A marriage certificate?The sound of Chloe's mind exploding rang out, leaving her dizzy and disoriented. Her legs almost gave way beneath her.Just a moment ago, he had confessed his love for her. While she couldn't quite believe it, it still struck her like a bolt of lightning. And now, a marriage certificate appeared in front of her, leaving her utterly stunned!Her body felt as if it had lost all strength. Her lips trembled, and she suddenly couldn't find her voice.Shaking hands reached out to take the paper from Lionel's hands, bringing it up to her face. The name on it was truly hers, but now it read Chloe Miler Williams, her name followed by his surname.But how could this be?The last time she had left home, she had asked Lionel for proof of his divorce from Flora, but he had refused to give it to her. Now, without any divorce papers, he was presenting her with their marriage certificate?"Chloe, now do you believe me?" Lionel
"What's wrong?"Lionel came to a sudden stop, his brows knitting into a sharp, troubled line. The pain gnawed at him, a torment that made him wish for release. Yet, despite his agony, he halted, his eyes locked on Chloe.The sight of her pale, delicate figure struck him like a blow, parching his throat. His voice, now hoarse and raw, sounded almost unrecognizable."I… I'm not fully recovered yet…" Chloe wiped the beads of sweat from her brow, her breath uneven. She had been moments away from revealing her pregnancy but swallowed the words just in time.He had secretly arranged their marriage registration without consulting her—an indignity she couldn't simply let slide. She needed to reclaim a win, even if it was small."Damn it!" Lionel cursed under his breath, running a hand through his hair. "How could I almost forget that? Are you… are you okay?"He shifted, lying down beside Chloe. One arm snaked around her wa
By evening, Joanna returned to Westridge.As soon as she stepped into Lionel's house, she saw two rows of servants kneeling in the courtyard, including Grace. Judging by their unsteady posture, they had been there for quite some time."Grace, what happened to you all?" Joanna asked, her mind already guessing that Lionel must have taken out his frustration from Astralis on the household staff."Joanna, you're finally back!" Grace's eyes lit up with relief. She started to rise to help with Joanna's belongings but immediately dropped back to her knees."Everyone, get up," Joanna said, addressing the group."We can't!" Grace shook her head. "Master is still furious. If he hasn't given the order, we don't dare to move.""Get up. I'll take full responsibility! If he blames anyone, he can come to me.""Really?" Grace's weathered face split into a broad grin. Joanna was now the lady of the house—if she stood up for them, even Lionel would have to relent."I promise!""Thank goodness! If you h
Lionel and Chloe walked into the dining room together, their arms entwined. The sight of Joanna, wearing an apron, made both of them blink in disbelief, thinking their eyes had deceived them.Lionel, however, was quicker to react. In just two seconds, his handsome face hardened with cold displeasure.Of all people in this house, Joanna was the last person he wanted to see!"Lion? You're awake?" Joanna's voice was light and cheerful as she set the pan down and looked up at the couple standing in the doorway. A charming smile bloomed across her face, showing no sign of being upset or flustered.Her bright eyes flicked to Lionel's arm resting possessively around Chloe's waist, lingering there for a moment before shifting to Chloe's flushed, radiant face."Chloe, come here! I've been learning how to cook tonight—just for fun. Try some and give me your thoughts," Joanna said with a sweet smile. When Chloe didn't move, Joanna strode over, gently grabbing Chloe's hand and trying to lead her
That evening, Lionel entered the study just as Chloe had finished tidying up. A knock sounded at the door. When she opened it, Joanna's sweet smile greeted her."Is something the matter?" Chloe asked."Chloe, can we... talk?" Joanna smoothed her hair back, her eyes flicking toward the room behind Chloe.Chloe flashed a grin. "Of course. Come in. Lion isn't here."Oh, isn't she good at pretending? Engaged? So what? Chloe was still Lionel's real wife. She was curious how long Joanna could keep up the act."Oh, no need. How about we go to my room instead? I wouldn't want Lion to get upset again," Joanna responded with a helpless smile.Of course, she knew Lionel wasn't there! Was Chloe trying to show off?After a brief pause, Chloe nodded readily. "That works too. Lion isn't fond of other women entering his room, anyway."Two can play this game. Chloe was perfectly content to act as though she was oblivious to the drama at Astralis.Joanna's smile stiffened at those words, a flicker of c
Pain! Pain! Pain! It hurts so much!Florence clutched her head and turned over. "Ahh..." she gasped in pain, her entire body feeling as if it had been taken apart and put back together wrong. Her waist, hips, and...Wait!Her hips?!Her eyes flew open, and clarity hit her like a cold wave. A realization crashed into her mind, making her breath hitch.Vaguely, she recalled... last night... she and Alex had been drinking...Then Alex kissed her... and after that, there had been dizziness, the world spinning, sensations of movement, aching pain, and strange pleasure!Oh no—She... she had...Her eyes widened to saucer-like proportions. Wrapping her arms around her chest, she glanced down—"Ahh!"She tumbled off the bed in horror.Someone please tell her—what exactly had happened?!She was completely, utterly naked!"Ahh! Ahh!"Florence felt like screaming at the heavens.Her trembling hands grabbed the blanket to cover herself, but—There was a naked man. Right there. Fully exposed in th
Williams Residence.Lionel checked the time for the tenth time.Could Chloe really have turned into a pig? How could she sleep so much? They had already spent most of the day yesterday in bed, and when he returned from the study last night, she was fast asleep again.What puzzled him more was how she always woke up curled in his arms like a kitten. But this morning, when he opened his eyes, she had her back to him, lying apart from him on the other side of the bed.He didn't like it. Not one bit."Chloe—" Lionel shook her gently. She didn't open her eyes. He placed his hand on her forehead—no fever. She wasn't sick.Suddenly, Lionel noticed her eyelashes trembling. She was awake, pretending to sleep. But why?Frowning, Lionel thought for a moment before swiftly pulling her into a sitting position."What are you doing? Can't I get some sleep?" Chloe grumbled, not even sparing him a glance as she flopped back down to continue sleeping.Lionel's eyes narrowed dangerously. If he couldn't
Lionel's OfficeLionel was engrossed in reviewing documents, with Barton standing silently by his side. Just then, Joanna walked in."Lion…"Joanna called softly."Get out!"Lionel said without looking up, his voice cold and devoid of emotion.Joanna froze, caught between retreating and explaining herself. Her face turned red, then pale, a mix of embarrassment and frustration. Her fingers gripped the fabric of her dress tightly.Glancing at Barton for support, she turned back to Lionel. "I just…""Out! Don't you know to knock before entering my office?"Lionel cut her off icily before she could finish. Barton stood still, expressionless, as though oblivious to the tension in the room."You!"Joanna's face contorted with anger. There was only one person in the world who dared to treat her like this—Lionel!Grinding her teeth, she suppressed the urge to lash out. Exhaling sharply, she stepped out, knocked twic
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