The Plane Tickets He Hoarded The Wife He Hid novel Chapter 318

318 Chapter 318 The Only One I

Want

Zain’s POV

After a couple of rings, Joanna finally answered.

The moment the call connected, I was hit with a wall of noise–loud, chaotic sounds that made me wince.

Despite the harsh racket, I could make out the energy of whatever event was happening around her.

Through all that commotion, Joanna’s voice cut through like silk–gentle and unmistakable. She spoke quietly, asking, “Zain, what’s going on?”

Something cold twisted in my chest, and when I spoke, my voice came out sharper than I intended. “What are you doing?”

She actually laughed–light and carefree. “Zain, I’m at a recital tonight. Just finished performing, so it’s pretty crazy over here.”

I caught the host’s voice announcing the end of the

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show, but then another voice made my jaw clench.

“Hey Joanna, you’re done! Want to grab dinner?” Drew’s voice rang out, way too cheerful for my liking.

He sounded genuinely excited.

“Sure, just let me change first,” Joanna replied.

“Take your time, I’ll wait outside,” Drew said.

Joanna gave another soft laugh. “Okay.”

Every damn word of their exchange hit me like a punch.

Once Drew’s voice disappeared from the background,

I finally asked, “Joanna, you’re with Drew?”

She’d gone out with Drew before, and back then, I hadn’t let it get under my skin.

But now? Something was eating at me, making my chest tight with an emotion I couldn’t name.

I had no clue what was driving this feeling.

“Yeah, he came to support me tonight,” Joanna answered without hesitation, completely

straightforward.

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HOTVvanl

My voice dropped to nearly a growl. “I see.”

The ice in my tone was unmistakable–I was pissed, and I wasn’t hiding it well.

She picked up on it immediately, but didn’t try to smooth things over.

Silence stretched between us.

After what felt like forever, Joanna spoke up,

uncertainty creeping into her voice. “Zain, if that’s all, should I-”

“Joanna, Carry’s kindergarten has a New Year’s event coming up, and she wants-” I started, but the line went dead.

She’d hung up on me.

My heart dropped like a stone. What the hell?

I stared at my phone’s dark screen, my mind racing. Why would she do that?

Work was waiting, so I forced myself to shove it aside and focus on business.

By evening, I was pulling into Blissfield Villa’s driveway.

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The second I walked into the lobby, Carry abandoned her toys and came sprinting toward me.

She looked like a little angel in those fluffy pink pajamas, her hair done up in two perfect pigtails.

She crashed into my legs and threw her arms around them. “Daddy, you’re home!”

I dropped down and pulled her into my arms, running my fingers through her soft hair. “Hey there, princess. How was school today? Did you have fun?”

She nodded enthusiastically. “Yes! My teacher told us about the New Year’s Day party. All the parents are invited, and we get to do a special dance together.”

The excitement in her voice was infectious, and I looked down at her earnest little face. “So who do want as your dance partner, sweetheart?”

She tugged at my shirt collar, suddenly shy. “Daddy, can Miss Joanna come with me?”

I pressed my forehead against hers gently. “What about Mommy? Would you like her to come?”

you

Instead of answering, she asked, “But what about Miss

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Joanna? Won’t she be there too?”

The memory of Joanna with Drew this afternoon sent that same restless irritation crawling through me–like I was being replaced, though I couldn’t explain why it mattered so much.

I stroked her hair again. “Miss Joanna has other things going on, baby. She won’t be able to make it.”

Carry’s bottom lip jutted out, and tears welled up in her eyes. Her voice came out small and heartbroken. “Well… if Miss Joanna can’t come, can Aunt Blanche

dance with me?”

The disappointment was written all over her face–she looked genuinely crushed. I brushed my thumb across her cheek. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? Are you sad?”

She shook her head but kept pouting dramatically.

I adjusted her pajama top and asked gently, “All the other kids will have their moms there. Don’t you want your mommy to come with you?”

She looked down, tears streaming down her cheeks as she whispered brokenly, “Miss Joanna is my real

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mommy–she’s the only one I want.”

Seeing that no amount of reasoning would change her mind, I gave up with a heavy sigh. “Alright, I’ll call her. You can talk to her yourself.”

Her face transformed instantly–pure joy replacing the tears as she practically bounced in my arms. “Really?”

Left with no choice and faced with her obvious excitement, I dialed Joanna’s number.

She picked up immediately, but the background noise suggested she was still out somewhere busy.

Her voice was as warm as ever when she asked, “Zain, what’s up?”

But something felt different about her now, even though she sounded exactly the same.

I cut straight to the point. “Carry’s kindergarten is having a parent–child event on New Year’s Day. She really wants you there.”

Joanna had heard me start to mention this earlier at

noon, but she’d clearly dismissed it then.

I hadn’t expected to be bringing it up again now.

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She seemed to realize something, but still turned me down. “Zain, I’m really sorry, but I already have plans to meet my college friends that day. It’s rare for all of us to be back in town, so I…

She left it hanging, but the rejection was crystal clear.

When Carry heard Joanna refuse, panic flashed across her face. “Miss Joanna!”

Despite whatever was going on with her, Joanna’s voice softened. “Yes, I’m here.”

Carry’s nose turned red as she fought back sobs. “Miss Joanna, when are you coming back?”

“I don’t know,” Joanna said.

“I miss you,” Carry whispered.

“I miss you too,” Joanna replied.

Carry was about to ask about the kindergarten event again, but Joanna cut her off quickly. “Carry, I’ve been really busy lately, so I won’t be able to make it to the New Year’s Day event. Would it be okay if Daddy goes with you instead?”

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Her voice stayed gentle, but as Carry listened, fresh tears started pouring down her face.

She opened her mouth to say something else, but I took the phone and ended the call before she could.

“Daddy…” she whimpered, her voice breaking.

After watching me hang up, the pain in Carry’s expression deepened—her face crumpled in complete devastation.

I didn’t try to console her. Instead, I turned to Heidi, who was hovering near the kitchen doorway. “Where’s Mrs. Jacob?”

Heidi hesitated before answering, “She went out this evening.”

My mood darkened further, and I said curtly, “Fine.”

I dropped onto the couch and tried calling Blanche,

but she didn’t answer.

After the first missed call, I didn’t bother trying again.

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