Chloe took a deep breath, determined not to let anger consume her. "If you insist on giving it, then go ahead." She would just perform her part perfectly and play along with him. She would return the money to him once Harold left.The corner of Joseph’s mouth curled as he retrieved a black supplementary card from his wallet and placed it on the bedside table. Chloe instantly recognized the card—it was the supplementary card he had given her before. When she had moved out of the villa, she had returned the card to him.There was no credit limit on this card, implying that as long as Joseph did not go bankrupt, she could continue to use it. They had once lived under the same roof, and back then, she had not felt anything odd about it. But now, using this supplementary card as divorce compensation felt oddly strange.Chloe parted her lips as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately, she remained silent. Joseph assumed her silence was due to the staggering amount of money involved
Chloe was taken aback. "That's Xavia. You've seen her photos before."Emily paused for a moment, then anger surged through her. "That's her? She's the one who used pregnancy to come in between you and Joseph?"Those words, spoken loudly and accompanied by a pointed finger, carried across the vicinity, catching the attention of the surrounding shoppers. They turned their gazes toward Xavia, their expressions filled with a mix of gossip and disdain.Xavia was trying on the latest fashions in a luxury boutique. Hearing the discussions, her expression remained unchanged, and she calmly walked over to greet Chloe."Are you also here to buy clothes, Ms. Chloe? What a coincidence," she said gracefully as if she had not heard Emily's insults. With warmth and gentleness, she asked, "I want to buy a gift for Joe to celebrate his upcoming fatherhood. Do you have any suggestions, Ms. Chloe?"Emily's anger flared up, and she lashed out, "Jeez, I've never met someone as shameless as you. What's
Xavia's smile froze on her face. "What are you talking about? If it's not Joseph's child, who else could it be?""Is that so? Well, that's good," Chloe replied calmly. Her gaze casually drifted toward a nearby suit, and she instructed the salesperson, "Please pack this suit for me."Xavia was perplexed. "Who are you buying that suit for?"'Is she buying it for Icarus? Did he already win her over? That's faster than I expected.'Chloe’s lips formed an elegant smile, enunciating each syllable clearly as she said, "Joseph."Xavia thought she must have misheard and repeated her question."I said I’m buying this outfit for Joseph." Chloe's eyes sparkled, her smile radiant. "Although we’re divorced, we can still be friends. You wouldn't mind, would you?"After all, Xavia had done the same thing. She approached Joseph under the guise of friendship. She even went to lengths and helped Chloe endure a stab. One could not deny that this woman was ruthless and had a sharper mind than Ava.
Joseph's gaze descended, fixating on the words written on the card. The impeccable handwriting reassured him that it was not Chloe who had written the card. He then proceeded to unbox the gift, revealing a suit that barely met the standards of a proper fit. While it was not a luxurious item, there was an unexplainable charm about it that caught his eye.Joseph's towering height of 1.86 meters bestowed upon him a commanding presence, allowing him to effortlessly carry any garment with grace and charm. Each button on his white shirt was fastened and the shirt's hem was neatly tucked into his trousers. His well-defined waistline emphasized his strong physique, adding to the magnetic appeal of his poised and enigmatic demeanor.The combination of his imposing stature, meticulous grooming, and confident demeanor captivated all those who beheld him.Lucas grinned. "It seems that Ms. Chloe still holds you in her heart."Perhaps she regretted her actions, wanting to reconcile but unable to
Joseph delicately towel-dried his hair and spoke with an air of indifference, "Can't you wait for four months?""It's not a matter of whether I can wait or not. It's that you don't trust me and don't want to be with me.""If it's my child, I'll take responsibility.""I agree, and I'm willing to do the amniocentesis. But after knowing each other for so many years, am I really so unworthy of your trust?!" Xavia's voice trembled as she spoke, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She fought against their release, determined to keep them at bay.Joseph remained unmoved, his piercing gaze fixed upon her. "Did you sleep with Gabe?"Xavia's scalp tingled as she froze. She had guessed correctly. Gabriel must have told Joseph the truth!"Yes, I had a one-time encounter with him. But it happened before I met you. Can you say with one hundred percent certainty that you've never made any mistakes in your life?"Confronted with her accusations, Joseph remained calm and composed. "Since it w
After Xavia's departure, Joseph remained rooted in place, his arms tensed and veins pulsating with anger. A bitter self-mockery tainted his enraged expression. He came to the realization that Chloe had not been attempting to balance her affections between him and Icarus. Instead, she merely treated him as a pawn in her game, relishing in her triumph and flaunting it before others.With a determined grip, Joseph retrieved the suit hanging in his wardrobe. As frustration surged within him, he forcefully hurled the suit into the trash bin.*Meanwhile, autumn arrived, and Chloe wrapped herself in thicker garments.Ever since completing her university studies, Chloe had been immersed in the demands of her work, leaving her with little time to obtain a driver's license. After assuming control of her family's business, she recognized the inconveniences of relying on taxis for transportation. Determined to overcome this hurdle, she seized a moment of respite and enrolled in a driving scho
Upon reconsideration, Chloe realized that Noah did not even know Icarus, so she believed she was overthinking the situation. Expressing gratitude for his concern, she ended the call and immediately tried to reach out to the employee who had posted the video.Unfortunately, the employee was currently out on business and unable to answer the phone.Noah returned to school and settled into the classroom. His neatly styled, chestnut-brown hair partially obscured his eyebrows, unveiling a pair of innocent and captivating eyes. Leisurely tapping his fingertips on the phone screen, he switched to his Facebook account, located Icarus' profile, and opened the confession video. In the comments section, he tagged Fairlight's official account.Toward the end of the workday, the employee who had posted the video returned. Apologizing to Chloe, he promptly deleted the video while explaining, "Ms. Chloe, I forgot that you had an endorsement deal with Exotic Star.""It's fine." Chloe waved her han
Joseph abruptly stopped in his tracks when he heard the ringing of a bell. He reached for Chloe's wrist, forcefully tearing off her bracelet. Precious gems and beads scattered across the floor, and his polished shoes inadvertently crushed one nearby. His gaze turned cold and filled with disdain as he remarked, "What a tasteless accessory. It's absolutely hideous."Blushing with a mix of anger and embarrassment, Chloe spoke out, her voice trembling, "Why won't you leave Icarus alone? He didn't provoke you. If you're displeased with me, you can just come at me directly!"Joseph brushed his fingertips against her swollen lip. His voice was husky and magnetic. "It's simple really. I'll spare him once you break up with him."Even if they had divorced, he would not allow any other man to touch the women he had once been intimate with. It disgusted him."You have no right to interfere in my life!"Joseph released his grip on Chloe, mocking her with a slight curl of his lips. "Well, then
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