However, she quickly dismissed the thought. After all, it seemed impossible. Even if Xavia did not like Toto, she raised Oreo herself. Oreo was not only her pet but also her companion.Chloe returned to the villa with a heavy heart, eager to inquire about any progress they had made. But before she could utter a word, Joseph’s icy gaze pierced through her. "How could you be so cruel, Chloe?"Confused and bewildered, Chloe was unable to comprehend what had transpired.Lucas rushed over and placed a photo on the table. His voice was filled with disbelief as he said, "Ms. Chloe, this was taken by a passerby."In the photo, the distinct figures of Toto and Oreo could be seen strolling along the middle of a busy street. Chloe's head spun, finding it unbelievable, "That's impossible. I saw them being sedated with my own eyes."Joseph looked at her and said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "You saw it with your own eyes? I can't believe that you’d still refuse to tell us the truth at thi
As Chloe laid eyes on Sophia, her anger surged. "Why did you spread false information in the work chat?"Sophia sneered. "I didn't. How can you prove that I was making things up? Do you have any recordings?"Chloe stared at her intently, her voice cold as she interrogated, "What's your motive for doing this? Who offered you benefits, or are you resorting to any means necessary to gain Joseph's attention?"A hint of panic flickered in Sophia's eyes, but it vanished in an instant. "I was simply speaking the truth. I have no ulterior motives. Moreover, you shouldn't address Mr. Joseph so informally. It's impolite.""I can say whatever I want. Who are you to say otherwise? Don't forget, I'm your superior. I'm the only one who can reprimand you.""You...You can't bully me like this!"Chloe chuckled with frustration. Who was truly the bully in this situation? She could not believe Sophia could tell such blatant lies while maintaining an air of innocence.A colleague stepped forward, t
"Even if you claim that Mr. Joseph cares for you, you can't bully me like this. I'm just a newcomer who knows nothing. The incident this morning was my fault, but you could’ve just talked to me about it instead of resorting to violence," Sophia pleaded.Chloe saw through Sophia’s intentions at a glance and made no move to help her up. "What are you up to this time?""I don't have any ulterior motives. I just want you to leave me alone!" Sophia cried out, her tears flowing uncontrollably. As she sobbed, she crawled toward the direction where Joseph stood. "Mr. Joseph, you've to help me."Observing the poised and indifferent woman in front of him, Joseph said in a cold tone, "When a colleague falls in front of you, don't you think you should offer a helping hand?"Upon hearing his voice, Chloe turned her head abruptly. Then, she saw Joseph instructing Lucas to help Sophia up from the ground. He treated a new employee with such gentleness but remained cold toward her.Chloe pursed he
Chloe stared at Joseph, her throat so constricted that she could not utter a word.The more Joseph met her gaze, the more agitated he felt, so he averted his eyes altogether. "Xavia will be here soon. Wait here," he instructed.Chloe let out a bitter smile and said, "Fine, I'll apologize as you wish."Upon hearing her words, Joseph's expression improved slightly. However, when his gaze fell upon her swollen and barefoot, his brows furrowed again. Yet, he remained silent. After all, he believed that occasional discipline was necessary for her to understand how to conduct herself in the future.Ten minutes later, Xavia arrived. She looked at Chloe and said, "Oreo was found near the residential area. Ms. Chloe, you may not be happy with my sudden appearance, but I still believe that no matter the reason, we shouldn't resort to violence against dogs. They’re innocent. I’ll take Oreo back and take care of him. Thank you for your efforts over these past few days.""Oreo is your dog, and
The grip on Chloe's chin was painful, but she maintained a bright smile. "What's wrong? Is it not acceptable? After all, your heart belongs to Xavia, not me. I'll step aside and make room for her, and everyone will be happy.""Why?" Joseph's brows furrowed in anger, and a storm brewed in his icy gaze. "Is offering an apology too much of an inconvenience for you?""Yes," she replied.She had truly dedicated herself to taking care of Oreo and Toto, even going the extra mile to prepare homemade snacks for them. She treated the two dogs as her own and never scolded them, even when they misbehaved. Despite being exhausted after work, she still made it a point to take them for walks. Yet, whenever something went wrong, it was all her fault.Could he not have given her the benefit of the doubt and waited for the truth to come to light? Must he embarrass her in front of his ex-girlfriend? She had feelings too, and his actions had wounded her deeply.Joseph's gaze shifted downward, his pen
Seeing how drunk Chloe was, Icarus quickly took her from Emily's arms and gently ushered her into his car.Emily tried to speak up several times, but she hesitated in the end.Icarus sensed her concerns and took the initiative to say, "Show me the way. I'll take you home. I promise I won't do anything inappropriate."Emily touched her nose, feeling a bit awkward. "That's not what I meant. I just think that Coco and Joseph often have arguments. It's probably the same this time. Don't focus all your attention on Coco. You should get to know other girls."Icarus shrugged and smiled gentlemanly. "This isn't something I can control.""Well…You're right."Chloe was in the same situation. Initially, she and Joseph were using each other for their own purposes, but she had now begun to view their relationship in a new light. She invested herself emotionally and developed genuine feelings for Joseph.However, she was to be blamed as well. If she had not mistook Joseph for Jake's uncle, no
Emily went to answer the door, a perplexed expression on her face as she accepted the takeout delivery."Did you order food, Coco?" she asked."No, I didn't," replied Chloe."Neither did I," Emily said.At that moment, Icarus called."Chloe, I ordered some food for you guys. I'm not sure if it suits your taste, but I heard that indulging in sweets can lift your mood when you're feeling down, so I got some for you," Icarus explained.Chloe whispered softly, "Thank you...""No need to be polite with me. If you need anything, feel free to reach out anytime," Icarus assured her."Okay, goodbye," Chloe said before hanging up.Emily handed Chloe a cup of ice cream smoothie with a beaming smile. "Since you've ended things with Joseph, why not consider Icarus? I think he's quite decent.""I did break up with Joseph, but we still have a contract. If necessary, I'll still have to pretend to be his wife," Chloe replied."Hmm, if I recall correctly, you mentioned that you became his wif
"We shall end today's meeting here. The proposal was rejected, and I expect you to come up with something more innovative," Joseph announced firmly. With that, he rose from his seat and made his way back to his office, instructing Lucas to prepare a cup of coffee. However, he had a sudden change of heart and amended his request."Actually, make it tea instead," he corrected himself.Lucas discreetly stole a glance at Joseph, observing that his composed and icy demeanor remained largely unchanged. Nevertheless, there was a slight reduction in the intensity of anger in his eyes, suggesting that Joseph might have been in contact with Chloe.Lucas could hardly contain his excitement, feeling a surge of joy that made him want to burst out shouting that his good days were coming.As the evening progressed and the clock approached eight o'clock, Joseph grew increasingly puzzled by Chloe's absence. Furrowing his brow, he decided to call her in search of answers. However, after a few rings,