Two hours later, Chloe arrived at Jasper’s school. She got out of the car and hurried to the teachers' building. Upon seeing Jasper next to a little girl who was sobbing uncontrollably, her eyes puffy and discolored, Chloe quickly scanned Jasper and let out a quiet sigh of relief. Thankfully, he appeared unharmed."What's going on here, miss?"Caught off guard, the teacher turned around and asked, "Ms. Chloe? Where's Mr. Joseph?""He's away on a business trip. You can talk to me about any issues."Suddenly, the little girl's sobs escalated into near shrieks. "See, Teacher?! I told you! Jasper's dad is away on a business trip with a woman from his workplace. He’s abandoning Jasper!"‘So that's what happened...’ thought Chloe, her expression changing as she immediately understood the situation. She looked at Jasper and noticed his deepening gaze. The boy was really beginning to resemble his father.The teacher had an awkward expression. "Children say such nonsense. It was Maya's fa
Steve hurriedly nodded in agreement. "Yes, you’re absolutely right. I failed to educate Maya properly, and it has caused you trouble. I’m so sorry."Chloe's expression became one of utter surprise. She had been gearing up for a verbal battle, not expecting him to confess to his faults so easily. This left her puzzled.Hearing Steve’s openness to admitting his errors, the teacher regarded him with newfound respect. She thought, ‘He who understands the times is a great man.’She then said, "Mr. Steve, I think Maya would do well to follow your example and apologize to Jasper for her mistake too.”"Yes, of course," Steve immediately agreed and ushered his daughter forward. He whispered, "Apologize to your classmate, Maya."The little girl was thrown off. She then squawked like an indignant bird, "But Daddy! I was the one who got hit!""Watch your tone, young miss. You are not to speak to me that way." Steve’s expression became stern. "Your mistake is yours alone, and Jasper is in the
Chloe realized that Jasper had misunderstood. After some pondering, she concluded that letting the little boy see for himself that his father was not the man gossip made him out to be would do no harm. Seeing for oneself was certainly more convincing than any explanation she could give. She could sense that Maya’s words had placed a heavy weight on Jasper.Having cleared her work schedule the day before and knowing that Joseph's business trip was not too far away, she figured the trip there was viable. Above all, she wanted to confirm whether Iris was indeed Xavia. She then pulled over, took out her phone, and changed the destination in her navigation app.The rain outside grew heavier, obscuring the windows with streaks of water. Throughout the ride, Jasper was lost in his thoughts, staring quietly out the window. Suddenly, Harold called."So, I heard you got into a fight at school, little one." The old man’s voice was warm and held no judgment.Jasper said in a voice tinged with
In the finance department, the peak workload was already dealt with. With their manager out, staff members were chatting casually."Do you think Iris and Mr. Joseph have reached their destination by now? I wonder what might be happening between them.”"Be careful what you say. The walls have ears.”"Ha! The manager is out, so who’s going to scold me? Didn't you text me about the same thing just last night? We're among friends. What's there to worry about?""What do you think will happen?"A firm, commanding voice that clearly did not belong to anyone in the finance department interjected, instantly quieting the room. All eyes turned toward the door as Patrick wheeled Harold in.Harold zeroed in on the gossipers.One of the employees nervously tried to explain, "Mr. Harold, I was just joking. Please don't be upset.""Yeah, it was just nonsensical chatter."They eyed Harold nervously, fearful for their jobs. They regretted their loose talk.Harold looked at them coldly and said
Iris' eyes flickered. "That should be possible. I've seen Mr. Joseph eating at the small restaurant downstairs before.""Let's head down first. By the time we're back, Mr. Joseph will likely be done, and we can then finish our business.""Got it."After their meal, Iris accepted some takeout from the restaurant owner, grinning as she said, "Thanks."The manager observed her actions and a knowing look crossed her face, yet she held her tongue.Back at the hotel, Iris nonchalantly told the manager, "Ma’am, you've had a long day too. How about you take a rest? I'll bring Mr. Joseph his dinner.""All right, go ahead."The manager watched as Iris walked away, clicking her tongue audibly. 'She looks so innocent and naive. But in reality? This is all a seduction ploy.’Still, Mr. Joseph's recent actions were somewhat perplexing. He might genuinely have an interest in this young lady.*In her room, Iris slipped into a set of pajamas—a white dress with long straps, cut just low enoug
Maybe he was not as unfeeling as she had thought? Was he enchanted by her allure and wished for her to stay?Iris’ wonderings about Joseph's intentions were interrupted when he said, "Set out the meal for me and take out the trash. I hate bad odors lingering in my room."Her eyes narrowed and disbelief crossed her face. A blush of embarrassment filled her cheeks. ‘Is he treating me like some servant? I'm dressed to the nines here! Would it kill him to just look at me? Maybe talk to me a little?'However, objecting was not an option. She had to secure her place at the Whitman Group. Taking a deep breath, Iris obliged. As she bent over to unwrap the takeout, she stole glances at Joseph. He got up from his chair and headed to the water dispenser. She then tilted her shoulder just enough for her coat to slip down, exposing her smooth, porcelain back. He should be able to see it from his vantage point.The next second, Iris felt a cold stare upon her and internally rejoiced. However,
Iris was facing away from him. Although Joseph had seen Xavia's body in her private photos, he could not recall much about her. He needed her to turn around.In a poised and slightly coquettish manner, Iris did not turn around immediately. She wanted to tease him a little. "Sir, what do you think about my figure? Does it please you?" Raising an eyebrow, Joseph rested his chin on his hand and said, "I can’t see anything from this angle. You have to turn around."Iris could not see his expression, but she felt her confidence rise. She felt that he was treating her differently now."Sure. If that's what you want." She opened her arms and gracefully twirled in a circle.Joseph stared at her waist intently, but he could not find any birthmark. Immediately, he lost all interest. He felt he had wasted all that time and did not want to look at her anymore. "Get out," he ordered in a cold voice.Iris was startled and started trembling. She looked at Joseph disappointingly and said, "Wh
“I found some of her hair!" Chloe said excitedly as she blushed. "Where are we doing the test? We need Xavia's DNA too. Can we get it from the police?""I'll contact Tyson later. You hold on to the hair first," Joseph said."But will they come?" Chloe asked, "Will they believe us without conclusive evidence?""Don't worry," Joseph replied, "They will. I'll talk to them. I'm sure they'll come even if there’s only a slight chance. After all, an opportunity for career advancement is something no one would willingly pass up."Chloe hugged Joseph and kissed him on the cheek. "You're the best, Jojo!"Joseph's heart melted as he was overcome with delight. Jasper sat on the side couch, wearing a smile. As long as his parents were happy, he was happy too.Joseph contacted Tyson, but the latter was in the middle of something. Joseph decided to return to Docwood in the evening and have Lucas send Iris' hair to the police station. They would soon learn if Iris was really Xavia. After han