?<strong>Chapter 340:</strong>


    Joelle and Adrian asked in unison, “What bet?”


    Michael had gone to Adrian and Joelle because of this bet. He had thought of this n from the very beginning, but he knew it was asking a lot.


    His voice carried a heavy load of guilt as he finally spoke. “Lacey said if you two get back together, she’ll agree to the surgery.”


    Adrian’s instinctive reaction was to nce at Joelle, who looked quite thrown off.


    “What does this have to do with us?” she asked.


    Michael tried to exin, “She believes if you two reconcile, the surgery will go smoothly.”


    It had been half a joke when Lacey first mentioned it, never really thinking Joelle and Adrian would reconcile.


    But now, Michael was desperate. No matter how much he had pleaded with Lacey, she refused to budge. So, here he was, with hisst sliver of hope pinned on Joelle and Adrian.


    “Joelle, I know Adrian hurt you, and I’m not asking you to forgive him. But please, just consider this as a chance to save Lacey. It’s the only way she’ll agree to the surgery.”


    Joelle furrowed her brows, her mind wrestling with Michael’s request; she couldn’t say no.


    But every time her gaze shifted to Adrian, her heart felt as if it was caught under a heavy boulder.


    “Michael, I’m really sorry, but I can’t do this.” Joelle refused. Adrian interjected, “Michael, you can’t force her to do something against her will.”


    “And what about Lacey?” Michael snapped, grabbing Adrian’s shirt in a moment of frayed emotion, his veins standing out like ropes in his neck. “Are you saying you’d rather watch her die?” With calm determination, Adrian pried Michael’s hands away. “There has to be another way. We’ll help you talk to her, but you can’t coerce Joelle, and neither can I.”


    “I understand,” Michael said, defeated, as he let go and turned to leave.


    “Wait!” Joelle called out, unable to hold back. “I’ll do it! We’ll pretend in front of her.”


    Michael paused mid-stride, hope flickering in his eyes as he turned back to her. Gratitude washed over his tear-streaked face.


    At that moment, Joelle realized it was Michael’s profound love for Lacey that swayed her.


    He was willing to move mountains for the woman he cherished, and she couldn’t ignore that.


    After they finalized their n, they agreed to meet at the hospital the following day to put on the facade.


    Adrian and Joelle left the hospital together, the night air thickening around them. They went to fetch the kids from the Finch family.


    Gracie, d in her pajamas, whispered, “Joelle, why not stay over with the kids? It’ste, and you don’t want to wake them.” “Thanks, but there’s no need,” Joelle replied, her heart aching to see the children after several days apart.


    With the night wind tousling their hair, Joelle and Adrian each cradled a sleeping child as they made their way out of the house.


    Adrian broke the silence. “Why don’t you stay at my ce tonight? You won’t get much rest if you go back now. We need to get to the hospital early tomorrow.”


    Adrian’s house sat just a stone’s throw away from the Finch family’s, nestled in the same neighborhood. Leah frequently dropped by for friendly card games.


    Joelle shook her head. “There’s no need for that.”


    “Don’t be so headstrong. I’m not suggesting anything more. I just don’t want to wake the kids.” For once, Adrian’s tone left no room for debate.


    Joelle wavered, unsure, when a sleepy voice broke the silence. Aurora, nestled in Adrian’s arms, rubbed her eyes and murmured, “Daddy…”


    She must have mistaken Adrian for Rafael, the father she longed for so deeply that she often cried for him in her sleep.


    Adrian’s chest tightened at the voice, and he instinctively pulled her closer, whispering tenderly, “Daddy’s here, sweetheart. Go back to sleep.”


    The sight tugged at Joelle’s heart. Not wanting to disrupt the children’s fragile peace, she gave in, agreeing to stay the night at Adrian’s.


    This wasn’t just any house—it had once been their home.


    Joelle tried to push the memories aside. If she allowed herself to be trapped in the past, she knew she’d never move forward. Leah, having stayed up for Adrian’s return, brightened at the sight of them all together, her eyes widening with surprise and a smile dancing on her lips.


    “Leah, get the guest room ready and put the protective rails around the bed.”


    “Right away, sir,” Leah replied.


    Later, after washing up, Joelle lifted the nket and slipped into bed beside Aurora.


    A soft knock came at the door. Adrian had intended to check on Aurora, but seeing Joelle there stirred something inside him. “Going forward, I want to help with the kids more. It’s my responsibility too. I need to learn how to take care of them.”


    “Okay,” Joelle replied.


    Adrian reached out, brushing a hand over Aurora’s hair. “She looks just like you when she’s asleep.”


    Joelle nced at Aurora and, without thinking, responded, “She actually takes after you. People always say daughters resemble their fathers.”


    No sooner had the words left her mouth than regret settled in. After all, she had never truly epted Adrian as Aurora’s father.


    Adrian, sensing the tension, let out a small sigh but kept his thoughts to himself. “Rest up. I’ll leave you to it.”


    “Okay.”


    Adrian hesitated in the doorway, his hand lingering on the knob. “Joelle, I’ll do everything I can to be a good father.”


    Joelle remained silent, pretending not to hear, her attention solely on Aurora as she coaxed her back to sleep.


    The next morning arrived. Joelle and Adrian prepared for a difficult task—convincing Lacey.


    Leah and the Finch family took charge of the children.


    Just before stepping into Lacey’s hospital room, Joelle’s breath caught in her throat. She reached for Adrian’s hand, intertwining their fingers.


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