Joanne curled up on the bed hugging her legs to herself. Her mobile rang beside her without stopping.

The title "Brian" used to make her forget to breathe and her heart rate increase when she saw them.

But now, the three words only brought her endless doubt.

She knew that Simon called Brian the moment Steven came. Was he looking for her because she was worried about her?

Didn't he say that he was tired of pretending to be in love?

Now that he was abroad, he could pretend not to know what was happening at home. He had an excuse to ignore her. Why would he have to look for her?

In the end, Joanne still picked up the call.

"What did Steven say to you?" Brian asked.

"Nothing." Joanne tried her best to maintain her regular tone and not let Brian hear that she had been crying. "We talked about our family matters."

Brian still sensed something from her slightly nasal tones and he asked, "Did he mention your mother?"

Brian understood Joanne too well. Her tears were related to her mother. She would only cry when her mother was mentioned.

"..."

Joanne closed her eyes but tears still flowed from the corners of her eyes.

She tried hard to hold it back, but she still sobbed out loud.

"Joey." This was the first time he was calling her name with such familiarity even when no one was around. "It's been nine years."

That opened the floodgates and Joanne's tears started to flow freely. "He did it intentionally. He knew that my mother cannot be aggravated, so he let Mia and Patricia appear before her at that time. He killed my mother intentionally. I..."

The hatred in Joanne's chest had never filled her up completely. She hated Steven but she hated her incompetence even more.

Not only did she not have the strength to fight Steven, but she was also afraid of him kidnapping her. She could only be a burden to Brian.

"Joey, listen. You have your brother and me. Steven cannot hurt you."

Brian's voice traveled across the ocean from the other end of the world to her ears. Joanne's tears slowly stopped.

No matter what, Brian had already become the only other person apart from Chris who could make her feel at ease.

Even if this was just for show, she was willing to trust Brian deeply. Because...this show could only be filmed for two years.

"Are you done? We've already waited a long time." Gavin's voice could be heard vaguely. "We have to end the meeting before Louis arrives."

Joanne only recalled then that it was day time where Brian was. It was working hours and she...had taken up a lot of his time.

"Go and work. I'm fine now."

"Hold on." Brian seemed to know as if she was going to hang up. "I have something for you when I get back."

Joanne paused and asked, "What is it?"

Brian only smiled secretively and then hung up. Joanne was confused and was too lazy to think. So she went to wash her face.

Someone suddenly knocked on her door at almost 11. The voice asked carefully, "Joanne? Are you asleep?"

"Freya?" Joanne opened the door and looked in surprise at the person who had just a few hours ago, been on television. "Why did you come over so late at night?"

"I came on orders of your Mr. Brian!"

Joanne was confused, "Brian?"

"Yep," Freya snuggled into the blankets. "Your Mr. Brian called me and asked if I had time and if I did, come and accompany you." Her tone suddenly turned angry. "Steven is really a true bastard!"

Joanne had not imagined that Brian would ask Freya to come and accompany her.

Her heart felt as if someone had soaked it in a honey pot. Joanne felt almost addicted to the feeling.

"Actually, I did not have time." Freya said. "But your Mr. Brian's voice is practically like magic. It's forceful, yet gentlemanly and makes one extremely comfortable. I really could not refuse."

Joanne had not understood Freya's key point. "So?"

"So-" Freya sat up. "You've stayed with him under one roof for so long, how can you resist not throwing yourself at him!"

Joanne switched off the lights. "Good night."

The time in which she slept the most deeply was when Brian was the busiest in New York.

Brian suddenly pushed all his business forward and did not give himself a minute of rest. All his subordinates felt that it was odd. He had only said that he was going to compress his schedule and bring forward his return date.

Only Gavin knew that he was worried about a certain someone at home.

Gavin laughed, "Mr. Brian, don't blame me for not reminding you. You're getting more and more into your role. Is that good? Won't she suspect anything?"

Brian continued dealing with his documents as if he had not heard that.

Gavin did not mind and continued his soliloquy, "Oh, I forgot. What acting. Bullshit!"

Brian looked up and said, "Assistant Gavin. You can go straight to Vietnam once you're done here."

He was being sent on assignment to some secluded place again. Gavin had, with great difficulty, made it back to an international city. His expression changed when he heard that and he ran off hugging the documents.

It was already past ten when Brian was done with work. His investigation had finally borne results.

His subordinate told him "We discovered that Rosalyn contacted Steven a few days ago. They do not know each other at all and the two had not had previous contact. We suspect that Rosalyn might have told Steven something."

He did not think that Steven would suddenly look for Joanne. He had not expected that the oddity in it was Rosalyn.

Brian frowned slightly. Just then, the mobile phone he placed on the table rang. Rosalyn's name was displayed on it.

"Are you done with work?" Rosalyn asked. "Let's have dinner together? At the hotel we are staying at. Oh, you didn't know, did you? We are staying in the same hotel. I stay on the floor below yours."

"I'll be there in 15 minutes."

Brian hung up, put on his jacket and left the office.

No matter what Rosalyn told Steven, there are some things that he had to make clear to Rosalyn.

In the hotel.

Rosalyn knew that Brian would definitely come. She was already in the restaurant when she called Brian. She opened a bottle of red wine and drank it while waiting for Brian. The bottle of wine was emptied before long.

The clear red liquid was poured into an expensive wine glass. It did not have to be completely filled, and a quarter of the glass was just right.

She twirled the glass and watched the liquid in the glass swirling. She brought the glass close to her and breathed deeply the scent of alcohol that permeated slowly in the air and made an expression of enjoyment. She knew how mesmerizing she was at that moment.

After rejecting several attempts at flirting from men, Brian finally arrived.

Rosalyn called the waiter and ordered for Brian.

Brian only ordered a cup of espresso.

"You're still drinking such strong coffee so late at night?" Rosalyn smiled elegantly, with a hint of the sexiness of a mature woman. "Will you still be able to sleep tonight?"

"I still have work."

"You're so busy." Rosalyn leaned against the back of the chair and swirled the red wine in her glass. "Your schedule wasn't so tight when I heard about it. You're in such a rush to return...is it because you're worried about your lovely new bride?"

A trace of annoyance finally appeared in Brian's emotionless voice. "She's alone at home and I'm indeed a little worried."

Rosalyn's expression froze. "Do you really like her?"

"Rosalyn, this has nothing to do with you." Brian said lightly with a warning tone.

"Do you think I'm being nosy?" Rosalyn tilted her head back and finished the red wine in her glass. "Nothing to do with me? Well. You know that I love you and I've loved you for so many years. You promised me that you'll divorce her in two years and gave me home. Now you're telling me it has nothing to do with me?"

"You're mistaken. I was telling you my decision to divorce her in two years. It was not a promise to you."

Rosalyn froze. She suddenly understood that her love was unrequited.

Her love had always been unrequited since she started liking Brian.

But, that was right. He was Brian and he could do anything. Even if there was something that he could not get, he would still take it by force. Why would he need to make a promise to someone else?

"It's been so many years, have you not like me a single bit, not even a second?" Rosalyn clutched on to the last tendrils of home like a person who had lost all hope. "Tell me, have you?"

"No." Brian said, "I apologize if I have made you misunderstand."

"Then why did you not come clean even though we had so many rumors together? You won't even let the news appear when other female celebrities try with you. But why did you not come clean regarding our rumors together?"

Brian's gaze was dark. "In the beginning, it was to promote you. Didn't you understand then?"

Rosalyn suddenly laughed self-mockingly.

Indeed, when she and Brian started to have rumors together, it was to promote her. Back then, her manager had told her that Brian had never agreed to be in rumors with other female celebrities. Perhaps he liked her.

She had felt pleased and tried her best to occasionally create rumors with Brian. Together with her hard work and these rumors, she became the main star of Lambert Group' media company in a few short years.

After that, as long as she and Brian appeared together, their rumors would plaster the headlines. To those not in the know, she and Brian had long become a couple.

Brian had also never once frowned. She thought that Brian admired and liked her. She thought that they would end up together as long as she was patient.

But he suddenly got married and his bride was not a socialite from a large conglomerate but just a female medical examiner.

At first, she had not felt threatened. She thought that she could wait for two years.

But after seeing Joanne and seeing her together with Brian, she suddenly felt afraid. She felt that Brian was straying further and further away from her.

Indeed, he had made things clear with her today.

"Rosalyn, I advice you not to have any further contact with Steven. Brian looked at her. "You've already successfully entered Hollywood and have a great future. Don't let it be ruined by Steven."

He got up and called for the bill before leaving the restaurant.

Rosalyn thought of his last statement and felt resentful. She almost crushed the wine glass in her hand.

Brian was warning her.

He was threatening her with her future because of Joanne. He was warning her to stay away from Steven.

Since he was so protective of Joanne. Then...she'll make a bigger fuss.

Anyway, Brian won't be hers in the short term. She wanted Joanne to have a taste of the pain she felt right now.

Rosalyn put on her shades and got up as she thought. Then, she called the hotel to send a few bottles of spirits to her room...