"Lion…" Even in her dazed state, Chloe managed to call out Lionel's name. The moment she saw him, all the pain and frustration she'd been holding in exploded to the surface. Tears flowed uncontrollably, like a dam breaking. She began to sob, "Help me… please… I'm in so much pain… I feel like I'm dying...""Lionel?" Lionel's arrival clearly startled him.As Lionel looked into the bathroom, the sight of the two people clinging to each other made his blood boil. Every muscle in his body screamed with rage, and he was ready to kill!The terrified doctor at the door stammered, "They've… been drugged."If Lionel hadn't been aware of this beforehand, he would've killed Marcus on the spot—mayor or not, it wouldn't have mattered.In a flash, Lionel stormed into the room, but thankfully, the worst hadn't happened yet. He felt a wave of relief, though Chloe's sobbing and the pitiful state she was in broke his heart.Bending down, he roughly shoved Marcus aside, took off his coat, and covered Chl
As Chloe's awareness returned, shameful images flashed through her mind like scenes from a movie.She had thrown herself at Marcus, torn his clothes, and bitten his neck. They had held each other tightly on the bathroom floor...Oh God, how could she ever face anyone again?Despite her hazy consciousness, she vaguely remembered Lionel arriving just in time. It was he who had rescued her from the agony, not Marcus! Thankfully! Otherwise, she would have no choice but to die today.Relieved, yet the memories of her wild behavior started coming back.She had acted more disgracefully than a prostitute, and that thought broke her. Tears of frustration and sorrow streamed down her face.The proud woman she once was couldn't bear this version of herself. She was disgusted with herself to the point of wanting to disappear.Her tears flowed like a river, but they couldn't wash away her shame.“Shh, don't cry,” Lionel said softly, gently patting Chloe's back as she regained her clarity.His voic
After freshening up, food had been brought into the room, and the two sat in silence, as if nothing had happened, quietly eating.Chloe sat across from Lionel in revealing pajamas, boldly eating as if it were the most natural thing.In the past, she would have never dared to do this, rushing to hide under the covers after changing into her pajamas. But now, she was calm and collected in front of him, not a hint of embarrassment on her face.Her mind must be poisoned by the drugs!That was the only explanation Lionel could come up with.Strangely enough, he used to yearn for Chloe to wear such clothes and flaunt them in front of him, but now, seeing her sitting there made his eyes ache."Give me three million more, I need the money, and I'll pay you back however you want!" Chloe suddenly said, setting down her spoon. Her face remained cold, showing no shame despite asking for money.In the past, she would have scoffed at the idea of asking him for anything, yet now, her words flowed ou
(Flashback)That day, after Marcus and Chloe left Paradiso, Amos quickly followed suit.On the way back, he noticed something was off with his body. A chilling realization hit him: he had been slipped an aphrodisiac!No! Not just him—Marcus and Chloe had both been drugged! The red wine they drank had all come from the same bottle.Chloe had left with the drugged Marcus! His heart raced in panic. He ordered the driver to chase after Marcus; the amount he had drunk was excessive, and the effects of the drug were hitting hard and fast.It felt as if his body was about to explode, drenched in sweat. If he didn't find a woman soon, he might not survive!Just then, Flora's call came through."Amos, have you finished talking to your beloved? She's still waiting for you!" Flora's sugary voice made Amos wish he could reach through the phone and strangle her.This venomous woman must have orchestrated the whole thing!Amos gripped the phone tightly, growling through clenched teeth, "Where are y
Chloe rushed out of the villa, heading toward the Latham residence.As she reached the entrance, she saw several servants gathered outside. Lisa was being led by one servant, crying, while the others could not hold back their tears either.When Lisa saw Chloe, she immediately threw herself into Chloe's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. "Chloe... Waaa... My dad was taken away... I want my dad... Can you take me to see him?"Lisa's big eyes were red and swollen, her fair cheeks streaked with tears. Chloe hugged Lisa tightly, gently wiping her tears and soothing her. "Lisa, don't cry. Your dad will be okay. He'll be back soon."Though she tried to comfort her, Chloe understood that politics were complicated—who could say for sure?Having worked as a tutor for three years without incident, she had only limited interactions with Marcus but knew he wasn't the type to be corrupt.Once, she had witnessed someone claim Marcus had given him signific
"Ah! I'll notify the guards right away..." The secretary exclaimed, her face pale with fear, fumbling to make a call until Amos barked at her to stop."Get out! Close the door! I can handle this myself." Amos said sternly, and the secretary, trembling, shot him a glance before quickly exiting and shutting the door.Although Chloe had plunged the broken bottle into Amos's chest with fury, she was terrified herself, her face as pale as a sheet.She couldn't understand what had given her such courage. Trembling, she withdrew her hand, nervously twisting her fingers together."How could you be so cruel to me..." Amos gazed at her, pain flashing in his eyes.He ripped the broken bottle from his chest and tossed it into the trash. The wound wasn't deep, but the blood that splattered out was alarming. He felt pain, not just from the injury, but from a deeper heartache, as if the bottle had pierced countless wounds within him, making it hard to breathe.
Chloe dialed the number, watching "husband" flash on the screen, a smirk curling at the corners of her mouth."Hello..." The call was answered quickly, and Lionel's deep, cello-like voice came through. Even though Chloe was all too familiar with his voice, she felt a slight shiver run through her.After a brief moment of blankness, her tone turned icy. "Did you do something about Marcus?" It sounded like a question, but she was already certain of the answer.Lionel hadn't expected her to call about this. After a brief pause, he answered honestly, "Yes, I did. So what?""You're unreasonable!" Chloe snapped, exasperated. She had never seen anyone so shameless—committing a wrong and then boasting about it.Lionel felt a pang in his chest. It had been so long since she had scolded him. Suppressing his irritation, he raised an eyebrow and replied, his voice devoid of emotion, as if her anger didn't bother him at all. "What do you want?""Le
"You!" Chloe wanted nothing more than to punch him, but she couldn't!Usually, he was the one who dominated their kisses; today, he was forcing her into this—was this his condition for releasing Marcus?Her heart ached, and Chloe's expression darkened, yet she still wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his, as if fulfilling a task.In truth, Lionel was deliberately pushing her like this! He wanted her to become accustomed to taking the initiative because he had savored the sweetness of her doing so before.However, he was still surprised by her obedient submission.He gazed down at Chloe, her eyes tightly shut, her long lashes fluttering. Her body was tense, her movements awkward; he could feel her underlying anger, yet she was trying hard to please him.Suddenly, he felt a surge of irritation. For that man, she was suppressing her anger? She was making such an effort to appease him for the sake of another!A
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
Lionel carried Chloe in his arms and sprinted out to the courtyard. Just as he arrived, Barton pulled up in the car with a sharp screech, stopping right at Lionel's feet.Without hesitation, Lionel climbed in, and the Maybach shot out of the gates like an arrow. Florence and Joanna arrived moments later, only catching a fleeting glimpse of the speeding car."Chloe...wake up. Don't scare me..." Lionel patted Chloe's pale face, his usual composure shattered. The ever-cold and reserved man couldn't hide the tremor in his voice.Chloe remained motionless, eyes tightly shut, as if all life had drained from her body. Blood had already soaked through her nightgown, staining Lionel's pants as well.With trembling hands, he touched her face. A man who could remain unfazed even if the sky were to fall was now unable to bear the sight of the crimson pooling beneath her. His reddened eyes filled with moisture, a single tear slipping down and landing softly on C
By dinnertime, Lionel had returned.Chloe came downstairs, deliberately carrying a bowl that Mandy had secretly taken from the kitchen for her. She placed it on the table in front of Joanna and Grace.With a bright smile, she turned to Joanna and said, "Joanna, your cooking is amazing! I'd love to learn from you someday."Joanna's delicate face stiffened for a moment before quickly returning to normal. She brushed her hair back and replied, "Oh no, I didn't make this. It was Grace. Right, Grace?"Joanna's fair complexion glowed under the lights as she turned her gaze to Grace, showing no hint of discomfort.However, Grace trembled when she was suddenly called out. Her lips twitched, and she stammered, "I—I...""Oh, Grace, why are you suddenly so shy? Everyone in this house knows how great your cooking is! Even the nutritionist says they want to learn from you."Joanna chuckled softly, but her eyes flickered with a sharp warning as she discreetly shot Grace a glare."I—I..." Grace was
Florence carried a steaming bowl of soup and knocked on the door. When she heard Chloe's response, she pushed the door open and entered. Chloe had already changed into a loose, comfortable outfit."Chloe, have something to eat." Florence placed the tray on the windowsill and turned to leave."Wait," Chloe called out immediately.Florence stopped in her tracks. Truthfully, she was curious about what Chloe and Alex had discussed at the café, given they had spent quite some time there.While she wanted to believe that there was nothing between them, the lack of a reasonable explanation left her feeling uneasy. However, she was also afraid that Chloe might find out she had been following her.So, in reality, she had no real intention of leaving. The moment Chloe called her, she stopped right away, turning back with a look of anticipation.Chloe smirked internally. How could she not see through Florence's hesitation?Yet, just like Lionel, Florence had too much pride to admit it."Sit down
"Come here." Lionel beckoned to Chloe.Chloe hesitated as she descended the stairs, her voice laced with concern. "I... I didn't do it on purpose..."Before she could finish, Lionel pulled her into his embrace, his tone gentle. "It's fine. Also, don't be upset..."What worried Lionel most was Chloe bottling up her emotions and quietly fuming.He knew that even though she had outwardly agreed to let him handle the matter, she must still feel uneasy deep down.A crowd like this irritated him—let alone a woman carrying his child."I... I won't." Chloe shook her head lightly. She said that, but deep inside, a trace of annoyance lingered.Joanna returned after seeing the guests off, only to find Lionel and Chloe cozily nestled on the sofa, completely lost in each other.Pfft—She almost spat out blood in rage.How could there be such a stark contrast?!Just moments ago, she had acted coy and demure, trying to please him, but Lionel had been utterly indifferent—no, worse than that—disgusted
The group took their seats.Jacob clenched his fists, his liver practically aching with anger at Lionel's arrogance. Madge had to throw him several warning glances to keep him from lashing out.If it weren't for the fact that the wedding was fast approaching, and provoking Lionel might jeopardize the whole thing, Jacob would have loved nothing more than to punch him."Lion, Joanna hasn't been giving you any trouble, has she?" Samuel took a sip of tea, carefully observing Lionel's expression.Lionel raised a brow. "Trouble? How could she? She's gentle, virtuous, and understanding."Whether Joanna was truly good or not wasn't for him to say—soon enough, they'd all see her true colors.Samuel's lips twitched. Lionel's indifferent tone made it impossible to tell if he was being sincere or sarcastic, so he could only chuckle awkwardly and sip his tea."Lion, everything is nearly ready on the Astralis side. Make sure your preparations are flawless—it has to be the best in the world! We can'
Upstairs, Joanna was seething with rage.Everything seemed to be working against her.The stark contrast between Lionel's tenderness toward Chloe and his cold indifference toward her was unbearable. No matter what, she couldn't swallow this humiliation.Chloe was nothing more than a bitch who had climbed into Lionel's bed, yet she had managed to capture his full attention. Everything revolved around her.Not only did Lionel dote on Chloe, but even the servants treated her with the utmost respect. Even Florence seemed to hold her in high regard.And Joanna? No matter where she went, she was unwelcome. Even when she stripped naked before Lionel, he couldn't be bothered to give her a glance. This was the greatest humiliation of her life!For the sake of her dignity, she had to marry Lionel.Her carefully laid plans had been thrown into disarray. She had been certain that the art center would be easily shut down—until Alex barged in and turned the situation around.Fine. Since Alex had co
A few minutes later, Chloe and Alex stepped out and got into the car, speeding away.Joanna watched them leave with a smirk, eagerly anticipating that the two would soon check into a hotel together.But then, she saw the car take a turn—heading toward the outskirts instead. Her face instantly darkened.Meanwhile, Florence beamed with delight.It wasn't until Alex had safely dropped Chloe off and driven away that Joanna and Florence finally returned home.The moment Joanna stepped into the house, she was met with Lionel's icy gaze, as sharp as a blade. A shiver ran down her spine.Creak—He's home this early today?And what was that look in his eyes? As if she were his worst enemy, someone he wanted to tear apart with his bare hands.But Joanna was no ordinary woman.Deception was her greatest skill.Had it been anyone else, they would've turned pale with fear under Lionel's piercing stare. But J