Chapter 1388


    Joshua had always been a man of clear boundaries between his professional and personal life.


    Favors were debts to be repaid, and grudges were not to be left unattended.


    Richard had done him a solid by tracking down those elusive jade pearls and their owner.


    In gratitude, Joshua knew the best way to show his appreciation was to throw more business Richard''s way.


    Richard was touched by his gesture and replied, "Can''t thank you enough for looking out, Joshua.”


    With a final nce back at Thssa, Joshua turned on his heel and left.


    Richard followed suit, stepping out into the crisp air.


    Outside the hospital, Joshua turned to Richard and asked, "Did you say Thssa''s mother passed away in a car ident just a


    month ago?"


    "Yeah, tragic ident," Richard confirmed.


    Acar ident?


    The news made Joshua pause, a sigh escaping him. "That''s a damn shame," he said before striding towards his car.


    Richard headed to his own ride and drove off.


    Back in the hospital room, Astrid held Thssa''s hand, her tone earnest. "Thssa, what if he really is your biological dad? Why


    didn''t you talk to him properly?"


    Astrid had been awake during the exchange between Thssa and Joshua, and she had overheard every word.


    She had seen Thssa''s reluctance, and it concerned her.


    Clutching Astrid''s hand, Thssa could be her true self with her aunt. "Auntie, I''m scared. | don''t want to have any expectations


    of a father anymore."


    Expectations led to disappointment.


    Hope led to despair.


    Bruce''s appearance had sparked a hope for some semnce of warmth or kindness from a father figure, even if he turned out to


    be a scoundrel. But Bruce was nothing but deceit and cruelty, even threatening Thssa''s mother''s life.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    He had used his im as her father to extort and terrorize her.


    The very word "father" filled Thssa with fear and despair.


    And Lysander, ming her for Bruce''s sins, had taken out his wrath on her with a cold ferocity.


    She cursed the role of the father every torturous night.


    Finally free from the disaster Bruce


    had brought into her life, know}


    wasn''t he real dad tke Baden


    eas of this stranger iming


    to be her father cast a lingering


    shadow. Please read the original


    content at NovelDrama.Org.


    With such a burden on her heart, how could she possibly hold any hope for this new imant?


    So, she chose to shut the door to her heart, unwilling to let unnecessary trouble find her.


    Astrid, understanding Thssa''s


    plight, nodded and presi noOll)


    f her, Sheknevathesi terness her


    niéce must have held inside. Please


    read the original content at


    NovelDrama.Org.


    The next morning at ten, Thssa


    went to collect the peeegy coi")


    r ults sheand Vashi ad taken


    after helping her aunt with breakfast.


    Please read the original content at


    NovelDrama.Org.


    Finding no report on the counter, she approached the doctor on duty.


    “Excuse me, have the paternity test results for Thssa and Joshuae in yet?"


    "They''ve already been picked up," the doctor informed her.


    "What?" Thssa''s confusion quickly turned to anxiety. "Can you tell me who took them?"