Flash Marriage: My Penniless Billionaire Husband

Janice shook her head.

Christopher said, "If he wants to see you, just ignore him. Ask him to come to see me."

Janice nodded guiltily.

In fact, Joey had come looking for her.

After Joey and Janice met hastily at the hot pot restaurant that day, Joey called Janice the next day.

But she didn’t answer the phone.

She didn’t answer his calls mainly because she didn’t know how to respond to him.

She did sympathize with him and Anna, but that was it.

However, it didn’t mean that she could forgive Sophie.

Besides, Sophie not only hurt her, but she also hurt Wanda and Christopher. She couldn’t make a decision for them just because she was soft-hearted. It was unfair to them, so she decided not to answer the phone at all.

But she had still underestimated Joey’s willpower.

If she didn’t answer the phone, he would bombard her with WhatsApp messages.

Finally, Janice couldn’t stand it anymore and agreed to meet with him.

They met at a small coffee bar in the mall.

When Janice arrived, Joey was already there, along with Anna.

Seeing Anna, Janice couldn’t help but feel heartache. She walked in and stretched out her arms. "Anna, long time no see. Do you still remember me?"

Seeing Janice, Anna was stunned for a moment and then remembered Janice. She hid behind Joey with a shy smile.

"I’m sorry. There’s no one at home to take care of Anna, so I have to bring Anna to come with me." Joey explained.

Janice had some reservations about Joey’s explanation.

If he really wanted to find a place to let Anna stay, how could he not be able to find it? Thus, she thought that he brought Anna over on purpose.

But she kept her lips sealed.

"Anna, be good. Go to the amusement park over there and play for a while. Daddy has something to say to this lady."

After Joey finished saying that, Anna went obediently to the amusement park outside the coffee bar. Janice thought Anna looked familiar with the place, so she guessed Anna came here often.

As expected, she heard Joey say, "I brought her here almost every day during this time, so she is very familiar with this place."

Hearing his words, Janice said nothing. She said, "If you have anything to say, go ahead."

Joey looked a little embarrassed. "Let’s sit down first."

Both of them sat down at the table near the amusement park. Joey paused for a moment before saying. "Mrs. Bateman..."

"Don’t call me like that. Call me Janice." Janice interrupted.

It was naturally inappropriate for Joey to call her by name.

He said, "I believe that Mr. Bateman had told you everything about Sophie."

Janice honestly replied, "I heard a little."

Joey paused for a moment and said, "Sophie is in very bad shape now. I know she brought this upon herself, but she is still Anna’s mother. I can’t see her being like this. Therefore, I would like to beg you to help me persuade him to see if he can forgive Sophie."

Joey’s voice became lower and lower as if he felt so embarrassed.

However, in Janice’s opinion, since Joey had said what he wanted to say, she was afraid that he probably wouldn’t feel embarrassed at all.

She said, "I can understand how you feel, but I can’t do it."

Joey probably didn’t expect her to refuse so directly, so he was stunned there.

Janice said, "I know that’s unreasonable, but that’s the way things are. I can only say that we’re on different sides. You’re looking at this matter from the standpoint of your family while we’re the victims. I can understand your feelings, but you might not feel the same as us."

"I can feel..."

"No, you can’t." Joey was interrupted by Janice as soon as he spoke.

...

Janice said, "Let’s talk about your visit to Christopher last time. You clearly know that he suffered the most. Both his parents’ marital status and the accident that nearly killed him last time caused immeasurable harm to him, but you begged him to spare Sophie. That’s right. From your perspective, what you did was understandable, but you ignored his feelings. By doing so, you were undoubtedly begging him to forgive a murderer who stabbed him with a knife before his wound healed. Have you really considered it from his perspective?"

Janice asked rhetorically.

Joey opened his mouth but no words came out.

Janice, however, said coldly, "Of course, you don’t. I’m afraid the only side you have chosen is Sophie’s."

"It’s not like that." Joey hurriedly said, "I also thought about Mr. Bateman, but..."

"But what?" Janice asked.

Joey, however, didn’t know what to say.

Seeing this, Janice sneered and said, "Look, you can’t even speak for yourself, can you?"

Joey went silent.

Janice, however, had to spit it out.

"In fact, I’m afraid you know better than anyone else in your heart. You keep calling him Mr. Bateman. You have already put him on the side opposite you from the bottom of your heart. How can you put yourself in his shoes and think for him?"

"I didn’t." Joey defended himself.

Janice scorned and said, "You said you didn’t, but why didn’t you think for his sake when you pleaded for Sophie? Do you know that in his heart, you’re not just the butler’s son? You’re also his friend and brother. Do you think what you have done is worthy of his friendship for you? "

Janice’s words left Joey silent.

He knew that he was also indebted to Christopher.

Given current circumstances, compared with Christopher, Sophie was in a weaker position, which was why he had always stood on the side of the weak.

"I know I’m selfish, but being loyal and righteous to both sides is indeed a dilemma. I have to give up one side, don’t I?"

"So you chose to give up on Christopher without hesitation?" asked Janice.

Joey stopped talking and lowered his head.

Janice, however, scoffed.

"As expected, there’s a saying that one chooses the lover over one’s friends. You’ve vividly displayed those words."

She sneered.

"I didn’t. Sophie and Mr. Bateman have always been as important in my heart." Joey defended himself.

Janice, however, laughed at his explanation. It didn’t matter if Joey believed it or not, she wouldn’t believe it.

She said, "Maybe to you, Sophie is not a lover, but Christopher has never been a friend, right?"

Janice questioned him, feeling wronged for Christopher.

Hearing her words, Joey was stunned, and then he shook his head. "No, I never stopped treating Mr. Bateman as my friend. I..."

"You had."

Janice interrupted him.

"If you had treated him as your friend three years ago, you would not have allowed him to take the blame for you. If you had treated him as your friend a couple of days ago, you would not have anxiously begged him to forgive the murderer before his wound had healed. If you had treated him as your friend, you would not have taken action against me despite clearly knowing how much he cared about me. Which of these things did you do because you considered him your friend?"

In the face of Janice’s questioning, Joey was unable to answer her.

Janice wasn’t surprised by his reaction at all.

From beginning to end, Joey had never really regarded Christopher as his friend.

...

In Joey’s heart, Christopher might be his master or a playmate, but he had never been his friend.

Friends were equal, but they had never been equal, at least not in Joey’s mind.

She knew that, and perhaps Christopher also knew that.

The reason he didn’t expose Joey was that he didn’t want to lose a playmate like Joey, who had grown up with him.

This was also the reason why she was willing to meet Joey.

She said, "What I said today was not to get back for him or to blame you. I just want you to understand that no one in this world could be hurt casually. If someone does something wrong, one must take responsibility. You shall be like this and so am I. No one can stand above morality and law."

As she spoke, she turned her gaze to the small figure in the playground outside the door and continued, "The only thing that makes my heart ache is Anna. No matter what the adult world is like, she is always innocent and should not be hurt because of this. Joey, if you really want to do something for Sophie, you should raise Anna well and not let her get hurt because of this. This is the best way for you to atone for her sins."

After hearing Janice’s words, Joey’s gaze slowly shifted to Anna, who was in the amusement park not far away.

The only thing he could do now was to raise Anna properly, for he only had her.

As for Sophie, who he missed so much, it seemed that there was nothing he could do.

Thinking of this, he closed his eyes in pain and said, "Thank you for your words. I think I know what to do now."

Hearing his words, Janice was finally relieved. She said, "Still, if Anna needs any help with her illness, just come and find me. I will do my best to help."

"Thank you," Joey said sincerely

Janice looked at the time. Christopher was probably coming back from the company soon. And she came to see Joey behind Christopher’s back today.

Thinking of this, she stood up and said, "I’ll go back first. Take care of yourself." After saying that, she walked out of the door with her swollen belly.

Joey sat there, watching her leave. It wasn’t until she was very far away that he withdrew his gaze.

He looked at Anna, who was having a good time in the amusement park outside.

After staying silent for a long time, he got up and walked toward the park.

As soon as Janice arrived at the door, she saw the car parked outside. Knowing that

Christopher was back, she couldn’t help but frown. She didn’t expect that she was still a little late in her hurry.

As expected, when she walked in, she heard Christopher’s anxious voice. "Go and look for her. Send people to look for the places she usually goes to."

Upon hearing this urgent order, Janice couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty. She would have told him where she had gone.

"Honey." She called out softly as she walked forward.

Hearing this, Christopher, who was talking on the phone, slowly turned around. When he saw Janice standing behind him, he quickly put away the phone and stepped forward. "Where have you been?"

He looked very nervous.

Janice knitted her brows.

"Why are you so anxious? I’m just pregnant. I’m not crazy or stupid. Do you think I will get lost?" She said reproachfully.

Christopher breathed a sigh of relief, but he gave her a look and said, "Nonsense."

He helped her sit on the sofa.

"Where did you go? You neither let the nanny follow you nor tell me."