Chapter: 1363

Joanna's phone chimed, and she glanced at the screen. A photo from Duncan had arrived, and she eagerly tapped to open it.

As she opened the message, Joanna was confronted with a vivid image of Duncan's upper body, gleaming with sweat and etched with deep scars.

Before she replied, another message popped up: “I spent the afternoon at the gym. It was great. When are you coming back? Make sure to train regularly. Otherwise, you'll lose your skills."

Joanna's eyes lingered on the photo for a moment before she swallowed hard and began typing a response. "Didn't I mention I was returning today?"

The sudden provocative picture from Duncan made Joanna's cheeks flush with color.

If she scrolled through their earlier conversations, she'd discover a number of similar photos.

She touched her flushed cheeks and felt her heart race in her chest.

It was a new sensation for her-one she had never experienced around Duncan before.

“When will you get here? I'll drive over to pick you up."

However, Joanna suppressed her feelings. "No need to worry; I'm catching a ride back with Norah and the others. They'll drop me off first."

She was accustomed to this routine now; they would drop her off at home before heading back to Dreamview Villas.

"I'll pick you up myself!" Duncan sounded stubborn.

Joanna had no choice but to accept.

“Joanna, who are you messaging? You seem very happy. Is it someone special?" Susanna leaned in, her curiosity piqued as she tried to catch a glimpse of the screen.

Joanna swiftly shielded her phone, trying to play it cool. "Oh, it's nothing-just replying to a message."

Perhaps she was feeling differently about Duncan just because she hadn't been in touch with him for a while, given the length of time she had spent in Silverdale.

On the other end, Duncan stared at the unread message, a sharp pang of disappointment tugging at him.

He reflected with a touch of bitterness that since Joanna had moved to Silverdale, she seemed to have forgotten about him and entirely focused on Norah. He couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy towards Norah for monopolizing so much of her attention.

He wished he could have shown up in Silverdale to meet Joanna, but considering that she might find his sudden appearance odd, he had to abandon his idea.

He had picked the best photo he could find for his last message, but it appeared to have made no impression.

Half an hour later, his phone buzzed with a photo message.

It was a picture of Joanna with short, stylish hair beaming with joy as she stood in front of a sleek, luxurious private jet.

She texted, "I'll be back soon. You had better head to the airport to meet me there on time."

His heart skipped a beat as her picture materialized on his phone.