CHAPTER 657: CHAPTER 657

"Have you got a minute? I want to ask you something." Joanna sounded very cold on the phone.

"Come to Tipsy Grove." Ace ordered the driver to stop the car at the door of Tipsy Grove and waited for Joanna.

Joanna arrived not long after. When she saw his car, she knocked on the car window.

Joel Montana, Ace’s driver, opened the door and said to Joanna, "Miss Pierce, there you are. Mr. Moran, uhh... had a bit too much to drink tonight. Should I drive you guys to a hotel or..." It was late, and Joel felt a hotel was suitable given Joanna’s relationship with his boss.

Joanna glanced at Ace, who was clearly drunk. She then sighed heavily. "Drive us to Moran Villa."

"Okay. Please get in the car, Miss Pierce. I’ll get you guys there." Joel asked nothing more. All he needed to do was to drive his boss to his destination.

Joanna took the shotgun seat. She did not converse much with Ace, who just kept his eyes closed. was actually sleeping or if he was just drunk. Joanna clenched her fists, feeling conflicted.

Soon, the car stopped in front of a familiar villa. This place used to be her and Ace’s home, but was occupied by Briar afterward. It became vacant after Briar got into an accident, and occasionally, maids would come to clean it up.

"We’re here. Let’s get out of the car." Joanna turned and called out to Ace, but all that answered her was silence. He remained seated there.

"How much did he drink?" Joanna frowned deeply. The timing wasn’t good, but there was no choice but to keep moving forward. She got out of the car and opened the back door to help Ace out.

"Why are you so heavy..." Joanna gasped for breath as she tried to get him into the villa, even though she felt that she was strong. She grumbled, "Well, you’re certainly enjoying yourself. You’ve gained quite a lot of weight."

She easily found her way into the villa and noticed that the password of the door was unchanged. Melancholic feelings engulfed her when she looked at the house that she once loved and protected. Many years had passed since then, but the villa looked the same. It was as if time had stopped on the night they had gotten a divorce.

However, things were different now.

"Just let it go, Joanna. Stop thinking about it!" Joanna shook her head, trying to shake off the sadness. She dumped Ace on the sofa and smacked his cheek. "Hey, are you really drunk? Wake up! I have something to ask you."

"What is it? Go ahead." Ace had a terrible headache, so he leaned against the sofa with his eyes closed. He could never hold his alcohol well, so he was feeling quite sick.

Luckily, he had a bit of rest in the car, so he was still conscious, but he was very tipsy.

When he saw Joanna standing before him, he took a deep breath and pulled her into his arms. His gaze met hers, intense and hot. "Til answer any question you ask me."

"Fine, you promised." Joanna immediately took out the silver ring from her bag and asked, "Is this yours?"

Ace stared at that diamond ring with his eyes narrowed, then said softly, "Yes, I always keep it with me."

"Really..." Joanna’s heart ached with the realization, but she still refused to accept the truth. "Why did I find it beside my brother’s pillow in the ward if you always keep it with you?"

"Beside your brother’s pillow in the ward?" Ace frowned, suddenly looking alert. However, his expression was complicated and unfathomable.

Joanna caught his surprise, and a sliver of hope appeared in her heart. She quickly asked, "Why? You don’t know why this ring appeared beside my brother’s pillow, do you? Did you lose it? Or did you give it to someone else?"

She was trying to give him a reason to deny it. Whatever he said, she would believe it.

Unfortunately, he whispered after a long pause, "I didn’t give it to anyone else or lose it. I was the one who placed this ring beside Quinton’s pillow."

"W-What?" Joanna’s eyes widened, and her vision slowly turned blurry. She clenched her fists in anger. As expected, Haze was right-Ace would admit to the things he did. He would not lie to her.

"I’m sorry that I’m not a nice guy. Go ahead and hate me!" Ace clutched his ring in his palm, then closed his eyes and lay on the sofa quietly.

Joanna’s hatred grew because of his indifference, and she gritted her teeth. "Why did you do it? Why did you go to so much trouble to save Quinton if you just wanted to kill him? You’re lying now, aren’t you?

You must be hiding something from me, right?" She was still unwilling to believe that he could be so cruel and aloof. He had no reason to do something like that.

"No, I’m not hiding anything. I did want to save Quinton when I asked for Owen’s help. But when I pulled off Quinton’s oxygen mask, I did want to kill him. I just did what

I felt like doing." Ace spoke half-heartedly without opening his eyes as if he was purposely trying to ruin all of Joanna’s hope.

"How could you! How dare you!" Emotions whirled in Joanna like a storm, and she screamed. She had expected something like this, but facing the truth was tearing her heart apart. It was like all the air had left her lungs.

"You know how much I care about my brother. You wanting him dead is no different from killing me. Have you ever considered my feelings? Why are you so cruel?" Joanna sobbed, unable to understand.

"Quinton is my enemy, and he did a lot of damage to my company. Isn’t it normal for me to want to get rid of him? Why are you so surprised?" Ace opened his eyes slowly and stared at her. "As for you, do you think you’re very special to me? I did what I did to get what I wanted. Why do I have to consider your feelings?"

"You... You’re cruel!" Joanna glared at him with eyes that burned with hatred. "I’ll kill you one day, mark my words!"

"Yes, I believe you will," Ace sneered. "Your brother is the most important person to you, so it’ll be normal for you to want to kill me."

He reached out and grabbed her hands, then put them on his neck. His gaze clear, he urged her softly, "Do it-strangle me to death. I won’t resist. I’m already drunk, so I won’t be able to fight back either... If I’m dead, no one will hurt your brother."