Outside the room, Chloe stood, tears streaming down her face.
She wept for Cynthia's pain and felt deeply moved that at least Cynthia still had a mother who cared for her.
Lionel, standing beside her, gazed into the hospital room with an inscrutable expression. His eyes were dark and distant, impossible to read. Was he touched by the scene, or lost in some other thought?
Chloe bit her lip, her trembling hands gripping the doorknob. She pushed the door open and walked into the room.
Cynthia's mother looked up at the soft sound of the door opening.
Seeing Chloe and Lionel enter, she quickly wiped her tears, adjusted Cynthia's blanket, and stood up hastily.
"I'm so sorry…" Chloe said, her tears falling once more. "This is all my fault. I didn't take good care of Cynthia…"
If Cynthia hadn't been her best friend, if they hadn't been inseparable during university, perhaps Cynthia wouldn't have fallen in love with Eamonn or bee
As Chloe walked, her mind replayed the scene of Cynthia's mother holding her close, stirring a mix of emotions within her.Unlike Cynthia, Chloe had little to say to her own mother. Their exchanges were brief and perfunctory, and she dared not hope for any maternal warmth.Immersed in music, Chloe found her frustrations melting away. Music, she realized, was her true calling. It was only when her fingers danced across the piano keys that she felt truly alive.Around noon, a fiery red sports car pulled up in front of the Arts Center, its sleek design immediately drawing the attention of passersby.The car door opened, revealing a pair of red high heels that matched the vehicle's color. A woman stepped out, her face partially hidden by purple sunglasses.She wore a royal blue, limited-edition cheongsam paired with a short jacket, tailored to perfection, accentuating her elegant figure. The cheongsam sparkled with jeweled floral patterns along the nec
Furrowing her brow, Chloe walked back to the classroom.Her fingers danced across the piano keys, Madge's words echoing in her mind.She really doesn't understand!Back home, Lionel hadn't returned yet. Holding a cup of water, Chloe stood by the bedroom window, gazing out at the fragrant garden, lost in thought.At some point, Lionel silently appeared behind her and wrapped his arms around her from behind. Feeling the warmth of his strong body against her back, Chloe's lashes fluttered, and she instinctively grabbed his large hand, holding it tightly.Lionel closed his eyes, inhaling deeply the scent emanating from Chloe's body, lost in its allure.She smelled sweeter than the flowers in the garden.Resting his chin on the top of her head, Lionel gently played with Chloe's delicate fingers, and for a moment, everything was silent.He lifted her chin, lowered his head, and without hesitation, captured her red lips in a deep kiss
"You!" Earl slammed his cup onto the coffee table. To think that Lionel would speak to him like this, all for a woman!Lionel casually curled the corner of his lips, unfazed by his grandfather's rage. He continued coldly, "Let me make myself clear today. If anyone dares to stir up trouble again, don't blame me for turning my back on them!"Jacob, who had been silent up to now, glanced at his son with disdain, letting out a cold laugh. "Turning your back on someone? You've always had no regard for anyone!"Lionel's appearance was a clear reflection of his father.The two of them shared the same deep features. Jacob, in his fifties, though older, still had striking features — a sharp brow and a well-defined nose that gave him a distinguished look. In his younger days, he was considered quite a catch. Even now, despite his age, his status still made him the object of many women's affection.Lionel's lips pressed into a tight line, and his handso
The tall figure lay back on the bed as Lionel pulled out his phone and searched for Chloe's location. Seeing the blinking red dot indicating she was in his villa, all the lingering worries faded in an instant, and a smile unconsciously curled on his lips.His thumb slid across the screen, dialing a video call.When the call connected, Chloe had just come out of the bathroom. Seeing the word "Husband" flashing on the screen, she revealed a bright, white smile. She gently swiped the screen, and Lionel's handsome face appeared."Lion..." she finally whispered his nickname. When they were face-to-face, it always felt difficult to say, but after only a few hours apart, she already missed him. The affectionate nickname slipped out of her control.On Lionel's screen, Chloe's face glowed with a fresh, flushed look. Her long hair still wet, hanging loosely over her shoulders, making her look even more refreshing and charming.Her eyes were bright and full o
Before Lionel ended the call, Chloe had clearly heard a woman's voice. However, Lionel told her it was nothing.Was he really trying to lie to her so blatantly?Furrowing her brow, Chloe didn't even bother to dry her hair as she lay back on the bed, holding the phone to her ear. Her thoughts ran uncontrollably, replaying the woman's voice she had heard during the call.Is it really a habit for men to lie so casually?One moment, he could speak to her with such tenderness, showering her with sweet words as if she were the only one he cared about. And in the next, he could lie to her without even blinking.Hah!How had she forgotten that a man's sweet talk was often the most unreliable? She had been hurt by it before, and yet here she was, once again swept away by his smooth words.Chloe, when will you ever learn?All you need to do is stay by his side. You know by now that his position isn't ordinary, and that there might be oth
After running out of Lionel's room in tears, Madge shoved the tray of food into the hands of a passing servant and hurried back to her own quarters, covering her mouth to stifle her sobs.In the darkness of her room, she didn't bother to turn on the light, wiping her tears over and over.In the end, Lionel despised her. Not just despised—he regarded her as worse than garbage.Yes, she was Jacob's woman, but who in this household truly acknowledged her status? Jacob himself only showed her fleeting affection when he needed her; the moment she was of no use, he treated her with the same disdain as Lionel.She realized she held even less sway than Jacob's mistresses outside of this house, unable to win favor or affection from the men here.Once, she had chosen to follow Jacob, drawn by his status, wealth, and charm. Ten years ago, Jacob had indeed been handsome, domineering, and captivating—a man like Lionel today.Now, Jacob was ag
In the past few days, Lionel had been away from home, leaving Chloe to shuttle between the house, the hospital, and the art center daily.Cynthia's emotions had stabilized somewhat, but she still refused to speak to Chloe. Even when Chloe brought her food, she wouldn't eat it. The situation left Chloe feeling deeply troubled.Despite this, Chloe kept visiting Cynthia every day, always wearing a cheerful smile in hopes of lifting her spirits.That afternoon, Chloe hurried to the hospital as usual. When she pushed open the door to Cynthia's hospital room, she was shocked to find the bed neatly made, the belongings gone, and Cynthia and her mother nowhere to be seen."Cynthia!" Chloe shouted, her voice trembling as a stinging ache spread through her chest. Tears welled up in her eyes.She blames me after all, Chloe thought bitterly. She's abandoned me. She doesn't want me anymore.Her heart clenched in pain as she rushed to the front desk to inquire about Cynthia's whereabouts. Only then
"Lion..." Chloe glanced at the man beside her, then looked at Heather walking away. When she turned back, she noticed Lionel's gaze hadn't shifted. She gently shook his arm.Seeing the proud and cold expressions on both men, though Chloe didn't know what had happened between them, it was clear it was something serious.Lionel tore his gaze away and, when he looked back at Chloe, his expression softened again.Suddenly, his handsome face darkened.Just now, Heather had said he almost hit her! His heart tightened in silence."Do you walk around without looking?""Uh..." Chloe wasn't used to Lionel's sudden change of mood. Her lips twitched as she realized he was angry because she had almost been in an accident. She said softly, "Actually, I was far away from his car. Nothing happened, I just got a little scared. Really, look, I'm fine!"As she spoke, Chloe, afraid Lionel wouldn't believe her, rolled up her sleeves to show him.Lionel sighed in relief and gently stroked her hair, pulling
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