Chapter 122
"Sobs racked her body, ""I'm so sorry, my dear, all of this was to save you. Please forgive my crazy talk. Once you're out, you'll just have to look out for yourself.""
The bustling private room was now so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Joseph Hernandez tapped his cards on the table rhythmically, maintaining an inscrutable facade. Only he knew the chaos that was churning inside him. It seemed Cassie might not have gotten over him after all. She had loved him once, without a care for her own dignity. How could that passion just vanish?
Maybe she was just too fragile at heart.
There's a saying: the deeper the love, the greater the pain.
Still, he couldn’t deny that her tendency to attract attention from others was less than pleasing to him.
""Leave now. I’ll need to think about this.""
It seemed like an eternity had passed before Joseph Hernandez finally opened his mouth.
""How long do you plan on mulling it over? Cassie's been locked up for eight hours already.""
""Is eight hours really that long for someone as high and mighty as she is?"" Joseph picked up his cards again. ""You keep stalling, she might just celebrate her eightieth birthday in there.""
Laura Miller's eyes sparkled with a sliver of hope at his words, and she willingly made her exit.
After the door closed, Lucas skillfully shuffled the deck of cards with a flourish and asked with interest, ""Really going to rescue her?""
Joseph sipped his tea without a word.
Unable to hold back, Michael said, ""If you ask me, that woman earlier was too sly by half. Who's to say she was telling the truth?""
""So, which part of her story are you calling a lie?"" Joseph's gaze narrowed, a displeased glint appearing in his eyes.
A chill ran down Michael's spine as he struggled to voice that maybe she was never into you, or worse, that your wife might be falling for someone else.
Isn't that just looking for trouble?
""Something really got to you?"" Lucas asked with a smirk.
""You're overthinking it."" Joseph took another indifferent sip of his tea. ""After all, she's still my wife in name. Too much drama doesn't look good on me either.""
""We could hang out here at the harbor for a couple more days before you go to her rescue. It's not like she's in any real danger, and the boys haven't gotten together like this in a while,"" Michael said as he took a seat. "" Lucas, deal the cards.""
""Sure thing."" Lucas cast a surreptitious glance at Joseph.
About half an hour later.
Joseph threw in his cards and yawned, ""I'm beat. I'm done playing.""
""What happened to playing all night?"" asked Michael, taken aback.
""I just remembered there's an urgent case back in Madison that I need to handle. We'll catch up next time."" Joseph grabbed his coat and stood up.
Michael's mouth twitched in disbelief. ""Bro, we dropped everything just to meet up with you here at the harbor, and not even a full day in, you're bailing on us. Is this some kind of joke?""
""It's an emergency, gotta understand,"" Lucas stood up, smiling, and clapped Michael on the shoulder, then turned to Joseph, ""Drop by Madison when you're free to check on your little wife.""
""Hah, who knows if she'll still be that by then."" Joseph's lips curled into a faint smile as he walked away.
Michael rubbed his eyes, wondering if he'd seen wrong. Did Joseph just give off an air of proud defiance over that woman? ""He couldn't have really fallen for her, could he?""
""Think about it, did Joseph win even a single hand after that woman left?"" Lucas nudged Michael as a reminder.
Michael's mind snapped to attention. It was usually a tall order to win against Joseph Hernandez, the guy being notoriously shrewd. But now, it struck him that Joseph had seemed unusually distracted throughout their recent game.
---
Outside the hotel entrance, Laura Miller debated whether to wait there until dawn.
She’d barely settled in for thirty minutes when she saw Joseph Hernandez, clad in a trench coat, striding out of the elevator with an aide in tow, dragging along a suitcase.
""Mr. Hernandez, you... you've made up your mind?"" she asked incredulously, thinking she'd have to wait at least until sunrise.
""Luck's not on my side , so I'm heading back to Madison early,"" Joseph replied impassively as he got into the car.
Laura nearly squealed with glee. Men's promises are nothing but sweet lies.
If Joseph Hernandez wasn't interested in Cassie, Laura would eat her hat. That naive Cassie hadn't noticed a thing.
Once in Madison, Joseph made a beeline for the police station.
In less than twenty minutes, having completed the necessary procedures, Laura saw a policewoman escorting Cassie out.
Cassie looked like she’d been through an ordeal, drenched and limping, her hair a tangled mess. Her once-pretty face was now swollen and marred with scratches, some deeper where nails had clawed through the skin.
Joseph stood there, dark eyes roiling with suppressed rage.
Why couldn't this damn foolish woman ever take care of herself? He thought bitterly. Every time she ended up battered and bruised.
""My God, what did you do to her? Did you cross the line with some kind of rogue justice?"" Laura shrieked, rushing to steady Cassie, who was weaker than she looked, almost too weak to hold up.
A large hand reached out, effortlessly scooping Cassie into his arms.
The familiar, icy aura of the man forced Cassie's swollen eyes open wide. She could see Joseph's handsome face shadowed under the light, but despite the darkness surrounding him, she felt no fear, only an unexpected warmth.
His chest was like a source of warmth, offering her a safe haven from the storm.
Why was it always him coming to her rescue?
She didn’t want to owe him anything more, yet she was so tired, so sore, and all she wanted was to rest quietly in his arms.
The woman in his embrace curled up like a kitten, melting the icy shield around him. It had been a long time since he'd seen her this vulnerable.
His woman, his wife, had been trampled and hurt like this.
“Who did this?” His gaze fixed on a female staff member.
She shivered unexpectedly, “It was done by an inmate, it’s not our fault.”
Hearing this, Joseph Hernandez sneered, “Seems like you haven’t got your facts straight. My client is only here to cooperate with your investigation. She hasn’t been convicted, she’s no criminal. During this time, you’re supposed to ensure her safety, which clearly you did not. I advise you to give me a satisfactory explanation, or as the victim’s attorney, I’ll have no choice but to take the people in charge of this facility to court.”
The woman was petrified; she had heard of this lawyer being a force to reckon with, someone who feared no one in his pursuit of justice.
“You... don’t worry, I’ll report this to my superiors. Anyone who laid a hand on Miss Brooks will face severe punishment.”
“I want to see the results of that punishment.”
With that, Joseph Hernandez wrapped Cassie in his arms, turned around, and left. They got into the car."
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