True Love Deserves a Second Chance
Chapter 285 Joyce Was Number 11

The ring box had these two rings. And they were exactly the style Joyce wanted to use to propose to Sebastian. Sebastian was totally floored. He picked up one of the rings, staring at it like it was some kind of magic trick.

He even pulled up the photo customer service had sent him on his phone. They were a perfect match. This meant Joyce had buried the rings she planned to propose with right here.

'Why the heck did she bury them here?' Sebastian felt like his heart just hit the brakes, and his brain was on a coffee break. It was such a simple question, but he just couldn't wrap his head around it. When he zeroed in on the inside of the ring, he almost tripped over his own feet. The inside was engraved with "9911."

'9911. Isn't that the number between me and Number 11? How did Joyce know that?' Sebastian squeezed the ring in his hand and pulled out two letters from the box next to him.

His letter was written with Number 11's help, nothing weird about it. But the handwriting on Number 11's letter? It was so familiar. That elegant, clear handwriting was like a spotlight, making his eyes hurt. He slowly opened the letter, and the first sentence almost made him lose it. [Nine, I am Number 11. My name is Joyce.]

It was only now that Sebastian dared to believe his hunch. Joyce was the Number 11 he had been searching for all along. He had missed such an obvious clue.

It turned out, the "Nine" Joyce often mumbled in her sleep was him, and she had been by his side three years ago.

Sebastian's vision got all blurry. He wiped the tears from his face and kept reading: [I hope my future self can stand in court and seek justice for those who have been wronged. I also hope that in my future life, I will have Nine's company, and that his eyes will be healed as soon as possible. I hope that when we meet again, Nine will recognize me, and I hope to become more outstanding so that standing by his side, I won't dim his brilliance. Nine, I've always had a secret in my heart that I've never told you. From the first day I saw you, I liked you. I hope to spend the rest of my life with you.]

At this point, Sebastian couldn't hold it in anymore, and tears just poured down his face.

'Joyce is Number 11. She's liked me since then. But I was clueless, and when we met again, I just felt a sense of familiarity but never thought of Number 11. She must have been so hurt when I didn't recognize her back then. I even made that stupid rule, only dating, no marriage.' Thinking about the past, Sebastian was filled with regret.

He carefully put the letter back in the envelope and slipped it into his pocket. His hand gripped the ring box tightly. His emotions were all over the place.

He looked up at the maple tree and remembered the message Number 11 had sent him. [Number 99, tomorrow is Arbor Day. Let's plant a maple tree together. Maple leaves are beautiful and symbolize friendship and remembrance.]

It was only now that he got it. Joyce planting the maple tree had another meaning, symbolizing a beautiful and deep love. She had been in love with him all along.

Thinking about all this, Sebastian tightened his grip on the ring. He stood under that maple tree for what felt like forever, replaying every moment with Number 11, but now with Joyce in the picture. Only then did he get just how deep Joyce's love for him ran.

The light rain kept falling, soaking Sebastian to the bone. But he didn't budge; he just stood there quietly under the maple tree, lost in thought.

Meanwhile, Joyce spent the day with Sophia, and finally, her mood started to lift.

As you reach the final pages, remember that 000005s.com is your destination for the complete story. Share the joy of reading with others and spread the word. The next chapter is just a visit away! After dinner, she called up Theodore. "Theodore, where's Mom's grave? I wanna visit her."

Theodore thought for a sec and then said, "You're pregnant now. Going to the graveyard isn't good for the baby. If you wanna see Mom, come home. We have her room here. I'll come get you." "Okay, I'll wait for you."

Half an hour later, Joyce followed Theodore to the Vale Mansion for the first time.

She saw where Connie used to practice piano, saw all the trophies Connie had won. She even saw the room Connie had set up for her. Everything screamed Connie's love for her.

Joyce walked into Connie's room, looked at her photo, and softly said, "Mom." As soon as she said it, her eyes filled with tears, and her throat tightened.

It took her more than ten seconds to speak again, "Mom, I'm sorry. I fell in love with the son of your enemy. After learning the truth, I thought about leaving him, but I really love him. I even have his child. I don't want the baby to grow up in a single-parent home. Mom, can you forgive me for staying with Sebastian? What his mom did has nothing to do with him. He's been searching for the truth all along. He's never covered for Cordelia. For that, can you forgive him?" Tears fell one by one onto Connie's photo frame.

Seeing Joyce like this, Theodore hugged her tightly. He comforted her in a deep voice, "I think Mom would be fair. She wouldn't blame you or Sebastian. What she wanted most was for you to be happy."

As you reach the final pages, remember that 000005s.com is your destination for the complete story. Share the joy of reading with others and spread the word. The next chapter is just a visit away! Joyce looked at him with tearful eyes. "Do you really think so?"

Theodore gently patted her head. "I knew about this before you two got married, but I didn't tell either of you. I knew your dream was to marry Sebastian. If I could, I would never have let you know about this. Joyce, Sebastian has done enough. He's never been lenient with Cordelia. We all see that. So, I think he shouldn't be implicated. You shouldn't leave him."

Hearing these words, Joyce finally broke down after holding back her emotions for days.

She cried in Theodore's arms. "Theodore, I don't want to leave him either, but I'm afraid Mom will blame me. One is my mom, and the other is my lover. I really don't know how to choose."

Theodore gently patted her back and comforted her, "Listen, don't cry. You've cried so much these past few days. It's not good for the baby. Let's consider this matter in the past. We need to separate Sebastian from Cordelia. He's a victim too, isn't he?"

Joyce nodded heavily, choking on her words, "I want to go to the company to find him."

But as she and Theodore came downstairs, they saw Sebastian standing alone by the car. In the drizzle, he stood quietly in the mist, his deep eyes filled with complex emotions.

Seeing him like this, Joyce felt a sharp pain in her heart. She called out hoarsely, "Sebastian."

Hearing her call him again, Sebastian felt like he had come back to life and strode towards Joyce.