Hearing Natalie's furious tone, Joyce looked down guiltily.
"I'm sorry, Nat.I..."
"Don't apologize to me yet.Joyce, tell me why you did that.Are you going to resign? If you are, why
didn't you tell me? Why did you distribute your work in secret?"
Natalie's chest was heaving from agitation.
"I don't wish to resign."
Joyce suddenly began to choke on her words.
"I truly don't want to resign.I'm sorry, Nat.I have my reason for doing this.I didn't tell you because I knew
you would disagree.That was why I left secretly.I'm truly sorry, Nat."
Natalie took a deep breath and tried to quell the fury in her chest before asking, "Reason? What reason
prompted you to do that? We have agreed since the beginning to work together to grow the
company.Why do you now abandon me? Joyce, how can you do this to me?"
Joyce opened her mouth to say something but could not speak.
She could not stop crying from the guilt in her heart.
Natalie rubbed her temple and said, "It's all right, Joyce.Can you tell me what happened that you had to
abandon the company we founded together? Perhaps, I can help you.That way, you might not have to
suffer from it anymore."
Joyce shook her head.
"No, you can't help me.No one can help me with this."
"How do you know I can't help if you don't tell me?"
Natalie felt emotionally exhausted.
Joyce wiped the corner of her eyes.
"Nat, I know you mean well and want to do the best for me.However, I am certain that you can't help
with this matter.Therefore, please stop asking me about it, okay? I beg you not to ask anymore.You will
know what it is when the time comes."
Joyce hung up right after saying that.
"Hello? Hello?"
Natalie shouted into the cell phone, but there was no response.She looked at the screen and saw that
Joyce had hung up.
Natalie frowned as she was very worried and frustrated at the same time.
She was furious with Joyce for hanging up without explaining the matter and for her lack of
responsibility toward their company.
At the same time, it concerned Natalie that she did not know what was wrong with Joyce.
Oh no, something must have happened to her.
"That won't do.I need to find out what happened."
Natalie took up her cell phone again.
Although Joyce refused to say anything, Natalie could hear the despair in her tone.
While Natalie could not understand what happened, she knew it must be something very serious to
make Joyce fall into despair.
Therefore, Natalie needed to find out what happened, or she would regret it.
Thus, Natalie called Joyce's mother.
Soon, Joyce's mother's kind voice sounded from the other end.
"Hello, is this Nat?"
"Mrs.Rivers, it's me."
Natalie suppressed her worries and continued, "Mrs.Rivers, how are you?"
"Good, I am well" Caitlin replied with a chuckle.
Natalie nodded.
"That's good to hear.Mrs.Rivers, has Joyce returned to your place?"
Caitlin glanced at her daughter's room and replied, "Yes, she came home two days ago, saying she
missed home and wanted to spend time with us.What's wrong, Nat? Do you need Joyce to return to
work?"
"No, no, that's not it.Joyce finally managed to take a break, so she should spend more time with you
and Mr.Rivers.May I ask, how is the situation at home?" Natalie asked solemnly.
Caitlin became serious when she heard Natalie's solemn tone.
"Nat, why do you ask that?"
"Mrs.Rivers, I would like to know whether there is anything unusual about Joyce recently" Natalie
replied.
"Anything unusual about Joyce?"
Caitlin looked puzzled.
"Nat, I didn't find anything strange.Joyce seems like her usual self.Why do you ask?" Natalie sighed.
"Something happened to Joyce at work recently.That's why I asked"
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