Chapter 6

When Joanna arrived at the hospital, Sabrina wasn't waiting in the neurology wing as expected. Instead, she was in the obstetrics department. Before Joanna could say a word, Sabrina shot her a vicious glare. She jabbed a finger at her face and barked, "This is your fault! I wouldn't have ended up in the wrong damn place if you hadn't pissed me off." Joanna just stood there, watching her put on a show. From start to finish, she didn't react. But the yelling stopped abruptly when a young couple walked out of the obstetrics unit. "Darling!" Rowan's voice cracked through the hallway. His expression shifted in an instant as he quickly let go of Hattie's hand. Hattie's expression flickered with annoyance, though she quickly replaced it with something soft and pitiful as she looked at Joanna. Sabrina's face twisted into something almost gleeful. Joanna saw the scene unfold before her and felt a cold clarity settle in. It confirmed what she had always suspected—Sabrina had faked that breakdown days ago just to tear up her fake marriage certificate. Her motives were crystal clear now. When Joanna didn't respond, Rowan forced a stiff smile and walked toward her. "Darling, I was just about to call you with good news. Hattie's awake. She wanted to surprise everyone, so she didn't tell anyone and only reached out once she landed." He tried to wrap an arm around her waist, but Joanna instinctively stepped back. He froze, stunned by her reaction. Joanna looked straight at him and said calmly, "Well, congratulations." Hattie's eyes sparkled with mischief. She stepped forward and grabbed Joanna's hand. "Joanna, I wouldn't have recovered so quickly if Rowan hadn't taken care of me these past two years. He told me you've even been helping my mom all this time. That's… really kind of you. Thank you so much!" Her sharp nails dug into Joanna's skin, making her wince. Joanna quickly yanked her hand away. Hattie gasped, pretending to be startled. She staggered back as if Joanna had shoved her. Rowan's reflexes kicked in as he rushed to catch her, steadying her by the waist. Before he could say anything, Sabrina charged at Joanna like a madwoman. A loud, crisp slap landed on Joanna's face. Rowan's expression darkened. He took a step forward, but Hattie clutched his arm tightly. "Rowan… my stomach. It hurts…" Panic flashed across his face. "Darling, Hattie's pregnant. Her husband's not here. I need to take her to the doctor. Just wait for me, okay?" Joanna watched him turn away, rushing off with the woman he had betrayed her for. Her eyes were dry now—she had no tears left. Sabrina gave her a smug, triumphant smile, lips curling so wide it almost reached her ears. "Who the hell do you think you are, Joanna? You think you can steal my daughter's man? If you had any shame, you'd get the hell out of here! You filthy slut, used up and good for nothing!" Joanna's cheek burned, the sting spreading deep under her skin. But she didn't flinch. Instead, she stepped forward until she stood directly in front of Sabrina. Sabrina was used to Joanna backing down. Her expression twisted in fury as she raised her hand again, ready to strike. But before the slap could land, Joanna's hand shot up and grabbed Sabrina's wrist midair. With a swift twist and a sharp pull, there was a loud crack. Sabrina collapsed onto the floor with a shriek, clutching her arm. "It hurts! I'm dying! She's trying to kill me. Someone help! She's crazy!" Joanna didn't even blink. She stepped over her and walked out of the building. She wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. A week later, Rowan threw a birthday party for Hattie, using the same lakeside villa where he had once proposed to Joanna. That evening, after Joanna had dislocated Sabrina's arm, Rowan showed up. He said, "She's sick, Joanna. Why do you always have to escalate things with someone who isn't well? And she's Hattie's mother. Can't you just let it go for the sake of what she did for me back then?" Rowan stepped closer, his tone sharpening. "Joanna, can you just stop being so damn stubborn for once? No one else would put up with you the way I have. Maybe it's time you take a hard look at yourself and think about why everything keeps falling apart. "Tomorrow is Hattie's birthday party. Just do the right thing and apologize. Then we can move on from this." Joanna hadn't said a single word the entire time. But when he told her to apologize to Hattie, she let out a cold laugh. "What if I don't?" Rowan replied flatly, "If you don't, I'll give her that painting you asked me to find. I'll tell her it's from you as an apology." Joanna was stunned. "Rowan, that's the last painting my father made before he died. It's the last memory he left me. You'll give that to Hattie just because I won't apologize?" Rowan rubbed his temples tiredly. "I told you, all you have to do is apologize. If you do, I won't give it to her. Just be good, Joanna. Do it." When she didn't respond, Rowan assumed her silence meant agreement. … The next morning, he was at the villa early, personally overseeing the decorations. Hattie's belly had started to show. It was subtle, but noticeable enough. Rowan's men kept calling her "Mrs. Swanson" with playful grins, coaxing her into laughter. Hattie said sensibly, "Don't let Joanna overhear. I don't want her to feel awkward."