Oh, so Julian thought I was bullying Chloe again.But then why hadnât he been willing to publicly claim her just moments ago?Maybe my head still wasnât fully rightâbecause no matter how I looked at it, I couldnât understand what went on in these menâs minds.After failing to get a reaction from me, Chloe immediately turned her attention to Miles.Her voice remained soft and delicate, the kind that would stir pity in any normal man.That was Chloeâs talentâshameless persistence and the ability to play the victim at any given moment.I heard her say, "Mr. Wynn, Iâve admired you for a long time. I never expected you to be even more handsome and charismatic in person than the rumors suggest."Miles responded with a simple, indifferent "Mm."Not discouraged, Chloe continued, "Mr. Wynn, youâve accomplished so much at such a young age. I truly envy Miss WhiteâĶ She always seems to have a way of finding men like you."I nearly choked on my tea.Barely restraining my disgust, I lowered my eyes.
The lounge was elegantly arranged, offering floral arrangement stations, live acoustic performances, and even a mahjong area, clearly designed for high-profile female guests.Familiar with these types of settings, I quietly selected a floral arrangement station and began assembling a bouquet, focusing on the delicate balance of colors and textures.Before long, Chloe sauntered over gracefully.Her cheeks were flushed, likely from the alcohol she had consumed during dinner.I glanced at her briefly but continued with my arrangement.She sat beside me, watching with a half-smile, studying me for a long moment.I finally asked, "Do you need something?"Chloe let out a soft laugh. "Miss White, I admit, I underestimated you."Snipping the stem of a flower, I replied indifferently, "Miss Clarke, if you have something to say, just say it."She exhaled and leaned in slightly. "One hundred million. Iâll convince Julian to give it to you. In exchange, you sign the divorce agreement amicably."I
Julian let out a cold snort. "You were always jealous of herâspreading rumors, threatening her. Youâve done plenty of terrible things. This is just another one of your usual tricks."I was completely numb to his accusations by now.Turning to the attendants, I said calmly, "Go check the security footage. That should clear everything up."At those words, Julianâs expression shifted slightly, and Chloeâs face paled with obvious guilt.Immediately, she threw herself into Julianâs arms. "Julian, just let it go, okay? Itâs just a small cut. Maybe Miss White didnât mean to do it. She probably just slipped and accidentally hurt me."She turned to me, her voice soft and pitiful. "Right, Miss White?"I remained expressionless. "Thatâs not for me to say. After all, Mr. Moore already decided I was guilty before seeing any proof."Chloe quickly latched onto Julian again. "Julian, there are so many important people here tonight. My injury isnât worth making a big deal over. Really, it was my own
As they walked away, their figures looked somewhat pathetic.Edmund shook his head. âSigh, he really canât afford to lose.âRobert let out a sigh. âThat woman of Julianâs is too restless.âMiles turned to the two elders and said, âMr. Moore is actually quite capable, but when it comes to relationships, he seems to lack some judgment.âEdmund chuckled. âIf he canât even see through something this simple, how can anyone expect him to handle something bigger?âRobert nodded. âI used to think Julian was bold and ambitious, but now it seems he still lacks some depth.âThe two men exchanged a look and shook their heads at the same time.Something stirred in me, and I turned to look at Miles.His expression remained neutral. He was still speaking in Julianâs defense, butâĶAfter what had just happened, Julianâs long-standing reputation in the business world was bound to take a hit.Who was the smartest person here?Suddenly, I felt like Miles was more of a silent hunter, quietly waiting for h
She looked around in terror at the pitch-black road.She was too scared to notice earlier, but now she realized Julian had driven them onto a winding mountain road. There wasnât a soul in sight for miles in either direction.Julian remained unmoved. âGet out.âChloeâs sobs grew louder. âJulian, I wonât! If youâre angry, you can yell at me, hit me if you want, but why bring me here just to scare me? PleaseââShe reached for him, trying to tug at his arm, pleading desperately.Julian shoved her away roughly. She almost slammed into the car window, letting out a muffled gasp of pain, but despite the blow, she still clung to him, refusing to let go.Without another word, Julian stepped out of the car, walked around, and yanked open the passenger door.His face was grim as he grabbed Chloe and dragged her out of the car.Her hair fell loose as she collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.âJulian, I was wrong! I was wrong! I wonât do it again. Please, just let this go.âShe begged
"So, Evelyn started acting out like crazy. She questioned my whereabouts and argued with me..." Julian's eyes flickered with regret. "I shouldn't have treated her that way. I knew she lacked a sense of security. I knew how small she felt in this relationship..."Chloe snapped back to her senses and screamed, "So what are you telling me? That you love her? No, are you saying youâve always loved her? That you never loved me?"Julian stared at her with disgust. "Isnât it obvious? You donât love me either. Since you donât love me, why should I love you?"Chloe broke down. "You donât love me, yet you bought me so many things? Gave me so much money? No, Julian, you must love me! You can only love me!"Julianâs voice was ice-cold. "You kept provoking Evelyn, pushing her to the edge, forcing her to make a fool of herself, chasing after me, begging for reconciliation, only to fight again once we got back together. You just wanted her to leave me, didnât you?"You donât love meâyou just canât
My chest fluttered. I lifted my head. He smiled and asked, "What's wrong?" I mumbled something under my breath. He didnât catch it. "What did you say?" Annoyed, I turned and walked away. "Be careful. Iâll pick you up for dinner tomorrow." I didnât even look back. "No, Iâm sick of eating out every day." He chuckled. "Then where do you want to go? Iâll plan something." I had already run quite a distance, but hearing that, I couldnât help glancing back. He was leaning casually against the car, long legs crossed effortlessly, hands tucked into his pockets. He watched me with a smile, the night breeze playing with the strands of his hair, making a few stray locks dance across his forehead. Under the glow of the streetlights, shadows flickered across his faceâdeep and soft, an achingly beautiful sight. I stood there, momentarily spellbound. He waved. "Go on, Iâll watch until youâre upstairs." My face burned as I spun around and hurried inside. ... The next mo
I let out a wry laugh. A hopeless warrior for love?I said, "I know you're mocking me, but right now, I feel like a corpse thatâs barely holding itself together."Dolly laughed and patted my shoulder. "Well, this whole mess works in your favor. Just sit back and let them tear each other apart."I shook my head. "Thatâs not going to happen. Julian wonât fight back. He has too much self-control for that."Dolly frowned. "Why not?"I forced another laugh. "You already said it yourself that I spent five years pushing his limits, making a scene, and he never budged. âDo you really think heâs going to be fazed by Chloe throwing a tantrum? Heâll probably just tell her to stop making a fuss."Dolly was stunned for a second before bursting into laughter, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes. She gave me a thumbs-up. "Eve, youâre finally catching on."...After Dollyâs chaotic wake-up call, I had no hope of going back to sleep. So, I freshened up quickly and headed to breakfast.Curiosi
But what did she say?Julianâs grip tightened around the charm, his fingers curling into it as pain filled his eyes...."Julian, I know thereâs nothing I can do for youâĶ Just keep this charm. They say the priest there is the real deal. Youâre not supposed to throw it away once itâs been blessed.""Julian, I donât care if you ever become rich or powerful. I just want you to be safe."That foolish woman had clutched the charm in her hands, smiling at him with such innocence and blind faith....The knot dug into his palm, sharp enough to hurt. Julian opened his hand, then closed it tightly around it again.Chloe, who had been rambling on, finally noticed something was off.She caught sight of the charm in his hand and scoffed. "What is that? It looks so tacky."She reached over, trying to take a closer look.Julian quickly slipped it into the inside pocket of his suit jacket.Chloeâs eyes narrowed. "Did she give you that?"He started the car, his voice flat. "No. I got it myself. Some p
Julian looked at me, confused.I took a deep breath. "Julian, stop. I know why you're apologizing. You're doing this for Chloeâs child, right? You just donât want things to get ugly."He lowered his head, then gave a small nod. "Yes, thatâs part of it... but I reallyâĶ"I cut him off quickly. "Donât. Goodbye, Mr. Moore."Without looking back, I turned and got into the car.Miles noticed something was off the moment he saw my face. "What did he say?"I steadied myself. "He wants to settle everything privately. He doesnât want it to go to court."Miles glanced toward Julianâs lonely figure in the distance, his eyes flickering."You okay?" he asked.I shook my head. "Iâm fine."He paused, then handed me a tissue. "If it hurts, just cry."I looked at him, my eyes dry. "I canât cry. But why do I still feel so awful?"His gaze softened. "Julian's pulling all this to protect his pride because of Chloeâs child, isnât he?"I drew in a shaky breath. "Yeah. He apologized, but in the end, itâs still
Julian's expression darkened as he stared at me. "Evelyn, I thought you said you loved me? And yet here you are with Miles alreadyâwhat, were you two sneaking around while we were together?"Without thinking, I slapped him.He grabbed my wrist, sneering coldly. "Did I strike a nerve?"I laughed in anger. "I shouldnât have let Miles in the car earlier. If I hadnât, the one slapping you right now wouldâve been him."Julian let go of my hand and said coolly, "Enough nonsense. Evelyn, dragging this to court would just be a spectacle. After five years of marriage, I donât want things to end like this."Was he trying to reconcile?I forced down my fury and asked, "What do you have in mind?"Julian hesitated, his gaze complicated. "Iâll return everything that belongs to you... just give me some time."I was stunned.I hadnât expected Julian, who always seemed so tough, to willingly give up fighting and hand over what I deserved.I went quiet. "Alright. How much time do you need?"Julian tugged
Julian blurted out, âWhat?!âThen, snapping out of his shock, his face twisted with fury. âMiles Wynn, what the hell do you mean by that?!âMiles smiled, calm and unbothered. âNothing more than the truth.âJulianâs voice rose, livid. âTruth? This is nothing but one of your dirty tricks!âMiles raised a brow, pretending to be confused. âDirty? Hmm. Iâd actually call it a fresh idea.âJulianâs already dark expression grew stormier.Chloe stood beside him, jaw clenched, eyes locked on us with thinly veiled rage. Suddenly, she cut in sharply, âBut wasnât it Miss White who transferred the 1.2 million to Elmwood?âDolly stepped forward without missing a beat. âThat money was loaned to Eve by me. Got a problem with that?âThat shut them both up.I felt a wave of satisfaction rise in my chest. But I also knew Julian wasnât going to let this slide so easily.Sure enough, he turned to me, eyes cold. âEve, this is going to court anyway. You can spin the story however you want. Weâll see what the
The moment I saw that elegant, refined face, so striking it felt almost divine, every bit of the frustration Iâd buried surged to the surface.Without a second thought, I rushed into his arms. âMiles!âWarmth enveloped me, and the familiar clean scent of pine wrapped around my senses. My eyes stung instantly.Miles lowered his head, chuckling softly. âWhatâs wrong? You look like a little bunny with those red eyes.âFeeling embarrassed, I gave his chest a light smack. âWhy are you here?âHe studied my face carefully, then gently brushed his fingers across my cheek. âI heard someone was picking on my darling, so I came running.âThat warmth spread through my chest, overflowing, making it hard to hold back tears.He leaned down, his voice low in my ear. âDonât cry, silly girl.âThen he straightened and looked around the room.His gaze passed over Sarah and Dolly, finally landing on Julian.Julian instinctively straightened his back.He stepped forward, voice laced with sarcasm. âWhat brin
I turned to Sarah with an apologetic expression. âIâm sorry, Miss Care. It seems Iâm not in a position to work with your company until I sort out my personal matters.âSarah shook her head regretfully. âPlease donât apologize. Our company is moving forward with expansion this year. Weâve already allocated the available investment slots. If you decide not to investâĶ weâll have to open the opportunity to others.âShe gave me a sympathetic look. âIâm sorry, Miss White. But once this window closes, there will be no further opportunity.âI offered a bitter smile and nodded. âI understand.âDolly was so angry, she could barely hold back a choked sob. âThat shameless bastardâĶ absolutely shameless!âI squeezed her hand, silently telling her it was time to go.Julian stepped in front of us, blocking the way. His expression was conflicted, and when he spoke, his voice was softer than Iâd ever heard it.âEve, maybe we can talk this through.ââJulian, youâĶ youâre still not done?â Chloeâs voice r
The moment I heard those words, a rush of blood surged to my head.My ears rang, and that all-too-familiar wave of dizziness came crashing back.I barely registered Dolly's voice rising in fury. âJulian Moore, do you have no shame? You really dare say that was marital property?! Eve paid for it herself! YouâĶ you're absolutely disgusting!âI could barely stay on my feet, the world tilting around me.âDollyâĶ IâĶâ I whispered weakly.She quickly caught me and helped me sit down.I took a few deep breaths to steady myself, then looked up at Julian. And for a split second, though maybe it was the dizziness playing tricks on me, I thought I saw a flicker of concern flash through his eyes.Sarah noticed something was off and immediately stepped in. âMiss White, donât worry. We can take this slowly.âI fought to calm my pounding heart and spoke, voice steady but cold. âWhat exactly is it that you want, Mr. Moore?âJulian hesitated for a moment, but soon the polished businessman returned to his
She was the one with the real foresight, not me. But now, just to help me leave a good impression on Sarah, she gave me all the credit.Sarah looked at me and smiled thoughtfully. âTurns out people really can change. To be honest, three years ago, I didnât have the best impression of you, Miss White.âI felt a twinge of guilt. âWas I arrogant back then? Iâm sorryâĶâShe shook her head. âNo, it wasnât arrogance. It wasâĶ well, your reputation at the time. Letâs just say it wasnât great. âWithin our team, your sponsorship actually stirred up a lot of debate. Some people felt it wasnât a good look to accept money from someone with such a controversial name.âI cringed. âAh... I see.âShe went on. âBut others argued that if someone had the money and was willing to help us through a rough patch, weâd be fools not to take it.âThe discomfort on my face deepened.So even a struggling little startup like Elmwood had once hesitated to take my money. My reputation back then mustâve really been
The moment Julian spoke, Chloe broke into even louder sobs, tears streaming down her cheeks like a porcelain doll cracked beyond repair.Dolly gave a cold laugh, then tugged my arm. âCome on. This place is suffocating.âWe turned to leave.âWait!â Julian called out.I stopped and glanced back, frowning.He looked like he wanted to warn me and say something sharp but seemed to realize this wasnât the time or place.In the end, all he could manage was, âEve, donât take it out on Chloe. Think about the baby.âI gave a short, cold laugh. âThe baby? Whose baby?âHis face flushed, then paled. âEve, donât be so... unreasonableâĶâThe last word came out weak and guilty.I smiled. If Julian had changed at all since I lost my memory, this was itâheâd gone from brazenly cheating and blaming me to fumbling through half-hearted defenses, too ashamed to even meet my eyes.I didnât bother wasting another second on him. âMr. Moore, instead of lecturing me, maybe ask your precious Chloe why she came al