?<strong>Chapter 975:</strong>


    Inside the ward, Rnd heard every word of the heated exchange. He was uncertain whether he should speak up or stay silent.


    Joelle and Adrian continued their fierce argument with Hooper and his team, neither side willing to back down. The tension hung in the air like a thick fog, but eventually, the group relented and left without stepping foot inside the ward.


    Rnd studied Joelle’s and Adrian’s tense expressions, realizing that their current arrangement wouldn’t hold for long.


    Having been discarded before, he understood all too well the sting of abandonment.


    Although he didn’t like Adrian and Joelle, he also didn’t like the feeling of being cast aside again.


    “I can lead them to the terrorists’ hideout,” Rnd said abruptly. “Before my dad died, he told me where their hideout is.”


    “Rnd,” Joelle interjected sharply, her tone leaving no room for argument. “This is not something for you to handle. You can tell them what you know, but risking your life is out of the question.”


    She still carried the guilt of having lost Rnd for so many years due to her past neglect. Now that she had him back, she was resolute in protecting him, no matter the cost.


    Joelle didn’t me Rnd for being hostile.


    A child is a nk te, shaped by the hands of those around him.


    She med the people who had taught him to be this way.


    For Joelle, Rnd would always be a child, no matter his age or demeanor.


    Joelle carefully made his bed, as if nothing had happened.


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    Even when Chief Hooper had almost drawn his gun just now, Joelle had not wavered.


    “Get some rest. We’ll be going home soon. Once we’re back, Adrian and I will take you to a better hospital for treatment,” Joelle said softly.


    Over the past few days, Rnd hade to understand a bit more about Joelle and Adrian.


    Everyone spoke of Adrian’s influence, how the Miller family held undeniable power in Illerith.


    But Rnd could see inly that, within the family, Joelle held the reins of power.


    “I didn’t say I wanted to die. You want to go back home too, don’t you? If we keep dragging this out, they’ll never let us leave. So I’m willing to help you get home, but you’ll have to agree to one condition.”


    This was the first time Rnd had spoken to them with suchposure. His voicecked warmth, carrying an air of detachment that felt foreign to them. Adrian noticed the subtle way Joelle’s hand stilled on the sheet she was smoothing.


    It was evident that Rnd wasn’t viewing them as family. Instead, they felt like they were bargaining.


    The weight of this realization settled heavily in the room.


    Adrian knew Joelle was upset, but he could only find an excuse to send her away. “Joelle, go buy me a bottle of water.”


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