Chapter 314

The argument between Joyce and Katrina had escalated to a level neither of them had ever reached before.

"You're really not going to help me? You're my mother! If I can't pay this debt, I'm finished. I'm your only daughter, and you still won't step in? Grandma doesn't have enough to lend, maybe a million at most. That's barely a drop in the ocean when it comes to the interest!" Joyce yelled.

Katrina's brow furrowed. "I'm doing everything I can to find a solution. But don't expect me to sell myself just to fix this!"

Joyce's temper flared, her words sharp and bitter."Why not? Whether it's Caiden or anyone else, it is the same!"

The slap that followed was sharp and resounding.

For a moment, Joyce stood frozen, stunned by the force of the strike.

Her hand pressed against the stinging skin, and Joyce glared at Katrina with cold fury. "Fine. If you won't help, I'll figure it out on my own."

With that, she stormed out of the room.

Katrina stood in the doorway, her eyes following Joyce as she stormed out. A deep, exhausted sigh escaped her lips.

Later that day,Katrina made the decision to leave the hospital.

Her plan was to approach Daniela once more.

But as Katrina faced Daniela, her words came out stiff.

"Daniela, if I divorce your father, what will you give me?"

Without looking up from her phone, Daniela replied, "Nothing. If you want out, you leave with nothing."The weight of her words sank in, and Katrina knew the conversation had come to a dead end.

With a bitter glance at Daniela, Katrina turned and made her way upstairs.

Days passed, and Joyce vanished without a trace.

In the wake of it all, Daniela's grip on the Harper family's wealth tightened, leaving Caiden with no influence,completely powerless.

Katrina's financial situation had hit rock bottom, her funds barely enough to keep her afloat.

Then, out of nowhere, a million dollars appeared in her bank account.

A sinking feeling twisted in Katrina's stomach as soon as she saw the deposit.

Without hesitation, she checked the details of the transfer.

As expected, Joyce's name was displayed on the screen, confirming her suspicion.

The message accompanying the transfer sent a clear message. "Repayment, with interest."

Katrina got it right away.

Joyce was severing all ties, cutting the last thread between them.

Frustration bubbled inside Katrina as she tried reaching out, but there was no clue where to begin.

In a moment of desperation, Katrina held Daniela back.

Daniela glanced at her coldly.′′SO1now you finally know what it feels liketo lose someone who matters,don't you?"

In that instant, a cold sensation swept through Katrina's chest. Her eyes flickered."Daniela, are you telling me you planned all of this?"

Daniela shook her head. "Joyce made her own choice."

Katrina didn't believe her. She asked Daniela, "Did you send Joyce away?" Daniela just smiled and stayed silent, the quiet saying more than words ever could.

Katrina's mind raced, flooded with countless theories about Joyce.

But in the end, they all fell apart in the face of truth.

At the banquet for Daniela's new company, Katrina mindlessly held a glass of wíne.

Without warning, a waiter appeared at the door, his voice respectful as he called out, "Mrs. Fairburne."

Katrina was about to turn when a group of women near her started whispering and giggling.

"She's really throwing her life away for money?"

"Did you notice how tightly she's wrapped? There are probably marks alI over her skin."

"Still, marrying Doug is no small feat. She must have some remarkable strategies."

"Doug is worth billions and spends without a care. In Olisvine, only Daniela could rival him."

"Quiet, she's coming this way."

In a perfectly timed chorus, the women around them all greeted her. "Mrs. Fairburne!"

"Hello, everyone,"

A voice, smooth and undeniably familiar, sliced through the air, carrying a hint of a husky tone.

Katrina's body tensed. With a stiff movement, she turned to face the source of the voice.

Three months had passed since Joyce had vanished without a trace. Now, she was Doug's wife.

The realization hit Katrina all at once.

After Joyce's disappearance, Erika had never once mentioned Doug's name to Katrina.

Even when Katrina offered Erika money, she'd dismiss it with a simple, "Keep it for yourself."

Initially, Katrina assumed her mother was upset with her. But soon, she found Erika had bought a luxury house.

The realization hit Katrina like a lightning bolt-Erika must have introduced another woman to that wealthy man.

At the time, Katrina hadn't even considered Joyce.

After all, Doug had pursued her first, and she never imagined Joyce would take such a drastic step.

A step so bold, even Katrina herself would never dare to take.

Katrina's body shook under the weight of the revelation. She approached Joyce and asked, "Joyce, have you lost your mind?"

Joyce met her gaze with an cold stare, unfazed by the harsh question.

The crowd around them parted like the Red Sea, creating a clear path for Joyce.

"Joyce, do you even realize what you're doing?"

Joyce gave Katrina a subtle smile, her confidence unshaken.′′∥Venever been more certain of what I want."

If degrading herself meant a lifetime of luxury and admiration, she would embrace the title of Mrs. Fairburne without hesitation.

This was the life she had chosen, and she was prepared to live it forever.