Joseph remained silent, elegantly crossing his legs and scrolling through financial news articles on his phone.Nathan interpreted the silence as confirmation and let out a sigh. "So, you've really decided to go serious with Chloe?"Joseph continued to ignore him."Are you certain about this? It's a matter of long-term commitment. Don't leave Chloe in limbo while still holding onto Xavia. That’s not cool, mister womanizer!"Nathan had gathered information about Chloe's family situation from Samuel, and based on their first encounter, he was convinced that Chloe’s father was not a good person."You rotate partners every day. What right do you have to lecture me?"Shaking his head, Nathan replied, "My arrangement with my women is consensual. It's not the same.""Ah yes, you're a noble one."Nathan had no clever comeback for that remark. He continued in a serious tone, "I'm not joking around with you. Xavia reached out to me yesterday. She has a plane ticket for next Friday. It's
Chloe's face registered astonishment as she responded, "No. What did you hear?"She had briefly worked alongside the janitor when she first joined Fairlight but had since transferred to the marketing department. They would occasionally exchange a few words when they crossed paths in the company, gradually becoming acquainted with one another."One of your department colleagues has been badmouthing you in the restroom for several days, and it's the same person every time."A shadow of concern crept over Chloe's face as she inquired, "Do you happen to know the name of that person?""I heard others calling her Ms. Nelly or Kelly or something like that," the janitor replied.Chloe's mind quickly made the connection—the marketing department had only one person with a name that sounded like that, Ellie Miller.Coincidentally, as Chloe made her way to Joseph, she crossed paths with a high-level executive from another department who gave her a thumbs-up and a smile. "Good going, Chloe! O
These particular words immediately struck a nerve with Chloe, causing a surge of sensitivity within her. "No… No! Don't be absurd. You and I are simply colleagues with a superior-subordinate relationship and are only roommates at best. Why would I be jealous?!"Unwilling to admit she had feelings for him, she vehemently denied it.Joseph sighed helplessly, his voice laced with rare patience. "Xavia returned to the country today and insisted on meeting me at Fairlight after getting off the plane.”But halfway through, Xavia had fainted and Joseph left after taking her to the hospital."Nonsense. You definitely went out for a meal together!""No, we didn't.""Then what’s with the wrinkles on your sleeves?" Chloe pouted, assuming an attitude resembling a wife interrogating her husband. However, she seemed unaware of her own behavior."Xavia pulled on my sleeves when she fainted.""Swear it!"Joseph grasped hold of her ear and spoke in a drawn-out tone, "Are you pushing your luck?
Joseph felt a small lump rise in his throat as he faced her passionate and sincere gaze. Uncomfortably, he averted his gaze and replied, "You're overthinking it.""No, you do have feelings for me," Chloe said. Although she was talking to him, it gave people a feeling that she was talking to herself. "Why don't you just admit it? Love should be boldly expressed!"Before he could respond, she pressed on, "I also have a good impression of you!"She was not naive. She had noticed the changes in him. It was just that she had never considered it from that angle.At this moment, his reaction confirmed her suspicions. Joseph's face sank, his long legs crossed lazily, and his cold gaze bore into Chloe. "Just a good impression?"'Isn't she supposed to be so deeply in love with me that she can't imagine her life without me?'Chloe lightly touched her nose, casting her eyes downward to conceal the fleeting sense of guilt. From a side glance, she looked like a wounded little white rabbit. "Of
"Ellie, that was way out of line," a colleague said."I was just joking. Don't take it so seriously," Ellie said."Seriously, who jokes like that?"Chloe held onto her colleague's arm, shaking her head. "Don't worry about it. Let her say what she wants. We'll just ignore her," she said.After all, Ellie did speak the truth, and there was no way to argue against it.Ellie glanced at Chloe and walked away.The rest of Chloe’s day was a hectic one. She spent the morning organizing business data and conducting analysis in preparation for the afternoon meeting. She remained occupied until the end of the meeting.Afterward, Ellie approached with an air of authority and instructed, "Prepare the implementation project strategy for me by tomorrow. Make sure to include the cost, timeline, and projected results."Chloe rubbed her stiff neck and questioned, "Aren't these tasks supposed to be your responsibility? If I handle them for you, what will you be doing?"'Standing around and looki
Below Fairlight, a car was parked by the side of the road. Inside, Joseph furrowed his brow, staring at the missed call displayed on his phone screen before deciding to return the call."Hello, the number you dialed is currently unreachable..."Whenever Chloe's phone was switched off, it never boded well, even though today she was in the office."Stay here. I'm going up," he informed Lucas. He then opened the car door and stepped out.Lucas opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but his gaze caught sight of an elegant figure. "Oh no, it’s her. Didn't this woman say she wouldn't bother Mr. Joseph anymore? Why is she here again?"Thoughts swirled in his mind as he discreetly observed Xavia from the car. As if everything had been meticulously orchestrated, she coincidentally encountered Joseph at the zebra crossing. She was wearing a delicate, pink V-neck dress that accentuated her slender waist and revealed her perfectly shaped legs. With each gentle gust of the evening breeze,
"Let's talk about it tomorrow. I'm tired and just want to go home and rest," Chloe said."Sure," he replied."But I thought you left. Why did you come back?" she asked while they waited for the elevator.Raising an eyebrow, Joseph responded, "Who told you I left?""So you never left? You've been in the office this whole time?""I was busy for a while, and by the time I finished, it was almost ten o'clock," he explained.In other words, he had been waiting for her.Chloe smiled mischievously, her eyes sparkling, "I see..."'He just refuses to admit that he was waiting for me!'Inside the elevator, Joseph slovenly leaned against the wall, his waist narrow and shoulders broad. He cast a cold glance at her and scoffed indifferently.Enchanted by his charm, Chloe stared at him blankly for a couple of seconds. Honestly, she had suspected that Joseph was not Jake's uncle when she first met him at the bar. After all, he was too good-looking to be his uncle. Though doubts had arisen,
Chloe's face froze, overwhelmed by a bitter and melancholic sensation that consumed her heart. Indeed, they were merely bound by a contractual relationship. Even though there had been fleeting moments of sweetness that morning, their relationship remained imbalanced."Fine, my mistake. I won't say anything," she admitted weakly.However, Joseph found no satisfaction in her meek apology. Instead, it only added to his mounting frustration.Lucas dared not intrude on the tense atmosphere and continued driving until they reached the villa.Chloe was the first to step out of the car and enter the yard. She went to take Toto for a stroll. Initially, Toto was overjoyed to see them return home, but now sensing the tension between the two, its ears drooped timidly and its dark eyes filled with unease.Joseph furrowed his brow and uttered, "Don't vent your frustrations on the dog."Wearing a fake smile, Chloe replied, "Is this smile satisfactory for serving your beloved dog?"Joseph respo