Chloe followed the sound of the voice and witnessed Xavia tightly clutching Joseph's hand, tears of joy streaming down her face.'Did Joseph really agree to her request?' Chloe pondered, her heart throbbing with pain. She tightly clenched her fists, attempting to suppress her unwarranted emotions, but the effort was futile. The intertwined hands of the two felt like piercing thorns in her heart. Her vision blurred, and before the tears could escape, she hastily turned around and fled, her appearance disheveled and distressed.Nathan, sensing the tension in the room, realized it was not the right time to stay and offered a mischievous smile. "I'll leave you two to it. Carry on then."Earlier, Xavia had grabbed onto Joseph’s hand before the door was opened. Joseph's attention was distracted at that moment. It took him a moment to realize what happened before swiftly retracting his hand, his tone distant. "Rest well. I have some matters to attend to, so I got to go."Nathan playfully
"Xavia wants you to spend more time with her during her chemotherapy," Chloe said calmly, reciting the words she had rehearsed in her mind all afternoon. "I'll keep my distance from you from now on. But don't worry, I'll continue to play my part as your wife in front of your grandfather, and if necessary, I can even move out of your house. But if you want me to do it fast, I might need your help in getting a new place."Joseph swiftly comprehended her message, his brow furrowing deeply. "So, as long as Xavia needs it, you're willing to step aside and let me go without putting up a fight?"'Aren't you deeply in love with me?'Sighing, Chloe said honestly, "I want to maintain some of my dignity."She no longer desired to cling desperately to someone who no longer reciprocated her feelings. Once upon a time, she had been consumed by a burning desire for revenge against Jake, but now, she no longer needed to.Silence permeated the car, a coldness enveloping them from the tips of their
As the night grew darker, the rain persisted without any sign of relenting. Chloe stood in the biting wind for two hours, her delicate face growing ever paler from the cold. She knew now that getting a ride was out of the question and began to move forward, struggling against the elements one step at a time."Sir, it seems like Ms. Chloe intends to walk back," Lucas reported.Joseph's face darkened. 'She would rather walk back than come back to me?'"Follow her," he commanded.A deep sigh escaped Lucas's lips. It was evident that Joseph and Chloe had feelings for each other, yet neither of them was willing to set their pride aside.As the highway stretched toward Docwood, a bustling procession of vehicles hurried past, leaving behind trails of splashing water. In the middle of this commotion, a white sedan on the road gradually decelerated, displaying an exceptional level of courtesy as it approached Chloe.Chloe was oblivious to the car's presence. Shivering uncontrollably from
Chloe's parched throat burned. She had not had any water for a long time, rendering her voice hoarse and feeble."Water," she croaked.In response to her plea, Joseph immediately released her hand and poured a glass of water for her. Chloe eagerly gulped it down, relieving the dryness in her throat and alleviating the stinging sensation. Then, she fell silent again.Joseph firmly held her chin, compelling her to meet his gaze. He emanated an imposing presence that exuded intimidation. "What are you thinking about?" he asked."I'm thinking about what you're thinking," Chloe replied."And have you figured it out?""I have my guesses," she replied. "You're married, yet you're seeing another woman. While you want Xavia, you want me as well."Chloe's eyes bore into his, concealing a deep sense of disdain. He was the one who kicked her out of his car, and now he was pretending to be worried about her. He truly was a despicable man.Joseph sneered coldly. "Are you jealous?"After a w
Emily stared at the information about Xavia on Wikipedia, lost in thought. "She is quite beautiful, but she gives off a keep-your-distance vibe. She doesn't look like someone easy to get along with, not like you."Chloe responded with a smile, perceiving Emily's words as mere consolation. "Well, she’s a renowned violinist, after all. She naturally carries herself differently from the rest of us.""Hah, she's just another poser."At that moment, Chloe's phone rang, and Joseph's voice came through, informing her of his arrival.Joseph's car was parked by the hospital entrance. As Chloe and Emily approached, engrossed in their lively conversation and laughter, Joseph could not help but notice Chloe's resplendent complexion and her vibrant energy. She seemed to emanate a vibrant aura as if she had completely recovered.A smile crept onto his face. It seemed to him that she had recovered well and that it would not affect her ability to conceive in the future."I'll drop you home, Emil
Joseph rubbed her head impatiently like he was stroking Toto. "We're already married. What kind of relationship can we have?""We signed a contract, a three-year term. After that, we'll get a divorce.""We don't have to get divorced.""That's not what I meant.""You want to get a divorce?" Joseph asked, his voice lacing with anger.Chloe shook her head and spoke earnestly, "We can separate both. Love is love, and a contract is a contract. Love develops over time. Once both of us feel that the relationship is ready to progress further, we won't need that contract anymore."However, she would still pay him the money she owed him."You don't believe that our relationship will last?"Chloe wanted to nod because their family backgrounds and social statuses differed greatly, and she feared that he was merely caught up in the novelty of their relationship.However, she could not say that outright. She obediently shook her head and said, "No, I feel that getting together with you so s
Wyatt's words unsettled Chloe, creating a sense of unease within her. She could not shake off the feeling that there was someone influential supporting Ava from behind the scenes. However, the substantial amount of money offered by Wyatt was too tempting to ignore.Besides, considering that her relationship with the Johnsons was already strained, Chloe believed there was little to lose by assisting Wyatt. Therefore, she decided to help Wyatt. And as a show of sincerity, Wyatt transferred 50 thousand dollars as a deposit immediately after hanging up the phone.Looks like Chloe was not the only one who found Ava detestable.With the 100 thousand dollars, along with the money her mother had left her, she was getting closer to her goal of accumulating 280 million.On another note, Emily had recently sent over the jewelry her mother had left behind, but Chloe had not had the chance to sort it out properly.'Well, I guess I should take them to a specialized counter for maintenance and c
Ava's ego balloon deflated a little, but she maintained her smile. "Are you jealous of me, Coco?""Why would I be jealous of you?" Chloe retorted.One of her colleagues tugged at her sleeve and said, "Chloe, are you one of Wyatt's haters?"Chloe innocently smiled, "Being a Wyatt hater is a waste of time."Everyone was stumped.“You've become a director in an entertainment company, Ava, so why settle for someone of such low status? You should at least aim for someone on the level of ‘Best Actor.’"Ava's eyes twitched, finding some truth in those words. Wyatt could not be considered exceptional in the entertainment industry, and given Ava's current position and status, she should have sought someone better.She glanced at the man who could not even utter a word when insulted and felt a surge of disgust.Having achieved her goal, Chloe did not give Ava a chance to speak further and grabbed her colleague's arm before turning away.Ava stomped her foot in anger and glared at Wyatt.
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