Chapter 22 You Are the Future Mrs. Howland
“That’s what Johanna usually wears.
“I saw her in that exact outfit yesterday.
“Did she really go to Lizzie’s place spreading rumors?”
The crowd’s whispers hit like a wave, and Johanna’s heart skipped a beat.
She bit her lip so hard it lost color. Her forehead was dotted with sweat.
She clenched her fists and forced herself to stay calm. “Right, I heard Lizzie was discharged and went to her uncle Emery’s place. I was worried about her, so I went to check on her.”
She grinned. “She got hurt and left the hospital early. I was just being concerned. What’s wrong with that?”
Norma froze. What nonsense was this woman saying now?
Johanna bent to pick up the note on the ground. “Lizzie and I had some misunderstanding. I thought she might not want to see me, so I gave you two bucks to pass along. She can use the money to buy something nutritious.”
She looked at Lizzie. “What? Didn’t she give you the money?”
Norma confronted Johanna, furious. “You two–faced bitch! You’re the one who told me to spread the story that Lizzie was the plagiarizer and got dumped by Mr. Howland! How else would I have known?”
Norma was getting more and more agitated. Johanna had just washed her hands of everything. Was Norma supposed to take the fall now?
“The two bucks was for my work! Now you’re trying to back out? No way!”
“I didn’t…” Johanna’s voice was soft and helpless as if she was the real victim here. “Why are you saying this about
me? I…”
She looked so wronged, on the verge of tears.
Adrienne couldn’t stand it anymore. She stepped forward in fury and blocked Johanna like a shield.
“You liar! Did Lizzie pay you to smear Hanna? She messed up and now wants to drag others down with her?”
Lizzie let out a sarcastic laugh.
Her eyes were full of scorn.
Adrienne’s face burned red, and she somehow felt embarrassed.
How could a junior high graduate like Lizzie mock her?
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Chapter 22 You Are the Future Mrs. Howland
“What are you laughing at?”
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“I’m laughing at how dumb you are. I didn’t go near the Equinox Research Lab yesterday. I didn’t see Johanna, either. So how could I know what she wore or tell Norma anything?”
Adrienne was speechless, face red. She struggled for a retort but failed.
Still unwilling to give in, she gritted her teeth. “Everyone knows what kind of person Hanna is! She’ll never do some- thing like this!”
Johanna looked at Lizzie with a hurtful look. “Lizzie, I know you’ve misunderstood me… But even so, you shouldn’t accuse me like this. Even if I leave Equinox Research Laboratory, your mistakes won’t just go away.”
She was trying to make it look like Lizzie was accusing her just to get her position back.
Lizzie sneered. “What mistake did I make? Mr. Hatfield just said the situation’s unclear and canceled the punishment against me.”
Johanna froze. The sob in her throat died before it came out.
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Lizzie pressed further. “How about we face off right here and figure out who actually copied who?”
Panic flashed across Johanna’s face.
She swayed, pretending to faint.
Just then, a deep, familiar voice cut through the tension.
“What’s going on here?”
To Johanna, it was like rain after a drought.
Theron had arrived just in time.
“Mr. Howland!”
He walked up in his spotless uniform. It looked a bit dusty from the wind, but not a bit out of place.
He was straight–backed and commanding. The badge gleamed in the sun, showing his authority as a professor.
His eyes were sharp, deep, and sophisticated. The air around him soon quieted everyone.
Johanna felt relieved.
Her face lit up with a joy she couldn’t hide, like a wife seeing her husband return.
Theron’s aura was so strong, and no one even noticed Johanna’s expression.
Only Lizzie spotted it and felt sick.
Did this look like nothing going on between Johanna and Theron?
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Chapter 22 You Are the Future Mrs. Howland
Tsk!
Theron walked straight past Lizzie and stopped beside Johanna, his gaze sweeping her belly.
“You okay?”
Johanna chuckled to herself. Yet, she smiled softly on her face and shook her head reservedly.
Her hand stroked lightly over her belly.
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That tiny move didn’t escape Mr. Howland’s eyes. His tension eased just a bit, and he didn’t purse his lips so hard any-
more.
Once sure she was fine, he turned to Lizzie, who sat quietly in her wheelchair.
His eyes scanned the crowd disapprovingly.
“Lizzie, let’s talk in private. I’ll take you home.”
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To him, Lizzie had gone too far this time. Johanna was pregnant. What if she got upset and something happened to the baby?
That was Efren’s only child.
Theron stepped up to Lizzie’s wheelchair and reached for the handle.
“Lizzie, let’s go home. I’ll file the marriage request for us.” His tone was firm, as if making a promise and a peace of- fering.
He thought this was what Lizzie needed, a commitment and a secured future. She would stop fighting and return to him, just like before.
But Lizzie shoved the wheels hard, moving aside.
Colton rushed over, grabbed the handles first, and pulled the wheelchair behind him.
Despite his small figure, he stood like a firm fortress in front of her like a little warrior. He glared fiercely at Theron.
“Don’t touch her!”
“We’ve broken up. There’s nothing to talk about!”
Lizzie and Colton spoke in unison. They exchanged glances and smiled.
Theron frowned deeply, took a breath, and raised his voice. “Lizzie, you’re going to be Mrs. Howland. You need to understand my choice and have some grace. I’ll make other arrangements for Johanna. She won’t affect you.”
The crowd burst into shocked murmurs.
Was Theron really going to marry Lizzie?
But Lizzie just stared at him coldly.
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Chapter 22 You Are the Future Mrs. Howland
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He could’ve made other arrangements for Johanna. But in her past life, he chose the casiest, harshest path, throwing her away like nothing.
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