Chloe clenched her fists beside her body and faked a smile. "Why?"Jane’s smile deepened as she leaned in closer to Chloe. "It's because the woman he loves is abroad. He remained unmarried for such a long time because he was waiting for her to come back. When she's back, it'll be time for you to get lost."He married you because he felt that you're obedient and easy to bully. It'll be easy for him to get rid of you in the future, and he won't get into trouble either."On the other hand, the Foxes and the Whitmans are family friends. If there's a marriage, it'll be an alliance. It won't be trifled with and we can't get a divorce so easily." Jane looked at Chloe and mocked her, "But you're different. Your mother died early, and your father hates you. Your family disowned you, so no one will step up for you. It won't cost much to make you disappear."Joseph is a businessman. He knows how to minimize losses."Chloe was stunned. She knew more than anyone the meaning of this marriage. S
Chloe jolted from her daydream and swiftly closed the web browser with a guilty conscience."Coming," she replied.On the first floor in the living room, Joseph had also changed into his home attire. His navy blue long-sleeved shirt and long pants softened his demeanor, making him appear less distant and more approachable. However, his scrutinizing gaze in his eyes seemed unfriendly."What were you doing holed up in your room?" he inquired."I was just changing," Chloe replied, her gaze on his clear but distant face. She recalled Jane’s remarks, but she suppressed the sudden surge of sourness and kept a composed smile. "Different rules for the mighty, right?"Chloe and Joseph shared something in common. Upon returning home, they would change, taking off the ones they had worn outside for the day. Wearing outside clothes indoors felt unclean to them.Joseph smirked and responded, "It only takes five minutes to change. You've been in there for forty-two minutes."His sarcastic and
Ava was dressed in a delicate white dress, laughing and joking with a stranger. Her enchanting demeanor made the man next to her blush."I'm relying on you for this case.""No problem. It's just a small matter. But can you handle your alcohol? You don’t look like a wild one...""I can handle some. Lawyers like you must have a challenging time in their daily work. Today is a good opportunity for you to unwind.""Then I'll follow your lead. Thanks to the timely rain outside, it has created this chance. It's an honor to have your company, Ms. Ava."In just a few sentences, Chloe grasped the situation at hand. Without hesitation, she boldly approached the pair, a sneer on her face.As soon as Ava caught sight of Chloe, her previously joyful expression turned serious. The man beside her observed the sudden change and inquired, "What's the matter?"Ava’s lips tightened into a line and whispered, "I just saw my sister."The man paused, following her gaze, and his eyes landed on Chloe,
Upon hearing these words, a surge of anger coursed through Chloe's entire being.Her voice turned cold as she roared, "You dare to do such a thing?!""You'll find out soon enough." Ava's eyes darted around, and a sudden idea sparked in her mind. "Daddy’s birthday party is in a few days. If you attend, I’ll permanently destroy all of Emily's photos, and we can have a proper discussion about this. Seeing as we’re sisters, I truly don't want to take this to court.""Aren’t you afraid I'll report you to the authorities?" Chloe suppressed her anger, her eyes burning with an intense fire."Yes, I am. But I’ll advise you not to ruin Emily's life for your temporary satisfaction. A girl who experiences such a blow may have suicidal thoughts."Chloe's eyes turned red, and her pupils contracted. She knew. She knew it all too well.She understood the devastating impact those photos would have on Emily. Other than her mother, Emily was closest to her—her oldest and dearest friend. Furthermore
"If you refuse to obey me, who else would you listen to?" Joseph disregarded the first part of her sentence, gripping her chin tightly as he questioned her coldly.According to customs from the olden days, a husband was traditionally regarded as the center of a wife's world, and it was expected of her to obey him dutifully.Joseph's intensity instantly grew, causing Chloe to gulp nervously. "I mean, our relationship is somewhat unequal. We should treat each other with respect.""Fine, as long as our capabilities match.""But even if I don't match, there should still be some humanity. I cook for you every day and even have to flatter you as Toto does. I’m a living, breathing person, and I deserve to be treated with dignity!""What's wrong with being like Toto?" Joseph raised his chin slightly. "Do you know that many people in the world envy Toto's life?”Chloe gazed at the Border Collie lying by the door, its luxurious bed imported from abroad and costing tens of thousands. A mere
Hearing Lucas’ words, Chloe felt a warmth in her heart, although she was aware that it stemmed from Joseph's possessiveness. Nevertheless, she could not deny that he was being attentive to her needs this time."Well, I'm grateful to him," she replied.Lucas smiled and nodded in response.Inside the banquet hall, everyone was elegantly dressed. Benjamin and Ava stood at the entrance, welcoming the arriving guests. It appeared that the dissolution of Ava’s marriage to the Coopers had little impact on their attitude.As soon as Ava spotted Chloe, she rushed over and embraced her affectionately. "Coco, you're here. Let me walk you inside."Chloe discreetly shrugged Ava off, maintaining an expressionless face. "I can go in on my own."Ava paused, concealing her hidden malice behind a gentle smile. "All right, Jake is inside too. You can sit with him."Chloe ignored Ava’s instructions and found an empty seat, choosing to sit alone. It had been challenging to distance herself from Jake
Pursing her lips, Chloe said, "I guess so. He has helped me a lot, and there's no turning back now."With the contract signed, resisting was meaningless. It was better to go along with it and avoid unnecessary trouble. Besides, she could not win against that guy in an argument anyway.Hearing her response, Icarus looked at her with tender eyes and said, "You can tell me. I'll help you. I don't want to see you suffer.""No, no, it’s fine. I'll work hard on my own," she replied.Three years was not a short time. However, she was young and still had much time ahead of her."You don't have to treat me like an outsider. I may not be as wealthy as Mr. Joseph, but I do have some assets. If you ever face difficulties, I can help you anytime, anywhere, as long as you don't..."'As long as you don't degrade yourself like this.'Chloe was deeply moved, and a relieved smile appeared on her fair face. "I really am okay. You should focus your energy on your own matters. I'm not someone who fu
Benjamin took a square box from Karen and handed it to Chloe."These are the assets your mother entrusted to me for you. It consists of liquid assets worth 70 grand and jewelry worth 300 grand. I didn't give it to you earlier because I was concerned that you might spend it recklessly due to your young age. However, circumstances have changed now. You’ve grown up and developed your own thoughts. I believe I can trust you completely.""Coco, don't be angry with your father," Karen added."Yeah, Coco. It's better for our family to stand together. I'll take care of Daddy. All you have to do is try not to make him angry," Ava said.At that moment, the media rushed in, capturing the scene of a "family reunion” as their cameras clicked away. The intense glare of the flashing lights blinded Chloe, causing her to take a step back involuntarily. At that very moment, she noticed the diamond necklace around Ava's neck.Chloe could not help but laugh at their audacity. She had not expected the
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