A Replacement Bride

Chapter 241

At the mention of Noah, Joaquin's attention was quickly diverted. "That reminds me. Haven't you come to Fontan to investigate the incident five years ago? How is it coming along? Have you found anything?"

Katherine suddenly didn't know how to answer him when he brought the topic up, and her grip on the steering wheel tightened.

Besides, they were in the car right then; it wasn't a good place to talk about this. Then, a hint of deliberation flashed across her eyes, but she still decided not to lay her cards out now. "I have. I'll tell you after we get back."

As Joaquin was still oblivious to the truth, he didn't overthink and just nodded.

However, after arriving at Katherine's mansion, he began feeling sluggish. Perhaps the ointment had taken effect.

In addition to living through a heart-stopping chase, he even went out for lunch despite still recovering from a major blood loss and a serious injury. Having been through all that, coupled with the medicine taking effect, he naturally began feeling drowsy.

Katherine, on the other hand, frowned when she noticed he was looking sluggish and brought him into the bedroom right away. "Sleep, now. You're not Wolverine, and you should be recuperating in the first place. Whatever it is you want to talk about, it can wait until you're better."

While speaking, she chucked her phone to him while pulling out another one from the drawer.

"The things you usually keep close to you are gone. You've probably lost them during the chase. Jeremy will probably call this number if he wants to contact you, so you take it."

She had many other reachable contacts anyway, and Savannah would naturally adapt if she couldn't reach Katherine. Belongs to © n0velDrama.Org.

Joaquin was already on the verge of falling asleep and couldn't even lift a finger either at this point. After humming a response submissively, he was out cold.

It was summer in Fontan, and it was much warmer and more humid than in Hovington.

After having just gone out for lunch, Katherine thought she was going to melt, and she was covered in a sticky layer of sweat that made her feel super uncomfortable.

Thus, after making sure his wounds were looking okay, she returned to her bedroom next door for a shower.

After coming out fresh and clean from the shower, she sat drying her hair while ruminating about all that had happened in the morning in the air-conditioned room.

Half of the mysterious night five years ago had been revealed, but now she was somewhat bewildered, and right when Joaquin asked her the question on the road, she honestly didn't know what to say.

As much as she wanted to lay her cards on the table, she was feeling resistant as well, for she didn't know how she should face him anymore after they laid everything bare.

If he was fully conscious at the time… Then she genuinely didn't know how she could forgive him and how to continue being married to him after what he did to her.

The more she thought about it, the more exasperated she grew, and the hair entangled in her fingers became even tighter. In the end, she just flopped into her bed and stared at the ceiling.

It suddenly hit her that she seemed to have changed a lot lately.

If it were in the past, she wouldn't have been this hesitant. She would've gone straight to the point once she found out who the mystery man was. In fact, the only emotion she'd be feeling was impassiveness and none of all this bull. But now… Why do I feel so troubled? Just why…

Suddenly, her days spent with Joaquin flashed across her mind.

It turned out that she had gotten used to having him by her side and a life with him before she even realized it. Hence, it was why she would be so shocked and also had such a hard time accepting the fact that he was the man from five years ago.

Sigh… She let out a long, murky breath and flipped to her side, feeling helpless.

Never had she thought that this man would have such a great impact on her, making her so hesitant. But either way, the most important thing at that point was to save Noah.

She couldn't delay it anymore, for Noah's sake. What was more, they would have to lay this on the table sooner or later, and now, sooner was better than later.

At that, she bit her lip and buried her face in the pillow, feeling extremely helpless.

She had rushed straight to Tom's residence after ten-plus hours of flying, then there was the questioning and also saving Joaquin, so she hadn't managed to sleep a wink until that point.

Now that she was lying in bed and her mind was a mess, she began feeling groggy, and in no time, she fell into a deep slumber.

…

Meanwhile, Joaquin was fast asleep next door when the phone by his pillow suddenly rang.

He had always been a light sleeper; now, even when he was injured, his vigilance would still respond reflexively. Hence, the second he heard the ringtone, his eyes instantly opened, filled with nothing but clarity and alert.

At that, he turned his head aside to glance at the screen. After seeing the familiar phone number, he answered it at once.

"What is it?" He closed his eyes, still feeling somewhat lethargic, and rubbed his temples with one hand while holding the phone with the other.

"Can you talk now, Mr. Levisay? There's something important…" Jeremy gulped, sounding grave.

His nervousness was even apparent to Joaquin through the phone, and the latter opened his eyes again as ice frosted over them, for he instinctively assumed something went wrong while they were escorting the people.

At that, he sat right up and demanded icily, "What happened? Speak!"

"T-Take it easy, Mr. Levisay. Listen to me. Um…" Jeremy reassured him, then hesitated for a moment before finally asking gingerly, "Is Katherine next to you?"

Having been caught off guard by the question, Joaquin furrowed his brows and answered impatiently, "She's not. Just what the hell happened? Cut to the chase!"

He had never been one for suspense, and Jeremy knew that well, so the young man no longer dared mumble and answered solemnly, "You've asked me to dig into the woman in the bar from five years ago, didn't you? I've gotten an update!"

Joaquin's countenance turned grave at once, and a hint of darkness enveloped his eyes along with a sliver of anxiety, all while an intense apprehension wrapped around his heart.

"Who is it?" It was only then he realized his voice was beyond hoarse, tight.

Jeremy, on the other hand, gulped and related the event instead of revealing who it was right away, "I found the bar, but the boss said he didn't own the place five years ago. Then I followed the trail and found the boss from five years ago. I asked if he remembered the Cechirusian woman who had gone to the bar that night five years ago, and lo and behold, he was shocked by my question. He said a woman had come to him not too long ago also asking about that night. However, the person she investigated was a Cechirusian man!"

At that, a hint of strangeness flashed across Joaquin's head. Something’s not right.

A woman is also investigating that night, and she even asked for the Cechirusian man who was there… Can it be… Can she be the woman I spent the night with?

"Then?" he pressed on, choking on his words badly.

As troubled as he felt, Jeremy knew he had to bite the bullet. "That woman is Katherine!"