"Really?" Joan Shaw was so happy she nearly jumped out of bed, instantly forgetting the pain in her hand and the gloom of the previous night.
'Once the visa is approved, I can finally get out of here!'
After hanging up, she glanced at the time on her phone. It was almost nine. At this hour, Miles Xavier would be taking his daughter to school, so he wouldn't be home.
She quickly got up, washed her face, and got dressed. She put on a pullover sweater, blue jeans, and a white, ankle-length down jacket, then finished the look with a hat and a face mask.
She grabbed her purse, which held her two most valuable possessions—a gold card and a ring.
'And today, I'm going to pawn one of them!'
When she came downstairs, all ready to go, Caleb Adler was sitting in the living room as if waiting for her. Standing beside him were several bodyguards in black suits.
"Madam, you're up? Where are you headed?" Caleb Adler's tone was strange today, and he shot Joan Shaw a meaningful look.
