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
"Is your husband really Lionel?"Unexpectedly, Marcus asked a question that left Chloe caught off guard."Uh..." Chloe choked on a sip of water, her face turning red.This question seemed difficult to answer. Was he technically her husband? No, she was just a temporary woman in his life! Legally, Flora was his wife!Marcus, noticing her struggle, kindly handed her a napkin.Chloe awkwardly took it to wipe her mouth, responding vaguely, "Kind of!"The complicated matters between them were not something she could casually discuss with anyone.Marcus, being the astute person he was, immediately understood what Chloe meant, but he never expected it to be like this. What a good girl she was, and yet...He didn't look down on her; rather, he felt a deep, unspoken sadness. What good girl would willingly choose this path if it weren't absolutely necessary?Seeing Marcus silently sipping his coffee without speaking, Chloe r
Finally, it was Chloe's turn to take a break. She stood up, grabbed the roses beside the piano, and turned away indifferently, heading into the staff lounge.A few servers were chatting, discussing which men at certain tables looked handsome, which ones seemed single, and which might be billionaires.When they saw Chloe walk in, envy filled their eyes."Chloe, we're so jealous of you! So many handsome men sending you flowers—why doesn't anyone send us flowers?""We're not bad ourselves! Maybe not as stunning as Chloe, but we're still charming. Why don't any of those men even look at us?"The girls chattered on, their voices a mixture of admiration and jealousy as they looked at Chloe."Here, these flowers are for you." Chloe pushed the roses into the arms of the girls. "You're still young; there's no rush. The one who truly loves you will find you someday."She patted each of their heads gently before heading toward the restroom
The kiss was a mix of fiery passion and gentle tenderness, leaving Chloe's heart pounding wildly until Lionel completely overwhelmed her.She surrendered, letting him kiss her into a daze, lost and dizzy.Their embrace lasted far longer than any before, appearing intense, even punishing, yet filled with affection and longing from both sides.In those moments of sheer immersion, their hearts connected, sharing unspoken emotions and unshed tears—a truest reaction.Finally, just as Chloe was on the verge of gasping for air, Lionel released her.Somewhere along the way, he had let go of her restrained hands, and she had instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.This small gesture pleased Lionel, indicating that she wasn't entirely unmoved.A spark of satisfaction flashed in his eyes, and a faint smile curved his lips.Flushed from the intensity of the kiss, Chloe's face was bright red as her hazy eyes regained focus, la
As the car door opened, Geoffrey's face appeared in front of her, and Chloe let out a small sigh of relief."What, disappointed to see me? Were you expecting someone else?" Geoffrey teased, opening the door for her. "Come on, get in. I'll drive you home.""No need!" Chloe kept walking, brushing him off with a hint of irritation in her voice.She couldn't tell if she was annoyed with Geoffrey or if he'd hit a nerve she didn't want touched."Hey! Hey! Damn it!" Geoffrey grumbled as he watched her storm off.He couldn't tell if he'd said something wrong or if she was still mad about what happened yesterday with Florence.Quickly, he got back in his car, spun it around, and sped up to reach her side again."What's with the attitude?! Do you want a repeat of last night? If I hadn't shown up in time, those two guys would've taken you away! Now, get in!" Geoffrey's voice was firmer this time, clearly frustrated.Chloe knew he was righ
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