The Plane Tickets He Hoarded The Wife He Hid novel Chapter 298

298 Chapter 298 A Foreign

Fragrance

Blanche’s POV

1

Joanna dragged her wounded leg as she entered the bedroom.

Carry bolted from the bathroom, rushing toward her.

She slowed her pace as she approached, afraid of accidentally hitting Joanna. Stopping several steps away, she tilted her head up at Joanna, her expression full of pain–she looked utterly devastated.

Joanna couldn’t bend at the waist. She lowered her head to meet Carry’s gaze, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

Carry suddenly broke into sobs, her voice shaking with accusation as she stammered, “Why didn’t you come find me?”

it’s

Tears streamed down Joanna’s face too. She fought to get the words out through her crying, “I’m so sorry, Miss Joanna’s fault.”

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Carry sobbed harder. “Do you have any idea how scared I was this whole afternoon? I kept waiting for you to show up and say everything was fine, that you were here now… but you never did…”

Joanna stepped closer and crouched down, softly brushing Carry’s tears away. Her voice carried heavy remorse. “Carry, Miss Joanna really did try to find you, but I couldn’t… My leg got hurt, I could hardly move…”

Carry cut her off, her voice breaking with pain. “But why did it take you forever to find me? If you’d come sooner, that rat wouldn’t have bit my leg.”

Joanna’s chest tightened. She pulled Carry into a tender embrace, holding her against her belly.

Through her tears, Joanna choked out, “I’m sorry, I know I failed you. I swear I’ll never let you get lost again.”

Carry squeezed Joanna back tightly. “Your leg got injured. If it hadn’t, I know you would’ve found me instantly. Miss Joanna, I’ve forgiven you–I’m not angry anymore.”

Joanna finally felt some relief. “That’s all I needed to

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hear, Carry. As long as you’re not upset with me, I promise nothing like this will ever happen again.”

Carry nodded with a small sniff. “Okay.”

After embracing her a bit longer, Joanna carefully pulled Carry back and said, “Carry, let me check you over, okay?”

Carry murmured her agreement, then stepped out of Joanna’s arms.

Joanna knelt down and softly touched Carry’s face, examining her thoroughly. When she confirmed Carry wasn’t badly injured, Joanna finally relaxed.

Thank God, Carry was fine.

If anything had happened to Carry, Zain would never forgive me… Joanna couldn’t stop herself from thinking.

Seeing how much Joanna still cared, Carry pushed all those afternoon fears aside.

Carry thought, ‘Miss Joanna definitely still loves me. She just couldn’t get to me faster because her leg was hurt.‘

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That thought alone made Carry feel so much better.

Carry knelt down to look at Joanna’s leg.

Seeing it completely covered in a cast, she felt worried and asked quietly, “Miss Joanna, does it still hurt?”

‘Of course it hurts, Joanna thought to herself.

The second Joanna learned Carry had been found, she wanted to rush back immediately, but Lillian stopped her and told her to wait a bit longer before returning

home.

Joanna’s mouth formed a strained smile as she shook

her head. “Now that you’re safe, sweetheart, it doesn’t

hurt at all.”

Carry wrapped her arms around Joanna. “Miss Joanna, you’re lying–it still hurts, doesn’t it?”

Joanna ran her fingers through Carry’s hair without speaking.

Carry asked, “Miss Joanna, are you going back to the hospital tonight?”

“No, I’m staying here with you,” Joanna answered quietly.

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+140

“Will you sleep in my bed? I already took a bath—

Mommy helped me. I smell really good!” Carry said, her eyes bright with hope.

“Of course, I’ll sleep with you,” Joanna replied tenderly.

“Miss Joanna, this afternoon the second I stepped outside, I fell straight into an open sewer. I screamed for help, but no one heard me,” Carry said, her voice quivering.

“I’m truly sorry, sweetheart. This time, I wasn’t careful enough–I should’ve been watching you,” Joanna said softly, her words heavy with shame.

“It’s okay, Miss Joanna. I don’t blame you at all—don’t beat yourself up, it wasn’t your fault,” Carry replied gently.

From the moment Carry ran out of the bathroom after hearing Joanna’s voice, I was left standing alone,

staring at my reflection in the mirror–my face pale and hollow.

Right now, my eyes filled with endless sorrow and anguish.

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I had believed that after everything they’d experienced, Carry would finally understand the truth -that Joanna’s love for her was never genuine.

It turned out to be nothing more than my own foolish hope.

In Carry’s heart, Joanna was perfect. She was her

whole world.

The moment Joanna appeared, I felt like a complete stranger–someone utterly meaningless in Carry’s life.

But before Joanna arrived, Carry had been so loving

and well–behaved.

The pain in my chest deepened. I turned the tap on, washed my hands quietly, then walked out of the bathroom.

Right now, Joanna and Carry sat together on the sofa, discussing everything that happened this afternoon.

Carry had completely forgotten about her mother-

1. me.

When Carry spotted me coming out of the bathroom, she paused for a second.

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Joanna watched me, clearly on guard.

But I didn’t even glance their way—I simply walked straight out of the bedroom.

The instant I left the bedroom, cheerful, animated voices and giggles from the two of them echoed into the hallway.

I stood by the doorway, my back against the wall, nearly breaking down–I could barely keep my feelings under control.

Right then, Zain stepped out of the room next door.

He stopped at his doorway, shooting me a concerned look. “Are you okay?”

I looked up at him, but stayed silent.

Noticing how exhausted I appeared, with some of Carry’s grime still on my clothes, Zain instinctively said, “You should go clean yourself up.”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

Zain quickly added, “You can use my bathroom.”

He moved aside as he spoke, giving me space.

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I gave him a small smile, shaking my head. “No, that’s alright. I’ll just use the guest bathroom, thanks.”

Back in the guest room, I stayed under the hot water for a long time, hoping to wash away some of my

weariness.

Standing under the shower head, I wasn’t even sure if I was actually crying–I just felt completely lost and utterly miserable.

After I showered and dried my hair, I realized I was pretty thirsty.

I hesitated, then finally dragged myself downstairs to

get some water.

As I walked downstairs, I passed Zain’s bedroom door and heard soft, muffled groans coming from inside.

I didn’t need to strain to listen–I could immediately tell it was Zain and Joanna having sex in there.

I let out a bitter laugh and kept walking, refusing to dwell on it.

Standing alone in the enormous living room, I drank two glasses of water before heading back upstairs.

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Walking past Zain’s room again, I practically had to plug my ears to shut out those sounds.

Those sounds were just too dirty, too disgusting–I desperately didn’t want to hear any of it.

Zain’s POV

Just ten minutes ago, after ensuring Carry was sound asleep, Joanna quietly snuck out of the room.

She crept over and softly pushed my bedroom door

open.

I had just fallen asleep, still in a shallow slumber.

When I heard the door creak open, I didn’t make a

sound.

‘It’s probably Blanche coming in,‘ I thought, not giving it much consideration.

At that idea, a small smile played at the corner of my mouth.

As Joanna got closer, the smile on my lips widened

even more.

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But the second she put her arms around me, I caught a scent that definitely wasn’t Blanche’s–I stiffened, startled by the foreign fragrance.

I snapped awake, immediately alert. “Who’s there?”

Joanna held me tighter, pressing her face into my neck. She whispered softly, “Zain, it’s me.”

The moment I realized it was Joanna, I shoved her off

me roughly.

Joanna hit the floor with a muffled gasp, her voice shaking. “Zain, that really hurt…”

I sat up and leaned against the headboard, looking down at Joanna on the floor, my voice cold and stern. “Why aren’t you with Carry? What are you doing here?”