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
Chloe froze for a moment and then hastily changed the subject. "Grandpa, I bought you your favorite pastry.""You're the best, my sweet. That brat has never bothered to get me anything," Harold said."Yeah, I've never gotten you pastries. I merely took care of the mess in the Whitman Group that was worth over 100 thousand dollars," Joseph remarked casually as he descended the stairs.He had changed into his home outfit. "Taking care of me and doing business are two completely different things. Don't get them mixed up," Harold retorted."All right then, from now on, I'll stop taking care of the Whitman Group's affairs and will focus solely on buying pastries for you," Joseph replied. He was dressed in a navy blue silk pajama that softened his edges, making him more approachable. "Shut it. Don't go saying things that’ll upset me." Chloe patted Harold's shoulder and said, "Everyone has their expertise. Jojo's intelligent and a natural leader in the business world. Asking him to
After enduring a bout of nausea in the restroom, Chloe felt a bit better and decided to step out. But as she pushed open the door, Joseph was standing right outside, his eyes dark and swarming with a myriad of emotions."I saw the photos," he said.Chloe stood there in a daze, and then she saw Joseph holding her phone tightly in his hand."I can explain. It’s not what you think. Icarus and I are not—""You've disappointed me greatly," Joseph interrupted her, "I asked you many times today, giving you plenty of opportunities to tell me, yet you didn't say a word."'Am I truly that undeserving of her trust? Does she really prefer to carry this burden alone or seek Tyson's help rather than turning to me?'As she heard his words, her heart tightened in her throat. Believing he was angry, she said, "Please believe me. Nothing happened between Icarus and me that day. They forced me to take off my clothes. If you don't believe me, I can call Icarus right now to prove it."“Enough!" Jose
Chloe's hand froze in mid-air, and after a brief pause, she slowly lowered it."How long do I have to wait?"“About an hour.”"Okay."She let out a long sigh and walked to the window, opening it to take in the view of the backyard. Toto had been brought home, and at that moment, Toto was joyfully playing with Oreo.Suddenly, a thought struck Chloe. Since the time Xavia sent Oreo here, she had never bothered to visit or show any concern for the dog. The few times she came here were just to cause her trouble. This behavior led Chloe to suspect that even sending Oreo was part of Xavia's calculated scheme.*On the highway from Cloude to Aesper.Sitting in a van, Vanya spoke respectfully as she reported to the person on the other end. Ten minutes later, she ended the call. The driver peered at the license plate of the car in front of them and asked, “Hey Van, up ahead. Doesn’t this car belong to the guy who ruined Xavia's plan?"Vanya leaned forward, trying to see inside the car,