Kenneth was caught off guard, and his gaze became shifty. "What are you talking about?”"You kidnapped Zoelle, didn't you? The kidnappers were your men," Chloe stated firmly while looking at Kenneth with a mocking gaze.Kenneth naively thought that his scheme had been flawless. Besides, the kidnapping had been more than a month ago. He had not expected Chloe to still be on about it.He glanced at their surroundings through the corners of his eyes. Seeing there were many upper echelons around them, he hastily whispered, "Let's talk in the car."Chloe rejected, "No, thank you.” After taking a deep breath, Kenneth said in a controlled tone, "There are too many people here."Joseph's eyes were cold. He said softly, but loud enough for the surrounding people to hear, "Oh, wow. The prince is so shameless." At that statement, the other guests of the charity gala stopped conversing and looked toward the trio as they started whispering among themselves."Hey, is there something going
Callum glanced at Joseph, then closed his eyes to suppress his anger. "Don't tell me this is related to Xavia."It was already a crime that Kenneth had helped Xavia escape at the airport, and Callum would have punished Kenneth if it were not for Carolina's pleading. If Kenneth had made another mistake so soon…Kenneth did not think things through and stammered, "Father, I… I…"Enraged, Callum demanded, "You what?!""Well…" Joseph chimed in light-heartedly and chuckled. "Kenneth gave you a grandson." Callum’s breath hitched and felt like slapping his rebellious son. "You met with Xavia?"Kenneth had promised to cut contact with Xavia, but he seemed to have forgotten his promise after just a few months. Kenneth quickly denied, "No, I didn't. I just gave her a fake ID and helped her leave Docwood to settle down in a small town and get ready for the delivery.""Get out of my sight!" Callum fumed with anger. "Go to the solitary confinement room now!"Being locked up in solitary c
The woman realized that Chloe was looking at her, so she lifted her head and smiled at her. "All done here, sir. I'll be leaving now," she said respectfully before stepping out of the office.As soon as the woman closed the door, Chloe asked, "I’ve never seen her here.”Joseph replied, "She’s a recent hire. The former finance personnel were imprisoned for embezzlement.""Were you the one who interviewed and hired her?""No, HR did that," Joseph answered, "Why do you ask?"Chloe said a little skeptically, "You seem to treat her differently from other employees."Frowning in confusion, Joseph asked, "How do I treat her any differently?""You don't like people getting too close to you, right? But her hair just brushed against your neck.""That’s all?"Chloe was stunned, but she suppressed her anger and smiled at him. "That’s all? Are you implying that I'm making a fuss out of nothing? Ask yourself, why would a person who doesn't like others getting close to them be okay with this
"What beans? I just wanted to treat you and Joseph to a meal," Zoelle said as she looked around the restaurant. "I didn’t think you'd choose such a small place. You’re saving me a lot of money."Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Really now?"Zoelle tilted her head. "Really."Joseph placed a pair of utensils in front of Chloe and asked, "Are you looking for Vince?"Zoelle was stunned for a moment, then quickly composed herself. "Why would I be looking for him? He and I aren’t that close."Joseph chuckled in response. "Oh yeah, not that close. You two just had sex once.”Having heard about the “affair” between Zoelle and Vince, Chloe smiled mischievously and added, "Not close at all.""You two are overthinking it," Zoelle said, "I already bought an evening flight out of the country and will be leaving today. Treating you two to lunch is to express my gratitude for saving my life."In the next second, she raised her voice and continued, "But you and I both know I was kidnapped for no reas
Chloe’s eyes widened in surprise. "Are you sure she had plastic surgery?""Positive. From an ordinary person’s perspective, she looks pretty natural, but as someone in the medical field, I notice certain details.”Just as Chloe was about to say something, Joseph coldly remarked, "Don't gossip about others."Chloe frowned and Zoelle was stunned.Staring at him, Chloe asked, "Why can't we gossip about her?""Because she's my employee."He felt obligated to protect the woman's reputation.Chloe's face sank. The way he said "my employee" sounded similar to how he said “my woman."She questioned, "What's the matter? Did we say something wrong? If she dares to get plastic surgery, she should be prepared for people to talk about it."While gossiping behind someone's back was not right, who could guarantee they would never gossip? One could just ignore the gossip or broach it with an open mind.Joseph sighed helplessly. Not realizing the gravity of the situation, he said, "What's wro
Suddenly, the colleagues felt a chill down their spine. They turned around and were shocked to see Chloe. They stammered, "M-Ms. Chloe!"Chloe ignored them and went straight upstairs, leaving the group dumbfounded."Oh my gosh, did we just mess up big time?""We didn’t just mess up. I think we jumped into the fucking fire.""But I didn't mean it. Even though Iris is pretty, she's not as pretty as Ms. Chloe."Iris' face carried a mature charm. She was attractive in her own way, but she seemed older than her actual age. Chloe, on the other hand, was stunning and could pull off various styles. "Even though we didn't mean it, we were done for the moment Ms. Chloe overheard us. I think we should prepare to resign."In the office, Joseph was pleasantly surprised to see Chloe. He quickly let go of his mouse and stood up to approach her. However, she simply walked past him, picked up her tablet from the desk, and turned to leave.Joseph grabbed her wrist and asked in confusion, "Why a
Joseph darted after Chloe, but when he caught up with her, the elevator doors had just slid shut. He was forced to wait for the next one.Outside the Whitman Group building, a group of athletic students was enjoying some ice pops. One observant young man noticed Chloe rushing out and signaled to his friends, "Now there’s a beauty.""Wow, she really is a looker. Her skin is fair and tender, and she's slim but not too thin. She's just my type.""Go get her number, buddy. A lot of older women are into cute younger men. Did you see the branded handbag she was carrying? She’s definitely a high-ranking executive."One of the boys with a crew cut focused intently on Chloe, assessing her attire. If he could get acquainted with a woman like her, his campus life would undoubtedly become a lot more comfortable.Finishing off his ice pop, he stood up and confidently walked toward Chloe. Raising his arms to make a basketball-shooting pose, he greeted her, "Hello, miss."Chloe halted, her face
"There’s no need for that. She didn't make any mistakes."Joseph's brows relaxed. "Then—"Before he could finish his sentence, Chloe continued with a smile, "My giving my number to someone has nothing to do with you, Mr. Joseph."Joseph's expression sank again.*When Lucas knocked on Joseph's office door to show him the itinerary, he got no response. Thinking there was no one inside, he went in, intending to place the schedule on the desk for Joseph to review. But the moment he pushed open the door, he was met with a pair of icy eyes that froze him in place.Lucas shivered and smiled awkwardly. "Sir, I didn't know you were in..."The atmosphere was tense, and Joseph's gaze remained cold. Not daring to probe further, Lucas tactfully left behind the itinerary and went about his business. After checking the lobby entrance's surveillance footage, Lucas finally understood why Joseph looked so grim.Someone had tried to woo Chloe.Being familiar with Joseph's thoughts after working
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