Chapter 29 Joanna, You Better Not Regret
Joanna checked Chris's signature. The heavy burden that had been weighing on her was finally lifted. She breathed a sigh of relief.
"Write the settlement letter." Chris's face was dark. "Joanna, you better not regret this!"
"I'm not like you, always going back on my word." Joanna gave a self-mocking smile and began writing the settlement letter.
After explaining to the police, Chris was finally able to leave the station.
Watching Joanna walk away without looking back, Chris felt like something inside him was leaving.
He tugged at his tie uncomfortably and headed back to the company with Cynthia.
Outside the police station, Joanna got into Angelo's car with Peter.
Peter clicked his tongue. "Joanna, you're still too soft-hearted. Going straight to court could solve a lot of trouble. There was no need to agree to Chris's terms."
Joanna felt a bit empty inside and shook her head. "I just don't want to waste any more time."
Angelo keenly sensed Joanna's emotions. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I already found out Cynthia was the one who leaked those photos. If you want, we can stir things up by letting people know Chris's secret marriage wasn't with Cynthia, proving he cheated and has a mistress. That way, your divorce will be on firmer ground."
Joanna hadn't expected the photos to be Cynthia's doing. However, Cynthia had inadvertently done her a favor by helping push through the divorce signing.
After thinking it over, she said, "That works. With public pressure, he won't dare go back on his word."
Although the divorce agreement was signed, during the cooling-off period, if Chris changed his mind, she still couldn't get divorced.
Using public opinion to pressure Chris was actually a good approach.
During the time they were delayed at the police station, the photos had completely blown up online.
At Cooper Corporation, Matthew saw Chris and Cynthia return, his forehead covered in anxious sweat. "Mr. Cooper! Someone leaked news of your secret marriage, and now the internet is full of people criticizing you and Miss Dern."
Cynthia froze and quickly checked the comments.
Unlike the praise from two hours ago, now there were only insults calling her a "homewrecker," "mistress," and other malicious terms.
How did it turn out like this?
She had clearly wanted to pressure Chris into divorcing Joanna. How could someone reveal Chris's secret marriage at this time and call her a homewrecker!
Cynthia was both angry and anxious, her eyes instantly reddening. "Chris... I was just taking you home! How can they say that about me? You were drunk, I didn't mean for any of this to happen... Chris, if this doesn't get cleared up, I won't be able to represent the company at the Blue Ocean Design Contest. I... I'm sorry."
Chris's heart clenched.
Earlier at the police station, he had wondered if Cynthia was trying to force him to take responsibility for that night's mistake.
But seeing Cynthia's red eyes, he felt guilty again. How could he think that about Cynthia? She was an innocent girl. How could she use something like sleeping together to hurt herself?
"Don't cry. I'll handle this trouble as soon as possible and won't let them hurt you."
Cynthia nodded with tears still in her eyes, looking wronged.
After learning about the situation, the shareholders urgently called a meeting, demanding that Chris make a guarantee.
Chris struggled through negotiations with them and found a solution.
He took out his phone, found Joanna's number, and called her.
"Did you leak the secret marriage news? Joanna, I already signed the divorce agreement. If you're not satisfied, you can say so. Why make it into this mess! You've dragged Cynthia into it, too. Do you know the internet is full of people cursing her? Cynthia has been crying!"
When Joanna received the call, she had just arrived downstairs at her apartment building. Angelo and Peter had already left. She hadn't expected Angelo to act so quickly.
"When photos of you and Cynthia were posted online, why didn't you blame whoever was behind it? Chris, do you only know how to be harsh with me?" The last sentence came out somewhat bitter and resentful.
"I don't have time to argue with you right now. Joanna, hurry up and admit that the person in the photos is you. The online comments are already affecting the company's stock."
"You want me to take the fall for Cynthia?!" Joanna's eyes widened. Her heart felt like it was being grabbed and squeezed by a large hand, hurting so much she could barely breathe.
Just how much did Chris care about Cynthia?
He couldn't bear to see netizens attack Cynthia, so he could calmly ask her to come forward as a scapegoat?
He felt bad that Cynthia was crying, but wouldn't she be hurt by insults and accusations, too?
Chris couldn't care about all that. His tone was urgent. "If Cooper Corp has problems, it's not good for you either. Besides, what's wrong with admitting you're Mrs. Cooper? Don't forget, until you get the divorce certificate, you're still my wife!"
"I won't do it." Joanna's nose felt sour, her voice muffled. "The title of Mrs. Cooper isn't that appealing. Before, when I begged you to announce that I was your wife, didn't you refuse? Chris, you actually don't want to acknowledge my identity. It's only because Cynthia is being criticized this time that you're reluctantly admitting me to protect her, right?"
Chris's tone became impatient. "Cynthia shouldn't have been dragged into this in the first place. If you hadn't refused to pick me up that day, we wouldn't have been photographed by reporters!"
He didn't understand why Joanna couldn't see the key issue!
As long as Joanna admitted her identity, the company's stock would stabilize, and Cynthia could continue representing the company in the design competition.
Joanna had always wanted to be acknowledged before. Why was she unwilling now?
Joanna laughed bitterly and asked back, "So was it me who made you two sleep together, too? Chris, you're the one who cheated during our marriage. You're the one at fault!"
Chris, who had just been angry, felt better after hearing Joanna bring up the sleeping-together matter on her own.
So Joanna was jealous of this trivial thing. She minded his intimacy with someone else!
Just as he thought, she was only upset and didn't really want a divorce. That divorce agreement from this morning probably didn't mean much—she was just mad. If he sweet-talked her and gave her a sense of security, maybe even a child, she'd settle down and stop fighting him.
Thinking this, Chris's tone softened considerably. "No matter what happened between Cynthia and me, it won't affect your status as Mrs. Cooper. Joanna, if you're still jealous, I can give you an extra million and a car, as long as you come forward and admit the person in the photos is you. Once this is resolved, I can also agree to have a child with you. Stop throwing tantrums over these small things again."
Joanna clenched her fists, her nails digging into her flesh without feeling any pain.
Chris really had a short memory!
The divorce agreement was already signed, and he still thought she would turn back for such pitiful benefits?
But still, free benefits were not to be wasted!
Joanna took a deep breath. When she spoke again, her attitude had changed. "Three million plus a car. Give them to me now, and I'll immediately come forward to respond."
Chris finally felt relieved and reluctantly praised her. "You're finally being sensible. I'll have Matthew transfer the money now. The shareholders are waiting for my response. Remember to come forward and clarify soon."
Joanna was as easy to coax as always. If he had known that one child could solve the conflict between them, he should have agreed to let Joanna have one earlier. Now he finally had an answer for the shareholders.
By the time Joanna finished washing up, Matthew had already transferred the three million, along with photos of the car transfer information.
After confirming everything, Joanna logged into her account.
She directly linked to the hottest topic and posted a photo of their marriage certificate and the cover of the divorce agreement.
[Hi everyone, I'm Chris's wife—we've been secretly married for three years. The woman in those photos isn't me. Thanks to the reporters for letting me find out that my husband has been getting cozy with someone else behind my back. I'll be taking legal action to protect myself, and I won't let someone who betrayed our marriage walk away without consequences!]