Lucas acted swiftly, bringing the car over within five minutes.Jake's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the Rolls-Royce before him. ‘This car looks familiar.’After Chloe ended their relationship, she had been sitting in this car with an older man occupying the front seat. This meant that this car belonged to Joseph, and the so-called older man driving in the front seat was most likely just the driver!Jake's gaze remained fixed on Lucas, who sat in the driver's seat. Unable to shake himself out of his stupor, he allowed rainwater to splash onto his face. In a sudden surge of frustration, he lifted his hand and delivered a sharp slap to his own cheek, startling Lucas.Lucas turned to Joseph seated in the back and inquired, "Sir, how should we deal with him?""Ignore him," Joseph instructed without so much as looking up."Understood."With Lucas pressing down on the accelerator, the car sped off, creating a cascade of water that splashed onto Jake, drenching him from hea
"Sir, we’re here," Lucas announced as he parked the car, interrupting Chloe's unspoken words.Joseph exited the car first, and when he turned his head around, he noticed Chloe's ill-fitting shoes."Change your shoes when we get inside," he instructed.Chloe had lost her shoes while escaping from Jane. She was now wearing a pair that Joseph kept in the trunk as a spare.Curious, she swallowed her words and asked instead, "Were these shoes meant for me?""Grandpa had someone purchase daily necessities for you so that you can come back here and stay whenever you want," Joseph explained.Chloe's eyes sparkled with delight, and she smiled radiantly. "Grandpa is so considerate."Joseph harrumphed coldly. 'Considerate? It's all part of his plan to have you get pregnant!'As the car came to a halt, Jane hurriedly rushed into the house, contrasting the relaxed atmosphere that Joseph and Chloe exuded. She frantically searched for Harold, eager to share her discovery.Meanwhile, Harold w
"That's because I like you!" Jane exclaimed, her gaze fixated on their intertwined hands, her eyes ablaze with fury. "If I didn't like you, why would I go out of my way to help you?"Chloe sighed and rubbed her temples, feeling a sense of disbelief. The silver lining in all of this was that her connection with Joseph was solely contractual. If they were a genuine couple, even individuals with the most composed and patient temperaments would find themselves tested by such relentless provocation. It would not be surprising if they ended up engaged in a heated argument with Jane."I understand your feelings for Joseph, and he should be happy about it. However, the reality is that he’s already married. You don't have to hold on to him. There are plenty of other men in the world, and I'm confident that you can find someone who is truly compatible with you.""But she cheated on Joseph. How can you let her off the hook just like that, Grandpa?"Chloe frowned, taking a few steps forward. "
Jane suddenly looked up at Joseph as if she found this to be unimaginable. "What did you say?" Joseph sneered and said slowly, "I don't mind repeating myself if your hearing is bad." Richard's expression changed drastically. He could no longer sit still. "Joseph, it's true that Jane is at fault, but you can't step out of line!" 'It’d be a great humiliation to my family if my dear daughter kneels over and begs for that poor girl's forgiveness. If word about it gets out, how will the family continue living on in Aesper?' Similarly, Harold found this to be slightly inappropriate, but he remained silent. "You want to go to such lengths to protect her? What's so good about her? You treat me this way for her sake, but I'm the one who grew up with you!""You lied and slandered her. And you found fault with her repeatedly. Do you think my people are easy to bully?" When Jane heard Joseph claiming Chloe to be one of his people, she felt as if an invisible hand had grabbed hold of h
Harold knew that Richard was deliberately stirring up trouble.But it was indeed too demeaning for Richard, so it was hard for him to get out of the humiliating situation with grace.After the storm was over, the sunlight shone in through the glass window and fell on Joseph’s cold and stiff face. He impatiently shot a sidelong glance at Harold.'Grandpa wants to maintain a sense of decency, but he refuses to suffer the losses either. Well, if he wants to be the good guy, so be it. I’ll be the bad guy. It’s all wishful thinking.'"Grandpa. Jojo."A pleasant voice came from upstairs. Joseph looked over and saw Chloe standing at the top of the stairs, looking charming as can be. At that moment, she was smiling. "I’ve finished my bath."Her smile was so bright that it inexplicably soothed Joseph's frustration. She slowly ambled down the steps.Harold turned all his attention to Chloe when she appeared. He immediately asked, "Chloe, how did the check-up go?""I'm fine." She reached
Harold sighed deeply. "This brat is rather popular. But Chloe, you don't have to worry about that. They merely like his appearance. When he gets fat after a few years, no one will try to snatch him away from you."Chloe released Joseph's arm and laughed because she was amused. "Grandpa, Jojo won't get fat. He goes for a run every morning, and he walks Toto every night. He gets lots of exercise."Joseph’s self-discipline was admirable. She wondered what kind of woman could handle him.Lowering his gaze, Joseph stared at his arm which Chloe had just let go of. A tinge of frustration crept into his heart. Why did he have a feeling that this dumbo used him to drive Jane mad?Harold wanted to say something else before then he saw Joseph go upstairs. He shouted, "Where are you going?""Maybe he has some work to do. Let him be, Grandpa. I'll spend some time with you," Chloe said considerately, unaware of Joseph's feelings.Harold was happy to hear her words. "Fine, let’s just ignore him
Chloe blushed slightly in awkwardness and helplessness.Winnie handed her a bowl of oatmeal and stated amiably, "Ms. Chloe, please share this with Mr. Joseph when you get upstairs.""Oh… Okay."Chloe did not dare to promise Harold anything, so she escaped with the bowl of oatmeal.Joseph was back in his bedroom and was lying in bed. When Chloe found that there was only one bed in the room, she stood at the door in a trance and took a deep breath.'Motherf*cker! This brat is already in bed. Does he expect me to sleep on the floor?'Forget it. There's a carpet on the floor. It won't be too hard.'"Winnie prepared some oatmeal for us and asked us to have it."Joseph rubbed his temples. "No, I don't want to. When are you going to sleep?""I'll eat some of this and sleep afterward."Chloe did not have the heart to turn Winnie down. She uncovered the bowl and used a spoon to scoop some of the oatmeal into a smaller bowl.‘There’s fruits and nuts in the oatmeal… It’s all nutritious
Chloe raised such a bizarre question.In the dark, a tinge of uneasiness crept onto Joseph's face. "Depends on how you behave.""Oooh…" Chloe drew in a cold breath and blurted out, "Have you fallen in love with me?"She could not fathom any other reason for Joseph to give up his body other than this possibility.Feeling stunned, Joseph retorted subconsciously, "No."He just wanted to give her a chance."Why did you suddenly agree to let me get close to you then?""Shut up. Just sleep!"Chloe was struck speechless.For the first time, they were comfortable while hugging each other and were sleeping together in the same bed for the first time.Due to how tired she was, Chloe soon drifted off to sleep. However, she moved around a lot. She even pounced on Joseph like a bear and rubbed against him from time to time until he was aroused.Joseph fixed his fervent gaze on her, who was sleeping soundly. After some inward struggles, he took a deep breath and pushed her out of his arms
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