Benjamin yearned to beat Karen up and kill her. "This bastard is no child of mine. We'll get a divorce tomorrow. She can take any man as her father. I don't want to be a gullible fool anymore."After that, Benjamin left. He had no intention of having anything more to do with them.Being struck on the spot, Ava asked, "Mom, am I not Daddy's child?"Karen gritted her teeth fiercely. "I could’ve hidden this affair forever, but someone purposely exposed us.""Someone exposed us... Who?""I don't know, but we can't stay in the Johnson family any longer. You have to latch onto Calvin fast and never let him down!""Are we going to have to give up the family property? Who else can he give it to if not me unless he donates it?"Karen held her swollen face, gloominess written all over it. "Of course, it's that bitch, Chloe. She's his child at the end of the day. He’ll go back to her after divorcing me."She knew Benjamin too well. Naturally, she had relied on her wits to lead a safe and
A cold laugh escaped Chloe’s lips. "Why didn't you say that when you wrongly accused me of stealing money back then?"It was more than that, and things were just getting started.Karen's face turned livid. If her gaze could kill, Chloe might have died a violent death.Chloe held Joseph's arm and said sweetly, "Let's go. They're just crazy and noisy."Unable to accept it, Ava shouted from behind Joseph, "Chloe is a woman rejected by the Cooper family. She even hooked up with an old man before getting entangled with Jake's uncle. Aren't you worried about catching a disease?"When Icarus was mentioned, Chloe became nervous and anxiously stared at the man beside her."I'd die for a beauty, but you..." Joseph sized Ava up and concluded lightly, "You can't rely on men. You'd better rely on yourself."*Chloe heaved a sigh of relief. When she was back in the car, all the gloominess that had been hanging over her was dispelled. She thanked him joyfully. "Thank you. You can expect full
Chloe nodded firmly, her determination evident. "I can handle the upcoming matters myself. I won't trouble you anymore, and besides, I want to move out of the villa."Joseph's irritation grew, the anger within him simmering dangerously. He reached out and casually picked up an object nearby, fully intending to hurl it with all his might. But just as his fingers grazed the item, he abruptly let go. His brows furrowed, realizing that he had almost failed to control his emotions. He despised the thought of losing his composure for anyone.Finally, he muttered a few words under his breath and strode upstairs purposefully. "No, Grandpa likes doing spontaneous checkups. You have to stay here."When Chloe stepped out of the car and made her way upstairs, she discovered that Harold had already left. Relief washed over her, and she exhaled deeply before retreating to her small bedroom.Meanwhile, just a wall away in the master bedroom, Joseph was feeling increasingly frustrated as he typed
"Huh? But why did you choose me instead of a celebrity?" Chloe asked bluntly and without any hesitation. Big brands typically opted for celebrities as their brand ambassadors, making it uncommon for them to select an ordinary person like her."Because your temperament and image are more suitable to represent Exotic Star," Noah explained in a calm and gentle tone. "During the exhibition, our photographer captured a series of photos, and one particular shot featuring you caught the attention of our designer. It left a lasting impression, prompting his strong recommendation for you to audition."Chloe's surprise turned into excitement. "Was it the renowned designer Santiago Hart?!" she squealed.Santiago’s name held immense weight in the fashion industry, known as a true titan with an eccentric personality and an exceptional eye for detail. To even capture his attention was a rare honor, typically reserved for a privileged few actors and models. In the fashion circle, there was a well-
"Okay, I'll grant you 10 percent," Benjamin reluctantly agreed.Chloe remained firm. "That’s not enough. I want 20 percent."Benjamin's expression shifted. "20 is too much."Undeterred, Chloe pressed on. "Nevertheless, you’ll have to give it to me eventually—to stop Ava from pursuing her intentions to claim it."Her directness struck a chord, and Benjamin, who had been deceived for two decades, surprisingly found her reasoning valid. Karen was not to be underestimated. In the future, she would try to extract as many assets from him as possible."Fine, we’ll arrange for that, but a portion of the shares is still registered under those bitches' names. We have to transfer them back before I can allocate them to you."Chloe's gaze flickered before responding, "All right. Then, I'll remain at Fairlight for now. There are valuable connections here, and I can utilize them to benefit our family in the future. Oh, Dad, even though you've divorced Karen, you still need to legally sever you
Xavia maintained an unwavering expression, her delicate makeup accentuating her brows and eyes, giving her a rosy complexion. However, her hands holding her utensils betrayed a slight whitening of the knuckles.Nathan let out a sigh and intentionally made a loud noise, "Well, well. Miracles do happen. Joe actually knows how to take care of someone."Chloe felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her, leaving her unsure of the situation. She was at a loss for words, uncertain of how to respond.As they finished their meal, Joseph gently put down his utensils and turned his attention to Xavia. "I discovered something last night. There were numerous freeze-dried snacks near the spot where the dogs went missing as if someone intentionally lured them there. It's highly possible that Oreo and Toto, just as Chloe mentioned, were deliberately enticed."Chloe's eyelashes trembled slightly, and her eyes glimmered with astonishment as she fixed her gaze on the man beside her. An incredible thou
Chloe suppressed her anger, realizing that engaging in a verbal battle or resorting to insults would only be futile. She stared at Joseph with a feeble glare, her voice lacking any trace of intimidation. "If you lay a hand on me again, you’ll regret it!"In the front seat, Lucas could not help but chuckle. The peculiar dynamic between Joseph and Chloe was uniquely endearing.Back at the villa, after Lucas parked the car and departed, Joseph remained seated inside. His cool gaze casually fell upon Chloe, who blinked in realization. She finally grasped the key point of the situation before and asked, "You invited Xavia today specifically to discuss the missing dogs incident, didn't you?"He neither confirmed nor denied, his response carrying a subtle implication. "If there's a misunderstanding, it needs to be clarified," he said.The incident involving Toto and Oreo going missing made him skeptical of anyone being audacious enough to orchestrate it. After reviewing the surveillance f
"Stop pretending. You've been eyeing the shares for a long time.""So? Your purpose for coming here isn’t to get shares?""I couldn't care less about this meager amount. Only a loser like you would find it appealing." Ava raised her chin arrogantly and sneered.Chloe grinned and remained silent, waiting for Ava’s next words."I want to sever ties with Benjamin completely so that when I soar to success, he won't come and bother me anymore," Ava gloated, her voice thick with triumph.Even without Benjamin, she still had her influential benefactor, who far surpassed Benjamin in power and was about to take her to Docwood. But before she left Aesper, she wanted to get her revenge on Chloe first."Haven't you already legally disowned him?" Chloe asked."That's not enough. We need to sign a contract," she said, brandishing the document victoriously in her hand before ascending the stairs.Chloe gazed at Ava's retreating figure, her eyes shimmering with curiosity. She grew increasingly