If she hadn’t grasped it, she might have ended up spending the

night here.

Looking at her retreating figure, Jericho tightened his grip on

the cup.

As he was about to speak, he met Joaquin’s icy gaze.

After a moment of silence, he averted his gaze, relenting.

“Joaquin, why don’t you stay for dinner?”

“I’ve got something to do. Maybe next time.”

Joaquin stood up and walked out.

“Mommy? What are you doing here?”

Romina bumped into Kashton at the door.

It sounded like she was an unexpected guest.

She smiled sarcastically.

Even Kashton knew better than Jericho.

Howughable.

“I came to discuss something with Jericho. I’m leaving now!’

She walked away without waiting for Kashton’s reply.

Kashton’s heart sank as he stared at her back.

He wanted to stop her.

But what if she really stayed?

He didn’t want to see her around.

Nadine had promised to take him to school tomorrow. If

Romina stayed, that would totally ruin the n.

Eventually, he said nothing and just watched as Romina left.

After walking out of the courtyard, Romina hailed a cab to

leave.

By the time Joaquin’s Maybach emerged from the courtyard,

she was in the cab already.

Through the window, he watched as she entered the cab and

left.

Erick was behind the wheel. Through the rearview mirror, he

saw Joaquin’s sullen face and couldn’t help but ask, “Mr.

Bowman, do you have something to say to Ms. Sandoval?

Would you like me to overtake them?”

“No need.”

Joaquin lowered his gaze to the tablet in his hands.

After a few seconds, he thought of something and looked up at

Erick. “You still haven’t found out anything about Rose?”

“No,” Erick replied with a sigh. “I’m sorry, Mr. Bowman.”

Joaquin’s voice was deep. “She wasst seen three years ago.

Any records of when exactly that was?”

“From what I heard, it was that summer three years back.”

Erick nced at Joaquin in the backseat through the rearview

mirror.

Joaquin arched an eyebrow slightly. “See if you can talk to her

“Alright, Mr. Bowman.”

Back in Breeze Vista, Romina texted Hayden. She made it clear

that the divorce was her choice, hoping he wouldn’t put

pressure on Jericho and Kashton.

She didn’t do this for their sake. Instead, she just wanted Jericho

to sign the divorce papers as soon as possible and set her free.

Hayden’s reply came thirty minutester, and it was only one

sentence.

“All I want is for you to be a happy family.”

She stared at those words in a daze.

A happy family?

She’d wanted the same-until Jericho and Kashton put her

behind bars.

The words on the screen somehow seemed to re under the

warm yellow light.

Just then, someone knocked on the door, snapping her out of it.

She stood up to open it, only to see Elliana outside.

“Lina’s impossible to track down. It’s probably got something to

do with herplicated background.”

Elliana stepped inside while handing her a document.

Following Elliana back in, she flipped through it.

It was a detailed record of Lina’s father’s debts.

Aside from his gambling debts, he even ran tabs for basic things,

such as convenience store purchases and meals.

“So, Lina’s father owes a lot of money and has been dragging her

around all these years?”

“Yes. What a jerk! He never pays anyone back, and from what I’ve heard, he’s always been awful to Lina. We gotta find her as

soon as possible.”

Elliana poured herself a ss of water before looking up at

Romina seriously.

Romina mused, “You know what? I don’t think she’s with him. Maybe he sent her to another orphanage after taking her back.”

“Perhaps. After all, gamblers are always irresponsible. Why

would he want a dead weight?” Elliana nodded.

Romina’s expression darkened. “Where was theirst known

address?”