An hour later, Joanne's car stopped at the entrance of the club.

"Mrs. Lambert, this way please-" The server led her to a private room. "Ms. Han is on her way, and will soon be here. Please wait."

Joanne remained in her seat while suppressing her urge to escape. Just then, the door opened; someone with a familiar prideful sauntering pace was approaching-as expected, it was Rosalyn.

Rosalyn took off her shades and sat down, to go straight to the point, "After disappearing for so many days, do you have an answer? Joanne, you better not disappoint me."

"..."

Since young, Joanne had never thought that she was bad with words. Yet, at the moment, she had the words by her lips, but it was as if they were weights of a million tons pressed on her heart; she was unable to utter a word no matter what.

"Heh-" Rosalyn sneered. "The little bit of help which your brother and Tennyson Enterprises had offered to Lambert Group is not going to aid in holding Lambert Group up for long. Are you still trying to struggle at this point?"

Joanne set her heart on, looking directly into Rosalyn's contemptuous gaze. She articulated clearly, "I promise you."

Rosalyn leaned back casually, and did not seemed surprised at all, "Very good. As long as you sign on the divorce papers, and can make Brian sign them, the loan from Southern Union Bank will be immediately approved."

Joanne was doubtful about Rosalyn, "Can you truly keep to your word?"

Rosalyn took a sip of coffee, and lazily lit a cigarette, "Joanne, I want to help him more than you do. I've personally witnessed Lambert Group' growth and expansion, step by step. Even more than you do, I hate to see his efforts going to waste. So, you don't need to doubt me. Rather as for you, don't pull any tricks, otherwise..."

"Don't worry," Joanne interrupted Rosalyn. "Since I've given you my word, then I will do it. However, I need your cooperation on something."

Rosalyn looked at Joanne doubtfully and asked, "What?"

Joanne told her of her plan. Only then would Brian agree to signing the papers.

Upon hearing, Rosalyn sneered. "Do you really need this? All I want is for you to initiate the divorce."

"Do you think he would agree just because I initiate it?" Pausing, then Joanne said calmly, "You're oversimplifying the situation."

Brian understood her so well. If she suddenly initiated a divorce, it would definitely make Brian suspect, and very quickly, he would find out about her transaction with Rosalyn.

So, she needed to pull off an act, an irrefutable excuse.

"Are you saying-I've underestimated Brian's feelings for you?" Rosalyn sneered disdainfully to conceal the dissatisfaction inside her. She put her cup of coffee down, her eyes glistening sinisterly. "Sure, I will play this game with you!"

After that, she put on her shades and left, leaving Joanne alone in the room.

Joanne sat on the sofa, spacing out. She looked out of the window, at the warm sunlight, and suddenly felt like it was too glaring. Following that, was a dull heartache.

Everything had begun after all.

All the fond memories and the promises made would vanish into thin air.

Her eyes reddened, her breathing grew difficult. Joanne suddenly felt the urge to hide in a dark corner, to curl up and wallow in misery.

But she could not. Since she had made that choice, everything had started. She had to fight for Brian's benefits as much as she could.

She took out her phone, and before calling the next person, she browsed a news site, and went straight to the financial section.

As expected, finance news reporters were still the most concerned about Lambert Group. All of the headlines concerning Lambert Group were particularly outstanding, especially that one which wrote "Lambert Group' financial crisis has gone out of control. The days of the business empire are perhaps coming to an end".

Based on their sources, the journalists had analyzed Lambert Group' current financial status, and concluded firmly that it was in an incredibly bad state. The stakeholders were already considering selling their stocks, and a few companies which were intending to work with Lambert Group, had put their plans on hold.

If Southern Union Bank's loan was not granted, Lambert Group would not last for long.

Joanne closed the browser, then called Rowdy.

Shortly after, the call got through, and Rowdy's voice suggesting an ambiguous attitude could be heard.

"Joanne, how was France?"

It sounded like he was concerned, but in reality, he was full of ill intentions. That disgusted Joanne. She went straight to her point, "How much information do you have in your hands? And what are your sources?"

Rowdy knew the reason behind Joanne's questions. He smiled and replied, "Don't worry. As long as you agree to my conditions, I will destroy all the information."

"But you can't destroy the sources of your information," Joanne knew fully well how sly Rowdy was, she had to be careful with the logical loopholes in his words. "How would I know if you would still threaten me with that information for other means after I divorce Brian?"

"I, Rowdy, am not interested in using the same trick twice." He paused, and said, "And, what is there for me to threaten you about after you divorce Brian?"

"I want you to hand all the information to me," Joanne said, "I will destroy it."

"Not a problem," Rowdy was surprisingly agreeable, "Same place. I'll wait for you."

Joanne pondered for a moment, and called Shawn after all, asking him to meet her at the same hotel entrance as before.

Shawn was leaving when he received Joanne's call, so he drove his car directly from his apartment. Spotting Joanne at the entrance from a distance, he hastily parked his car and went looking for her, "Rowdy asked to meet you again?"

Joanne pursed her lips, "This time, I was the one asking to meet."

Shawn raised his brows for a moment, and very quickly made sense of the situation. He grabbed Joanne's hand, "Are you crazy?! Do you know what you are agreeing to?"

"I'm know it, very clearly." Joanne looked at Shawn; she no longer needed to conceal the desperation in her eyes. "But, Shawn, I have no other choice."

She could not let the finance executives take the rap for Brian. She could not bear to see Brian's hard work being sold off. And even more so, she could not let Brian bear the risks of being investigated as he tried to salvage all of the situation.

As long as she left Brian, he would be fine. He would be able to tide Lambert Group over that crisis.

Under such a circumstance, it would be too selfish of her if she would have still insisted on being with Brian.

"Have you discussed this with Brian?" Shawn did not agree with Joanne hurting herself like that. "Perhaps..."

"No need to discuss with him on this," Joanne shook her head. "I know him. If he knew about this, he would definitely work together with Wesley to dismantle Rowdy and Rosalyn's schemes. If he were to be involved with Wesley... we all know the consequences."

Even though Joanne's determination had done all the explanation, Shawn still wished to stop her before it was too late, "Joanne, are you sure?"

Joanne looked hesitant for a moment, then finally nodded, "Let's go in."

Shawn knew he could not dissuade Joanne; he stuck his hands into his pockets, fondling his phone. He was still thinking about informing Brian, when Joanne suddenly stopped, and looked at him.

Her eyes filled with determination, persistence and tolerance, seemed to possess the sharpness to see through everything.

Shawn had not a single shred of doubt that Joanne would go to the depths of hell for Brian.

He sighed, then withdrew his hands out of the pockets in surrender. "Ok, I won't do anything. I'll just accompany you, alright?"

Rowdy was in the living room of his suite, waiting for them. Sitting beside him was a seductive lady. Seeing Joanne, she immediately inspected her with disdain and asked, "Mr. Kent, who is this woman?"

"You're in no place to speak!" Rowdy's eyes grew cold, and glared sharply at her, "Go get the files from the bedside table."

The woman went obediently to retrieve the items, and was about to lean against Rowdy when Rowdy glared at her coldly. She froze, then left immediately after.

Rowdy threw the bag of documents to Joanne, "All the information is here. I didn't keep a copy, I'm not interested," he looked at Joanne attentively, then smiled, "Anyway, I've reached my goal. I would have other means for other goals."

Joanne put the files in her bag, and upon hearing that, she looked coldly at Rowdy. "What more do you want?"

"Making you divorce Brian is only my second step," Rowdy smiled enigmatically, "Can you guess what's my next step?"

"Let me guess-" Joanne said thoughtfully, "The next step, is putting you in jail. Don't forget, you don't only have one murder case in your hands. Your records are no longer clean. Apart from Brian, the police are also watching you."

Rowdy shrugged nonchalantly, "You can tell them to do whatever. I wouldn't have been unprepared if I dared to return. Oh yes, you must divorce Brian within the next three days. I already can't wait to see him suffering."

Joanne feared that she would not be able to control herself any longer if she stayed for another second, and turned to leave.

Only until the carpark, Joanne finally stopped. She looked at Shawn, and only made one request to him, "Keep this a secret."

"Have you ever thought of yourself?" Shawn asked.

"Of course," Joanne said. "As long as Lambert Group overcomes this crisis, Brian would quickly revitalize the company. He would investigate into the tax evasion and collapse incident, collect evidence of Rowdy's crime. Then I will explain everything to him."

"But have you ever considered..." Shawn wanted to speak but he stopped.

Joanne knew what Shawn wanted to say, and she shook her head smilingly, "He wouldn't."

Shawn was just worried that Brian would have a change of heart during that period when she would be gone.

She could not guarantee entirely, but she chose to believe that Brian would not fall for someone else so quickly.

"You did not even have the courage to confess to him back then, but now you have the guts to make such a huge gamble?" Shawn could not figure Joanne out.

Joanne was deep in thought for a moment then said, "I did not have the courage before because I was clueless."

But at the moment, she knew.

She knew that Brian had been waiting for her all those years. She knew that he loved her.

And his love was the source of her courage behind taking that gamble.