Noah remained as composed as ever. He gazed at Gary disdainfully as if he was looking at a pile of rubbish. Gary's breath quickened as he tightened his grip on Noah's collar. He had never felt so humiliated in his life. Overwhelmed by rage, he raised his hand and punched Noah in the face. \This scenario was reminiscent of their school days, where Noah ranked first in every subject while he was always one spot below him. Despite the slight difference in academic standing, the treatment Gary received was vastly different. Even his own sister had fallen in love with Noah.After graduating, the Snyder family went abroad for development and only came back to Asvand when Tiffany's illness worsened. It was then Noah found him and proposed cooperation in exchange for marrying his sister, and Gary agreed as the deal was profitable.Nonchalantly wiping away the blood from the corner of his mouth, Noah sat on the couch and calmly said, "You should never have coveted something that didn't be
Chloe turned around to glance at the man and said, "No, I came with my family."The young man’s eyes trailed Chloe's fair skin, and he gulped lecherously. He looked around and got closer. "I mean no harm. I just wanna make friends." He was one of the Snyders' distant relatives and stayed overseas. He came back today to attend Tiffany's wedding. Having tired of the women overseas, he now sought to try his luck with those in his home country."I'm married," Chloe replied. The young man was stunned for a moment, then said, "Just spend one night with me. I'll give you 30 thousand dollars. I'm sure your husband won't find out.""30 thousand?" Chloe blinked. "That won’t even buy you one of my eyelashes.""All right, don't push your luck. If you're not interested, just forget it. Quit bragging."This man acknowledged Gary as the most capable and wealthy among the Snyders. The Snyders were not as well off. If Chloe came here with her family, it meant her family knew the Snyders well. Th
Jake felt even more disappointed when he saw how lovely they looked together.Joseph glanced at Jake with his chin slightly raised as he assessed him condescendingly. When Jake met Joseph’s gaze, he froze. He was convinced that Joseph had detected the regret etched on his face. He felt embarrassed and the tips of his ears turned red. Chloe was a remarkable and excellent woman, yet he chose Ava over her. If he was Chloe's husband, he would share in half of Exotic Star's shares. He had made a wrong decision, but what was done could not be undone. Jake quickly averted his gaze and walked away. He was worried that he might lose his composure if he stayed any longer.Chloe paid Jake no heed, only noticing the hand gripping her waist getting tighter and tighter. She glared at Joseph and said in a low voice, "Mr. Ex-husband, can you please let go now? It's not like we're Siamese twins."Joseph stared at her silently, showing no intention of letting go. "Don’t call me that, I don’t like
"Coco, Noah knows he was wrong. He has given back all of Exotic Star's shares." Desmond held out a thick stack of contracts, and he let out a long sigh. Chloe was shocked, looking at Noah in disbelief. Why was he giving back the shares after going to great lengths to take them away? Did he know she had persuaded the board?She calmed herself and turned to look at Desmond. Even though Noah was kneeling, Desmond did not seem angry. Other than disappointment, there were no other emotions on his face. Desmond was the one who built Exotic Star, and Noah had contributed a lot to it throughout the years. At the end of the day, she was the one who got everything easy. When Chloe was downstairs, other than expressing envy over her relationship with Joseph, she also heard people saying that if it were not for the Sullivans, she would be the unwanted daughter of the Johnsons. There would be no chance for her to stand side by side with Joseph.The saddest word in this world was the word “i
When Chloe heard the word “love,” her heart started to race."Did you say you love me?" she asked. Seeing her taking it seriously, Joseph straightened up. He took her hand and gazed at her affectionately. "Yes, I love you, Chloe. I'm absolutely sure that I love you. Will you give me another chance to protect and take care of you?"Chloe remained silent, allowing him to hold her hand. Feeling the warmth from his palm, she suddenly became lost for words. It took her several minutes to come around to her senses, then she asked, "What did you tell my grandfather? Why has his view of you changed so drastically?" Joseph smiled and placed her hand on his cheek. "I just made him a promise.""A promise?""Yes." "What about?""I'll tell you when the time is right," Joseph said, his gaze intense and his voice firm. "I just let Mr. Desmond know that I have the ability to protect you and, at the same time, protect Exotic Star. I can help you regain control of the company, and even if the
“By the way, my teacher's boyfriend proposed today, Daddy. He made a large pool with fresh flowers and even put up a lot of candles. It was so pretty. You should really learn from him. I heard that women like romantic gestures."Joseph refuted, "A little boy like you doesn’t know anything. Just go to bed."The sleepy Jasper could barely keep his eyes open. He muttered something and obediently returned to his bedroom. "Buy all the roses in Docwood. I need them tomorrow," Joseph instructed Lucas on the phone.Glancing at the wall clock, Lucas saw that it was two o'clock in the morning. Sleepy and befuddled, he smiled bitterly and agreed, "Okay, Mr. Joseph."Employees always suffered, and tomorrow was the weekend too. Lucas could not do anything about it as he had to earn more money for his marriage. He found himself quite lucky in comparison with his former university mates. They could not even afford the down payment for a house after working for so many years.Wait… Joseph said
"No, it'd be awkward if I’m discovered." The woman waved and hugged the heavy bag of groceries she had just bought from a supermarket. Staring at the flowers, jealousy overwhelmed her. She thought of divorcing her husband and finding a new one."Just take them. They'll just wither anyway," someone suddenly said, shocking the woman. Turning around, the woman found herself looking at Chloe. She turned beet red and waved, explaining, "We were just kidding! We don’t steal flowers!" The onlookers' attention was attracted to this commotion, including Jasper. The little boy’s eyes sparkled, and he trotted over to Chloe."These flowers are for you, Mommy. I wish you happiness and health every day,” he said as he beamed at her.Chloe was touched. She accepted Jasper’s bouquet and bent down in front of him. "Are you giving me these on your dad's behalf?""No, these are from me. Do you like them?" The flowers Jasper had bought were not as abundant as Joseph's, but he had to give her some
Chloe silently listened to Joseph’s sincere repentance. When he met her gaze, he guessed the outcome of this and bitterness overwhelmed him. Contrary to the business field, he felt desperate and grief-stricken when he failed in love.Nonetheless, he consoled her to avoid pressuring her. "It's okay. Just follow your heart. We have a way long to go, so there’s no rush—""I'll give you one last chance," Chloe interrupted.Her words caught Joseph off guard. Thinking he had misheard her, he stared at her, looking rather silly. Chloe was amused and pinched his cheeks. "Silly goose. You’re gonna embarrass yourself if others see you this way."A few seconds later, Joseph smiled wholeheartedly. He picked Chloe up and danced along the petal-covered path, expressing his joy like a child.The shocked Chloe punched his chest. "What are you doing? You scared me!" "I'm over the moon, Chloe!" Joseph stopped and looked down at her, trying to suppress his excitement. "There's nothing more exhil
After Chloe calmed herself, she realized that the place she was in resembled the villa she lived in while overseas five years ago. However, upon closer inspection, the exterior scenery was different. She realized something and froze."Did you build a villa identical to the one I stayed in five years ago?" she asked.Noah was busy bandaging himself. Upon hearing her question, he replied, "Yeah, doesn't it look almost identical?"Chloe's gaze swept over every item in the room, and she admitted that she was touched. She turned back to Noah and looked at him gently as if she had returned to the time when she simply treated him as a little brother."How did you convince Tiffany to cooperate with you?"Tiffany had made her move while Noah distracted Desmond."I just told her about it, and she agreed."Chloe asked, "Do you think you’re treating her fairly?"Noah said flatly, "I’ll compensate her."Compensate? How? Chloe thought that youth was the most precious thing in the world, but
In the Whitman family home, Joseph went to deal with a bunch of urgent company matters after putting Jasper to sleep. By the time he finished, it was already past three in the morning. He contemplated calling Chloe to ask about Noah's situation, but thinking it might disrupt her sleep, he abandoned the idea.When Joseph woke up the next day, it was already half past six. He recalled Chloe mentioning that Exotic Star had a new product launching today and that she would have to wake up early. He reached for his phone on the table, intending to call her.However, his hand slipped and the phone fell to the floor. The loud thud caused his heart to tremble. He stared at the shattered phone screen as he got a bad feeling. He grabbed his spare phone and quickly dialed Chloe's number. After ringing for some time, a cold, mechanical voice informed him that there was no one available to answer at the moment. Without hesitation, he immediately headed to the Sullivan Manor. When Joseph got ther
“Yes, Grandpa, and I hope you won't stop me when the time comes," Noah said. "You're not discussing this with me. You're just informing me!" Desmond said exasperatedly. "I'm sorry, Grandpa.”Desmond hemmed and hawed for a long while, at a loss for words. He seemed to age ten years as he stared into the distance through the window. After a while, he said, "I've already had someone contact doctors abroad regarding your condition, so don't worry. All you have to do now is just focus on recovering. Don't give up so soon."Sensing Desmond's determination, Noah's eyes filled with tears. He too wished to spend a few more years with his grandfather.When they arrived at the Sullivan manor, the foreign doctors had replied. Upon learning that the renowned healer, Z, had treated Noah but only achieved limited success, they decided not to intervene.Noah was not discouraged by this. He comforted Desmond and said, "Grandpa, I would like to go abroad for a few days. It's been a long time sin
Half an hour later, Desmond and Noah walked out of the ward together.Desmond said, "The doctor told you to stay in the hospital for a few more days, so why don't you just listen? If something happens to you again, they can treat you immediately."Noah smiled warmly and said, "It's okay. The medical equipment at home is sufficient."Desmond sighed. It would be good if Noah stayed at home as well. At least there would be more pairs of eyes on him.Desmond instructed the driver to come to the hospital’s basement car park. When he hung up the phone, he looked around the corridor and wondered, "Wasn't Chloe just sitting here? Where is she?"Noah did not say anything and just lowered his head."And where's Tiffany too? Call her. We need to go home," Desmond said as he took his phone out to call Chloe.However, Chloe did not answer his call. Noah did not call Tiffany. Instead, he said, "Her brother had something to discuss with her, so he came by and brought her home. Maybe Chloe ha
Chloe looked at Tiffany and said sarcastically, "Not everyone is willing to contribute their entire life knowing that the other person doesn't like them."Tiffany had a heart problem. She might die at any moment, yet she chose to live around someone who did not love her back. Chloe often marveled at the greatness of love, but she would never possess such a sacrificial spirit.Tiffany laughed coldly. "It’s because I have compassion and you don't. When Xavia died before your eyes, you just coldly stared at her body."Chloe raised her head sharply, glared at Tiffany, and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Xavia took my child, stole my man, and wrecked my marriage! She nearly got me killed several times! If she hadn’t died, it might have been me! I should've celebrated her death with fireworks! None of you know what I've been through, so stop pointing fingers at me!"At first, she had felt responsible for Xavia's death, but she had since come to her senses. Xavia's death had nothing to
Desmond was taken aback that he even forgot his cane and almost tripped on the carpet. He quickly got back up and headed for the second floor. The butler immediately called for an ambulance while the other housekeepers guided the panicked guests away.Chloe furrowed her brows, following Desmond into Noah's bedroom. The curtains were drawn tightly, blocking out all light. But just standing at the door, one could detect the strong scent of rust from inside.A helper flipped a switch, and the room was flooded with light. The wooden furniture was neatly arranged while neatly folded clothes sat on the sofa.Chloe looked around but did not see Noah. She then looked toward the bathroom and her face sank.Tiffany pointed to the bathroom and said, "He's in there."Desmond trembled as he pushed open the bathroom door. Inside was a mess, with red stains covering the floor. Noah was in the bathtub, his wet clothes clinging to his body. His arms hung limply over the tub's edge, and his head sl
Chloe did not know how to answer."Say something. You wanted her dead, right? Are you happy now that she is dead?!” Kenneth shouted angrily at her, his eyes bloodshot and his gaze piercing.He was so loud that it drew the attention of many nearby. Callum and Joseph rushed over, and Joseph shielded Chloe behind him. He pushed Kenneth back several steps and said sternly, "Never speak of that woman in front of Chloe again. Otherwise, there'll be consequences!""Hah! Are you protecting a murderer?" Kenneth laughed. "Oh yeah, you’re both responsible for Xavia's death after all."Smack!Callum slapped Kenneth across the face, instantly silencing him. "Get a grip, Ken! Xavia deserved to die. Stop embarrassing yourself in front of Chloe.”Kenneth held his face as he muttered, "Yeah, you're right… Xavia should’ve died. She was evil. She deceived and took advantage of me… She should die..."Then why was he so tormented over her death? He could not sleep or eat. He knew Xavia deserved th
Joseph frowned. "Of course not. Her death has nothing to do with you. Promise me you won’t think such thoughts."The unexpected turn of events caught both Chloe and him off guard. Xavia clearly wanted to haunt Chloe forever by killing herself in front of her. Although he felt shocked, he was not deeply shaken. After all, he had not witnessed Xavia's jump, and Xavia probably thought that the third floor was not enough to kill her. After all, being in the hospital for treatment was better than being detained by the police.Chloe looked at Joseph with vacant eyes and smiled bitterly. "You're right. It’s good that she's finally dead. She got what she deserved, and I should be happy," she said."Exactly. Even if she didn't jump, the police would’ve arrested her," Joseph said gently, "It's my fault for asking you to buy us some time. If she comes back as a ghost to haunt you, I'll stop her."Joseph, Tyson, and a few officers had arrived just moments after Xavia jumped. He had brought a g
Everyone erupted into gasps. As a deafening crash came from below, the staff scattered. Some ran downstairs to try and rescue Iris. Some who had rushed to the windows shouted anxiously, "She's still alive!"Everyone around Chloe was running as her mind was filled with an endless ringing. The whole world became a blur. She never imagined that things would end like this. The meeting hall was on the third floor. It was not too high, but it could be fatal if one were to land on their head. Everyone's accusatory gaze fell on Chloe, and the crowd started to murmur."Damn, how could she do this to Iris? Do you think she’ll be haunted by nightmares tonight?""Yeah, why does she insist that Iris is Xavia?""What if Iris dies? Won’t Ms. Chloe indirectly become a murderer?""Do you think Iris will come for revenge in the middle of the night when she dies?"Something inside Chloe snapped, and she shouted, "It wasn't me! What she did has nothing to do with me!"Her outburst silenced the ro