At that moment, she yearned to hug Joseph. She wanted to embrace him and give him warmth.Chloe extended her hands, but they stopped in mid-air. Their current identities prohibited them from having such intimate gestures with each other. She then forced a bitter smile and decided to maintain some distance from him.Suddenly, Joseph caught her off guard and hugged her. He then leaned his chin on her shoulder and said in exhaustion, "Let me lean on you for a while."Chloe pursed her lips and patted his back to console him. "Okay."They hugged each other. At the same time, their scents mixed together in an inexplicable harmony. Chloe looked up at the moon in the sky. Since they were on the rooftop, the moon looked large and round. It seemed near but far at the same time.After taking a moment, Joseph regained his composure but did not let her go. He buried his face against her neck and greedily took in her unique scent."Let's stop arguing and get back together."He sounded aloof.
"First, we need to make things clear. I haven't agreed to reconcile. Even if it's proven that the incident that night was an accident, we both need time to cool off and carefully assess the situation."Apart from Xavia, there were many other personal factors between them.Joseph's lips curled into a smile as he nodded in agreement. 'Dumbo must be secretly delighted while pretending to stay composed. Well, if she wants to put on a show, I'll join her in this play.’When Xavia received his call, she felt a surge of excitement and joy. She meticulously applied her makeup and slipped into a stunning white dress, eagerly making her way to the Fairlight to meet him.Meanwhile, in the office, Nathan, Jonathan, and the others had departed. Expecting Jonathan to not repurchase the house, Joseph instructed Lucas to contact the buyer.Chloe anticipated Xavia's imminent arrival. A sly glint sparkled in her almond-shaped eyes. "I'll slip away to the restroom later. Don't let Xavia know I'm her
Xavia was caught off guard, her face palling with surprise."Do you still have feelings for Chloe?"The person inside the restroom perked up both ears, straining to catch every word.Joseph leaned back, adopting a nonchalant posture, while his narrowed eyes emitted a chilling and sinister aura. "Why do you persist in asking something you already know the answer to?""Joe, I'm the only one who truly loves you. Hasn't Chloe moved on and started a relationship with Icarus?"Upon hearing those words, Chloe could not bear it any longer. She kicked open the restroom door, a smile playing on her lips. "Oh, so now you're so concerned about my love life?"Xavia's face paled, staring at Chloe in shock. "What are you doing here? And why were you hiding in the restroom?"‘What in the hell is going on?’"Who says I was hiding? I simply came in to use the restroom," Chloe said, feigning seriousness.Xavia took a hesitant step back. "Joe, what's going on here...""It's nothing. You can leav
Xavia seethed with anger, dreading that if she remained any longer, she might lose control and unleash a torrent of curses at this bitch.She turned to Joseph and uttered, "I'm leaving. Don't forget to accompany me for the prenatal check-up in a few days. The doctor mentioned that my condition requires special attention due to undergoing chemotherapy. It's best to have a family member present during the check-up in case of emergencies."Joseph exchanged a glance with Lucas, clearly conveying his intentions. Lucas stepped forward, reassured, "Ms. Xavia, I’ll accompany you. I’m sure you're aware that Mr. Joseph has numerous official matters demanding his attention on a daily basis."Xavia mustered a smile that held more sorrow than tears, yet she fought to maintain her composure. "That will do." She swiftly made her way out, anxious that she might lose control and engage Chloe in a confrontation. In the blink of an eye, only Chloe and Joseph remained in the office.Joseph settled ont
Xavia felt her heart race, anxiety bubbling within her. "Are you sure this plan will succeed? What if it’s discovered?""It has to work. It's your only viable option. As per our initial plan, you need to find a way to terminate the pregnancy within three months. Do you think it's still viable now?"'Terminate the pregnancy?' Xavia's mind recoiled at the thought. She vigorously shook her head, realizing that if she followed through with that plan, she would lose her reason to remain by Joseph's side, and things often do not go as smoothly as anticipated.Vanya smiled sarcastically. "Well, the boss has done his part for you and paved the way for you. You're fully aware of the consequences if you fail.""I’ll do my best to meet the boss's expectations and not disappoint him. But what if Chloe reveals to Joseph that she’s also pregnant?""It doesn't matter. Just make sure to publicly announce that you’re carrying Joseph's child. Let everyone assume it as a fact. The rest will naturall
Natalie pouted. "As long as Joe is happy, I'm content."In the past few days, Natalie had stayed home to ponder deeply about her feelings. She concluded that her feelings toward Joseph were not romantic in nature, but rather akin to the adoration of a devoted fan for an idol. In her eyes, from childhood to adulthood, Joseph excelled both in his studies and appearance.After graduation, he liberated himself from his family and single-handedly took charge of Fairlight, turning the tables and achieving a remarkable success that the entire industry envied. Naturally, someone like him would always be the center of attention wherever he went. Everyone harbored admiration for extraordinary individuals, and she was no exception. However, it remained mere admiration. To truly love someone is to be selfish and incapable of compromise.Joseph's handsome features softened slightly. "You've grown up," he commented.Natalie smiled at him. "Joe, if you happen to come across any remarkable men, re
One hour later, Chloe and Samuel arrived at the police station. Only the lawyer was allowed inside, so Chloe anxiously waited outside.Another half hour passed. Joseph and Samuel came out at the same time. Chloe approached them and asked eagerly, "How did it go? Can we leave now?"Samuel let out a long sigh. "Yes, everything is fine. The urine test came back negative, and they identified the person who placed the package through the surveillance footage."Her tightly clenched heart found relief, and she exclaimed indignantly, "Who was it? How despicable!""It was Jonathan's subordinate, Isaac," Samuel replied.In other words, Jonathan had orchestrated all of this. According to the surveillance footage, Isaac sneaked into Joseph's office this morning. Although the culprit was arrested, he refused to admit that he was acting on Preston's orders, but due to the evidence from the urine test and Isaac's incoherent statements, the police had no authority to detain Joseph.Chloe was spe
Joseph glared at Jonathan, his gaze as sharp as a blade.Jonathan instinctively cowered. He lost his previous confidence, and softly protested, "There's no need to go through all that trouble. If you don't want me back on the board, then I won't return. After all, you're the one in control of the Whitman Group. What right do I have to object?""I'm the one in control of the Whitman Group, but I'm also your older cousin. Uncle Pres is right. I shouldn't always dwell on your shortcomings and should try to discover your strengths instead," Joseph said, a smile playing on his lips.With that, he promptly contacted the board of directors, as well as the finance and project teams. In less than an hour, everyone arrived at the family home. In front of everyone, a meeting was held. Jonathan had been on the board for five years and had been involved in seven projects. Out of those, six projects incurred losses totaling about a hundred thousand dollars. Only one project was profitable, but th
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