With Barton's reassurance, Chloe's lips curled into a faint smile.Suddenly, she felt the urge to drink, to calm the anxious turmoil inside her. She instructed Barton to take her to a bar.Sipping on red wine, Chloe felt herself growing calmer. A warm flush crept onto her cheeks, and her furrowed brow loosened as the tension in her face eased.As several hungry, admiring gazes floated her way, Barton began to sweat. Chloe's slight, tipsy allure was undeniably captivating. If Lionel were here, he would likely be ready to kill someone!"Madam, let's go home," Barton suggested."No, not yet!" Chloe refilled her glass, waved him off, and took a delicate sip of wine. Her long lashes fluttered as she subtly flirted, her expression full of charm."Madam!" Barton was close to tears. This was getting out of hand. He understood she was upset, but this place was a mix of all sorts of people, and her beauty was causing quite a stir. Men were practically drilling holes in his back with their eyes.
Lionel held Chloe as they stepped through the front door. Flora, who had been waiting in the hallway, immediately stood up, her face bright with a gentle smile as she walked towards them.Chloe's eyes turned icy the moment they met Flora's warm, sweet expression."I've been waiting for you both to have dinner!" Flora said, her false warmth making Chloe flinch.She looked at Lionel with such eagerness, as if they were indeed a loving couple, and then turned to Chloe with an expression that made it seem as though they were nothing but doting sisters. It was almost as if they had no history of discord.How could anyone play the roles of both an angel and a devil so flawlessly? Chloe wondered whether she should feel proud of having such a talented actress for a sister.Frowning, Chloe gave Flora an icy look and walked past her, heading straight upstairs.Lionel snorted coldly, not sparing Flora a single glance, and followed Chloe upstairs.Flora's face twisted in an instant, turning from
"Lion, I'm pregnant! Is this how you're going to take care of me? Have you forgotten what Grandpa said?" Flora had the urge to flip the table, but she had to maintain her composure in front of Lionel.Before Lionel could respond, Grace cut in, "Miss, you've misunderstood. They've saved the best for you. Pregnant women should eat nutritious food, and it's better to avoid seasoning." She shot Flora a cold glance, her stance proudly firm as she crossed her arms.Lionel gave Grace an encouraging look.Flora clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She wanted nothing more than to jump up and tear Grace apart, but she couldn't let Chloe get the upper hand.Determined to provoke Chloe, Flora decided to bring up her pregnancy. "Chloe, would you accompany me to the prenatal check-up tomorrow?" Her smile was sweet, dripping with honey.Chloe's gaze flickered, but without lifting her eyes, she turned to Lionel. "Lion, are you free tomorrow?" Lionel furrowed his brows, staring at her
Before the images in her mind had even dissipated, Lionel's large hand was already wrapped around her slender waist, his strong body pressed tightly against her back.Chloe tensed, every hair on her body standing on end.It was the same person, the same familiar scent, his embrace and touch as familiar as ever, irresistibly pulling her in. But deep down, there was an impulse to push him away.She kept telling herself: Trust him! Trust him! Lionel would never look at Flora in that way! He would never touch her.Thinking back to their early days together, Lionel had always treated her as if she were Flora—disdainful, dismissive, as though she were a virus to be avoided at all costs. Clearly, he despised Flora.Taking a deep breath, Chloe suppressed the urge to push Lionel's strong body away. She remained still, letting him hold her tightly. His hot breath fanned across her neck, his large hand slowly caressing her back, slipping under her nightgown and making its way to her chest."Ah..
Day and night cycled endlessly, and at last, the dawn broke, piercing through the remnants of darkness. Light bathed the earth in a golden glow.Lionel had been preoccupied with a major case at work. Though he was reluctant to leave Chloe's warm and inviting bed, a man of ambition knew when to set aside personal indulgences for greater goals.After getting ready, he bent down as usual and pressed a gentle kiss on Chloe's lips. Her drowsy eyes fluttered open, and with a habitual motion, she hooked her arms around his neck, pulling him close. A trace of dreamy reluctance lingered in her gaze.Lionel's lips curved into a smile, and he seized the moment to deepen the kiss into a lingering morning greeting.Realizing time was short, he caressed Chloe's flushed cheeks and murmured softly, "Be good. Sleep a little longer." With that, he turned and left.As Lionel headed off to work, Chloe found herself unable to fall back asleep. She had long grown used to sharing a bed with him, and without
Chloe arrived at the art center earlier than usual. The events of the morning left Flora in a mess of her own making.While Chloe found satisfaction in this, she couldn't stop her worries from creeping in whenever she had a quiet moment. Only the sound of the piano helped her silence the endless flood of anxious thoughts.During a break, she considered buying a neck massager for Lionel. Lately, she had noticed him frequently stretching his neck, likely a sign of long hours at work leading to cervical discomfort.Realistically, with Lionel's wealth, he hardly needed such a simple gadget from her. He had access to any high-end services imaginable.Even so, the idea stayed with her. Yet deep down, Chloe feared it might be too insignificant—something he wouldn't care for."Chloe!"A familiar male voice called out behind her as she walked.She turned to see Geoffrey leaning out of his car window, a grin playing on his lips. Chloe froze, her mouth falling open in shock.He had called her Ch
The moment Chloe stepped out the door, Flora followed closely behind.She had just gotten into a taxi when the door was yanked open before the driver could even start the car. A large hand reached inside, grabbing her by the collar like she was a rag doll, and yanked her out."Ah!" Flora cried out as her feet dangled momentarily before hitting the ground. She barely had time to react before being dragged to another car and shoved inside."Hey, hey! What's going on?" The taxi driver, shocked by the scene of a woman being manhandled in broad daylight, yelled out in protest.Amos turned his icy gaze on the driver, his lips curling into a single word: "Scram!"The driver froze, suddenly noticing Amos's designer attire and the luxury car beside him. His courage evaporated as he realized this was someone not to be trifled with. Without another word, he slammed the accelerator, speeding off as if his life depended on it.Amos slammed the car door shut, stepped on the gas, and the car roared
By late afternoon, near four o'clock, Chloe was in the piano room teaching the children when her phone suddenly rang.She assumed it was Lionel, but upon picking it up, she saw an unfamiliar number. After a moment's hesitation, she answered."Hello?""You have twenty minutes. Get home immediately!" A cold, commanding voice rang out. Before Chloe could respond, the call ended abruptly.At first, Chloe thought it was a mistake. She stood there, stunned for a moment, then grabbed her bag and hurried home.As she stepped into the courtyard, her eyes caught sight of a car that was both unfamiliar and oddly familiar. Smoothing the strands of hair brushing against her lips, she walked into the house and was immediately struck by the cold, piercing gazes of four people directed at her.The chill in the air made her instinctively clench her hands.Scanning the room, she saw Earl, Jacob, and Madge seated in the same spots they'd occupied the day before. Flora sat beside Earl, putting on the app
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