After a brief pause, Chloe stood up and walked over to sit next to Geoffrey. She had never liked being threatened, and she sat down with a huff, glaring at him."What exactly do you want by tricking me into coming here? This is a public place!" she growled lowly, her face stern.She wasn't foolish enough to admit she had any secrets. Besides, she was pretty sure this jerk, as sleazy as he could be, wouldn't try to kiss her here again. That gave her some confidence to be bold.Geoffrey smirked, the stubble on his jaw making him look even more rugged and sexy."Relax," he said smoothly. "Have some wine and calm your nerves. You seem a bit off today—your piano playing was all over the place."Ignoring her glares, Geoffrey leaned in closer, whispering playfully in her ear. "Got something on your mind, do you?""Can't a woman have emotions when it's that time of the month?" Chloe snapped, getting up to leave.Geoffrey was quick to grab her arm. "Feeling guilty, are we? I know more than you
Chloe really didn't want things to escalate like this, but Geoffrey had an uncanny ability to drive people mad!It was the second time she slapped him!No matter how patient a man might be, getting slapped twice by a woman he liked would make anyone furious.The moment her hand connected with his face, Geoffrey's anger flared. He grabbed Chloe's wrists and pinned them above her head."Don't think that just because I'm interested in you, you can keep provoking me," he growled in a low, dangerous voice, the kind that made Chloe feel like a beast was about to strike.Panic surged in her, and she started to struggle, kicking out in a desperate attempt to push him away. But Geoffrey's large frame loomed over her, trapping her.He leaned in closer, his breath hot against her ear, speaking through gritted teeth. "Why? Why do you let Lionel treat you like this, but I'm not allowed? Why do you stay by his side so obediently, but I can't even touch you?"Chloe froze, her mind racing to process
The moment Chloe saw Lionel's tall figure, she was stunned.His sudden appearance shocked her! Was he here to pick her up?!That night, he had also come to get her, after Geoffrey deliberately returned one of her crystal earrings right in front of Lionel, making him suspicious and furious. Although he didn't say anything in the end, she knew there was a thorn in his heart.A man with such possessiveness could never tolerate anything close to infidelity! Anyone connected to him was expected to show absolute loyalty, especially the woman who slept in his arms every night.Now, he suddenly descended from the sky, clearly seeing Geoffrey tightly holding her. Even though it wasn't her choice, she hadn't struggled either.Thinking this, a shiver ran down Chloe's spine. The two tall figures in front of her were throwing punches at each other; it wasn't just a fight—it was as if they were pounding on a human punching bag.This intensity felt like it was either one of them would die!The sound
"Barton, stand down!" Lionel ordered in a low voice, stopping Barton from joining the fight. The score between him and Geoffrey was something he had to settle himself."You step back too!" Geoffrey barked at his men. He was never one to back down from a fight.Both sides' assistants retreated, and the two men launched into another round of combat."Stop, all of you!" Chloe suddenly screamed, her voice booming across the scene.Everyone turned to look at her.Geoffrey's voice softened as he comforted her, "Don't be afraid, baby."Lionel, however, just shot her a cold glance, his lips tightening even more.Geoffrey turned back immediately and launched a fierce kick toward Lionel.She's not his baby!Chloe seethed at Geoffrey's sickeningly sweet words, wanting nothing more than to rip his mouth apart. She couldn't care less about cold, heartless Lionel either! His arrogant, icy fury made her head ache.Chloe's beautiful eyes blazed with anger, her chest heaving. The conflicting thoughts
In the early autumn midnight, the temperature had begun to drop. A cold breeze blew through the car window, making Chloe instinctively shrink into herself.The atmosphere in the car was even colder, like the depth of autumn or even winter. This chill wasn't something you could see or touch, but it seeped into your bones, spreading through every part of your body. Chloe hugged herself, curling up in the corner of the seat.Lionel, tall and imposing, sat next to her, his lips pressed into a tight line, brows furrowed deeply as if they could crush a fly. His sharp eyes stared out the window, giving away nothing of his emotions.From the rearview mirror, Barton observed the scene in the backseat and let out a long sigh. Lionel was clearly bothered, but even he, Barton, felt suffocated by the tension.This was the first time Lionel had cared so much about a woman.He'd irrationally thrown a ridiculous amount of money at her, and it was already causing ripples within the company. Who knows
As another dawn broke, Lionel awoke with Chloe curled up on his chest like a kitten, fast asleep.Her little face was flushed, her rosy lips soft and pink, and her eyes slightly arched with a faint smile playing on her lips. Lionel felt his heart stir at the sight.His large hand gently caressed her face as he whispered almost inaudibly, "Chloe, as long as you behave, I'll make you the happiest woman in the world."As if in response, Chloe smacked her lips and continued to sleep soundly. The red marks he left on her pale neck stood out vividly.Lionel's lips curled into a faint smile as his fingers brushed over the marks. He lifted the edge of the blanket, got up, pulled the slipping cover back over Chloe, and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.By the time he returned, he was already dressed and ready for work. Just like every other morning, Chloe had not yet woken up. Standing by the bed, he bent down and placed a gentle kiss on her smooth forehead before walking out of the bedroo
On the other side of town, Lionel headed to work. Barton noticed the energy radiating from him.His usually sharp, stern expression was softened, and there was even a slight, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips.Seeing Lionel in such a good mood, Barton finally relaxed.Around 5 p.m., Lionel received a phone call. He didn't say more than a couple of words before abruptly hanging up. His face darkened in an instant."Barton, arrange the plane. We're heading back to Astralis," Lionel ordered curtly."Yes, sir! I'll get it ready right away," Barton responded, swiftly leaving the room.There was no need to ask—Lionel's grandfather, Earl, must have called. After months of traveling, it seemed he was finally back, and if he was summoning Lionel in such a hurry, it couldn't be good news.Typically, they would drive to Astralis, a trip that took about three and a half hours. But Lionel asking for a plane. Barton smirked to himself, thinking that Lionel couldn't bear to be away from
The next afternoon, after dinner, Chloe was still wandering around the front yard. Normally, she should have gone to work at the bar by now, but after what happened last night, she had already decided not to go.She pulled out her phone, checking it for the tenth or maybe even the twentieth time. The message on her screen was from Lionel, sent last night at around ten o'clock. It contained only a few words: "I won't be home tonight."Chloe had no idea what had happened or where Lionel had gone, and there was no one she could ask. There was no way she would lower herself to ask Grace, and as for Florence, who knows where she had wandered off to, since she hadn't returned either.As Chloe checked her phone for the thirtieth time, it suddenly rang, displaying an unknown number. She hesitated for a moment but answered it anyway.The voice on the other end wasn't Lionel's familiar tone; instead, it was a woman's voice."Nine o'clock at the Paradiso Club. Whether you come or not is up to yo
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