As the rain began to fall outside, dark clouds obscured the moon.Chloe was standing by the roadside without an umbrella, waiting for a ride-hailing car.Five minutes later, Joseph emerged from the underground parking lot. He rolled down the car window halfway to reveal his noble face. "Get in. It's going to be a stormy night, and you won't be able to get a cab."As Chloe glanced at the ride-hailing order on her phone, she realized that despite the higher price, no driver had accepted it. With the rain intensifying, she knew that finding a ride would become even more challenging. Without hesitation, she decided to get into his car and informed him of her destination.Having been to Chloe's house twice before, Joseph remembered the route and had no need to rely on navigation. For a while, neither of them spoke as Chloe looked outside. The rain soon intensified, and large drops of water splattered against the car window, obscuring their view.Chloe turned her gaze away, gathering th
The next morning, Chloe started her day by preparing a hearty breakfast. The kitchen was filled with the enticing aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sizzling bacon. As she sat down to enjoy her breakfast, the combination of flavors and textures brought a sense of contentment to her taste buds.She enjoyed her meal while reviewing her study materials. The questions for the driving test were relatively straightforward, requiring a strong grasp of theory rather than practical application. By nine o'clock, she arrived at her office.In the lobby on the ground floor, a middle-aged man in his fifties looked around anxiously, clearly waiting for someone. As Chloe approached, she could not help but express her surprise. "Patrick?"Patrick turned around and smiled. "Ms. Chloe, I happened to be passing by and thought I'd drop in."Chloe did not buy his explanation as she was familiar with Patrick’s way. She playfully teased, "Just dropping in, huh?""Ms. Chloe, you're quite sharp. Nothing g
Toto could feel its companion's fear and barked at Xavia. It sounded rather fierce, which lured Joseph out.Guilt flashed across Xavia's face. "I accidentally stepped on Oreo's tail, so Toto thinks I'm bullying Oreo."Joseph did not take it to heart. After all, Toto always barked recklessly. It was usually free and had nothing to do. It just needed a good beating.That trip to Docwood was to handle some trivial affairs of the Whitman Group. Jonathan knew that Joseph would come today, so he waited anxiously. At eleven o'clock in the morning, Joseph arrived at Docwood. All the executives came out to welcome him.Jonathan walked over earnestly. "Joe, here you are."Joseph threw the former a sidelong glance but ignored him. Being ignored in front of many people, Jonathan opened his mouth slightly to say something to retrieve his dignity but Joseph gave him no such chance, ordering Lucas to call the finance manager.Hearing this, Jonathan became nervous. He followed Joseph and begged,
“But Jon is a Whitman too. He'll slowly mature." Preston sounded harsh. "Dad, transfer him back to the board.”"I can't meddle in this since I've long left the Whitman Group in that brat’s care. Tell him if you have any opinions." Harold shirked responsibility because he did not want to meddle in this."Dad, you know Joe will disagree. That’s why we came to you." Octavia refused to give up. "You can't play favorites. Jon's hip is all swollen and red from being kicked.""Go and make some achievements before you come bargaining. We can use money to help Jon grow up, but he has to have something to show for it."Octavia fumed with anger. 'Fine, we'll make some achievements! My son is the best. He'll make some achievements soon and defeat Joseph!'Chloe carried the birthday cake she made and a present she bought and walked into the Whitman family home. When she saw the dozens of luxurious cars parked in the yard, her lips twitched slightly.'Patrick tricked me! But I’m already here,
Chloe’s outfit was not flamboyant and rather casual. She had on a short sweater with a beret and a pair of jeans, exposing only a finger-width of her waist. She appeared young and lively. Standing next to Noah, they appeared like a couple.Joseph tugged at his tie and kept his composure, but his cold look frightened people.Octavia, who had planned to find trouble with him, did not dare to approach him.Chloe spotted Joseph, becoming slightly nervous as she tried to stick close to Harold.Joseph caught the change in Chloe’s expression and anguish hit his soul, filling him with pain and gloominess.When the birthday party started, Harold saw the cake Chloe had gifted him. When he heard that she baked the cake herself, he grinned from ear to ear. He then showed it off smugly. "Look! She baked it herself. The best presents are those that time is spent on.""Only poor people make the presents themselves to pretend to be attentive,” Octavia muttered softly.Harold was old and lacked
Patrick was amused. 'I only came out here for some fresh air, and he thinks I'm a guard. Are security guards so inferior nowadays?'"That's unnecessary. I'm more than enough to decide on this. If you don't trust me and insist on barging in, I’ll then offer you some friendly advice. This is the Whitman family home. You can come in but it doesn't mean you can leave." Patrick made an ominous statement before he turned around and refused to look at them again.Ronald was not a fool. He naturally knew the seriousness of barging into this house. Hence, they did not dare to enter the house even after such a long time.After being criticized by Patrick, Ronald’s face turned gloomy. He learned that the Whitman family did not take Xavia seriously at all and felt that he should not have promised to come.Patrick then entered the hall and whispered to Harold. The latter sneered. He was more experienced than Xavia. How dare she try to play tricks on him? What a rude bitch!Chloe was in the hal
Chloe quickly waved her hand. "No, I can get a ride."She then doubled the fee again. After waiting for ten minutes, it still yielded the same result. She anxiously used another platform, but the results were still nil.Harold pretended to be helpless. "It's very late now and this house is pretty remote. It's normal that you didn't get a cab. Even if you do, it'll be dangerous if you bump into a wicked driver. He may try to rob you or take liberties with you. How dangerous is that?!"Chloe shuddered before she recalled the news of women being harmed after riding in a cab alone at night… At last, she decided to spend the night. She stayed on the same floor as Joseph but in different rooms.She stuck to her room. After washing up, she lay in bed and texted Icarus. She thought he would be asleep by now but he called her."Chloe, why didn’t you answer my video call? Are you still busy at the office?""No... I was celebrating an elder's birthday.""Oh, I see. I'll go with you next ti
Joseph's chest burned with restless heat, a fervor that demanded release. The alcohol he consumed tonight was unusually odd, likely tampered with by the old man. Yet, at this moment, he could not spare a thought for that. His mind was consumed by vivid images of Chloe together with Noah, their hands intertwined.‘Why is she always so defiant? She had explicitly promised to end things with Icarus, but here she is, gravitating toward Noah. Does she truly believe she can’t exist without a man by her side?’Overwhelming jealousy broke through his last line of defense, and Joseph stared at her intently before impulsively capturing her lips in a forceful kiss. Chloe, never one to silently endure, was like a cornered rabbit ready to fight back.Smack!She delivered a resounding slap across his face, sparing no mercy. The force of her strike turned his face to the side, rendering him momentarily motionless. Time seemed suspended as the aftermath of her action unfolded. The imprint of Chloe