The Man Who Waited vs. The Man Who Wasted novel Chapter 96

The old house looked damp, cramped, and on the verge of falling apart.

Julian told her Maria lived on the second floor.

The wobbly handrail and worn-out stairs made Jocelyn's heart tighten.

She never imagined Maria would be living in a place like this.

Over the years, Adrian had paid her a decent salary.

At the very least, she should have been able to afford a respectable place to live.

Why was she here?

As they reached the door, they heard a loud crash from inside.

Julian raised his hand and knocked.

Soon, the iron door creaked open.

A man who looked to be in his late forties, with a scruffy beard and disheveled clothes, stood before them.

He bore a strong resemblance to Maria.

Jocelyn guessed this must be Maria's good-for-nothing son.

He was pushing fifty and still drifting through life like a deadbeat.

He used to have a wife, but she had taken the kids and left because of his drinking and gambling habits.

After that, the man had only gotten worse.

Whenever he was out of money, he would demand it from Maria.

Maria, at an age when she should have been enjoying her retirement, had to work as a housekeeper to support him.

Seeing him in person, Jocelyn finally understood why Maria lived in such a place.

With a son like him bleeding her dry, it was a miracle she still had a place to live.

Jocelyn asked directly, "I'm looking for Maria."

The man seemed to have just woken up and was irritable. "If you're looking for your mom, go look at your own house. She's not here."

"I'm looking for Maria Reyes."

The man paused for a moment, looking them up and down.

They both looked wealthy.

He toned down his attitude a bit.

"Who are you?"

Jocelyn remained polite.

"We're friends of Maria's. We need to talk to her about something."

The man laughed, revealing teeth yellowed from excessive smoking.

A woman nearly seventy years old, the fall had broken her bones.

Maria Reyes had heard Jocelyn calling her.

In her excitement, she had fallen out of bed, the pain making her break out in a cold sweat.

When Jocelyn saw this, her heart broke.

The sight hit Jocelyn like a blow.

"Maria, what happened to you?"

Seeing Jocelyn, Maria was so emotional she didn't know what to do.

"Mrs. Lowell—how did you find me?" Maria panicked. "You shouldn't be here. This place is filthy. You'll ruin your clothes."

Jocelyn was heartbroken. "Let me help you up."

But Julian grabbed Jocelyn's arm and pulled her up. "I'll do it."

He bent down, lifted Maria into his arms, and placed her on the bed.

Jocelyn was momentarily stunned.

Maria probably hadn't washed her hair or changed her clothes in days, and she had a slight odor.

But he didn't seem to mind at all.