CHAPTER 82: WILD ANIMALS

Patricia, eager to leave the table, didn’t hesitate to take Joanna’s hand, and together they left the room. As expected, Joanna talked about herself the entire time, even sharing deeply personal secrets that left Patricia stunned. Roman had been right, Joanna was eager to bond with her. Still, who revealed so much about themselves to someone they just met?

Joanna didn’t even seem worried that Patricia might use the information against her. Patricia could understand the longing behind it. Having once wanted to belong when she was younger, she knew what it felt like. But unlike Joanna, she had never been this desperate for friends. Being among the bullied meant she had never cared much about making connections, until Zara came along. But that was a different story entirely.

What struck Patricia most was how Joanna never once mentioned her family, or her brother Paul. She might have been talkative, but she knew where to draw the line. Even when her stories ran wild, that particular subject never slipped from her lips.

"Oh, and did I tell you about when I poisoned my aunt? Paul helped, but the idea was all mine. You should have seen her face...’I am dying,’ she said." Joanna mocked, interrupting Patricia’s thoughts.

When Joanna’s laughter finally faded and her eyes fell on Patricia, an uneasy silence followed. Patricia, anxious and scrambling for words, blurted out the first thing that came to mind: "Did she die?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. Of course, people rarely survived being poisoned. What a ridiculous question.

Before she could correct herself, Joanna answered, clicking her tongue in disappointment. "Unfortunately, she survived. My sweet brother decided she didn’t deserve to die and gave her the antidote."

"Guess he grew a conscience at the last minute," Patricia said awkwardly, forcing a smile. But the truth in her mind was different. As much as she despised her family, especially her stepmother, she had never entertained the idea of poisoning them. She had wished them gone, yes, but never by her own hand. If anything, she would rather have fate, or someone else, take them away.

With a look of disgust, Joanna continued, "My brother? Wild animals are better than him. If hell had a university, he would..." She stopped abruptly, realizing what she had just said. Her eyes widened, and she laughed nervously before clutching Patricia’s arm. "Let me show you around," she said quickly, changing the subject.

Patricia noticed, of course. Just when Joanna had finally mentioned her brother, she cut herself off. That wasn’t an accident, it was deliberate. And the fact that she had compared her brother to a wild animal? Only God knew what kind of marriage Eve was walking into.

At first, when Patricia saw him, she hadn’t sensed any bad energy, aside from the fact that he looked far too old for Eve. But appearances could be deceiving; you could never judge a book by its cover.

She knew she needed to find a way to get information from Joanna. Opportunities like this were rare, and they might not get another chance.

"So, how many siblings do you have?" Patricia asked as they walked.

"We are four. I have an elder brother who rarely comes home, Paul is the second eldest, then an older sister who’s the third-born, and lastly, me. But it’s only Paul and I who run the family business. The other two have their own ventures, so they rarely visit unless it’s a special occasion." Joanna’s tone shifted as she spoke. The same woman who had eagerly shared everything about herself now sounded flat, detached, neither happy nor sad, as though she were giving a formal report instead of talking about family.

"Are you close with Paul?" Patricia pressed.

"Nah. He’s a dick. But he knows plenty of people, and I love making new friends. That’s the only reason I stick around him," Joanna admitted with a sigh.

"Why do you call him a dick?" Patricia pushed further.

Joanna stopped walking, turning sharply to face her. Her eyes narrowed in scrutiny. Patricia raised an eyebrow in return, trying to keep her composure, though inside she panicked. Had she pushed too far? Well, she wasn’t a spy, she was a doctor. Small talk was already difficult, let alone probing questions that bordered on investigation.

"Why does it feel like you are more interested in Paul than in me?" Joanna asked suddenly, hands dropping to her waist as she stared Patricia down.

A shiver ran over Patricia’s skin, goosebumps prickling. Her heartbeat quickened as she searched frantically for an excuse. If she got caught, things would only worsen for Eve. This was exactly why she hadn’t wanted to come, spying wasn’t her strength, and judging by Joanna’s expression, she wasn’t doing a very good job.

Her fists tightened against her gown, her eyes darting around in desperation for some distraction, some escape.

Then, without warning, Joanna burst into loud laughter, clutching her chest as if the whole thing had been a joke.

Patricia frowned, confusion and irritation mixing. Was she being toyed with?

"I am sorry," Joanna managed between laughs. "I am just so used to my brother’s secret admirers disguising themselves as friends, trying to get information about him. It was just a joke, don’t take it personally."

Seeing Patricia’s displeasure, she quickly looped her arm through hers and tugged her along. "But honestly, I would be disappointed if you had a crush on him. You have already got the hottest man by your side. He’s better than most men in this city." Joanna winked playfully, her tone laced with mischief that almost made Patricia nauseous. Was she seriously implying she found her brother attractive?

Either way, Patricia realized that getting useful information out of Joanna wouldn’t be easy. She was intentionally dodging anything to do with her family. Maybe another approach was needed, something psychological. Perhaps, the help of an actual psychologist, someone skilled in reading human behavior.

"It’s been an hour since we left. Let’s head back, I am starving!" Joanna announced, leading the way back toward the hall.

Patricia followed, disappointed. She hadn’t gained much useful information, but at least she hadn’t exposed her intentions. For now, that was enough.