Chapter 30 Her World Wasn't Just About Him Anymore
This whole thing was already getting tons of attention, and Joanna's response literally crashed the social media platforms for a bit.
All kinds of rumors and speculation started spreading online, Cooper Corporation's stock kept falling, and the entire PR department was working overtime in emergency mode.
Meanwhile, Joanna had turned off her phone early and gone to sleep.
She knew Chris wouldn't let this go, so she took two more days off from the hospital.
During this time, she only answered calls and messages from Peter and Angelo. Everything else, she ignored completely.
Chris, on the other hand, was going crazy. He never expected Joanna would pull a fast one on him! Taking his money but not doing what he wanted—when did Joanna become like this!
Cynthia made coffee for Chris and brought it to his office. "Chris, is Joanna mad about those photos? Should I go apologize to her? She can hit me, yell at me, I won't fight back—just so she'll help you, okay?"
Chris was touched that even though Cynthia was already so upset, she was still thinking about him and the company. Compared to her, Joanna seemed even more unreasonable.
His anger eased a bit. A look of tenderness crossed Chris's eyes as he said gently, "You don't need to do that. Our PR department isn't useless. In another hour, they'll take down all the news, hide all the related topics online, and block them from trending. I'll pay top dollar to buy out those photos, give up some benefits to calm the shareholders, and once this blows over, no one will remember any of this."
Cynthia's eyes were still a bit red from crying for so long. Hearing Chris say this, her voice choked up, "Thank you, Chris. I know this must've put the company through a lot and made things difficult with the shareholders. I'll do my best at the Blue Ocean Design Contest and make it up to you!"
Chris smiled with satisfaction.
See, the company needed talented people like Cynthia. Capable, creative, able to take responsibility and handle risks. Not like Joanna, who only knew how to throw tantrums and dump problems on him without caring!
By the time he finished dealing with the photo situation, it was past midnight.
Chris tiredly returned to the villa. He hadn't been back since Nicole's last visit, and the place felt even more lifeless now.
He took a quick shower and instinctively reached for the nightstand, grabbing at empty air.
Chris froze for a moment.
In the past, when he worked until midnight, even if Joanna was asleep, she would get up to make him a glass of warm milk, sometimes even a late-night snack. He never ate the snacks, but he always drank the milk.
But not this time.
Because Joanna hadn't come home.
Thinking about the divorce agreement he'd signed, Chris rubbed his temples with a headache. Without realizing it, he'd gotten used to having Joanna around.
He needed to make her see reason soon and come back to take care of him!
The next day, Chris took time off from work and brought his laptop to the hospital, because the injuries Angelo had given him still hadn't been properly treated.
Chris got himself a private room. He watched people come and go in the hallway, and it wasn't until the third day that he saw Joanna return to work.
Chris couldn't wait to stop her. "Joanna, are you avoiding me? I've been calling and texting these past few days. Why haven't you answered? You even took time off from the hospital! You were so desperate to work, and this is your work attitude? If this were at the company, I would definitely fire you!"
Joanna was speechless. She showed him the hospital's shift schedule. "I just felt like with so much going on, I needed to adjust my mindset, so I switched shifts with other doctors. I won't have any days off for the next two weeks. What's the problem with my work attitude?"
Chris frowned, showing no guilt about misunderstanding her, and accused her, "So you admit you were avoiding me?"
Joanna didn't want to deal with him, but Chris stepped closer, blocking her path. "That photo thing—you caused me huge trouble. Joanna, you took my money and didn't do what I asked. Aren't you afraid I'll take that money back?"
Joanna glanced at him and noticed the patient's wristband on Chris's wrist. She frowned and said, "We're getting divorced anyway, so we have to split assets. I didn't even try to get back all the money you spent on Cynthia as your wife. I only took three million from you—that's not even a fraction of what you spent on her birthday party, is it?"
"But you did take my money. And not just you. Henry, too. He's taken money several times but hasn't convinced you to go back to apologize." Chris's face was cold. "It's not like making money is easy for me, either. Besides, I'm in the hospital because of your friend. You need to come take care of me until I'm discharged!"
Chris's thinking was simple. Yesterday, when he went back to the villa, he realized he'd gotten used to Joanna's care. So naturally, Joanna must also be used to taking care of him and wouldn't be able to stand seeing him sick and suffering.
As long as she took care of him like before, there would be no conflict between them.
Once Joanna apologized, he'd give her a child, and no one would mention that divorce agreement again.
When Joanna heard this demand, she just found it ridiculous. Was Cynthia's care not good enough for him? He was actually staying in the hospital for three days over minor injuries! What a waste of resources!
Her face was cold. "We're already divorced. I have no obligation to take care of you."
"We only signed the papers—the divorce isn't finalized yet. I could back out whenever I want," Chris snapped, irritation in his voice. "If you don't take care of me, I'll press charges against you and Henry for scamming me. And as for your friend who attacked me—someone with my connections could make things really difficult for him. Do you really want to drag him into this mess?"
Joanna actually knew Chris couldn't really cause trouble for Angelo. But she didn't want her problems to affect Angelo.
Plus, the money Henry owed Chris was an unsolvable problem. She could only put up with it for now. "Fine, I get it. Go back to your room!"
Chris frowned, unsatisfied. Joanna wasn't going to his room right away to take care of him.
But watching Joanna stride toward the office, then come out with patient files to check on post-surgery recovery, he suddenly realized—Joanna really did have her own work now.
Her world wasn't just about him anymore.
Chris felt uncomfortable, but not enough to make a scene.
Anyway, Joanna's little salary wasn't enough to pay back what she owed him.
He just needed to get Joanna back to taking care of him like before. Then she'd definitely quit because she couldn't handle the work.
At noon, Joanna went to the cafeteria, bought two meals, and brought one to Chris.
Chris looked at the food container with dissatisfaction. "Why aren't you feeding me?"
In the past, when he was sick, Joanna would thoughtfully make him nutritious meals and prepare fruit plates and snacks.
But this time, forget about snacks—even the food, he could clearly tell, wasn't made by her.
Joanna said calmly, "This is all the hospital has. If you don't want it, have your assistant bring you something. You're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself; you don't need me to feed you."
She put down the food and left immediately.
Chris was so angry that he punched the bed, his face dark.