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
Patrick was momentarily at a loss for words, contemplating his response."Ms. Chloe, you’re right. Mr. Harold can only oversee things for a while and not for a lifetime. But what about you? Do you no longer have any feelings for Mr. Joseph?"Chloe froze, her eyelashes quivering ever so slightly. "No, I don't," she admitted with a heavy sigh. Joseph was right, she should not have provoked him. She had only brought discomfort upon herself.Without bidding farewell to Harold, Chloe left the Whitman home. She knew he would continue to try and persuade her, but the decision had already been made, and there was no need to further prolong the inevitable.Upon her return to the office, the first order of business for Chloe was to investigate the records of the car accident. With Icarus' license plate number in hand, she accessed the traffic accident database. Her heart sank as she read the information that appeared on the screen.To her disbelief, the vehicle that collided with them that
The call was not on speakerphone, but Xavia leaned in closer, catching a few keywords that piqued her curiosity.Chloe, police, lawyer...The fragments of the conversation gave her an inkling that something involving Chloe had gone wrong.Joseph ended the call, his brow furrowed with concern."Joe, what's happened?" Xavia asked.Joseph's voice carried heavy weight as he replied, "There's something I need to attend to. I have to go.""But...the doctor isn’t finished yet. Aren't you worried about the baby's health?"His gaze fell on her still-flat belly. "Contact Lucas if something comes up." With that, he stood up and left.Xavia's hands clenched tightly, her frustration and resentment boiling within her. ‘They’re already divorced. Why is she still trying to steal my man? What a two-faced bitch!’*At the police station, Chloe was brought into the interrogation room. The situation was clear-cut. Aaron had disregarded her suggestion and continued to push the workers into overti
“Yeah. Of course, he laid his filthy hands on me. And in the end, he turned around and betrayed me. Out of anger and embarrassment, he used his connections to send me to prison!" Ava spewed lies with wide-open eyes, unable to bear the fact that Chloe seemed to be preferred by all men.'Once Chloe and Joseph separate, I'll find a way to deal with this woman once I get out of here!'Chloe's heart grew heavy as she sat there, observing Ava's remorseless face. At that moment, she found herself at a loss for words. Part of her wanted to laugh, while another part recognized that this person was beyond redemption. Taking a deep breath, she said with seriousness and helplessness, "Stop lying. Joseph's standards aren't that low.""What do you mean? You believe in a man over me?!" Ava shouted angrily, drawing reprimands from the prison guards.Tyson cast a sidelong glance at Ava and urged Chloe, "Don't waste time on her. Joe is already at the Aesper City Police Department."Chloe nodded, st
Chloe followed Joseph out of the station. But before they even, Icarus' call came in.Joseph calmly crossed his arms and said, "Answer it."Chloe whispered, "I don't want to answer.""I'll answer it for you then." He snatched the phone and answered while pressing the speakerphone button."What's wrong, Chloe? Why did you suddenly break up with me? Is Joseph bothering you again?!"Chloe was afraid that Joseph would get angry. She tiptoed and held onto his strong and powerful arm as she hurriedly replied into the phone, "It has nothing to do with him. It was my own decision. That day, it wasn't a tanker truck in the accident, and you didn't risk any lasting damage to save me. I despise deception. Don't contact me anymore." She pressed the end call button and snatched back the phone.The entire sequence of actions flowed smoothly.Joseph smiled ambiguously. "Lying without flinching, as always."Chloe did not want to argue with him and wisely changed the topic. "How does Samuel pla
Noah pulled out a box of mint candies from his pocket and casually popped two into his mouth. With an expression that blended innocence and curiosity, he resembled a diligent and inquisitive student. "Xavia’s your girlfriend? Then what's the deal between her and Joseph?"Eustace shook his head in a mixture of confusion and pain, his face reflecting anguish. "I don't know. I don't know anything."He had no clue why he was being hunted, let alone why Xavia suddenly talked about breaking up. He was completely unaware of her involvement with Joseph."She’s pregnant," Noah said."I know that!" Eustace's spirits immediately lifted, his eyes brimming with overflowing happiness.With an interested smile playing at the corners of his mouth, Noah said, "Oh?"Seeing Noah's disbelief, Eustace confidently said, "I'm her boyfriend. How could I not know she's pregnant?""Are you sure it's your child?""Of course, we’ve been together for the entire month."They stayed together almost every da
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