Chloe paused for a moment before saying to the driver, "Could you please take me to a nearby hotel?"*The next morning, Chloe woke up in the hotel room. Observing her reflection in the mirror, she noticed dark circles hanging heavily under her eyes, making her look like a panda.Throughout the night, she pondered her thoughts and gained clarity. There was no denying that she bore responsibility in this situation. If she had made a mistake, she needed to face the consequences. Regardless of how Joseph treated her, she had to explain herself.After freshening up, Chloe returned to the villa, only to be surprised by Xavia's presence. Caught off guard, Chloe mustered a reluctant greeting toward Xavia. However, Xavia avoided making eye contact and appeared visibly uneasy.Joseph lifted his gaze, his expression icy cold as he delivered his words. "This afternoon, we’ll go to City Hall for a divorce, and I expect you to have your belongings cleared out before tonight."Chloe's face dra
Joseph stared into Chloe's eyes which held a resolute and pure conviction. This was Chloe Johnson, the same person who could tell lies without flinching, express love with a straight face, yet harbor no true feelings in her heart. She was the one who coldly watched him walk into a trap.As this thought flashed through his mind, a mocking smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. However, he had never been short of women, and these despicable and vile tactics only disgusted him.Shifting away his gaze, his voice turned cold and distant, difficult to approach. "Find your own way to City Hall. You don't deserve to sit in my car."Chloe nodded numbly, her steps heavy as she made her way toward the exit.Xavia's gaze flickered, her voice filled with concern. "Joe, can't the two of you have a proper conversation? Your emotions are running high right now. Give each other some time to cool down. Maybe there's still a chance to reconcile.""Our matters are not your concern."Xavia's face
"You're overestimating her."Joseph paused, his expression complicated."Last night's incident was my fault, but there are no feelings left between us. Even if I were to marry you officially, it’d be irresponsible of me and would be a waste of your life. If there's any compensation you desire, feel free to ask."Xavia bit her lip, forcing a smile. "I don't want any compensation. I just want to stay by your side—without any official status, regardless of love. Please don't push me away. You know, you're the only friend I have left here."Joseph nodded in agreement. "I'll arrange for someone to take care of your daily needs and ensure you receive proper medical treatment.""Thank you. Can I ask you something?""What is it?""Are you afraid of wasting my life, or are you unable to let go of Ms. Chloe?""Neither."*Chloe got a hotel room. With some savings in her possession, she could slowly search for a new place to live. However, it was clear that she could not continue workin
Lucas displayed little surprise upon seeing Chloe as he had anticipated the hesitancy of the marketing department colleagues who had been tormented in recent days."Mr. Joseph is currently available. You may enter.”"Thank you."Chloe raised her hand and lightly knocked on the door. A displeased voice responded from within. "Enter."She silently pushed the door open and placed the documents on Joseph's desk. Her tone was respectful yet distant as she spoke, "Mr. Joseph, the documents have been processed. Please review them."Joseph's gaze remained fixed on his computer screen and his lips remained motionless, treating her as if she were mere air.Undeterred, Chloe persisted, "Mr. Joseph, the documents have been processed.""Why the rush? Is my time not as valuable as yours?"Chloe pressed her lips together, her frustration evident. "That's why I’m waiting for you. Do let me know how much longer it will take."Joseph smirked slightly, his response dripping with sarcasm. "Almost
Chloe instantly froze in place, her face flushing slightly. It felt as if she were a high-level bitch.This statement seemed to trigger something within Joseph. His towering figure advanced toward Chloe, his eyes gleaming with sinister intensity. "Your methods have always been deplorable, and if I'm being honest, quite foolish. Your intentions were written all over your face, and yet I fell for them. At the very moment you successfully manipulated me, were you secretly mocking me as a fool in your heart?"After several days of tranquility, he reflected on their past encounters. From the very beginning, she had audaciously seduced him, with the only noteworthy element being the sincerity in her eyes.Chloe found herself backed into a corner, her hands pushing against Joseph's chest as she frowned. "Don't paint yourself as the victim here. Dig deep into your heart and ask if I haven't treated you well. Do you truly believe that I never genuinely cared?"I’ve never had the audacity to
There was a brief silence as Chloe collected her thoughts.Joseph's gaze bore into Chloe, the contempt in his eyes blazing. He was convinced that she was a stupid woman who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals. Unfortunately, there would be someone better, and Chloe's acting skills were inferior to those of Harold’s.Exiting the ward, Chloe turned to Joseph and said, "We can’t let Grandpa find out the truth for now. He can't handle any more shocks.""So?" Joseph replied, his hands casually tucked in his pockets, his demeanor cold and impassive.Chloe furrowed her brows again. 'He's your grandfather. How can you act as if it's none of your concern?' she thought.Speaking calmly, she proposed, "I'll give you three months. Xavia can take my place during that time, and after that, we'll go our separate ways. During these three months, I'll cooperate with you."She was willing to persevere a little longer for the sake of Harold's well-being.Joseph clenched his jaw tightly, his
"But I don't think Joseph is that kind of person..."Chloe fell silent for a moment and asked, "What makes you say so?""You see, Joseph is highly accomplished. He possesses wealth, looks, and a prominent social standing. With just a wave of his hand, women would flock to him. If he intended to engage in multiple affairs, I believe he wouldn't bother concealing it from you. Instead, he’d more likely inform you beforehand. Something like, 'My dear, here's the amount I’ll provide you and your "good sister" every month. You two should get along well and take good care of my needs,'" Emily explained."What you’re saying does make some sense..." Chloe reluctantly admitted."That's why I said it might be a misunderstanding. After all, considering that Joseph publicly declared your relationship at the team-building trip, it's highly unlikely for him to sleep with Xavia after that. It simply doesn't add up," Emily continued."Even if there's a misunderstanding, it's a fact that he had a r
As if compelled by something, Joseph asked, "Does she regret it?"“Does she regret it? Yes, she does! She regrets everything immensely. She cried for days, her heart and mind consumed by thoughts of you!" Emily rambled, simultaneously offering a silent apology to Chloe.Although Chloe had not explicitly expressed her regret to Emily, she could sense Chloe's genuine concern for the relationship. Hence, Emily felt it was time for her to step forward and take matters into her own hands."But what good is her regret now? It holds no significance," Joseph retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm.Emily blinked. "Then go and talk to her. Win her back."His face sank and he ignored her. 'Talk to her? Win her back? What nonsense. On what basis does she assume that I can’t live without that dumbo?'Emily watched as the Rolls-Royce vanished into a swirling cloud of dust, leaving behind a lingering question mark in her mind.What did that mean? Did her efforts have any effect?Regardless
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