherever she goes. There aren’t many girls as smart as her anymore.” Bruce somehow was a little upset. “Ingrid, Roxy, I must go now. I have an important meeting tonight.”
• “Yeah, sure. Drive safe, alright?” said Ingrid with a flattering smile, afraid of offending her daughter’s promising husband–to–be. Bruce said nothing more, turned around, and got into a car…
• Having watched Bruce’s car disappear, Roxanne stamped her foot in anger. She complained, “It’s all your fault, Mom! You should never have put that bitch Joanna in Bruce’s bed six years ago. Bruce never mentions marrying me again. And now that Joanna’s back, what are we gonna do?” Ingrid gritted her teeth grumpily. What her daughter complained about was what Ingrid regretted the most. She had it all well–designed six years ago. First, she had Joanna drugged. Then she sent the girl straight to Bruce’s room, convinced that Bruce was too drunk to do anything. After that, Ingrid informed a group of Paparazzi, suggesting they write a drama about how Joanna threw herself in her brother–in–law’s arms.
• Ingrid did so because she was expecting that once Joanna had brought dishonor to the family, the girl would be deprived of the right of inheritance. Yet she did not expect that it would backfire.
• Bruce actually slept with Joanna. And then things got out of her hands. Under the pressure of Raymond Haynes and Margaret Everett, Bruce ended up getting married to Joanna.
• Thinking of this, Ingrid said, “I did it for you, silly girl. Damn it, all because of your grandfather! That old shit has always favored that Joanna. Well, now that the old man’s dead, let’s see who can stand up for her this time”
• “But mom…” Roxanne was still worried. Even though Bruce had been good to her for years, she could see the frigidity in his eyes. The man seldom smiled ever since he divorced Joanna. Over the years, he had totally become a workaholic. Sometimes it took three or two months for Roxanne to see him around once.
• “Don’t worry. That idiot Joanna is just as stupid as that dead mother of hers. We are falling out with her right. now. Not until she gives up her share of the inheritance first…” Ten days later, it was Raymond’s funeral. It was drizzling rain. All members of the Haynes family had arrived at the cemetery except for Joanna. On top of that, the finest people in Greyport also showed up to pay their respects. Not to mention the reporters that were gathering outside the cemetery. After all, Raymond Haynes was quite a big shot in Greyport. So, of course, his funeral was well–focused.
• “I heard Raymond willed the eldest daughter of the Haynes family to inherit the Haynes Group.”
• “Oh, my god, that girl is really shrewd. She seduced her brother–in–law six years ago and forced her sister to leave. Then she became the one marrying into the Everett family instead of her sister, and now she’s the director of the Haynes Group. That’s impressive!”
• “Ha! So what? She’s just a scheming woman. She was kicked out by the Everett family, wasn’t she? Such a woman is simply disgusting.” Ingrid was overjoyed when hearing the whispers of the crowd.
• Trying hard to maintain the sad look on her face, she said, “May I have your attention, please? First of all, I’d like to thank you all for coming to Raymond’s funeral, and…” A reporter cut in, “Mrs. Haynes, is it true that Joanna is going to take over the Haynes Group as the new- leader?”
• Ingrid paused before replying, “I’m not gonna be disturbed by other things on this extremely distressing day. But for a company as big as the Haynes Group, one man’s word alone can’t take effect. We need a board meeting to pick the right executive director.”
• “Mrs. Haynes, why isn’t Joanna here on such an important day?” “Ha, that’s the question you should ask her…” While she was saying, outside the cemetery suddenly came the sounds of engines. A stretch limo was making its way into the cemetery, followed by a fleet of Mercedes.
• “Look at that license plate. It seems to be Mr. Grimm’s car!” The reporters went all excited and rushed towards the Rolls–Royce. Yes, that car belonged to Jaydon Grimm. There were two well–known wealthy young men in Greyport. One of them was Bruce Everett, and the other was Jaydon Grimm. He was the second son of the casino magnate in Venturas City, and he also ran an entertainment company called Starlight Media. Several new top stars in the showbiz were all artists under his company’s control.
• Unlike Bruce, who kept a low profile, Jaydon had always been a man of publicity. The doors of the Rolls–Royce were opened slowly, and Jaydon stepped out first. “Wow, it’s really Mr. Grimm!” The press swarmed forward like flies smelling blood. After Jaydon got out of the car, he turned to the other side and helped a woman who was dressed all in black. out of the car like a real gentleman.)
• “Is this…? Wow, it’s Joanna Haynes!” “You gotta be kidding. What is Grimm doing with a woman like her?” As they were all astonished, one by one, came out two adorable kids wearing tiny black suits. The boys should be at the age of 3 to 4. And it was like a bomb, igniting everyone’s interest.