Geoffrey couldn't understand how despicable Lionel had to be to make this woman want to hide from him! He suppressed the urge to confront Lionel and pulled Chloe into a corner.Fortunately, there were many people around, and Lionel didn't seem to notice them as he moved away."Okay," Geoffrey said, patting Chloe's back.Chloe quickly slipped out of Geoffrey's embrace and glanced back in the direction of Lionel, relieved to see that he was indeed gone.She didn't know why, but the moment she spotted Lionel, her instinct was to hide. She believed he wasn't looking for her; she just didn't want to see him.The sight of his detestable face made her heart ache.Taking a deep breath, Chloe composed herself and walked ahead, while Geoffrey walked beside her without asking any questions.Just seeing her mix fear with a hint of anticipation made his heart sink; it felt like she had lost something precious.He didn't want to admit it, but he grasped Chloe's hand and continued walking forward."
At this moment, Eamonn's handsome face was flushed from the alcohol. He had a woman on each side of him. One woman had her arm draped over his shoulder, while the other was teasingly pinching his thigh.Eamonn held his drink high, a wide grin on his face, playfully touching the woman on his left and kissing the one on his right."Stop it..." The woman on the left blushed and pressed herself against Eamonn's chest.The woman on the right seemed equally determined, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a kiss. With her low-cut top, Eamonn could barely keep his eyes off her fair skin!What a beast!I still remember that night when Eamonn publicly confessed his love for Cynthia, jokingly pretending to confess to Chloe, who was taken aback. He claimed he had loved Cynthia for a long time, since college.If he loved her so much, why did he cast her aside like yesterday's trash?What does love mean to a man? So casually spoken, it dazzles women into a stupor, only for them
"What? Furious that I've exposed your filthy soul?" Eamonn sneered, wiping his mouth."Once, you were noble and elegant, almost ethereal, captivating, alluring, cold and proud. Every man's heart raced for you. And now? Look at yourself. Do you still think you're so pure?"Eamonn laughed disdainfully, his mocking gaze fixed on Chloe.Chloe hadn't expected this. She'd come to confront him, yet here she was, facing humiliation instead. Fine, she thought, she was already branded a disgraceful woman in his eyes. His words barely stung her anymore. She steeled herself, glaring at him, her voice colder than before."Don't change the subject. You betrayed Cynthia. She's carrying your child, yet you still treat her like this!"Eamonn rose and leaned close to her, his tone dark and sinister. "Want to know why? It's because she's an IDIOT! She really thought I loved her. She actually believed that I was going to confess to HER that day. Tell me, Chloe, who do you think I wanted to confess to tha
Without a moment's hesitation, Chloe charged forward."LET HER GO, YOU BASTARD!"She hadn't expected someone to rush in from behind. The man holding Florence was forcefully pulled away by Chloe, who quickly brought Florence to her side for protection."It's you..." Florence recognized Chloe, her fear evident as she backed away, clutching Chloe's arm tightly, her lips trembling as she shouted, "Hurry, get them away, get them away...""Damn it, you filthy bitch, you think you can meddle? No need for us to fight now; there's enough for both of us." The two men, reeking of alcohol, staggered slightly as the one Chloe had yanked away turned back, a sleazy grin on his face, his eyes glinting with predatory intent as he blocked Chloe and Florence."Get lost! If you know what's good for you, you'll back off and save yourselves. Otherwise, when her brother arrives, none of you will be walking away! Her brother is Lionel Williams."Chloe was guiding F
"Who... who is he? Why is he so fierce?"Seeing the man's intimidating demeanor, Florence shielded Chloe, looking displeased."It was just a misunderstanding."Chloe knew that Geoffrey genuinely cared for her, and recognizing his anger, she didn't want to argue. She lowered her head and explained, then pulled Florence forward. "Florence, this is Geoffrey. Thank him quickly."Florence blinked, her steps a bit unsteady as she circled Geoffrey. "Geoffrey? Who's that?" She raised her hands and tugged at Geoffrey's stern face. "I've never heard of you before. You're so fierce! If you dare to scold me, you must be looking for trouble. Tomorrow, I'll have my brother deal with you."Patting Geoffrey's face, Florence backed Chloe up, which only made him angrier.He swatted her hand away. "Who do you think you are, slapping my face? Do you want me to toss you into the sea to feed the sharks? Ungrateful little brat."Uh—Chloe facep
Geoffrey's face twisted, his mouth twitching. Who the hell voluntarily wanted to be treated like her trash can?!"YOU'RE DEAD MEAT!"Roar—With clenched teeth, Geoffrey released Florence's collar in a flash, disregarding what he just heard about the "Williams"He sprinted toward the bathroom, slamming the door behind him—bang!The sound echoed, signaling just how furious he was.Chloe and Florence jumped at the thunderous noise.After a moment, Florence wiped her mouth and regained her composure, hands on her hips. "Hey, you're the one who's dead! How dare you slam the door? Come out, and I'll tear you apart!""Florence," Chloe pulled on her arm, handing her a tissue to wipe her mouth. "Let's go wash up. Stop causing trouble, okay? "Chloe was truly exasperated by the spoiled princess who dared to act so brazenly in someone else's home.Fearing that Geoffrey might overhear Florence and come out to thro
Early the next morning, Florence rolled over several times and suddenly bumped into something soft.Startled, she shot up and found herself face-to-face with Chloe. Annoyed, she yelled, "What are you doing in my bed?!"Chloe rubbed her temples, exasperated.Florence was so restless during the night that she had barely gotten any sleep, getting hit in the face and kicked in the stomach multiple times. Now, she had the nerve to shout at her!"Lady! Have you forgotten your savior now that you're sober? AND this is not even YOUR bed!" Yawning and stretching her sore arms, Chloe got out of bed.Florence blinked her big innocent eyes, piecing together the hazy memories of last night. "Uh... Fine."In their family, saying thank you was a rare occurrence, so this acknowledgment was as good as it got from Florence.Chloe understood her family's nature and didn't mind.She said casually, "Get up, wash up, and head home. Don't make your f
Chloe was on the verge of exploding with anger, while Florence, seemingly eager to provoke her further, clapped her hands with delight and exclaimed, "Ha ha! What a great idea! How did I not think of that? Let's do it this way!""You!" Chloe gasped in frustration.Florence was intentionally trying to irritate her!Now Chloe could finally understand how Geoffrey must have felt, wanting to tear her apart in his rage.Ignoring Florence, Chloe got busy in the kitchen.She heard Florence confidently tell the staff, "I'll buy out all the desserts made by that female pastry chef today! Not a single one can be sold to anyone else!"Chloe nearly choked on her breath.During her lunch break, Chloe noticed that Florence was still lounging in the café, showing no signs of leaving. She took a sip of water, feeling too lazy to deal with her, and headed to the back room to rest.After her break, she emerged to find, to her relief, that
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