The raging storm of a kiss hit Joanne, drowning her.

Brian kissed Joanne so hard, as if trying to tear her apart. He pinned her down with an iron grip, not allowing Joanne any possibility to move. Reaching the point of almost losing her breath, she could only passively take in his ravaging.

In the past, no matter how unwilling or angry Brian was, he would still consider her feelings and let her go.

But at the moment, Joanne could feel a strick of hatred in his domineering kiss. She was not hopeful, and indeed, Brian did not release her. Rather, his kiss grew even more violent, seemingly trying to draw out every bit of air from her lungs.

"Unf..."

Joanne mumbled in discomfort. It was unclear whether it was a sign of suffocation or a cry for help.

Brian finally stopped. He propped against Joanne's forehead, staring at her. The movement of his heaving chest resembled the dancing fire in his heart.

"I'll ask you one last time. What are the things you have lied to me about?"

His voice sounded calm, but Joanne could detect an underlying sign of warning.

Joanne completely turned down his very last strands of patience and mercy, turning away, "Didn't you already know about me and Shawn? That's all I've lied to you, nothing more!"

Unexpectedly, Brian did not flare up. All he did was to stare at Joanne searingly for a moment, then he sneered.

"Then tell me," His voice was endlessly intimate as he said, "Do I make you more comfortable, or does Shawn, hm?"

Kaboom-

Something in her head exploded. In a split second, Joanne's face flared up.

She stared at Brian in disbelief as she stammered, "You... you..."

Brian smirked in satisfaction. He smiled faintly and continued, "Since it's me, then there is even less reason for me to agree to the divorce, right?"

"..."

A rush of anger swept all over Joanne's chest, suffocating her. She almost exploded in a fury, to the point she could not even utter a word.

Meanwhile, Brian seemed totally fine, and had reverted to his usual demeanor. He smiled as he left Joanne's office.

Right after he left, Shawn entered in the next moment. Seeing Joanne's unsettled look, Shawn could not help but ask intrusively, "What did Brian come to say?"

Joanne was fuming, and did not respond to the question. She blasted, "I want a divorce!" In reality, it was said out of indignance.

Only then did Shawn notice Joanne's slightly swollen lips, then somehow made a connection. He felt stressed at the same time. He said, "It seems like our performance yesterday didn't work at all. He knows you too well, he understands that if you and I were really involved with each other, you wouldn't let the media expose you like that."

Joanne also knew that she had resorted to the worst tactic. Feeling like all her energy had left her, she slumped on the chair and said, "Yesterday my brother told me that he had begun suspecting that I've been hiding something from him. So, yesterday's act wasn't fruitless, rather, it backfired." She covered her face. "What should we do?"

Shawn shrugged, "Let's remain in the public eye, then wait until the right opportunity arises." Brian understood Joanne too well. Unless Joanne was truly hurting him, the more they did would mean more chances of being exposed.

Before the right opportunity arose, Joanne had received a phone call from Iris.

A while ago, the Madam had signed up for a Dubai tour package. Joanne calculated the time; the Madam should have returned around those few days.

Joanne was not sure whether Iris was aware of her matter with Brian, so she acted as usual. "Mother."

"Joanne," Iris said and smiled. "Mom is back. You and Brian come over for a meal tonight. I haven't seen you two in a long time."

"I..." Joanne was hesitant, and trying her hardest to tell whether Iris was merely testing her or not.

The truth was, Iris also knew her very well. Before she allowed Joanne to explain herself, Iris said, "Why are you hesitating? Unless the news of you and Brian's divorce is true. Is it?"

"Mother, we..."

"What did he do!?" Iris's tone turned serious and enraged, "Did he bully you? Tell mom, I may not be able to control other people, but I should at least have jurisdiction over him!"

"..."

Joanne's suppressed emotions overwhelmed her at once. She bit her lips, afraid to say another word.

Iris had already noticed her crying. She sighed, and gently consoled, "Joanne, don't you cry. I'll go to the office to confront Brian right now."

Before Joanne could say anything, Iris had swiftly hung up the call. Joanne held her phone, resting her head on the table, and tried hard to wipe her tears on the sleeves of her jacket.

After Joanne got off work, Iris called her again. She sounded a lot calmer as she said, "I've lectured Brian. He said he would apologize to you soon. Joanne, forgive him, on my behalf."

Joanne said distractedly, "Okay."

The news were all pining the blame on her, the whole world was criticizing her.

Yet Iris never pursued the matter, and was deadset on thinking it was Brian's fault.

But that time, Joanne was really going to let down Iris's trust in her.

...

Back at home, Chris handed an invitation card to Joanne, saying, "A friend is throwing a Christmas cocktail party. Treat it as an outlet to take your mind off things, don't coop up at home all day."

Joanne glanced at the exquisite invitation card. She was about to reject the offer, when Chris casually added, "Brian will be going too."

Joanne glared and snapped, "That means I can't go for sure."

"I'm right about you being stupid," Chris took the invitation card back and hit Joanne's head with it. "Now that Brian doesn't believe your lie, it would be extremely convincing if you and Shawn appeared in public without a care. Then it would successfully anger him, get it?"

"..." Joanne understood, but that idea was too...

"Of course, you can't tell Brian that I've come up with this idea in the future," Chris warned sternly. "Your brother still wishes to live a little longer."

Joanne,"..."

It was exactly seven o'clock when the fish soup was ready. Chris went to bring it out while Joanne prepared the rice in bowls. The siblings began eating.

Out of habit, Joanne began with the soup. It was a thick and milky tofu with crucian soup, which Chris had spent good time and effort in making it tasty. Yet the more she drank, the more she was frowning.

It was the first time Chris saw someone frown at his food, which somehow piqued his curiosity. "Is it bad?"

"Brother, didn't you cook the fish properly?" Joanne sniffed at the fish soup. "It's still very fishy."

Chris tasted the fish soup, then knocked Joanne's head with a pair of clean chopsticks, "There's clearly no fishy smell. What's with you lately? You've been complaining about the smell of milk and fish soup. When did you become so picky?"

Joanne pursed her lips, "I don't know, either."

After finishing the meal, Joanne had completely forgotten what had happened. She turned on the television, and channel-surfed until she found one which satisfied her.

Chris placed washed fruits in front of her. She thanked him, and then nipped a small bunch of blackcurrants, then abruptly paused, and looked suspiciously at Chris. She asked, "Since when did you start storing fruits here?"

She clearly remembered that Chris never liked eating fruits, especially overly sweet ones like blackcurrants.

Chris cast his gaze downwards, smiling. "I've washed them for you already, just eat them. Why are you so nosy?"

Joanne did not miss that instance when he looked downwards; Chris's gaze looked downcast. She suddenly recalled, Chris did not like to eat fruits, but Freya did.

Freya had left for so long, and there was no news from her, as if she had vanished. She probably had never contacted Chris.

"Brother..."

Joanne rested a hand on Chris's shoulder. Before she could complete her sentence, Chris had already turned towards her, handing out a peeled orange, saying, "I tried it, it's sour."

Joanne did not take it.

When it came to food, she and Freya had a surprisingly similar taste. Yet their only difference was in oranges. Freya preferred the sour green oranges, but Joanne did not like the sourness, only liking the sweet ones.

Chris could have been confused. There was a time when he would subconsciously leave any sour oranges he tasted for Freya. He must have not realized for a moment there.

He put down the orange and said, "I'm going to the study to deal with some work."

Joanne did not go after him, nor called out to him; she just left him to hide in his study.

She grew up together with Chris, and she could not know him better. He just needed time alone whenever something was bothering him.

She no longer had the mood for fruits, so she packed up and returned to her room.

The next day was a weekend; Joanne had already woken up.

She had expected that Chris would not have a good sleep the previous night. She quietly and carefully slipped into his room, and turned off his alarm. When she was about to leave, she saw the sleeping pills on his bedside table.

She roughly weighed the bottle with her hand. At least three quarters of the bottle had been consumed.

Chris would not be able to fall asleep without them, so she could not act like Freya, wilfully hiding his medicine, because... the person who could help him fall asleep was gone.

When she was about to prepare breakfast, Joanne received a call from Shawn, inviting her to a Christmas Eve party. His mind and Chris's had surprisingly coincided. They both thought that she should not avoid appearing at parties together, since it would be more convincing than pushing for news. Perhaps Brian would then be willing to sign the papers.

Joanne pondered. After ensuring that the plan would not backfire, she agreed.

Shawn said, "Then, see you tomorrow night."

"See you."

Just when Joanne hung up, Chris had come out of his room. Seeing that she was in a pretty good mood, he teased her. Then, Joanne partially joked, "I've found a scapegoat for you."

Chris checked Joanne's call log, and very quickly understood. He put down her phone and said, "Only Shawn would go to such a distance to help you."

Joanne grew serious, and pursed her lips. "I owe so much to him this time."

Chris was a man as well; even if Shawn were able to conceal his feelings flawlessly, Chris could still sense something. Yet, he trusted in the young master of the Jameson Family, so he had never warned Joanne.

For the moment, he would let Shawn help Joanne one last time, then he would help Joanne repay this gratitude.

Joanne brought the fried egg and sour bamboo shoots out, then made sure to remind Chris, "I'll leave the porridge to you."

Joanne had been used to a light breakfast, so fried eggs were nothing out of the ordinary. However, it was the plate of sour bamboo shoots covered with chilli which had puzzled Chris. "Why did you suddenly think of eating this?"

Joanne had always been the type to make whatever she felt like eating, and did not find anything strange. She picked up a sour bamboo shoot with her chopsticks and said, "I just felt like eating something sour and spicy."

"..." Chris noted her sudden change of taste, and was stunned for a moment.

He could only wish to be mistaken. Otherwise, he would be afraid that Joanne would never be able to successfully divorce.