Chloe frowned slightly but did not dwell on it. Swiftly taking the money back, she scanned the QR code on the countertop and deposited a thousand dollars. The stall keeper, satisfied upon hearing the notification sound of the payment, handed the photo to Noah."Thank goodness we came here. Otherwise, we would have missed it," Chloe said, raising her eyebrows and smiling at him with a hint of pride. "You see, trusting me was the right choice, wasn't it?"Noah held the old photograph in his hands, gently caressing it with his fingertips. "You knew they were trying to pull a fast one on us, so why did you still give them the money?""Because this photo is important to you. It's priceless in your heart. And besides, recovering something lost and cherished is a joyful event. Since we had the means to do it, there's no point in getting upset over unworthy people," Chloe said, her voice gentle and serene.Her unadorned face remained stunningly radiant. The scattered moonlight cascading up
"I'm attracted to every good-looking person, including you."Scott possessed an attractive appearance, with a tall and well-built physique, and his captivating eyes had the ability to mesmerize anyone who looked into them.Xavia remained doubtful of his words but took the initiative to move closer, gently stroking his face. "Do you want to indulge one last time before getting married?"Scott immediately grasped her intentions and declined her proposal. "Assisting you is the limit of my involvement. Dealing with that woman is beyond what I'm willing to do."The only woman who could accompany Joseph to a public gathering—apart from the one before him—was the newcomer who had made her appearance today. Moreover, Scott's intuition told him that Joseph favored the latter more. He was not foolish enough to involve himself in unnecessary trouble."But besides Joe, no other man has touched that woman. Don't you want to experience it for yourself?" Xavia had applied a light layer of makeup
The staircase leading down was approximately five meters long, a seemingly short distance that could be traversed in just a minute. However, for Chloe, each step Joseph and Xavia took together felt like an endless journey through time. Holding hands, their stride seemed to stretch across centuries, intensifying the pain in Chloe's heart with every passing moment.Overwhelmed by the scene before her, she could no longer endure it. Defiantly, she turned on her heels and walked away, hoping that Joseph would notice her absence and come searching for her."Chloe, stop,"A youthful voice rang out. It was not Joseph, but Noah.Feeling defeated, Chloe turned to face him. "Why did you follow me?""I noticed you didn’t look so good, and since I have nothing to do right now, I thought I'd keep you company and talk," Noah replied.She froze and said listlessly, "Thank you."Even an outsider like Noah could sense her unhappiness. But what about Joseph? Was he aware of her distress?"In a s
Chloe did not feel Noah's actions were anything out of the ordinary, assuming that he was carrying out Desmond's task to gain more exposure to the industry.Following in Scott's footsteps, they entered a conference dining hall. Many people were seated around a large round table, none of whom Chloe recognized except for Joseph. Xavia was present too, sitting by his side as if she were his companion.Chloe's feet felt as if they were rooted to the spot. She could not move a single step forward and a self-deprecating expression spread across her face.Having achieved his goal, Scott intentionally spoke up, "Mr. Joseph, Ms. Chloe is here. Mr. Noah, please have a seat wherever you like."Noah nodded and found an empty chair to sit in.As Joseph caught sight of the two entering together, a slight frown darkened his handsome face. "Come here," he commanded.Chloe looked at the empty seat next to him. If she sat there, he would be sandwiched between Xavia and her.'Who does he think he
"Calm down," Joseph said, trying to avoid an argument with her. "We can discuss this when we get home."As soon as he could finish his sentence, Scott hurried over, his face filled with concern. "Mr. Joseph, Ms. Xavia was harassed by a homeless man who broke in. She's quite frightened. Could you please check on her?""Come with me," Joseph said firmly.This time, he forcefully pulled Chloe along, not allowing her to stay with Noah. After all, Noah was too scheming for his age.Chloe was interested to see what Xavia was up to. She said her goodbyes to Noah and followed Joseph.*In the lounge, Xavia was in tears, her clothes torn and revealing a glimpse of her fair skin. When she saw Joseph, she emotionally threw herself into his arms."Joe, a homeless man nearly tore my clothes. I'm so scared he might hurt our baby..."Joseph tried to push her away, but she held onto his sleeve tightly. Helpless, he could only take off his jacket and drape it over her.Chloe stood behind them,
Suddenly, all eyes turned to the young man. Clarity sparked in Noah's amber-like eyes. His innocent look suggested he had yet to figure out the situation.Joseph gritted his teeth, aware that the young man was pretending. He strode over with an expression so grim that it distorted his handsome face. "Tell me what you saw."A faint smile played on Noah's lips as he lowered his voice. "Are you sure that I'll help you?"Joseph sneered, disdain filling his eyes. "Kid, I'm going to see your elders if you lie.""You’re just old." Noah's smile widened. Not a tinge of malice on his face after snatching one's beloved. "Men should find partners who are older than them. Coco is merely three years older than me."However, Joseph was unmoved. "It's a good thing to have dreams.""Hmph! Confidence is a good thing too.""Noah, tell us. What did you see?" Chloe took the initiative to ask since Noah did not reveal the truth.Similarly, Xavia looked at Noah anxiously, afraid of what he might blur
"Joe, I'm so sorry. Hurry and go after Ms. Chloe. You don't need to worry about me," Xavia said gently.Joseph's face sank. "I've called you an ambulance. It'll be here soon. Bye, I’ll be going now.""Okay. Be careful."Xavia watched Joseph leave, her haggard and feeble face slowly turning into a malicious expression. Although her plan had not gone flawlessly, it could still be considered a success. That was what she wanted to see. Bit by bit, she aimed to ruin their trust and drain their love for each other. Over time, it would build up, leaving them deeply exhausted from endless arguments. The building blocks of their love would then topple and fade no matter how strong their love was.Xavia slowly draped Joseph's coat over her body as if she had won the battle. She tidied her appearance and smoothed her hair. After that, she appeared graceful again. When she walked out, she found that Noah was still there, staring at her.She recalled that Megan was still vying to be Exotic St
For over ten minutes, Chloe remained silent, eavesdropping. Joseph seemed to have left since it was now quiet outside. A chill pierced her heart. They had been dating for almost a year, but his patience toward her was still so low.Feeling disappointed, she lay on her bed, flashes of their past replaying in her mind. There was happiness, anger, grief, sadness, and moments of feeling touched…Her mother passed away early, leaving her to face verbal and physical abuse in the Johnson family from time to time. Jake would sometimes bring her snacks or beautiful clothes. At that time, she was over the moon, feeling that he was the one. But he cheated on her. Emily then became the only person who treated her kindly.Slowly, Joseph became a part of her life. He spoke harsh words and was a fierce man, but sometimes, he was very nice to her. He gave her a job and avenged her. When she was filled with the deepest despair, he saved her repeatedly. Without him, Ava would still be safe and making