Joi's trembling hands tightened around Adrian's arm. But her fear gave way to fiery defiance. "Your entire bloodline is good for nothing, you witch!" Joi shot back, her voice trembling with anger.
Kate recoiled but quickly masked her shock. "Still the same insolent brat, I see," she retorted, slamming the door shut.
Adrian's gaze turned icy, his patience wearing thin. "Who is she?" he demanded quietly, his voice laced with controlled anger.
"Joi's stepmother," Emily said tersely, glaring at the closed door.
Adrian nodded at Alexander, who immediately stepped forward. Moments later, the door was forced open, its hinges splintering under the impact. Inside, Kate and her daughter, Lora, stood stunned.
Kate grabbed her phone and shouted, "Daniel! Intruders! They've broken into the house!"
Ignoring her shrill protests, Adrian made himself comfortable in the living room, pulling Joi into his lap. Joi clung to him like a lifeline, her hands wound around his neck. Adrian's hand rested protectively on her back, his presence calming her even as he grew increasingly irritated with the unfolding drama.
Emily sat across from them, her expression hard as she watched Kate fume.
Lora, meanwhile, took a different approach. Smoothing her hair, she flashed Adrian a charming smile. "Joi, you didn't tell me you were bringing friends. Who's this?" she asked, her voice syrupy sweet as her eyes lingered on Adrian.
Joi ignored her, burying her face in Adrian's chest. She felt safe here, in the warmth of his arms. Adrian's touch was nothing like Marcus's—it was reassuring, protective.
Moments later, Daniel burst in, his voice rising before he even crossed the threshold. "What the hell happened to my door?"
His tirade faltered when he saw Joi. His eyes widened, disbelief etched across his face. "Joi?" he whispered, his voice soft and trembling.
Joi hesitated but eventually slid off Adrian's lap, stepping forward. Daniel's eyes filled with tears as he took in the sight of his daughter, now a grown woman.
"I thought I'd never see you again," he said, his voice breaking.
Joi's guarded demeanor crumbled. She rushed into his arms, her own tears falling freely. "Daddy…" she sobbed, clutching him like she had when she was a child.
Adrian remained seated, silently observing the reunion. While he missed Joi's presence in his arms, he respected the bond being rekindled before him.
Once everyone had settled, Daniel turned to Adrian. "What happened to her?" he asked, his voice thick with concern.
"She's recovering from brain trauma," Adrian explained, his voice steady but heavy.
Emily filled in the rest, recounting Joi's horrifying encounter with Marcus. Every detail twisted Daniel's expression further into guilt and sorrow. Adrian's fists clenched as anger simmered beneath his calm exterior, but he held it back for Joi's sake.
Kate, however, was far from moved. "This is all nonsense," she snapped, glaring at Joi. "She's just like her mother—selfish and manipulative. She left you once, Daniel. She'll do it again."
"Enough, Kate!" Daniel barked, his voice sharp and unyielding.
But Kate wasn't finished. "You've wasted years chasing after her. Meanwhile, Lora stayed by your side, caring for you! But now, because this brat is back, you'll throw it all away?"
Joi stiffened, her grip on her father loosening as Kate's venomous words struck her. Adrian, sensing her unease, stood and pulled her to his side, his protective presence like a shield.
"She's your daughter, Kate," Emily said coldly. "And instead of being grateful she's alive, you're celebrating her pain. You're despicable."
Kate's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Brain trauma or not, she's still trouble. Let her stay broken—it suits her."
Adrian's gaze darkened, his voice low and dangerous. "Say one more word about her, and I'll ensure you regret it."
The room fell silent, tension thick in the air. Joi clung to Adrian, her small frame trembling as the weight of her past collided with her uncertain present.
Daniel broke the silence, his voice trembling but resolute. "That's enough, Kate." His eyes were locked on her with a mixture of anger and disappointment. "Joi is my daughter, and no amount of your venom will change that."
Kate scoffed, but Daniel cut her off with a sharp wave of his hand. "I've tolerated your bitterness for years, but I will not allow you to poison this moment. If you can't keep quiet, leave."
Kate's face flushed with indignation. She opened her mouth to retort but faltered under Daniel's glare. Lora, visibly uncomfortable, stepped forward, placing a hand on her mother's arm.
"Maybe we should all just calm down," Lora suggested, though her gaze darted once more toward Adrian. "Tensions are high. No need to make things worse."
Adrian ignored her entirely, his focus solely on Joi. He gently guided her to sit beside him, his hand resting on her shoulder in a silent reassurance.
Joi's voice was shaky but firm. "I didn't come here to fight. I came because I needed answers. And because... I needed to see you again, Dad."
Daniel's expression softened, and he moved to sit across from her. "You have no idea how much I've regretted letting you go, Joi. Every day since you left, I've wondered if I made the right choices. But seeing you now, alive..." His voice broke, and he swallowed hard. "It means more than I can say."
Emily leaned forward, her tone matter-of-fact. "If you want to make up for lost time, Mr Daniel, start by listening. Joi deserves to be heard."
Kate huffed, crossing her arms. "Oh, spare me the melodrama. Joi made her choice years ago—"
"Her choice?" Adrian interrupted, his voice cutting through the room like steel. "You mean the choice to escape the hell you created for her?" His eyes locked on Kate, cold and unforgiving. "You seem to forget, people can only endure so much."
Kate's confidence wavered under Adrian's piercing gaze, but she quickly masked it with a sneer. "And who are you to lecture me? Some stranger who barely knows her?"
Adrian's lips curled into a dangerous smile. "I'm the man who cares for her. And unlike you, I know how to protect what matters to me."
Joi's heart stuttered at his words, her fingers tightening around his hand. She glanced up at him, his expression unreadable but undeniably fierce.
Lora tried to break the tension with a forced laugh. "Well, isn't this dramatic? Maybe we should all just... take a breath?"
"Enough, Lora," Daniel said, his voice firm. He turned back to Joi. "Tell me what you need, Joi. If there's anything I can do to make this right, just say the word."
Joi hesitated, her emotions swirling. She glanced at Adrian, who gave her a small nod of encouragement. Taking a deep breath, she met her father's gaze.
"I need the truth," she said softly but with conviction. "About why you let me go. About why you stayed with them instead of fighting for me." Her voice wavered. "I need to know if you ever really wanted me."
Daniel's face crumpled, and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Joi, it wasn't that simple. I was weak. I thought I was protecting you by letting you go, but I see now that I was wrong."
Kate scoffed again, but a sharp glare from Daniel silenced her.
"I wanted you, Joi. I always wanted you. But I failed you, and I've been paying for that failure every day since." Tears glistened in his eyes as he added, "Please believe me."
Joi felt the walls around her heart start to crack. But before she could respond, Kate stood abruptly.
"This is ridiculous," she spat. "You're pandering to her like she's some victim. She ran away, Daniel. She abandoned us!"
Adrian's voice was a low growl. "She survived you."
The tension in the room reached its breaking point as Joi finally stood, her hands trembling but her voice steady. "I didn't come here to argue about the past, Kate. I came to heal—to find closure. And if you can't handle that, then maybe you're the one who needs to leave."
For the first time, Kate was speechless.
Daniel stood, placing a hand on Joi's shoulder. "You don't have to fight anymore, Joi. I'm here now, and I'll do whatever it takes to earn your forgiveness."
Joi turned to Adrian, who gave her a reassuring smile, his unwavering support giving her strength. For the first time in years, she felt the possibility of peace on the horizon.