CHAPTER 17

"You should stop watching dramas." Ace scoffed. "I've been living in the opposite unit for three whole years. If anyone's a stalker here, it's you."

"What did you say? You… live in the other unit?" Only then did Joanna notice that the door to the opposite unit was ajar. She awkwardly scratched her head, wishing she could dig a hole in the ground and hide.

'So he wasn't stalking me… He actually lives here! Oh no, I called him all sorts of names earlier… It feels like I'm the narcissistic one here, assuming that he was stalking me like that!'"

Ace's sharp gaze scanned her room nonchalantly, and finally landed on her bedroom door.

"Your bedroom looks pretty different from mine." Ace walked towards it, intending to head inside.

Suddenly, Joanna remembered that she had a pile of books about parenting still lying on her bed. She thought, 'If Moran sees them, he'll find out about my pregnancy!'

"No!" She screamed as she stopped him, right before he got to the door.

"Let me through," Ace demanded. As someone with power and status, no one had ever been able to stop him when he put his mind to something.

"No! Absolutely not!" Joanna spread her arms out, refusing to give in. She was so annoyed that she felt like punching him. "Do we look like best friends to you? What makes you think you have the right to enter my bedroom whenever you please?"

"I am your husband!" The man glared down at the woman, who was a foot shorter than him. His eyes darkened as he asked slowly, "Could you be… hiding another man in there?"

"Ace Moran! Mind your words!" Joanna hissed furiously. 'If he refuses to listen, I'll have no choice but to use force. With my combat skills, I wouldn't even need to use much strength to take him down. Hah, just imagine the confusion on his face!"

"Stop moving, you're flashing me again," Ace pointed out, giving her a reminder out of 'kindness' again.

"Ugh! You jerk!" Joanna instinctively covered her chest with her hands, and fell right into Ace's trap.

Ace's tall figure instantly moved past the woman into the bedroom. The entire area consisted of french windows, a closet, a desk, and a pink bed.

"I didn't think you'd have such a girly side. That Hello Kitty bedsheet is most unexpected from a woman in her twenties." Ace smirked, slowly approaching the large bed.

He was learning so much about Joanna right now.

The woman realized that the man was about to notice the books next to her pillows, and hollered at the top of her lungs: "Don't go there!"

She instinctively lunged at him and pinned him onto the bed.

Ace stared at her, dumbfounded. His eyes narrowed as he stared at the woman on top of him and asked, "What are you doing?"

At the same time, he was wondering how this little woman possessed the strength to pin him down. Embarrassingly, he couldn't even sit up no matter how much he tried.

"Well, I… Uhm… you're just so handsome, you know?" Joanna stammered as she subtly stuffed the books under her pillow.

She had placed her knee on a pressure point on Ace's stomach, which was why he couldn't muster up any strength to fight back. It was equivalent to tranquilizing him, so Ace was naturally unable to move at all.

Seeing his beautiful face turn red from exertion, Joanna finally understood why he enjoyed being so dominant. The man looked like an adorable, helpless little lamb in her eyes.

"Be good and don't move, alright?" She murmured as she caressed his defined facial features, wondering just how far she could push him.

"You'd better get up, woman… or else!" Ace warned her.

"And what if I don't?"

"You…!"

'How heavy is this woman? Why can't I push her off me?' He wondered incredulously. I've never been so humiliated in all my life!'

After a while, Joanna decided that she had her fun, and finally took her knee off of him.

The moment Ace could move again, he quickly rolled her under him, trapping her under his muscular body.

"Are you done?" His eyes were dark with desire, and looking at Joanna's lips reminded him of the kiss from last night. He knew he wanted more than just a kiss this time…

Ring ring ring!

Suddenly, Ace's phone started ringing.

Ace furrowed his eyebrows, picking up the call with a scowl.

"Mr. Moran, the infamous hacker, Vernom, has arrived at the Moran Group main offices. He said he can find out who Cyber Queen is, and he would like to see you now."

"Oh?" Ace instantly got to his feet upon hearing this.

He wondered. "So… that hacker who made a fool out of the Moran Group is finally going to be unmasked? Interesting!"

"Tell him to wait for a while, I'll head over right now." Ace hung up, and started straightening his clothes. The sudden coldness and hostility on his face was such a stark contrast to the passionate expression he had on earlier.

Having been so close to the man while he was on the phone, Joanna had naturally overheard the conversation as well.

She had actually intended to meet with Vernom for quite some time, but never had the opportunity to. Now that the opportunity had presented itself, she couldn't possibly allow herself to miss it.

"Leaving already, Mr. Moran?" Joanna asked softly as she looked at him.

"Mhm, I have to settle some matters at the main offices."

"I'll go with you."

Ace quickly turned around, squinting at the woman suspiciously. "What are you scheming this time?"

He was genuinely worried that his future ex-wife had something up her sleeve. She might look innocent, but he had no idea what was going through her head right now.

"What are you saying? You're the mighty CEO of the Moran Group who rules over everyone in the City! Why would I dare to plot against you?" Joanna grinned, looking at him innocently.

Ace, however, was expressionless. He knew she was lying, but he also wanted to see how long she'd keep up the act.

Joanna hopped off her bed, picking up a shawl to cover herself up. "I thought about it last night, and I agree to your deal. I will continue pretending to be your wife."

"Really?" Ace was rather surprised, and his eyes visibly lit up.

Just as he was about to say something, Joanna lifted her hand and stopped him. "There's no need to thank me. I'm not doing this for you or the Moran family… I'm only doing this for old Mr. Moran."

This time, Joanna was telling the truth. She had already done quite a lot for the Morans, which was more than enough to repay them for their kindness. However, old Mr. Moran was someone she loved dearly, as he was like a grandfather to her. She simply didn't wish to see the old man's health deteriorate because of their failed relationship.

Hearing this, Ace didn't pursue the topic any further. His voice was monotonous as he murmured, "I'll wait for you outside."

Soon after the man exited her room, Joanna opened up her closet and changed into a nice sheath dress. She stood before her mirror and gazed at her stomach. She didn't know if she was imagining it, but it looked like her stomach had grown a bit bigger.

'I don't have much time left. I need to get things done quickly!"

The Rolls-Royce Phantom parked in front of the Moran Group building, and many employees nearly cheered when they saw Joanna walking inside, her arm linked with Ace's.

"Oh my god! I knew I was right to ship them!"

"That mistress is nothing! Our boss has only ever loved Mrs. Moran! It's true love!"

Jack walked up to welcome the two, but was extremely confused to see Ace and Joanna acting so' lovey-dovey'. However, with something more important at hand, he wasn't in the mood to pry.

"Mr. Moran, you're finally here. Vernom is currently waiting at the technical department. That guy is so arrogant! He said he would only talk to you, and that he wouldn't wait for long!" Jack initially thought that he himself was odd, but meeting Vernom made him think otherwise.

"Mhm." Ace didn't say anything else, but his expression darkened as he walked towards the elevator. Naturally, Joanna followed him.

"Mrs. Moran, you don't have to join this meeting, right?" Jack asked hesitantly. "There's this new dessert shop that's opened on the lower ground floor. Would you like to go there?"

Not only would the conversation with Vernom involve confidential information, the assistant simply didn't want to bore her, especially since he was under the impression that she wouldn't understand a thing.

"It's alright." Ace didn't seem to mind, as he also figured that she wouldn't understand anything.

The three then got into the private elevator for the CEO, and headed straight towards the technical department, which was on the 16th floor.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven…"

In the distance, a cocky and carefree voice echoed from the technical department.

"Last three seconds. If he doesn't arrive by then, I'm leaving."