~Aaron~
The next morning, Rhoda arrived, and since Joan was still sound asleep, I left her in Rhoda’s care.
At home, I took a quick shower, changed into fresh clothes, and placed a call to one of my employees at DomisAd.
“Sir?” Her Spanish accent was rich, unmistakable.
Alessia had gotten my number from Noah, wanting to inform me that one of our staff had been in an accident and to ask if I wanted to visit. I told her I was already at the hospital and invited her to stop by.
“How many of you are coming?” I asked. A brief silence followed.
“We’re three. We share an office, so yeah,” she said. I pursed my lips.
“Remember what I told you yesterday?”
“Yes, sir, but-”
“Just do it,” I cut in, not giving her a chance to argue. This was the time to fix everything. I just wanted to give Joan a chance at happiness-real happiness.
I ended the call, grabbed my keys, and headed to one of the nearby restaurants. Safe to say I bought everything remotely edible-except steak. Joan didn’t like steak. She had a thing for pork instead.
By the time I returned to the hospital, quiet voices drifted from the room, telling me she was awake. I hesitated outside the door. This was probably the time for her and Rhoda to sort out their differences.
“Did you mean it? When you said I wasn’t a fit for your brother? When you asked if I seduced him-because he wouldn’t have come after me otherwise?”
I froze. Joan’s voice was laced with something raw. What the hell? Rhoda had said those things to her?
“No, I didn’t mean any of it,” Rhoda’s voice was softer, tinged with guilt. “I was hurt, and I wanted you to feel the same way. It was selfish, I know. But at that moment, I didn’t know what else to do.”
Eavesdropping was cowardly, but I couldn’t stop myself. The more I heard, the more I was certain-Rhoda could never find out what had really gone down between our father and Joan’s.
Their friendship was already hanging by a thread. That truth? That would be the final blow. Ignorance was bliss.
I finally stepped inside. Both girls turned to look at me, their cheeks wet, eyes puffy. Silence settled for a moment.
“Who wants breakfast?” I asked, raising the bags in my hands. Joan let out a small chuckle before shifting to sit up.
“Oh well, I’m hungry, so that’s a yes.”
I gave a small smile and crossed the room in a few strides. Rhoda helped me set up the food, though there was more than they could finish. Some would probably go to waste before lunchtime. But I didn’t care.
As they ate, I debated how to tell Joan that her colleagues were on their way-and with them, her mother. Alessia had been confused when I asked if her mother was still in town. She had said yes, that Luna would be leaving the next day.
That was when I knew. It was now or never.
Luna needed to know the daughter she had abandoned twenty-six years ago had survived. And Joan? She deserved closure. Whether she chose to reconnect or sever all ties, that was her choice to make. I wouldn’t be surprised if she walked away entirely.
A knock came at the door, and a nurse peeked in.
We all turned toward her. Her gaze flickered between Joan, Rhoda, and me before a faint blush crept up her cheeks.
“There are visitors here to see the patient. Overcrowding isn’t allowed, so we’ll let in two at a time.”
Joan’s eyes narrowed as she looked at me. “Visitors?”
I nodded at the nurse. “Yeah. Give us a minute, please.”
She offered a polite smile before leaving.
Rhoda’s brows furrowed. “Which visitors?”
Joan’s green eyes searched my face, but I remained silent. Then, realization dawned.
Her expression hardened. “No… Tell me it isn’t what I’m thinking.”
I shrugged. “That depends on what you’re thinking.” Reaching forward, I took her hand in mine.
“Your colleagues from work are here,” I said gently. “And yeah… your mother too.”
She yanked her hand from mine like I had burned her.
“What mother?”
“I have no mother,” Joan snapped, just as Rhoda asked a question.
Rhoda’s gaze bounced between us, but neither of us acknowledged her.
“Hear me out, okay?” I softened my voice.
“You didn’t ask me before inviting them?” Joan’s tone was curt. I opened my mouth to explain, but the door swung open before I could.
A woman and a man rushed in.
Joan tore her gaze from mine and gave them a small smile.
The woman clamped a hand over her mouth, eyes brimming as she took cautious steps forward.
“Oh my God,” she whispered.
I stood, giving them space. I knew a hug was coming.
Rhoda stood at the other end of the room, looking lost. Poor her.
She had no idea what had happened in her best friend’s life.
The woman hugged Joan tightly while the man lingered awkwardly, holding a bouquet of flowers.
Nice one.
“Hey, get well soon, okay?” he muttered, handing them to Joan once the lady had pulled away.
She gave him a warm smile in return, and something ugly twisted inside me. The green-eyed monster I rarely acknowledged stirred to life.
Joan sniffed the roses. “Thank you.”
She glanced at Rhoda before clearing her throat. “Well, these are my colleagues, Brielle and Garrett.” She said. “Brielle, Garrett,
that’s…” she hesitated, as if unsure how to introduce Rhoda.
After a beat, she simply said, “Rhoda.”
A flicker of guilt passed through Rhoda’s expression. They exchanged small waves, polite.
Joan’s green eyes flicked back to me, annoyance brimming in their depths. “And that’s Aaron.”
Garrett turned an awkward shade of red.
“Our boss,” he muttered.
Brielle elbowed him, flashing me a toothy grin. I looked away.
They didn’t stay long, just enough to check in on Joan before excusing themselves.
As the door opened again, Rhoda shuffled closer to me while Alessia and Luna walked in.
Joan’s jaw clenched as Luna smiled at her.
Now that they were in the same room, the resemblance was unmistakable. Joan had her father’s eyes, but her mother’s lips, her mother’s hair.
“What’s going on?” Rhoda whispered.
I tilted my head slightly. “That’s Joan’s mother. And her sister.”
Rhoda’s eyes widened. “What?”
I looked down at her. “You really have no idea what’s going on, do you?”
She slowly dropped her gaze.
Good. She should feel bad for what she did to Joan.
Joan’s voice cut through the awkward silence. “Can she leave?”
She directed her question at Luna.
Alessia’s brows furrowed in confusion, while Luna’s hopeful smile faltered.
I straightened.
Well. Shit was about to hit the fan.