After ending a three-month business trip early, Chloe Johnson headed straight to Jake Cooper's apartment, excited to surprise him.Just as she entered her fingerprint and opened the door, her smile froze and her heart sank. There were clothes scattered everywhere from the entrance to the living room, and there were even suggestive noises coming from the bedroom.She was being cheated on!When the realization hit her, Chloe's blood turned cold as she walked step by step toward the source of the sounds.The people in the room were shocked to find someone standing at the door of the bedroom and quickly grabbed a nearby blanket to cover themselves.Seeing the two panicking, Chloe's mind went blank. Her stomach churned and she felt nauseous. She had thought of all the bad outcomes, but she never imagined that Jake would cheat on her with her half-sister!She forced herself to calm down and said, "I demand an explanation.""Coco…" Jake could not meet her gaze and took a deep breath. "
The man stared at Chloe briefly before withdrawing his gaze.He seemed aloof and cold.Chloe stared at his back and whispered to Emily, "You go on ahead. I'm going to ask him for his number."Emily's eyes widened and she asked, "Are you going to complain to him about Jake?""Getting revenge with your own two hands is much more fun than asking other people to do it for you," Chloe said, her glassy eyes twinkling playfully.Emily did not know what she was talking about. It was only after she returned to their booth that she realized what Chloe was going to do. However, she did not deny the fact that Jake's uncle was a fine specimen, but the unknown handsome guy in front of him was clearly the better option.It seemed to Emily that Chloe was willing to go to the extreme in order to get it back at Jake.With the alcohol rushing to her head, Chloe let down her ponytail, picked up a glass of wine, and walked toward the man. Unexpectedly, the phone on the table suddenly rang. He picked
Chloe suspected that was hallucinating and instinctively rubbed her ears before directing her gaze toward the man once again.Yet, his countenance remained unchanged as he calmly observed her.With a sparkle in her eyes, Chloe's determination grew stronger. "To be frank, I'm not interested in sex."After witnessing what she had seen earlier in the day, she developed some emotional scars when it came to that aspect.The man frowned slightly as he scrutinized her face with a cold stare. Nonetheless, Chloe stood tall, unflinching under his gaze. He then withdrew his gaze and commanded coldly, "Get in the car."Once in the car, Chloe could not contain her excitement and messaged Emily.[Chloe: Em, don't wait for me. I'm on my way with Jake's uncle to meet his parents!][Emily: You never fail to surprise me, Coco. Your relationship is moving faster than a rocket!]In the high-end VIP ward of the hospital, Harold Whitman lay on the bed and excitedly looked Chloe up and down."May I
When Karen reached Chloe, she patted her daughter’s back and consoled her, "Don't be angry, Coco. I've already scolded Ava.“You're her younger sister. Of course, she only wants the best for you.”"I'm sorry, Coco. I'll call off the engagement tomorrow," Ava said, her lovely eyes shimmering with tears. She looked like she was a victim of Chloe's unreasonable claims."Although we can't force someone to love us and since you like him, as your older sister, I shouldn't have gotten too close to him..."Getting dumped by Jake had hurt, but Ava's words felt like salt in a wound. Chloe was enraged as she hissed, "Too close? You mean sleep with him?""That's enough!" Benjamin could not take it anymore and shouted in anger. "The engagement will proceed as planned. The invitations have already been sent out. I can't afford to become the laughingstock of the city like you!""But I'm only telling the truth!"Chloe's eyes turned red as she pointed at Karen, emphasizing every word that spille
The next afternoon.After Benjamin and the others left home, Chloe packed her belongings and brought it and her identity card to the agreed location. When Joseph saw the luggage in her hand, he asked, "Are you moving?"Chloe did not answer his question and instead said, "I can marry you but I need a temporary place to stay.""And?""That's all."Joseph clenched his hands and his voice turned cold. "Don't expect me to give you anything beyond money."He could not ignore the fact that women always viewed marriage as something sacred and beautiful. This woman must want other benefits in exchange for it. He did not believe that she did not want anything at all.As if she could read his mind, Chloe offered him a sweet smile and teased, "Mr. Joseph, nothing in this world is absolute. What if you accidentally fall in love with me first?"Just because she ran into a scumbag did not mean no one was interested in her. She was popular among the boys and had many suitors since childhood.
The driver noticed Chloe's concerns and explained, "Mr. Joseph just returned to the country recently. There’s no other place for him to stay other than the ancestral mansion so he temporarily purchased this house. If you mind it, I can talk to him.""No, no, I don't mind!" She forgot that Joseph had been living abroad for many years. It was normal for him not to have a house here. When she gave it a second thought, living under the same roof seemed like a good option to foster closer ties.As soon as the driver left, Chloe picked up her suitcase and walked into the bedroom next to Joseph's.At half past five in the afternoon, she finished unpacking. She went to the living room and scanned the place. The villa was minimally decorated, with only the essentials for living and there was a lot of sparse, empty space. As the driver had mentioned, it looked like Joseph had just recently moved in.Chloe's eyes fell on the refrigerator. When she opened it, she found that it was fully stocke
Panicked, Chloe quickly exited the food delivery app and began chopping vegetables."Almost ready! Patience is a virtue when it comes to savoring the finest cuisine!"Joseph did not say anything and returned to the study with a cup of water. If he had not seen the burnt broccoli on the table, he might have believed her.Chloe had to admit that food delivery apps were one of the greatest inventions of the 21st century. She transferred all the food from the takeout container onto plates and arranged them nicely. After that, she hid the containers and the bag so that Joseph would not see them.After everything was done, she shouted, "Dinner's ready. Come and eat!"The two sat facing each other at the dining table. Chloe watched Joseph nervously, and she secretly breathed a sigh of relief when she did not see his handsome face frown.As good as food delivery apps were, the truth could not be hidden forever. She knew she had to take the time to enroll herself in some cooking classes a
Joseph watched Chloe trying to make excuses for him despite her pain. His gaze deepened, but no one could tell what he was thinking.Upon hearing this, the doctor looked at Chloe disapprovingly and said, "What’s more important? Work or your health? Don’t you know that health is wealth?""You're right, doctor. I promise that I'll eat on time in the future," she said sheepishly, "So, what do we do now?""I'll administer you an IV drip treatment. Some nurses will come and take you to the ward," the doctor said before turning to Joseph and handing him a medical bill. "As for you, go settle the bill."Without saying anything, Joseph took the bill from the doctor and left for the first floor. Looking at his tall figure, Chloe sighed. Not only had she failed to prepare a meal for him today, but he also had to send her to the hospital.There were many people in the hospital, and Chloe was transferred from the emergency room to a regular ward after she was better.After paying the bill, J
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