A Second Chance With The CEO After Divorce - Chapter: 1060

“Why on earth is Hattie still the most talked-about subject online?”

Rosie, seething with anger, threw her phone at Joyce’s face, her tone dripping with fury. “Do you have any idea how maddening it is to unlock my phone and see her name everywhere? She looks exactly like that awful Belinda, and it infuriates me every time I lay my eyes on her. Just today, she embarrassed me in front of Nawrin’s elite women! Everyone was well aware that I was supporting the Nelson family during their live stream today. But then, what happened? Not only did they fail, but they also became a laughingstock thanks to that witch Hattie, while she and her husband enjoy the limelight. Didn’t you claim that once the plagiarism scandal erupted, Hattie would be vilified by everyone? Why the hell is she now being praised online for her courage just because she Liked your post?”

Rosie’s anger only intensified as she dwelled on how horrible everything had turned out. Gritting her teeth, she jabbed a finger at Joyce, shouting, “I thought you might resemble your sister and be a fitting daughter-in-law for the Cox family. But you can’t even handle this minor issue. And you still believe you can marry Kristopher? You’re delusional! I think it’s best we call off the wedding in two days. No one even cares about it, anyway.”

Joyce was rooted to the spot, saying nothing.

She didn’t move until every breakable item in the living room had been smashed into pieces. Taking a deep breath, Joyce bent down and helped the servants pick up the broken shards near her. “Please calm down, Rosie,” she said slowly, her brows furrowed.

But Joyce’s words only triggered Rosie. The flames of her ire, which had been gradually cooling down, blazed anew.

Rosie grabbed the cup of hot tea a maid had just brought and threw it straight at Joyce. “I don’t need such a useless daughter-in-law!” she screamed.

Rosie slumped on the sofa, her chest heaving as she continued to fume. “I never particularly liked your sister, but she at Least managed to hold a place in Kristopher’s heart. She could at least keep Belinda in check! You, however… You’re not even half as good as your sister! This Hattie is from Bropulia, without any roots to speak of in Nawrin, yet you can’t even handle her! How am I supposed to entrust the Cox family to you? How can I be sure that you’re able to rein Kristopher in?”

Joyce stood still as the scalding hot tea dripped from her chin, burning her skin as it soaked into her clothes. It served to worsen the pain in her legs from where the shards of porcelain had cut her.

Still, none of it compared to the pain she felt when Rosie said that she wasn’t as good as Cathy.

Biting her lip, Joyce mustered the courage to raise her eyes. “Rosie,” she said, her voice cool and steady. “You should know that the plan to make the Nelson family confront Hattie was not my idea. Gillian was the one who suggested it, and you readily agreed with her. If you and Maggie hadn’t come to me for help, asking me to force Hattie to admit that she is Belinda so that you could give her a lesson, I wouldn’t have anything to do with this matter. The failure of you plan had nothing to do with me, either. I did everything you asked of me, so I don’t understand why you’re blaming me for this debacle.”

Joyce didn’t back down and met Rosie stare for stare. “Let’s be honest here, shall we? This entire situation came to be because you bought into Gillian’s empty and willingly got involved in this afternoon’s incident. If it weren’t for you, Maggie and I wouldn’t have wasted so much preparing. Now that your plans have fallen apart, you can’t find the Nelson family and certainly don’t want to vent your frustrations on Maggie. You know all this, which is why you’re taking all your anger out on me. But you and I both know that I have done nothing wrong.”

As Joyce spoke, she took a deep breath and looked at Rosie with a mixture of coldness and defiance. “I am not inferior to Cathy. She would never do half of the things I’ve done for you. Heck, she wouldn’t even try. I can be Kristopher’s right hand and help his business flourish. Cathy isn’t capable of that. If anything, I am better than Cathy, and a much more suitable partner for Kristopher.”

These were thoughts that Joyce had long since harbored to herself, but never dared to say out loud. However, recent events had emboldened her to express herself more openly.

Rosie was visibly taken aback by her speech. Then, as if she had heard the most ridiculous joke, she pointed a finger at Joyce’s face and burst out laughing. “You? Better than Cathy? Oh, forgive my poor eyesight, but I really don’t see it! I don’t know anything about your business acumen, nor do I care, but I do know that whenever Kristopher looked at Cathy, his eyes were always filled with tenderness and affection. You, on the other hand… Why, he looks at you the same way he looks at his personal assistant, Marc. Joyce, I advise you to stop trying so hard to make yourself look good. You’re just an ordinary woman, aiming to live in comfort and luxury by clinging to Kristopher. You have nothing to brag about, Joyce. Don’t you realize that the Cox Group could easily find countless other women, more intelligent, more capable, from any part of the world, to help Kristopher with the company? I have no reason to force him to stay with you.”

Joyce grimaced at that. She pressed her lips into a thin line and glared at Rosie. Just as she was about to retort, the front door suddenly burst open.

Someone from the nursing home rushed into the villa. “Something is wrong, Mrs. Brown! Mr. Anthony Cox is having some issues, and he specifically asked for Belinda to come and visit him.” He finished his report by glancing nervously at Joyce, who was still tensed up from her heated exchange with Rosie. “Miss Scott…”

“I understand,” Joyce said. She took another deep, steadying breath and nodded at the servant.

Joyce deflated as soon as the servant left. She was no longer interested in arguing with Rosie further.

“You heard him,” she told the latter in a wry tone. “Anthony is awake, and he is asking for me. I don’t have time to waste with you.”

Joyce turned on her heel and walked away before Rosie could utter another word.

Rosie glared at the remaining shards littered on the floor, then at Joyce’s retreating figure. “It’s Belinda he wants to see,” she sneered. “For an imposter, you sure are eager to go.”

Rosie’s words stopped Joyce dead in her tracks.

Joyce turned around and shot a cold glance at Rosie, her lips curling into a mocking smile. “Rosie, what’s wrong with being a substitute? Didn’t you want to be one too? It’s a shame Kristopher’s father never gave you the chance.”