However, Corinne quickly took a deep breath to compose herself. All her hard work would be in vain if she blew up.
She smiled at Phoebe nonchalantly. “I hope you don’t mind, Miss Phoebe, but I’m going to stay here for a while
since you’re not willing to let me take Joey with me. Plus, the mountain air will be good for the baby in my womb.”
Joey looked up happily at Corinne when he heard she was going to stay.
Phoebe looked annoyed at first, but an idea suddenly came to her mind.
She smiled cunningly. “Of course you’re more than welcome to stay. I was feeling a bit lonely anyway, so I’ll be glad
to have someone to talk to.”
“Great. That settles it, then.”
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtTommy frowned with worry. “Ma’am, I don’t think that’s a…”
Corinne knew what he was going to say, so she chimed in, “It’s going to be fine. I’m only going to stay for a few
days.”
After that, she stood up and took Joey’s hand. “Joey, can you please give me a tour of the villa?”
It seemed Joey had become scared of human touch as he immediately shrank back his hand, but Corinne managed
to keep a tight grip on it. All of sudden, he felt a sense of security and courage flowing from Corinne’s hand to him,
and he did not want to let go of that feeling.
Joey nodded docilely to show he was willing to show her around.
Thus, the two of them walked out of the drawing room together.
Corinne could not bear to leave Joey alone with Phoebe. He was still too young to be able to save himself.
Tommy followed anxiously behind them to make sure no harm would come to them.
Worried Joey would blurt out something he should not have, Phoebe, too, followed them out of the drawing room.
Corinne’s legs started to feel sore after touring half of the summer villa, so she asked Joey to take her to a place
where she could rest.
The servants had prepared a clean and elegant room for her.
‘Mister Cedric must’ve instructed them to give me the best guest room,’ she thought, knowing Phoebe would never
give her this kind of treatment.
Joey wanted to stay with Corinne in her room, but Phoebe would not allow him to do that as she was worried Joey
would snitch on her. So, she forced him to come with her.
Corinne wanted to keep Joey by her side too, but she decided not to say anything when she saw how insistent
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmPhoebe was to stop that from happening. She consoled herself with the fact that at least Phoebe would not dare to
hit Joey while she was in the summer villa for a few days. After all, the older woman would not want to be caught in
the act, right?
Tommy stood guard at the door while Corinne took a nap inside the guest room, and he waved the servants away
when they brought her some food. Even though she was staying there temporarily, he was determined that no food
prepared in the villa should ever cross Corinne’s lips.
‘What if Miss Phoebe spiked the food with something?’ he asked himself, not wanting to risk it.
It was better to be safe than sorry; he could not afford to let anything bad happen to Corinne and her baby.