The Return of His Unrivaled Ex-Wife by Zara Gibbon

Chapter 484

In the office, Joanna took a deep breath and exhaled, “Bruce, did I overreact just now?” she asked, her voice filled

with uncertainty and self–doubt.

“No! Your performance was excellent!” Bruce said, giving her a thumbs–up, his eyes shining with admiration.

“Really? Don’t lie to me!” she pleaded.

“Why are you losing confidence now?” Bruce said, hooking his arm around her waist, drawing her closer. He looked

at her affectionately and indulgently as he gently lifted her chin, his touch reassuring and comforting.

“Last night, you deliberately pretended to be asleep and didn’t do the assignment. Now you must make up for it!”

Bruce said, his voice teasing, his hands playfully wandering. A mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes.

Joanna frowned and turned to the side, her frustration evident. “Oh, come on, can you not be so childish? Seriously,

can you act more maturely?” she asked, her tone a mixture of exasperation and longing for seriousness.

“How am I immature?” Bruce replied nonchalantly, his gaze filled with tenderness and a hint of melancholy.

He did not know when he would end up in jail!

Once he was in prison, who knew when he would be released? With their limited time now, he did not want to be

apart from her even for a moment!

“If you keep doing that, I’ll get angry!” Joanna warned firmly, forcefully prying open his mischievous hands, her

determination shining through.

“What’s wrong?” Bruce asked.

Joanna blushed and scolded, “It’s daytime, and we’re in the office. Can’t you stop thinking about that kind of thing?

If we really have to, can’t it wait until we get home at night?” she implored, her voice tinged with embarrassment

and a hint of playfulness.

Bruce smiled at her words, his expression softening. “Okay, okay, I’ll listen to you, alright? Don’t be mad, darling,”

he reassured her, his voice warm and understanding.

“Can you not be so cheesy?” Joanna said, her tone exasperated.

Bruce smiled helplessly, his eyes locked with hers. “Let me be a little cheesy. I want to

express

all my

my love. Darling, you and the children are my everything,” he confessed, his voice filled with sincerity and devotion.

Bruce said, his eyes tinged with a hint of crimson, yet his expression remained void of disappointment or sadness.

His emotions ran deep, hidden beneath his calm facade.

Joanna felt a stir in her heart and gazed deeply into his eyes, captivated by the complexities hidden within.

“Though he has a hot temper and frequently flies off the handle, he is remarkably good at hiding his true feelings.

Sometimes, even when he seems to be smiling, he might be extremely annoyed deep down. And when he gets

angry, it doesn’t necessarily mean he is distraught. No one can read his true emotions from his face, not even me,”

she silently murmured.

Chapter 484

..Bruce Everett, why have you been acting strange these days?” she inquired, her curiosity piqued, her eyes

searching for answers.

Bruce smiled calmly, his gaze locked with hers. “Joanna Haynes, can you say ‘I love you‘ to me? I want to hear it,”

he requested eagerly, his voice laced with hope and vulnerability.

“I…” Joanna hesitated, her lips trembling. But the words “I love you” got stuck in her throat, and she could not bring

herself to say them, her emotions swirling within her.

Disappointed, Bruce sighed, his gaze dropping slightly. “Is it really that difficult to say ‘I love you?” he questioned

softly, his vulnerability exposed.

“I don’t dislike you, is that okay?” she replied tentatively, her voice tinged with a mix of affection and uncertainty.

Bruce rolled his eyes in extreme dissatisfaction, his determination unyielding. “Not disliking me and loving me are

two completely different things! You can also say ‘I don’t dislike you‘ to a trash can! How does that convey love?” he

argued.

“Oh, stop pressuring me. I really can’t say it!” Joanna protested, her face flushed with embarrassment, her inner

turmoil evident.

Bruce persisted, refusing to let go of his desire. “But you said it while we were in bed, right? Why can’t you say it

now?” he pressed, his voice insistent.

Joanna listened, her face turning pale.

“This damn bastard, he can be so ruthless in bed. When he wants something, he always achieves his goal. If you

don’t cooperate with him, he’ll never give up. Faced with no other choice, you can only… yield. But in the current

situation, those three words ‘I love you,‘ I really can’t say them,” she lamented silently, her heart torn between her

own emotions and his unspoken desires.

Seeing Joanna’s troubled expression, Bruce decided not to force her anymore. “Alright then, if you do not want to

say it, let us just focus on the handover of work,” he said, his voice. filled with understanding and a hint of

disappointment.

“Come, let me y

something,” Bruce said as he walked directly to the safe.

He opened it, revealing numerous files and disk–like objects.

“What is this?” Joanna asked, her curiosity piqued.

“These are all the company’s hard drives. They contain all the data and information of the company. Take a good

look at them when you go back! These are company secrets, and besides you, no one else should have access to

them,” Bruce explained, his voice serious and authoritative.

“Oh, I see!” Joanna replied as she nodded.

“In the next few days, I will quickly complete the handover of work with you to avoid any delays,” he assured her,

his tone determined and focused.

Upon hearing this, Joanna started feeling uneasy. “Is it that urgent?” she asked, her voice tinged with concern and a

hint of worry.

Bruce frowned, his silence revealing the gravity of the situation, his mind filled with the weight of his impending

fate.

Indeed it was quite urgent!

The period for filing an appeal for release on bail was three months, and he had about three months of freedom

left.

So, he needed to hand over the work as soon as possible. He wanted to spend a good Christmas with the children.

Perhaps, by the time the new year arrived, he would lose his freedom!

Bruce straightened up, no longer being casual, and began earnestly handing over the work, his focus unwavering

as he navigated the intricacies of the transfer.

In the blink of an eye, it was already noon, the passage of time reminding them of the pressing tasks at hand.

Bruce checked the time on his watch, his gaze shifting from the ticking hands to Joanna. “It is already noon. Let us

go for lunch!” he said as he suggested.

“Okay,” Joanna replied in acknowledgment, her weariness evident in her voice and the slight rubbing of her tired

eyes, her dedication to the task unwavering.

The two of them left the office, their footsteps echoing through the corridor.

Andy approached them with a serious expression, interrupting their thoughts, and reported, “Mr. Everett, I heard

that Miss Garcia fell down the stairs. She is currently in the hospital!”

“Really? When did it happen?” Bruce replied in surprise.

“It happened a couple of days ago. I heard her injuries are severe, and she still has not regained consciousness,”

Andy informed, his voice laced with worry and sympathy.

Bruce pondered for a moment, weighing the situation in his mind. “Let us visit her after lunch,” he said after a brief

moment.

“Alright,” Joanna responded in agreement.