Octavia erupted in anger. "I was simply chastising you, yet you're humiliating me like this?""I didn’t humiliate you. I just responded in kind. Why are you so agitated?" Chloe's eyes turned cold.Octavia's face darkened. "You're climbing over me even before getting remarried. If you and Joseph remarry, will you disrespect Harold too?”"Disrespect him? Of course not," Chloe quickly retorted, “I’ll honor and respect him with all my heart.”Octavia's face stiffened, unable to find a comeback. She decided not to push the issue further and instead directed her focus and energy toward Xavia. The person standing before her was unworthy of her attention.*After a sumptuous dinner, Chloe was overcome by an overwhelming drowsiness. Sympathetic to her condition, Harold allowed her to head to bed early.As she teetered on the brink of sleep, she faintly heard the door being pushed open. Recognizing Joseph's presence, she chose to ignore him and continued to drift off to sleep. However, he
The nurses glanced up and blushed at the sight of such a handsome man approaching them.One of them replied shyly, "I don't know… Probably over 30..."Joseph's expression soured further. He just turned 31 this year."Sir, can we exchange numbers?" the nervous nurse asked.He let out a cold snort, "I'm already 31."The nurse exclaimed, "Oh? Please don't go!"‘What’s wrong with being 31? Being handsome is more than enough!’Inside the hospital, Xavia sat on a bench in the corridor, donning a delicate beige dress accentuated by a gracefully draped shawl over her shoulders. Her choice of loafers revealed her slender ankles, adding a touch of vulnerability to her overall demeanor. Seated beside her was Megan Martinez.Joseph observed Xavia from a distance but refrained from approaching her. Instead, he entered the doctor's office where Lucas was already present."Mr. Joseph, we’ve conducted a comprehensive examination on Ms. Xavia. Based on the results, the earliest suitable time f
Xavia’s tightly wound string of composure instantly snapped."You saw the surveillance footage, so you should know the truth! The robbers rejected me because of my pregnancy and shifted their sights to Chloe! What's wrong with that?!" she exclaimed."Did the robber discover your pregnancy or did you voluntarily disclose it?"Given their slender frames, Xavia and Chloe could easily conceal their pregnancies, even at three months, especially when wearing loose clothing.She staggered, almost losing her balance. "So what? In the face of life and death, I want to live. Is there anything wrong with wanting to keep the baby in my belly alive? Besides, Chloe isn't that noble either."Megan chimed in, "Exactly. Their relationship was already strained. You expect her to sacrifice herself for Chloe’s sake?"Joseph remained calm. "It’s true that Chloe isn’t particularly noble, but she didn't push someone into the way just to save herself.""I have a child in my womb, which means two lives
Megan shook her head and replied, "No, I don’t."Xavia took a deep breath and said, "Let’s think it over. I have something to take care of, so I have to go.""Wait," Megan called out, "What if we hire some online trolls to smear Chloe online?"Xavia rubbed her temples, "Child's play." If Chloe had such a weak mental fortitude, she would not have been able to hold her ground until now."Exotic Star's reputation has already taken a hit. If Chloe, the global ambassador, continues to display inappropriate behavior, there's a possibility that Exotic Star might cut ties with her to protect their interests," Megan suggested.Xavia's eyes brightened a little. "It's worth a shot."However, relying solely on internet trolls would not be enough. There was a high likelihood that Noah would come to Chloe's defense.‘This could be an opportunity to release those photos…’Regarding Noah, Xavia could not quite ascertain his intentions, and neither did she know how much information he had in hi
Chloe's heart ached sharply at the mention of her mother's precious jewelry being refurbished and altered. Those pieces held sentimental value and were part of the dowry her mother had left for her...Emily stepped forward, trying to offer some reassurance. "Why don't you ask Noah about it? Your mother's jewelry is of exceptional quality and craftsmanship. There's a chance that they haven’t been subjected to any refurbishment or alteration.""I can only hope so."Emily had taken a day off today, and her birthday was just around the corner. She had her eye on a particular handbag, and there happened to be one in the same style among the bags Joseph had given Chloe.Since Chloe had the idea of gifting it to Emily for her birthday, the two of them headed to the Johnson Group's warehouse to retrieve the bag. As Emily surveyed the warehouse filled with a plethora of branded bags, a vein visibly throbbing on her forehead. "What a waste!" she exclaimed, her frustration evident.Chloe hel
Icarus froze for a moment before replying, "Yes, I've reported it. I’m currently waiting for the investigation results.”"I need some time alone," Chloe said in a low tone.Icarus replied solemnly, "Okay. If you need someone to talk to, you can call me. I'll be here for you."Chloe was in no mood to talk to him. Once she obtained the photo link, she quickly contacted Tyson.Upon learning of the situation, Tyson fell silent. After a short while, he said, "Once something goes viral online, it's difficult to control. I'll try to coordinate with my colleagues in Cyber to intercept and prevent the further spread of these photos within the country."Chloe set her jaw tightly, and some color returned to her pale face. "Thank you.""But… What's the situation between you and Joe?" Tyson asked."Nothing happened…""There's something I have to say. If you reconcile with Joe, you have to come clean to him about your pregnancy. You need to clarify who the father is and whether you have any
Chloe's gaze lowered, torn between the desire to confide in Joseph and the fear of his potential anger. She knew from past experiences that even innocent encounters with Icarus would infuriate him. Now, with those distasteful photos circulating online, the thought of his reaction terrified her, and she could not bear to imagine it.Nevertheless, she summoned a delicate smile and assured him, "I'm fine, really. Let's just go ahead as planned."He looked at her seriously and said in a deep voice, "All right then."Clasping her hand with his, they strolled toward the parking area. As their fingers intertwined, he could not help but notice how small and cold her hand felt compared to his. A frown appeared on his face as he tightened his grip, allowing a comforting warmth to flow from his palm to hers, gradually thawing her icy fingers.Joseph had made an appointment at the most prestigious bridal store in Aesper. The store manager was aware of their visit and had rescheduled all other
Joseph firmly grasped her shoulders as he raised his eyebrows. "What nonsense are you talking about? Why would I doubt you when it was just a baseless claim?"Chloe was stunned, thrown off by his reaction.Joseph continued, "I've already instructed for those articles to be taken down.""Oh, that’s what you're talking about…""Of course," he replied, his face growing stern. "Wait... Is there something else you haven't told me?"Chloe shook her head. "No, no!"Joseph narrowed his eyes. He sensed that she was hiding something, yet she kept her lips sealed. It seemed like he had pampered her too much lately, and she had started lying again. He was infuriated, but he refrained from pressing further for the time being. He knew there would be time to address this later, perhaps after dinner.They had agreed that while spending time together, they would visit the family home and have meals with Harold. As they passed by a mall, Chloe remembered Harold mentioning a newly released traditi