The air in the ward froze for a moment. Vivian shrank back in fear, not daring to look at Joseph’s eyes. jos sat by the bedside, showing no surprise at Joseph’s sudden appearance. Instead, hefortingly patted Vivian’s hand.


    Smiling at Joseph, he made no attempt to conceal, “Yes, Vivian is pregnant, I’m going to be a father.”


    jos asked, “Are you congratting me, Joseph?”


    “Of course, this is something everyone should be happy about. I certainly want to congratte you,” Joseph said, looking down at jos with an air of superiority.


    jos always found Joseph’s sense of superiority puzzling. They held nearly equal status in the mafia, and Joseph had not even be a true Capo. In terms of rank, Joseph was lower than jos. Yet, he always managed to disy an air of superiority and disdain towards everyone, which jos found quite perplexing.


    “Hey, Vivian,” Joseph greeted her, “why are you afraid to look at me? What are you afraid of?”


    No matter how friendly Joseph’s expression was, it couldn’t conceal his cruel nature. Vivian had been afraid of him since she was a child. “No, I, I’m not afraid,” she stammered.


    “Then why can’t you look into my eyes?” Joseph pressed.


    Vivian flinched even more.


    Joseph reprimanded, “Look at me, Vivian!”


    Trembling, Vivian timidly raised her head. Her fearful gaze didn’t meet Joseph’s sinister eyes before she felt pressure on her head – it was jos.


    jos’s hand covered Vivian’s head, gently pushing it down. She instinctivelyplied with his force, lowering her head. She heard jos speak to Joseph in a displeased tone, “You’ve frightened my wife, Joseph! Are you forcing her?”


    “Don’t misunderstand, my dear brother-inw, I’m just having a friendly conversation with my pregnant sister.” Joseph’s expression and tone always changed rapidly and drastically when facing jos.


    jos sneered, “I don’t feel your friendliness, Joseph. Perhaps you should go back to school and relearn the course on friendliness. Don’t embarrass yourself here any longer.”


    jos arranged for a car to take Joseph back to the apartment. “You should go back to the room I arranged for you and get a good night’s sleep. I know the journey at sea hasn’t been easy.”


    Yes, their recent voyage had been exceptionally difficult. They had encountered naval patrols twice in the Three Seas just before reaching the open sea. They had to turn back, unload cargo at the transfer station, and return to the port of Houston.


    As soon as the ship docked, an explosion urred at the port square. Joseph and the sailors had to drift at sea for an additional three hours until the port authorities cleared the remaining bombs before they coulde ashore.


    “I don’t need your lectures, jos,” Joseph suppressed his anger, “We don’t share amon understanding of friendliness, but that’s okay. Now I’m taking my wife with me, please show your understanding of friendliness.”


    Luzia subconsciously wanted to escape, but Joseph was quick. He grabbed her shoulder almost the moment she turned around.


    Feeling the weight on her shoulder, Luzia’s body stiffened, goosebumps immediately covering her whole body.


    “Where are you going, Luzia?” Joseph felt the shiver of her body under his palm. He revealed a cruel and eerie smile, like some kind of sticky, soft-bodied creature crawling inch by inch over the back of Luzia’s fair neck.


    “I…” Luzia felt a chill from his smile. She was on the verge of tears, “I… I’m worried about Shelley. She’s still in surgery, and I…”


    “You’re not a doctor, Luzia. Your presence does nothing to heal the patients’ pain, but…” Joseph’s chest pressed against Luzia’s back.


    Luzia widened her eyes in terror, tears welling up in her eyes, ready to trickle down at the blink of an eye.


    Because of her extreme fear, Luzia’s body stiffened like a stone, unable to shiver anymore.


    She heard Joseph’s voice draw near, like a demon’s call, “I need you, Luzia.”


    “No!” Luzia struggled to force a syble out of her throat, but she couldn’t find more words.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Vivian couldn’t bear to watch and quietly said to jos, “I want Luzia to stay with me.”


    Vivian’s voice was soft, but it didn’t escape Joseph’s ears.


    Joseph turned around, and with just a gentle nce, the fierceness in his eyes couldn’t be hidden.


    If Joseph had fangs, they would have been bared in an instant to sever theprey’s neck. “Vivian, you should believe that I need my wife more than you do.”


    “But…”


    “Don’t anger me, Vivian,” Joseph licked his teeth like a vampire, “I believe your husband wouldn’t want to see us engage in a more ‘friendly’ conversation than we just did.”


    Vivian tightened her grip on jos’s sleeve.


    jos stared at Joseph with a dark look.


    Joseph fearlessly met his gaze, his eyes shifting asionally, revealing a hint of malice as he aimed at Vivian’s stomach.


    “Am I right, jos?”


    It was a tant threat and a provocation to jos.


    But jos had to grit his teeth and endure.


    “Am I not right, jos?” Joseph’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, his tone growing heavier, expressing dissatisfaction with jos’s brief silence.


    “Of course, you can take your wife, Joseph. It’s your right.” jos struggled to steady his breath, resisting the urge to explosively shoot Joseph in the head. He reminded himself that the time was not yet right, to endure, to endure!


    “I suppose you have also heard that my grandfather in distant Italy has selected a bride for my brother, Simpson. They are getting along quite well,” jos said. “My aunt is preparing to host a family gathering for them. As a member of this family, I hope you and Luzia can join. Can you?”


    Joseph sneered, “You can tell me the time of the gathering.”


    “Out of respect and courtesy, my aunt will personally send you a formal invitation,” jos seized the opportunity to make his request, “Aunt Yazmin is very fond of Luzia, please don’t let her be saddened by Luzia’s scars.”


    Joseph looked at jos with a cold gaze. He must have cursed jos angrily in his mind more than once, but at least he maintained a facade of peace, “If it’s the wish of the beautiful and noble Lady Yazmin, I am happy to oblige.”


    In the end, Luzia was taken away by Joseph, and Mare silently left the room. Simpson raised his eyebrows, looking at jos, not very pleased, “A family gathering for me and Giulia? Why wasn’t I informed?”