"Let's go, I'll take you home." Geoffrey's tone was slightly exasperated as he looked at Chloe, his gaze softening once again.Before getting in the car, Geoffrey made a call to Lionel, and the two remained silent during the drive.What kind of man was Geoffrey? He could be tender like a lover or ruthless enough to kill without a second thought! How could someone embody such extremes so effortlessly?After driving a considerable distance, Geoffrey suddenly pulled over. Just as Chloe was taken aback, he grabbed her and kissed her lips before she could react.He never failed to kiss the woman he desired."Every time I see you, I kiss you!""In the dark, Geoffrey winked, his bright eyes gleaming. "I'm always waiting for you to come into my arms.""You're crazy!" Chloe shot back, fuming, just as headlights from an approaching car flooded the scene.In an instant, several vehicles screeched to a halt, breaking the night's silence with their sharp sounds.The car door swung open, revealing
Lionel's dark eyes reflected a chilling intensity.Chloe's emotional outburst was too abnormal for him to comprehend.Staring at her tear-streaked face under the streetlight, he firmly grasped her flailing arms and finally said, "You're not thinking clearly!"He scooped her up and strode toward the car.Chloe stopped struggling. She couldn't understand what was happening—wasn't she supposed to not care anymore? Yet deep down, something felt off. What was she really longing for?She noticed the several cars parked ahead, with a group of well-dressed men standing nearby. Lionel's influence was not surprising; she had grown accustomed to it.Once inside the car, a heavy silence filled the air. Lionel wore a dark expression, while Chloe sat with a blank face, avoiding eye contact.She felt utterly ridiculous for her behavior that night, embarrassed to the core.No woman had ever intrigued Lionel like this one, yet she baffled him more every day, making him desperate to understand her thou
Chloe was awakened by the heat.The moment she became aware, she felt strong arms wrapped tightly around her in a bear hug. Without needing to open her eyes, she recognized the distinct scent of a man, mixed with a hint of cigar smoke, and knew it was Lionel.Opening her eyes, she saw that it was already daylight outside. Sunlight streamed through the heavy curtains, brightening the bedroom, which wasn't overly dim—everything was clearly visible.The handsome face before her was magnified, with deep contours and a furrowed brow that revealed an underlying tension, even in sleep.She had thought that after his suspicions about her and Geoffrey the night before, he wouldn't come in, yet here he was, holding her possessively as she slept.It was shocking that this workaholic was still in bed with her at this hour. It must be a sign of the apocalypse.Gently shifting, she tried to escape Lionel's embrace, but he was in such a light sleep that he was already awake, even as she stared at hi
At 7:30 PM, dinner time.In the large dining room, the servants stood neatly on either side while Chloe and Lionel had been waiting at the table for ten minutes without any sign of Florence. After sending servants to urge her several times, Florence finally arrived, albeit fashionably late.She was doing it on purpose, wanting to prove that Lionel would spoil her and wouldn't scold her for being late!As soon as Florence took her seat, a variety of dishes were served—almost all of them her favorites. However, in front of Chloe was a soup specially prepared for her by Lionel, tailored to her constitution by a nutritionist.Smart as she was, Florence had started to notice the pattern. Pouting and biting her chopsticks, she said, "I want to eat that!" pointing at the soup in front of Chloe.She wanted to see how Lionel would react."There's plenty here that you like; that one isn't suitable for you," Lionel replied, placing a chicken leg in Florence's bowl."I want to drink it! It looks
Chloe's heart sank, and she quickly got up."Who are you, and what do you mean?" She stepped to the window, lowering her voice. Her gaze unconsciously drifted to the man at the dining table."Hey, you ungrateful little thing, have you forgotten me so quickly? After all, I gave you quite a show!" Geoffrey's teasing voice echoed through the phone.Ugh—Chloe felt goosebumps all over; it was Geoffrey. She immediately realized he was behind the recent troubles with Moira.While he had helped her vent her frustrations, she wouldn't acknowledge his favor. She yelled into the phone, "Get lost! Who needs you?"Click—She hung up and looked up to find Lionel watching her with a complex expression.Feeling awkward, she returned to her seat and hastily finished her meal. "I'm done," she said, avoiding Lionel's gaze as she rushed upstairs.Chloe felt pathetic; she hadn't done anything wrong, yet she felt as if she was fleeing in guilt. No, it shouldn't be like this!What was she afraid of? Even i
On the other side, in a luxurious apartment, Moira was fuming with rage.Even if her acting wasn't gaining traction, she had already become a hot topic across various newspapers, magazines, and social media platforms. Every pop-up notification seemed to feature her video wearing nothing but a red G-string. She was on every front page, and the video had been shared countless times.She was holed up in her apartment, too afraid to step outside. Paparazzi were swarming the place like flies on rotten eggs, not giving her a moment of peace. Even at night, she didn't dare peek out the window.Everything in the apartment that could be smashed had already been shattered.As filming entered a critical phase, she had originally planned to grit her teeth and push through her leg injury. She figured that if she could just make it through this ordeal, she would be a top-tier actress, gaining fame across the country and even winning an Oscar. Then she and her precious Lion would soar together.But
Moira fumed all night, cursing and seething until her eyes were dark with exhaustion by morning.Unable to wait another minute, she ordered her agent to get her a set of old-lady clothes and called in her makeup artist, Cynthia. After half an hour, she walked out completely transformed into an old woman with white hair.Her skin was sallow, her face wrinkled like a dried flower, and even her most loyal fans wouldn't have recognized her.Ignoring her agent's protests, Moira rushed downstairs. At the entrance of the apartment, media swarmed, looking inside anxiously. None of them paid any attention to the old lady hobbling by. Smugly, Moira smirked to herself.At K Group's headquarters, the towering, majestic building stood in imposing grandeur. The structure mirrored the CEO inside—powerful, commanding, and intimidating, making anyone who looked up at it feel small and insignificant.Inside the luxurious, opulent CEO office on the forty-eighth floor, Lionel was buried in a mountain of
It was hard to tell how long it had taken, but Moira and Barton finally showed up at the CEO's office."Lion…" Moira froze for a moment, intimidated by the grandeur of the office. After a long pause, she finally called out softly, her eyes welling with tears as she rushed towards Lionel.Hearing the voice, Lionel's back stiffened, and he looked up from the pile of documents in front of him. His hawk-like eyes shot out a cold glare, sharp as ice daggers."Stop!" The single word pierced Moira's ears like a blade.Moira stopped dead in her tracks, her face twitching as Lionel's icy gaze fell on her. Just moments ago, she'd been in the bathroom, staring at her sleep-deprived, pale face.In desperation, she had caked on a thick layer of foundation, which was now beginning to flake off as her face spasmed."Lion, you have to stand up for me…" Moira, ever the actress, quickly snapped out of her stunned state, her face crumpling into a pitiful expression as if Lionel's cold demeanor meant not
Slap!A sharp, crisp sound echoed as Joanna's face was harshly turned to the side, blood beginning to seep from her lips.Samuel shook with anger. After such a scandal, how could he face everyone here?"From now on, I sever all ties with her!" Samuel spat out, his voice filled with fury. He staggered back, nearly collapsing, but his subordinates rushed forward to steady him.Chloe stood frozen, stunned by the scene, when suddenly someone pulled her from behind, dragging her into a nearby makeshift lounge."Hahaha..." Joanna's laughter suddenly broke out, manic and unhinged.Her laugh was chilling, and the little boy next to her shrank back in fear. "Mommy, what's happening?""Shut up! Get away, bastard!" Joanna screamed, causing the boy to burst into loud sobs."Joanna... you've gone too far!" The blonde man hurried over, his face cold as he scooped the child into his arms and left the venue."Haha..." Joanna continued to laugh, swaying back and forth. She looked at Lionel, his cold,
"I'll cry if I want to. What's the matter? You can't stand it? If you don't like it, I'll go back to my mom's!" Chloe threatened, her hands on her hips, showing her teeth.Lionel raised an eyebrow. In the whole world, there was only one person who dared to threaten him—her! He quickly pulled Chloe into his arms, coaxing, "Alright, you can do whatever you want, I'll follow your lead. But please, don't make me worry so much. And from now on, you're not leaving my sight for a single second."What a joke—if she left, what would he do at night? He'd already gotten used to having her by his side. He couldn't function without her.A wave of worry washed over him. She now had her real father. Today, she was using her mom to threaten him—would she use her dad to threaten him tomorrow? What about her brother the day after?No! No! Anyone, but not her brother! Thinking of how Geoffrey once doted on her, Lionel's face darkened. From now on, he couldn't let Geoffrey anywhere near her—even if he we
Lionel watched as the people quickly fled, his narrow eyes darkening. He turned to Barton beside him and said, "Take care of this."With that, his tall figure swiftly moved towards the restroom.For some reason, he had felt uneasy all day.When he heard "someone's been killed," his heart was pierced with a sharp sting. The unease inside him deepened; he needed to see it for himself.As someone's face turned ashen, they quietly slipped out of the venue while Barton was busy calming the crowd."Lion..."Chloe's voice broke the silence, and Lionel froze. He looked up to see the familiar face, and her voice, thick with emotion, caused tears to well up in her eyes, which then fell, trembling.She had been so strong just moments ago, but the moment she saw Lionel, her heart felt fragile, as if it could shatter with a single breath.Seeing Chloe like this, Lionel was horrified. Blood was everywhere on her lips, and it sent a sharp pain through his chest. Without a second thought, he rushed t
Eamonn had been salivating over Chloe for a long time.To get to her, he had even used his proximity to Cynthia as a stepping stone, but little did he know, Lionel had beaten him to the punch.Even though Eamonn had the desire, he lacked the courage to act on it. He harbored those thoughts but never dared to lay a hand on Chloe.But when he was assigned a task—to torment Chloe, with the promise of a bright future and wealth beyond measure—he found himself going all in.As a man, there are always those few moments of madness in life. This was his chance. If he completed his task, not only would he rise in rank, but he would also fulfill his deepest desires."Monster!" Chloe broke free from one of his hands and slapped him across the face.Eamonn's face instantly bore five red marks from her fingers.He sneered, his voice cold and menacing. "Bitch! Still playing the innocent virgin? I'll make sure you regret this today."The devilish tone in his voice, combined with the devilish look on
"Chloe... long time no see." Eamonn shamelessly stood only a few steps away from Chloe, his body inching closer with each passing moment.Ever since Cynthia's accident, he had disappeared without a trace, and Chloe couldn't understand why he'd suddenly reappeared now."What are you doing here?" Chloe's voice was icy, and she showed no sign of warmth towards him.The mere sight of him reminded her of poor Cynthia, and the anger within her grew even stronger. Seeing him advance with that sinister glint in his eyes set off alarm bells in her mind."Stop!" Chloe took a large step back, not caring that her dress was still wet. She hurriedly wrapped a coat around herself.Eamonn ignored her words, his face still twisted with a smirk, taking a few more steps forward."Chloe, don't be like this. I'm not a virus. Why are you so afraid of me getting closer? It's been so long, and I have so much to say to you."He raised his hand, trying to grab Chloe's.Chloe swung her arm out to the side, evad
In the morning, Chloe and Lionel walked downstairs to find Joanna already seated at the dining table."Good morning, Lion, Chloe," Joanna greeted them with a graceful smile, delicately sipping her milk.Her gaze involuntarily shifted to Chloe's neck, and as expected, the marks from last night's kiss were still clearly visible.The sounds she overheard at the door yesterday flashed through Joanna's mind. Bitch! she cursed silently.Lionel ignored Joanna's greeting, and Chloe merely snorted in response. They both sat down to breakfast. As usual, Lionel fussed over Chloe, fetching this and that for her, while Joanna seemed to vanish into thin air, like a mere background figure.Since Lionel had ordered Lumina to be blacklisted, all those who once courted favor with K Group had severed ties with the company, leaving Lumina on the brink of collapse.While Lionel was listening to Barton's report, his phone rang.It was his father. Immediately, Lionel's face darkened."What is it?" he asked,
"Joanna, you're drunk! Calm down." Heather's voice was low and firm as he grabbed Joanna's wrist without hesitation, stopping her just as she lunged at him.Was she really drunk? Or just pretending?Heather's sharp tone, coupled with the pain shooting through her wrist, made Joanna freeze. Her dewy eyes instantly filled with tears."You yelled at me? You never raise your voice at me. You never refuse me. What's wrong with you? Don't tell me… your love for me was a lie?"Her lips trembled, and—plop—a single tear slid down her cheek. Joanna's delicate face was full of grievance as she accused Heather of turning against her.She really had gone mad.He had loved her. He had sincerely begged her to stop chasing after Lionel and to stay with him instead. He had been willing to take responsibility for their one-time mistake, promising to make her happy.But she had refused to even look at him, discarding him like a worthless rag.And now, after failing to win another man's love, after feelin
Joanna burned with jealousy, seething with anger as she stormed in. She grabbed Chloe off the bed and dragged her out, ready to feed her to the wolves.Bitch!Normally, Joanna could let things slide, but not now. What the hell was this? She'd just had a miscarriage a week ago, barely gotten back home, and now she was back in bed with a man?!Joanna cursed Chloe fiercely in her mind, but then, oddly, a sense of satisfaction crept in. She knew that a woman who had just miscarried shouldn't be anywhere near a man in bed. That was basic knowledge. But the fact that Lionel didn't care about Chloe's condition, that he was dragging her into bed as soon as he got home—well, that only proved one thing: he saw her as nothing more than a tool.If he truly loved her, he would have been more considerate!This meant that in Lionel's eyes, Chloe was nothing special either!Ha! What was there to be angry about now?Let them have their fun, let them wreck her completely, turn her into trash.Joanna fe
Chloe lost her child, and Joanna couldn't contain her delight. She hummed a cheerful tune, suddenly finding everyone pleasant to look at and treating everyone with uncharacteristic warmth and kindness.Mandy, on the other hand, was seething with resentment, while Grace spent her days on edge, terrified of Lionel's return and the punishment that might await her.A week passed, and Chloe finally returned from the hospital.Joanna, who had been all smiles for days, found her grin vanishing the moment she laid eyes on Chloe.In her mind, Chloe had tried to use the child in her womb to secure her place, and now that she had lost the baby, her bargaining chip was gone. Even if she didn't take her own life, she should at least be devastated—frail, despondent, a step away from death.Yet, after a week, Chloe looked radiant, her complexion even more glowing than before!There was no sign of grief over losing her child—she was laughing and