Chapter 35 Missing
Joanna took one last look at her father and brother, her eyes cold and indifferent. "You two never try to change, so don't expect anyone to bail you out forever. Chris wants all the money he gave you back, and I've been covering it on my own. If you keep pushing me, I'll make you pay every cent yourselves!"
Henry's eyes widened in panic. "How could Chris do this? Did you do something to make him angry again?"
Joanna was mentally exhausted and didn't want to waste any more words with them. She pulled out her phone and showed them Chris's threatening messages demanding she pay back the money.
"See it clearly? Chris won't just give money because I beg him. You'd better behave yourselves and stop making trouble!"
With that, she put away her phone and turned to leave.
The door was unlocked, so it opened with a push. The fresh air outside freed her from the suffocating, oppressive environment, and she took a deep breath.
She really didn't know when she could finally get rid of them...
But unfortunately, she couldn't erase the blood in her veins—she and these two were destined to be family.
Joanna smiled bitterly and hailed a cab home.
Her rare day off had been ruined.
Henry was furious that his daughter wouldn't listen to him and smashed a bunch of things at home.
Chad finally calmed down, but hearing that Chris wouldn't help them anymore, he panicked, too. "Dad, Joanna won't listen. What do we do now?"
Henry was extremely annoyed. "If you weren't so useless, would we need to push her this hard?"
"Now you're blaming me again?" Chad talked back defiantly. "It was your idea to send her to Chris in the first place. She's the useless one who couldn't hold onto Chris's heart!"
If Chris hadn't married Joanna three years ago and given them so many benefits, the Jones family would have gone bankrupt long ago. How would they still be around now?
The more Chad thought about it, the angrier he got. He said, "She could lower her head three years ago, so why not now? Don't we still have someone in our family that she cares about?"
Henry paused, then understood the key point. "You mean the one lying in the hospital?"
Chad nodded, showing no guilt about using his mother.
The father and son exchanged glances and finally made up their minds.
At noon, Joanna made herself something simple to eat when she received a very unexpected phone call.
"Mrs. Stone?" Joanna looked at her phone again in disbelief. It really was her teacher, Linda Stone, calling.
If Angelo's financial support back then was the foundation that allowed her to complete her studies, then Linda was another guiding light.
During Joanna's years of study, Linda had helped her a lot. Joanna always remembered this kindness, but also felt a bit guilty for not staying in touch after getting married.
"How have you been lately, Jo? I heard from Luke that you've started doing surgeries again?"
Joanna nodded, then realized the teacher couldn't see her and said yes. "Mrs. Stone, I'm so sorry for making that immature decision back then. Although this apology comes too late, I hope you won't be angry with me. I..."
Linda interrupted Joanna directly. "Let's not talk about the past, Jo. I wanted to ask—now that you're able to do surgeries again, would you think about coming back to work with me? Ever since you left, I haven't found a single student who measures up. There's a big competition coming up. How about joining in and making your comeback?"
Joanna really wanted to say yes, but given her current situation, she really didn't have time.
After hesitating for a while, she said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Linda. I've been dealing with a lot of things recently, so I don't have time for the competition. Plus, I haven't designed anything in a long time. I'm afraid I'll be rusty, and if I compete, I'll embarrass you."
Linda disagreed. "I know your level. But since you don't have the energy lately, forget it. Jo, you're very talented. Don't give up what you're best at. I feel sorry for you."
"I... understand."
Joanna asked guiltily about Linda's health. After chatting for a bit, she learned that Linda was busy with a competition recently; she was the organizer and was reviewing submissions from various companies.
When she heard the competition's name, Joanna found it familiar but didn't think much of it.
Soon, she hung up the phone.
Looking at her reopened computer, Joanna hesitated for a long time but eventually closed the competition webpage.
The day off passed, and Joanna returned to work at the hospital.
She didn't bother with Chris's situation and threw herself completely into the new patient's surgery.
Chris seemed to have forgotten about her, too; he didn't come looking for trouble all day.
But near the end of the workday, Joanna received a phone call. "Miss Jones, Sandra is missing!"
Joanna's face changed. She asked anxiously, "What happened? She hasn't woken up, so she couldn't have left on her own!"
The caregiver on the other end was almost crying. "I just went to prepare hot water to wipe your mother's body, and when I came back, she was gone. The hospital's surveillance system has been down for the past few days, so there are no clues at all. I asked people at the hospital, but no one saw where your mother went. Miss Jones, I'm so sorry."
Joanna was extremely anxious, tears welling up in her eyes, but she controlled herself and didn't let them fall. "Don't panic. Think carefully again. I'll ask for leave and rush over right now!"
She hadn't even been at her new job a month and was already asking for time off again—Joanna felt awful about it. But with her mom in trouble, there was no way she could just sit around and wait.
After all, in the entire Jones family, only her mother truly cared about her and was good to her. If Sandra hadn't protected her, she probably would have collapsed long ago under the pressure from her father and brother.
Her mother absolutely couldn't have anything happen to her!
After requesting leave, Joanna rushed to the hospital.
On the way, she kept urging the driver to speed up. The car raced along the road and, fortunately, arrived at the hospital without incident.
The caregiver's eyes were swollen from crying, looking guilty. "I'm sorry, Miss Jones, I'm really sorry... I've already asked around the hospital twice. No one saw who took your mother away." She choked up as she finished, then added uncertainly, "Could it be that your mother woke up and, not seeing you all, went home?"
"No way."
Although Joanna really hoped that was the case, she knew clearly that with this hospital's level of care, they couldn't cure her mother yet.
Moreover, the attending doctor had just discussed her mother's condition with her yesterday; there were no signs of her waking up at all.
Her mother couldn't have suddenly disappeared. Someone must have taken her away!
Joanna thought it over and could only think of one person.
She pulled out her phone and searched through her blocked contacts for a while before making the call.