Chapter 7

Rowan felt a wave of tenderness seeing how soft and obedient Hattie was being. But then his mind wandered back to Joanna. She never listened, argued with him, and constantly challenged him until he lost his temper. He rubbed at his temples. "Hattie, they weren't wrong. You're my real wife. I'm sorry it's been so unfair to you—" Before he could finish, Hattie gently pressed her fingers to his lips. She whispered, "Rowan, you don't have to apologize. As long as you remember me and the baby, that's enough. You've already given me everything I've ever wanted. I won't be the kind of woman who clings to you and makes your life harder. I promise." Rowan pulled her into an embrace, kissing her before he even realized what he was doing. What they didn't know was that Joanna had already seen everything on the surveillance cameras. When she arrived at the villa, one of Rowan's men standing guard outside suddenly stiffened. He turned his back to her, whispering something quickly into his phone. When Joanna stepped inside, everything looked peaceful. Rowan, dressed sharply in a tailored suit, began walking toward her. He opened his mouth to speak, but she raised a hand, cutting him off. Just then, Calvin stormed in from outside, dragging a man behind him. With a hard shove, he threw the bloodied figure to the floor, right at Hattie's feet. The man's face was mangled beyond recognition. Hattie shrieked and stumbled back in horror, scrambling to hide behind Rowan. Rowan's expression hardened instantly. He stepped in front of her protectively. "Joanna, what the hell are you doing?" Joanna gave him a mocking smile. "You told me to come, didn't you? Well, here I am. And this—this is my birthday gift for her." Then she turned to Hattie. "What's wrong, Ms. Duncan? Don't you like it?" Hattie stayed tucked behind Rowan, but the look on her face said everything. She knew exactly who the man was. Joanna didn't hesitate. She pulled a handgun from her coat pocket. The second Hattie saw it, she screamed, completely losing control. "Joanna! What are you doing? Wasn't it enough that you nearly made me fall and lose the baby last time? What did I ever do to you?" Chaos erupted as people rushed to stop her. "Joanna, please! Let's just talk this out. It's her birthday. This isn't the time for blood." "Yeah, Joanna. Whatever the misunderstanding is, let's deal with it after the party. Please, just put the gun down before someone gets hurt." Rowan's expression tightened. Just as he was about to speak, Joanna cocked the gun and aimed it straight at Hattie. His expression turned cold. Without a word, he reached into his own pocket and pulled out his gun, aiming it directly at Joanna's leg. The room exploded with a deafening bang. Rowan's men immediately closed in around Hattie, shielding her with their bodies. "Joanna!" Pain shot through Joanna's leg, and her body buckled. She collapsed forward uncontrollably, the strength drained from her limbs. Her face turned pale as she slowly looked up at the man standing across from her. His eyes were cold, merciless. Blood spread from the graze where the bullet had torn through her skin. Her handgun clattered to the floor beside her. Xavier Barker rushed forward and grabbed the weapon. But the moment he picked it up, his face twisted in shock. He turned to look at Rowan. "There's no bullet, Rowan." Rowan froze, then quickly turned to Joanna. She was deathly pale, but the corners of her lips curled into a mocking smile as she stared back at him. That look—smug and hollow—hit him like a sucker punch, sharp and suffocating. Before he could react, a commotion erupted in the crowd. "Ms. Duncan? Ms. Duncan?" Rowan's expression tightened. He pushed through the bystanders and scooped Hattie into his arms. She had passed out cold. Calvin couldn't stand it anymore. He rushed forward and blocked Rowan's path. "Rowan, how could you shoot Joanna?" Rowan's eyes darkened, his lips pressing into a thin line. "Get out of my way." He shoved Calvin aside. But just as he reached the doorway, he came to an abrupt stop. "Joanna assaulted one of our own without cause. Xavier, take her to the women's prison. Let her cool off there for three days." Joanna felt something snap inside her chest, dull and crushing. It was like her heart was being flattened under something massive, and the pain blurred her vision. The handgun Rowan used on her was a gift from her. It was custom-made, with her initials engraved into the barrel. Rowan once told her that he and that gun would protect only one person for the rest of his life—her. But now, that very gun had wounded her. Xavier hesitated for a moment, clearly stunned. But seeing Rowan's unwavering order, he eventually gave a reluctant nod. Several men stepped forward to detain Joanna. Calvin tried to intervene but was shoved to the ground, pinned in place by others. Xavier scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Sorry, Joanna." He barked, "What are you all standing around for? Get her out of here!"