Ellison And Joycelyn: A Love Beyond The Rules

Chapter 168

In the villa, Joycelyn sat cross–legged on the carpet, watching the evening live broadleast while waiting for Ellison to return from work for dinner.

On the screen, Iris and Octavia were being interviewed by varios media outlets in the hospital ward.

In just one day, the two women had gained immense popularity and became internet sensations.

A reporter held up a recorder and probed with a question designed to exploit sensitive emotions. He asked, “Mrs. Mercer, you mentioned that your daughter, Joycelyn, severed all ties with you after getting married, even blocking all your contact information.

“She didn’t even visit you when you were hospitalized and in critical condition. She’s been cold–hearted and cruel toward you, right?”

Iris clutched her chest and cried bitterly, “Yes, my daughter has always been sensible. I was too strict with her when she was younger, never allowing her to date so she could focus on school.

“Who could have known she would be deceived by an insurance alesman and cut off all contact with her family?”

Just imagine—Joycelyn, the daughter she’d raised with such care, had grown up and married a man who sold insurance because of love and then had a falling out with her family.

When her mother was on the brink of death, Joycelyn couldn’t care less. Iris‘ stepdaughter was far more filial and considerate than she had been.

It’s often said that one should never marry someone their parents disapprove

of.

Iris’s description of Joycelyn’s actions had once again struck a nerve with many women.

Joycelyn lowered her eyes, scrolling through the comments section, reading even harsher criticisms of herself.

She was being called ungrateful, a love–struck fool, and a total disappointment to women everywhere.

“But we’ve learned from the hospital that your surgery fees were paid by your daughter. She also paid for you to be moved to a private ward and even hired Zoe Jackson, a nurse, to take care of you,” the reporter added.

Upon hearing this, Iris stopped crying, clearly caught off guard after being exposed by the reporter.

Octavia immediately stepped in with teary eyes and explained, “We had to beg for that, too. For my mother’s sake, I was slapped by my sister. It was posted online. I was publicly humiliated in front of the Grant Group. But for my mother, I have no complaints.”

Octavia lowered her head, sobbing, her voice full of humility. As tris‘ stepdaughter, Octavia appeared far more considerate than Joycelyn, Iris‘ biological daughter.

Joycelyn looked at the panic in her mother’s eyes. Then, she sent the secretly recorded video she had received without any

hesitation.

voices of Iris and Octavia conspiring together became audible in the live broadcast. Clavia’s comment about needing to teach Joycelyn a lesson for her to behave properly was particularly striking. Though

was soft when she agreed with Octavia, it was filled with bitterness.

immediately sensed something was wrong and grabbed reporter’s phone to look at it for a few seconds. Realizing it was her, she immediately felt guilty but quickly shifted

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Chapter 168

cameras and explained, “This vided is fake. Joycelyn used her looks and her husband’s job as an insurance salesperson to connect

be a video made by her sponsors to clear her name. didn’t expect her to

sparked another wave of

pushed past the reporters hefty frame and approached Iris,

with her

this video. I’ve seen their true colors. Your biological daughter not only

thousands of dollars to

either

take care of them too. They’re a pack of wolves and vultures. If I were in her shoes, I’d run away. I’d catch the first flight out

just pretentious and acting like they’re the victims Your family is full of leeches and you blame her for not

like rapid–fire, and

Octavia were stunned by the

entire room fell silent.

little emotion in the face of her biological mother’s slander. But when

her mother had chosen to

you? You just admitted to taking her money. She told you to say all that, didn’t she?”

she wouldn’t give you a single cent and didn’t care if you lived or died? Then why are you saying that I received money from her now? If I didn’t get paid, why would I take care of such

turn of events made the netizens suspicious.

Iris and Octavia had been profiting from their staged misery, manipulating public opinion for

be a staged act, and

and used as pawns were furious. They redirected their anger toward Octavia and Iris. Joycelyn switched off the live broadcast without a word. She hadn’t shown her face or spoken once. From the shock of learning the truth to the numbness that followed,

Sitting

her arms, she took in the view of the luxurious

Feb 19

Chapter 168

she had

the rainy night when she moved out of the Mercer family. Desperate, with nowhere to go, she had been so humiliated that she had sought Ellison out and agreed to marry

the protection and security