Chloe's fists clenched tightly, her eyes bloodshot with a burning rage. Hatred consumed her as she uttered the words, "Yes, let Benjamin suffer the consequences!"She wanted Benjamin to endure the same despair her mother had experienced before her untimely death.Lucas looked at Wren and asked, "Sir, how should we handle her?""Send her back. We may need her as a witness at a crucial moment."*Chloe felt a heaviness in her heart, but to her surprise, Joseph canceled his morning meetings and devoted the entire day to being by her side. She clung to his waist affectionately, crying and finding solace in his presence until exhaustion overcame her. She unknowingly drifted off to sleep, tears staining her cheeks.When she woke up, it was already 2 in the afternoon. Her mood had calmed down considerably. "Jojo, I'm sorry for disrupting your work this morning."Joseph interlocked his fingers, leaning back in a relaxed demeanor. "Feeling better now?"Chloe wiped away the remnants of h
When Lucas arrived at the marketing department, Chloe was organizing the data and marketing copy for the afternoon meeting. Lucas took her to a secluded spot and whispered, "Ms. Chloe, did you run into Icarus last night?"She paused, "How did you know?""The whole neighborhood is talking about it."During the elevator ride, Lucas filled her in on everything that had transpired in the homeowners' group, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. "Mr. Joseph is extremely angry, so when you go in, it's important not to confront him directly. Speak softly, explain clearly, and try to soothe his anger with kind words. I believe things can be resolved."Nervously, Chloe fidgeted with her fingernails, took a deep breath, and mustered the courage to push open the office door."Jojo, it's not what you think. Icarus and I just happened to bump into each other. He has a friend who lives in our neighborhood."Seated on the sofa, Joseph nonchalantly stretched out his long legs over the coffee
Nathan said, "I think both of you are at fault."Chloe was at fault for hiding the truth, and Joseph was at fault for not trusting her.Joseph's cold gaze pierced through Nathan, his eyes sharp as a knife.Sensing the intensity, Nathan quickly adjusted his stance. "Although both of you share some blame, the main issue lies with Chloe. Your fault is minimal.""Give me a solution.""Buy her happiness with money," Nathan suggested, pausing for a moment before continuing, "I can empathize with Chloe. It's devastating for a young girl to witness her seemingly perfect family being torn apart by a malicious woman, and now discovering that her biological father caused her mother’s death. These are heavy blows to endure.“However, Chloe lost control of her emotions for a brief period in the morning and managed to regain composure by noon, immersing herself in her work. Whether she's putting on a facade of strength or genuinely possesses inner resilience, you should try to understand and e
Everyone was left in a state of shock, their jaws hanging wide open in astonishment, wondering what was going on. All eyes were fixed on Chloe, and a surprising notion began to take hold. Was this money intended as a reward for her?Lucas leaned closer to Joseph and spoke in a hushed tone, "Sir, Finance only has 300 thousand in cash remaining. If it's insufficient, I can go to the bank right now and withdraw more.""Just give it to her," Joseph replied.‘She would surely save every penny she can get her hands on. What a chore.’Lucas pulled the small trolley until it was in front of Chloe, his smile beaming with warmth as he said, "This is a reward from Mr. Joseph to you."A big question mark slowly appeared on Chloe's face, her mind struggling to process the unexpected gesture. She remained momentarily lost for words.Sensing her confusion, Lucas leaned in and whispered in a hushed tone that only they could hear, "Mr. Joseph is making an effort to win you over."Chloe's eyes gl
The flurry of damning questions left Chloe speechless on the spot. The only person besides Joseph who had given her a bank card was Icarus. She quickly reached a conclusion—the surveillance footage from the neighborhood had been leaked online.The room seemed to grow colder, the atmosphere thick with Joseph’s unspoken anger that hung heavy in the air. Chloe could sense a raging flame manifesting without even lifting her head."Jojo, wait, please let me explain..."Joseph remained expressionless as he demanded, "Hand over your purse."Instinctively, Chloe protected her bag behind her and spoke in a soft tone. "I can explain everything, or we can call Icarus and ask him about what happened..."Joseph observed her defensive actions, his eyebrows furrowing and his eyes narrowing. Without uttering a word, he forcefully snatched her bag and began rummaging through it until his hand seized hold of an unfamiliar bank card. His sharp eyes lowered, masking his emotions. His voice, now tinge
"I found the friend of the man in the footage. He’s one of the homeowners of this neighborhood. I went to see him, but he had already deleted the video…""Tsk."Since Xavia had achieved her goal, it did not matter if the video was deleted. Lowering her head, she said nervously, "My emotions got the better of me when I watched the video yesterday, and I unjustly accused Ms. Chloe. Joe, is Ms. Chloe at home right now? I want to apologize to her."Joseph's jaw tightened, his expression cold as he sneered. "No need to apologize. Didn't she hit the dogs? Did she not lie? What's done can't be undone. Since she made a mistake, she needs to be punished."After briefly pausing, Xavia agreed with Joseph, "You're right. Lying isn't about the size of the problem but about one's fundamental attitude."Upon hearing her words, Joseph's gaze darkened, his countenance subtly changing with a chilling aura. "Please see yourself out. I want to be alone for a while."Xavia nodded silently and reminde
Joseph's brow furrowed, his voice laced with frustration as he asked, "I’ve already decided to forgive you, so what trouble are you stirring up again?"Upon hearing the word "again," Chloe chuckled. She turned around, her eyes shining brightly as they locked onto Joseph. "What do you mean, 'again?’ What did I do? Did I cheat on you or commit some unforgivable sin?"The accusing tone in her voice did not sit well with Joseph, and his expression grew icy. "You lied and still think you did nothing wrong?""Have you ever thought about why I lied?" Joseph was stunned. Before he could say anything, Chloe pressed on. "That's because I knew that even if I had told you that I ran into Icarus, you’d still be suspicious and angry. Speaking the truth or not would lead to the same outcome, so why bother?""Even though nothing happened between you and Icarus this time, you shouldn't talk to him since you know he has a thing for you!""So, now I can't even talk to someone of the opposite sex?!
The security guard's eyes widened, displaying a perplexed expression as he struggled to comprehend the situation. Meanwhile, Joseph expertly maneuvered the steering wheel, moving the car into the parking lot."What were you thinking, Joseph? Why did you reveal our relationship to the guard?" Chloe asked, her voice raised and bristled like an enraged cat. She could not understand Joseph's reasoning behind his actions.Maintaining an air of nonchalance, Joseph casually responded, "Isn’t that what you wanted me to do?""I wanted you to hurry up and leave so that the guard wouldn't figure out our relationship!"He shrugged, pretending innocence. "I must’ve misinterpreted your intention."Chloe knew Joseph had done it deliberately, but she lacked evidence to prove her suspicion. "Never speak out of turn like that again in the future," she said.Observing her indignant expression, Joseph swelled with a sense of satisfaction. "It depends on my mood."*As Chloe made her way to her cub
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