Lionel gritted his teeth and shoved Joanna hard, sending her flying across the room. With a dull thud, she landed like a discarded ragdoll.
Her brows knitted tightly, and it was clear the impact hurt her badly. Tears streamed down her face as she whimpered through her sobs, "Lion... I need... please..."
Grabbing the showerhead, Lionel turned the water to full blast, not caring that it was the dead of winter. The icy stream hit Joanna's trembling body.
"Cold... it's so cold..." Joanna shivered violently, her arms wrapping around herself as a fleeting clarity returned to her teary eyes.
Seeing her quiet down, Lionel moved the water away. But as soon as she started showing signs of agitation again, he realized things couldn't continue like this.
If they did, he wasn't sure what might happen.
Spotting a towel on a nearby rack, he grabbed it and threw it over Joanna. His voice was sharp as he snapped, "If you want me to believe you were forced in
"You, I...fine, it's my fault. I was wrong. Now that things have come to this point, we must take responsibility for what needs to be handled. An important guest is arriving today. Get yourselves ready and come out quickly. They might already be on their way."Knowing that if he softened his tone, the young man would only grow more defiant, Earl—proud as he had been all his life—was ultimately forced to bow his head before his grandson."Ha…" Lionel let out a cold laugh. "Responsibility? If anyone has to take responsibility, it's you. Every consequence of this mess stems from your decisions. What does any of it have to do with me?""You—you—what nonsense are you spouting?" Earl bristled, his anger making his mustache quiver. "Oh, I see. This must be because of that woman! But let me tell you, your wife can only be Joanna, no one else! If you take a step back and marry Joanna, everything will be negotiable. Love as many women as you
Joanna's face flushed with a hint of redness. She glanced at Lionel, who was not far away, her eyes flashing with a mischievous, almost mocking glint. She said, "Lion has always been great, and... I'm willing to marry him!""Good! Good!" The guests erupted in applause and cheers.The atmosphere in the room reached its peak, with everyone smiling and congratulating Earl and Samuel.Earl and Samuel, unable to hide their joy, raised their glasses to toast to their friends and relatives, their eyes moist with emotion.Both families were prominent in the business world, and this union was a powerful alliance. Everyone could foresee that the future of the business world would belong to them. Lionel, the head of K International Group, would see his value soar to an unprecedented level.He was like a god standing on a cloud, commanding the world. With a snap of his fingers, he could send financial storms across half the globe.Such a deity, who coul
Just as she sat up in bed, she heard footsteps outside the door. Her heart leaped with excitement. She jumped out of bed, rushed to the door, and flung it open, calling out, "Lion—" But the person standing before her was Grace."Madam, it's me. The Master won't be coming home tonight." Grace stepped inside, carefully balancing a tray of food, a bright smile plastered on her face as if something delightful had happened. "Before he left, he made it clear that I must take good care of you. I wouldn't dare neglect his orders. I saw you were asleep during dinner and didn't want to disturb you, but I figured you'd be awake by now, so I brought your meal upstairs.""Thank you," Chloe murmured, disappointment flashing across her face as she followed Grace back inside.She sat down to eat, but every bite felt like a lump in her throat. The food refused to go down smoothly. She glanced at her flat belly, clenched her teeth, and forced herself to eat a bit more before giving up entirely.When Gr
AstralisThe Williams estate remained brightly lit through the night.As the last guests departed, the household staff moved efficiently, tidying up the courtyard and clearing away the remnants of the celebration.Earl, filled with joy and having indulged in a few too many drinks, had retired early for the evening.Only his immediate family remained in the grand hall—his sons, daughters, and grandchildren all gathered together."Lion, congratulations on rekindling things with Joanna," Lewis, Lionel's cousin, remarked with a grin.Lionel shot him a frosty glare. "Thank you," he replied curtly, rising from his seat. He turned to address the elders. "I'm feeling a bit tired. If you'll excuse me, I'll head to my room now.""Go get some rest. It's been a long day for you!"His aunt Hannah forced a smile and waved dismissively, hiding her envy behind a facade of politeness. Beneath her outward cheer, her heart burned with jealousy. Earl was clearly playing favorites again. Even though Joann
"Geoffrey, take me to my mom's." Chloe finally looked at Geoffrey for the first time.Since getting into Geoffrey's car, she had been lost in her thoughts, completely unaware of Geoffrey's gaze as he scrutinized her."Did you two argue?" Geoffrey's voice was low and hoarse, filled with a deep, painful concern as he looked at Chloe.Seeing the redness around her eyes made his heart ache, as if thousands of needles were running through his veins, causing him sharp, excruciating pain."No." Chloe took a deep breath and answered calmly."Don't lie to me. Chloe, you don't lie." Geoffrey grabbed Chloe's hand and said, "I've told you before, Lionel isn't the best choice for you. His background is too complicated, he's really not right for you. Chloe, come with me. I promise I'll marry you immediately, and you won't suffer one bit."A passionate man, a passionate gaze, and passionate words, but Chloe's heart remained unmoved.After her heart was broken by the past, giving it to Lionel had bec
After receiving Lionel's call, Grace deliberately walked over to Chloe's room and listened carefully. There was no sound coming from inside.Hmph, she's really able to sleep through everything!Grace curled her lips into a mocking smile, feeling quite pleased with herself.She went downstairs to direct the servants on their tasks.By the time daylight broke and breakfast was ready, Chloe still hadn't come downstairs. Grace found herself looking back at the stairs over and over, but there was still no sign of her.Eventually, feeling something was off, Grace walked to Chloe's door, knocked, and called out, "Madam, breakfast is ready. If you don't come out soon, it will get cold."Still, silence.She raised her voice and called again, "Madam, Master will be home soon."No response. Could something have happened?Thinking this, Grace lost her composure. She nervously twisted the door handle, opening the door and quickly stepping inside. But the room was empty.Her heart sank.Grace's fac
Chloe instinctively pulled her hand away and reached out to Geoffrey. "Geoffrey, I want to marry you. Will you marry me?""Ah?" Geoffrey was taken aback, but as soon as he caught the murderous look in Lionel's eyes, he smirked. "I've been waiting for this." He grabbed Chloe's hand, pulling her close to him."Chloe..." Lionel's hand reached out to grab air, his heart aching with a sharp pain. "Come home with me. I'll explain everything."Chloe acted as if nothing was wrong, forcing a faint smile. "No need. There's nothing for you to explain. A woman like me doesn't deserve your respect."Turning her head, she looked away. Though her heart ached painfully, her blood rushed, and she longed to throw herself into his arms, to tell him everything—her fears, her sadness, and that they were having a child. But she couldn't. He was already engaged to another woman.Even though she was of low status, she would never share a man with another woman!She clenched her fist, forcing back the bittern
The gaze of both men turned sharply toward Chloe, but they could only see the cold, distant silhouette of her back.Hearing Chloe's hoarse voice, both men seemed frozen, as if struck by lightning. They were momentarily immobilized, like they had been enchanted. By the time they snapped out of it, Chloe had already walked several meters away."Chloe…" Geoffrey quickly turned and chased after her.Lionel's face darkened, his long legs making it easy to overtake Geoffrey, whose injured leg slowed him down. In just a couple of steps, Lionel was already right behind Chloe.Without a word, Lionel reached out and pulled Chloe into his arms."Let go! Lionel, I've become a joke. Are you trying to make it impossible for me to live here anymore?" Chloe said coldly, her eyes never meeting Lionel's. She suppressed the pain in her heart and spoke with an icy detachment."Chloe, please don't be angry. It will hurt you. I can't bear to see you suffer like this. I want to live with you, I want to be w
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