Chapter 55
Ellison hadn’t expected it. The person answering the phone wasn’t Joycelyn, but one of her female colleagues.
“Where is she?” Ellison’s voice dropped low, cold as he asked again.
“She’s drunk, at the restaurant. But she didn’t say where she’s staying, you…”
“Send me the address.” Ellison cut Selene off sharply.
Selene hesitated, speaking through the phone, almost instinctively obeying him. “I’ll send it to you in a moment.”
With that, the call ended abruptly.
Selene swallowed nervously, her back damp with cold sweat. “Joycelyn, what kind of man did you find? He’s so cold and fierce.”
“A bit,” Aurelia nodded in agreement.
“Do you think he might be the type to get violent when he’s angry?” Selene muttered, half-joking.
At this, the group fell silent.
Joycelyn, still half-drunk, straightened up when she heard Selene’s words. Half awake, she said, “What do you mean ‘domestic violence‘? He wouldn’t do that.”
Selene sent the address of the restaurant to Ellison and handed the phone back to Joycelyn.
“Joycelyn, it’s your first relationship, you aren’t being emotionally manipulated, are you?”
Joycelyn, cheeks flushed, wobbled a little in her seat. She shook her head and then slumped back onto Aurelia’s shoulder.
“I recognize that voice. People don’t usually have that kind of presence,” another colleague added.
Hearing this, Joycelyn’s eyes immediately widened, and she sat up straight. “What? You guys called him?”
“Yeah.” Selene pointed at her phone. “I sent the address.”
Joycelyn gasped, a chill running through her, and the shock was enough to sober her up. Her fuzzy mind instantly cleared.
She quickly pulled out her phone, unlocked it, saw the message history, and sent messages.
Joycelyn was stunned.
“Ugh, I feel dizzy. I’ll just call a driver to take me home,” Joycelyn tried to stand, but the room spun, and she collapsed back into her seat.
She regretted driving in the first place.
Her thoughts were frantic, but before she could find an excuse or way to fix things, the sound of a woman’s voice broke through the tension.
“Excuse me, is Ms. Maynard here? I’m your boyfriend’s driver, he ordered this for you to ensure you get home safely,” said a woman.
The middle-aged woman in a driver’s uniform stood at the table, bowing respectfully.
“What? A driver?” Selene looked at Joycelyn, displeased.
Joycelyn, still half-dazed, was relieved when she saw the driver. “Thanks, I’ll be heading home now. See you guys tomorrow.”
With help from the driver, Joycelyn slowly stood up, but Selene walked beside her, offering advice. “Do you want me to come with you, in case your boyfriend gets mad at you?”
Hearing this, Joycelyn smiled warmly and squeezed Selene’s cheek. “No need. I promised to have dinner with him today. He’s a little upset because I missed his calls, but he’ll be fine once I apologize.”
“Really?” Selene said.
“Yes.” Joycelyn smiled softly.
“Okay then,” Selene agreed, and the group parted ways, everyone going home.
That night, Joycelyn had intended to drink a little to smooth things over, but ended up getting far more intoxicated than planned. As she sat in the backseat of the car, the driver received a call.
“Mr. Grant, I’ve picked her up. We’ll be there in about 30 minutes,” said the woman.
Joycelyn’s eyes snapped open, shocked.
“Are you…” She stared at the driver.
The woman responded calmly, “Mr. Grant sent me. Please rest, madam. We’ll be home soon.”
“Ah, thank you,” Joycelyn replied, feeling embarrassed and flustered.
She lay back against the seat, trying to calm her racing thoughts, but ultimately gave in and fell back to sleep.
The car drove into the villa estate. As it came to a stop and the female driver got out to open the back door, she realized that Joycelyn had fallen asleep sometime during the ride.
She glanced at the tall figure walking out of the villa and said, “Mr. Grant, Mrs. Grant is asleep.”
Ellison strode over, and when he reached the back seat, he saw the small woman sound asleep, curled up in the car.
Under the moonlight, the sharp lines of Ellison’s jaw were cast in deep shadow, further accentuating the coldness in his handsome features.
Ellison looked at Joycelyn for a moment, then bent down and gently scooped her up from the car.
Her soft, delicate body was still faintly scented with fruit wine.
As he lifted her, Joycelyn instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, her face nuzzling against his chest as she murmured, “Are we home?”
Ellison let out a cold grunt and carried her toward the mansion.
Joycelyn, clinging to his neck like a little kitten, wriggled slightly as if trying to get more comfortable.
But his muscular frame, honed by years of training, made it hard for her to find a cozy spot.
She whimpered slightly, not entirely pleased.
Ellison’s gaze softened as he looked down at her, her innocent, spoiled expression melting away some of his lingering anger.
He carried her into the room and paused when he noticed a bag on the vanity. After a brief glance, he ignored it and moved toward the bathroom to put her in a warm bath to help sober her up.
But as he dipped her into the water, he remembered her period and immediately lifted her out again.
Joycelyn felt the shift and clung to him tighter, burying her face in his neck, her voice trembling with fear, “I’m… scared.”
Her soft, vulnerable tone melted his resolve. His chest tightened.
“I never thought I’d find myself in this situation with you,” he muttered, annoyed, yet helpless.
He was angry that she hadn’t spoken up when she was being treated unfairly. Annoyed that she went out drinking without telling him.
But what frustrated him most was that he couldn’t vent his anger on this little drunk.
Joycelyn, who had almost been put down, woke up in a panic when she realized what had almost happened.
