Ellison And Joycelyn A Love Beyond The Rules novel Chapter 168

Chapter 168 

In the villa, Joycelyn sat cross–legged on the carpet, watching the evening live broadleast while waiting for Ellison to return from work for dinner. 

On the screen, Iris and Octavia were being interviewed by varios media outlets in the hospital ward. 

In just one day, the two women had gained immense popularity and became internet sensations. 

A reporter held up a recorder and probed with a question designed to exploit sensitive emotions. He asked, “Mrs. Mercer, you mentioned that your daughter, Joycelyn, severed all ties with you after getting married, even blocking all your contact information. 

“She didn’t even visit you when you were hospitalized and in critical condition. She’s been cold–hearted and cruel toward you, right?” 

Iris clutched her chest and cried bitterly, “Yes, my daughter has always been sensible. I was too strict with her when she was younger, never allowing her to date so she could focus on school. 

“Who could have known she would be deceived by an insurance alesman and cut off all contact with her family?” 

Just imagine—Joycelyn, the daughter she’d raised with such care, had grown up and married a man who sold insurance because of love and then had a falling out with her family. 

When her mother was on the brink of death, Joycelyn couldn’t care less. Iris‘ stepdaughter was far more filial and considerate than she had been. 

It’s often said that one should never marry someone their parents disapprove 

1. of. 

Iris’s description of Joycelyn’s actions had once again struck a nerve with many women. 

Joycelyn lowered her eyes, scrolling through the comments section, reading even harsher criticisms of herself. 

She was being called ungrateful, a love–struck fool, and a total disappointment to women everywhere. 

“But we’ve learned from the hospital that your surgery fees were paid by your daughter. She also paid for you to be moved to a private ward and even hired Zoe Jackson, a nurse, to take care of you,” the reporter added. 

Upon hearing this, Iris stopped crying, clearly caught off guard after being exposed by the reporter. 

Octavia immediately stepped in with teary eyes and explained, “We had to beg for that, too. For my mother’s sake, I was slapped by my sister. It was posted online. I was publicly humiliated in front of the Grant Group. But for my mother, I have no complaints.” 

Octavia lowered her head, sobbing, her voice full of humility. As tris‘ stepdaughter, Octavia appeared far more considerate than Joycelyn, Iris‘ biological daughter. 

Joycelyn looked at the panic in her mother’s eyes. Then, she sent the secretly recorded video she had received without any 

hesitation. 

Not long after it was uploaded, the voices of Iris and Octavia conspiring together became audible in the live broadcast. Clavia’s comment about needing to teach Joycelyn a lesson for her to behave properly was particularly striking. Though 

Iris’s voice was soft when she agreed with Octavia, it was filled with bitterness. 

Octavia immediately sensed something was wrong and grabbed reporter’s phone to look at it for a few seconds. Realizing it was her, she immediately felt guilty but quickly shifted the narrative. 

10:02 Wed, Feb 19 

Chapter 168 

She held the vidéo up to the cameras and explained, “This vided is fake. Joycelyn used her looks and her husband’s job as an insurance salesperson to connect with some wealthy individuals 

“This must be a video made by her sponsors to clear her name. didn’t expect her to be so vicious that she would frame her own mother!” 

Octavia’s words sparked another wave of controversy. 

Zoe, who had been silently observing nearby, could no longer hold back her anger. She pushed past the reporters hefty frame and approached Iris, holding up her phone for everyone to see, 

with her 

Zoe said. “I took this video. I’ve seen their true colors. Your biological daughter not only paid for your medical expenses but also stayed by your side during surgery. 

“She even gave me an envelope with thousands of dollars to take care of you and buy you supplements. 

“This stepdaughter of yours only comes around when she’s asking for money, either from you or from your biological daughter. Are you still not satisfied? 

“Her current husband’s two nephews are in the hospital and they’re too stingy to part with any money, so they made me take care of them too. They’re a pack of wolves and vultures. If I were in her shoes, I’d run away. I’d catch the first flight out of here any delay would be harmful to me. 

“These two are just pretentious and acting like they’re the victims Your family is full of leeches and you blame her for not taking care of you? Pili!” 

Zoe’s words came out like rapid–fire, and she didn’t hold back. 

Iris and Octavia were stunned by the harsh tirade. 

The entire room fell silent. 

Joycelyn, watching from home, felt little emotion in the face of her biological mother’s slander. But when she saw the nurse standing up for her, her eyes welled up with emotion. 

Everyone else could see the truth, but her mother had chosen to ignore it, 

“This is the woman Joycelyn hired to keep an eye on Mother. You two are in this together, aren’t you? You just admitted to taking her money. She told you to say all that, didn’t she?” Octavia’s eyes were red, her voice dripping with grievance. 

Zoe retorted, “Didn’t you just say that she wouldn’t give you a single cent and didn’t care if you lived or died? Then why are you saying that I received money from her now? If I didn’t get paid, why would I take care of such a dramatic woman?” 

This dramatic turn of events made the netizens suspicious. 

Then, the police arrived and informed everyone that Iris and Octavia had been profiting from their staged misery, manipulating public opinion for financial gain. They were suspected of illegal financial activity and were taken into custody. 

What everyone thought was a family drama turned out to be a staged act, and now they were even suspected of criminal activity. 

The netizens who were manipulated and used as pawns were furious. They redirected their anger toward Octavia and Iris. Joycelyn switched off the live broadcast without a word. She hadn’t shown her face or spoken once. From the shock of learning the truth to the numbness that followed, she had maintained a calm, rational composure, turning the tide with precision. 

Sitting 

back on the sofa with Rocky in her arms, she took in the view of the luxurious villa. 

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Chapter 168 

For the first time, she had a safe haven 

She recalled the rainy night when she moved out of the Mercer family. Desperate, with nowhere to go, she had been so humiliated that she had sought Ellison out and agreed to marry him.. 

In return, he had unexpectedly given her the protection and security she had never experienced before. 

n 

When Ellison arrived home, he took off his shoes at the door and noticed a little black–and–white ball in the living room. He stared at it for a moment, and in the next second, resigned himself to the situation.