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
As Chloe nestled into Lionel's arms, she suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. She shivered instinctively and turned her head, but saw nothing."Lionel… I'm a little cold." She tried to calm the uneasy feeling stirring in her chest and pressed herself closer to him.Lionel tightened his arm around her, sharing his warmth.Suddenly, he seemed to remember something. He stopped, looking at her and said slowly, "Don't call me that again, call me Lion."Chloe's face flushed as she recalled the incident. Now that she thought about it, she felt like she had been possessed at that moment.Lionel, ever dominant, wouldn't let Chloe avoid him. He locked eyes with her, forcing her to respond.Although Chloe felt awkward, she nodded slightly. Lionel immediately smiled, his face softening as if coated with honey. "Good girl!"In the past, he had been cold, detached, and proud to the point of arrogance. He had looked down on her, dismissing her every move. Now, though, he was so gentle, showerin
Lionel's relatives gathered at the Williams family villa, filling the grand estate with an air of tension.Earl was visibly surprised. It wasn't a holiday, nor had he summoned his children. Yet here they were, all showing up unannounced. To make matters worse, Flora—the last person he wanted to see—had also appeared.Was this mere coincidence? Or was it someone's deliberate scheme? Earl's sharp eyes narrowed with suspicion.She had promised him she would leave Lionel, vowing not to take a single cent in compensation. It had been a long time since their last meeting, during which he had grudgingly admired her pride and resolve.But now, not only had she failed to keep her promise to stay away from his grandson, she had the audacity to show up here. What exactly was her game?As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Earl's gaze turned icy, piercing through Flora as if trying to read her soul. Something about her had changed since their last encounter. Despite her attempts to maintain an
"What?"Earl and Jacob shouted in unison, springing to their feet.They stared at Flora, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief. Although their eyes betrayed their uncertainty, they were sure they hadn't misheard."I'm pregnant," Flora replied, feigning a timid tone as she lightly rested her hand on her still-flat stomach. Her quick glance took in the shifting emotions on Earl and Jacob's faces.They were stunned, but beneath the initial shock, she could clearly see fleeting traces of delight.With a touch of melancholy, she added, "I know that no matter what I say now, it won't matter. I'm not worthy of giving birth to Lionel's child. But all I'm asking is…"Thud!To everyone's surprise, Flora dropped to her knees at Earl's feet, sobbing. "Grandpa, I beg you—please spare my child! I may be worthless, but the child is innocent. I thought about hiding this and giving birth in secret, but I know with your influence, no matter where I run, you'd find out eventually…"Flora's grie
Chloe really didn't expect Lionel to actually get so worked up over a child, her lips twitching as she tried to explain, "Actually, I was just trying to pacify him…""Pacify?" Lionel couldn't stop himself from nitpicking, "Seems like you've forgotten your place. Do you want me to remind you? Is your back still sore?"Chloe's face flushed, and she hit his chest with her fist, "You jerk! How dare you say that!"She pouted, turning her head away in a huff.Lionel's gaze softened, and his voice became gentler, "You're mine, and no one else is allowed to have you!" He still spoke possessively, turning Chloe's face to face him before lowering his head and capturing her lips in a kiss."Mmm... you... jerk..." Chloe's muffled protests were swallowed up by Lionel's kiss.At first, she struggled a little, but soon she lost herself in the kiss, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck, her body hanging against him."Chloe... you're mine..." After the kiss ended, Lionel, his voice rough, s
Lionel sped home and found not only his grandfather but also his father, Jacob, and Madge standing in the yard.What the hell was going on? Lionel's lips curled into a mocking smile. What could be so important that they had to come together like this?His estranged father was here too—what a miracle!His face darkened, and Lionel got out of the car, giving Barton a few orders before he left.Walking up behind the group, Lionel coldly sneered, "What's going on here? What brings you all here?"Hearing this, everyone turned around to face him.It was then that Lionel saw, to his surprise, a face that looked exactly like hers. At first, he only saw her back and thought she was his father's latest mistress.It was Flora Miller. She had the audacity to come to his house!He hadn't yet gotten around to confronting her for the things she did, drugging his drink and all the filthy things that followed, but now she had the nerve to show up at his door!She must have a death wish!His face darke
A mocking grin curled on Lionel's lips as he coldly spoke. "Grandfather, are you joking? You say she's pregnant with my child—do you have any proof? I've never touched a hair on her head!""Is that the truth?" This time, both Earl and Jacob could no longer stay quiet. They shot furious looks at Flora.If she was lying, she was in deep trouble.Flora's eyes reddened, and under the harsh gaze of the men, she quickly stood up and fell to her knees with a thud."Grandfather, I swear, the child in my belly is really Lionel's! I'm not lying!" Her face turned pale, and tears streamed down her face in a torrential flood. Her sobs were so genuine, they sounded like pearls falling from a string.Earl and Jacob exchanged another glance before looking back at Lionel.Actually, they had already suspected Flora's words back when they were at Astralis. They weren't fools who could be easily deceived. But considering everything, there was still a high possibility that she was telling the truth, which
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