Chloe and Joseph exchanged concerned glances, their brows furrowing.Harold was stumped, wondering who the masked woman could be. He gave Chloe and Joseph a puzzled look, his aging face filled with confusion. "What's going on? Why are you two looking at each other like that? If you have something to say, just say it.""It's nothing," Joseph replied, turning his attention to Patrick. "Please help Grandpa back into the house and make sure he gets some rest."Patrick swiftly complied and Harold refrained from pressing further. He figured the young couple had their little secrets to discuss.Chloe and Joseph retreated to their room as well, leaving Xavia by herself.Relief washed over Xavia, and she let out a long sigh, trying to calm her racing heart. ‘Vanya really needs to be more careful. She should've taken care of the witness when she had the chance.’*"There’s a property auction tomorrow, and Otto Sinclair of Briarlake will be there. I'm thinking of going to meet him."Chloe
Chloe belatedly realized what he meant, her pretty face going a little pink. What was with this man? His mind was always in the gutter. Of course, Joseph was just messing with her. He was not so desperate as to get frisky in broad daylight.With the weather getting cooler, Chloe picked out long sleepwear, the soft cotton fabric loosely draping her delicate figure. The loose fit hid her pregnancy well, and she rarely experienced morning sickness. During her showers, her baby bump was noticeable, but once she got dressed, it was completely hidden. She looked just like any regular person. Even now, lying in the same bed as Joseph, there was no way anyone could tell her secret.Joseph was not accustomed to taking afternoon naps, but the woman cuddled up next to him smelled so good and felt so soft—like a natural sleep aid. Before he knew it, he drifted to dreamland. Out in the yard, Patrick was giving orders to the house helpers. "Mr. Harold's meds are running low. Go find Dr. Spence
Harold spoke up, and his voice was heavy with old memories. "You know your mother had her reasons. Have you forgotten the phone call your father made before he passed? He wanted you to live a good life, to let go of the past, and to not let one incident ruin two generations."Joseph's parents had fallen in love during their university years, their bond so strong and quick that they soon conceived Joseph. But their happiness was short-lived. A man who claimed to be the fiance of Joseph's mother showed up and forcibly took her away from Joseph's father. The aftermath of their separation was devastating. Consequently, she spiraled into depression and tragically took her own life. Shortly after, Joseph's father did the same.Harold believed that Joseph's mother, who was engaged to another man, should have severed ties with Joseph's father. The aftermath was a massive tragedy—a fate that was bound to happen. "Was it wrong for my mother to pursue true love? Was she supposed to just sta
Otto and Cyrus hailed from the Sinclair family, and there was a considerable age gap between them—with Otto being 20 years younger than Cyrus. While it seemed highly plausible that Otto could be Cyrus' son, this scenario appeared impossible according to the timeline.Chloe fell into a contemplative silence, scanning her surroundings and noticing the names "Fairlight" and "Briarlake" written on the right and left of the front row. The auction was scheduled to commence in ten minutes.Clearing a path through the crowd, Otto approached Joseph with a smirk on his face. "Mr. Joseph, I've heard so much about you."Joseph glanced at the hand extended toward him, his expression filled with disdain. "What do you want?"Otto froze for a moment, but he soon regained his senses and smoothly retracted his hand. His eyes narrowed mischievously as he asked, "I was just wondering which property you plan on acquiring.""I haven't made up my mind yet," Joseph replied coldly.Chloe observed the m
A wicked grin adorned Joseph's handsome face as he said, "I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase.""What phrase?""Being too clever can be your own undoing," he replied.Chloe was still unsure about this and asked, "Are you absolutely certain about this?"Such matters seemed simple on the surface, but in reality, they required a profound understanding of human nature and the ability to discern the other person's mind.Joseph proudly lifted his chin and said, "Just watch."Seeing his confidence, Chloe began to wait quietly."Any other bids?" the emcee asked the audience, "In that case, 150 million going once! 150 million going twice! 150 million going—""160 million!" Otto interrupted the host as he looked at Joseph challengingly.Joseph smiled gracefully. "Very well. It's yours then."Otto gritted his teeth, his fingers clenching tightly and his joints cracking audibly, showing signs of nervousness. His assistant tried to reassure him, "It's all right, Mr. Otto. We’ve already secur
Undaunted by the threat, Otto pointed at Chloe and continued, "This woman might be one of Harold's spies who was deliberately planted to keep you under control."Chloe's anger reverberated through her voice as she retorted, "I’m not!"Harold was pushing Joseph for an arranged marriage when they first met, so she was worried that Joseph would believe in Otto's nonsense. With a sly and cunning grin, Otto added, "Have this woman accompany me for one night and you'll receive information about Fleurette's whereabouts. The choice is yours.""Fuck you!" Joseph's anger reached its peak, and he kicked Otto in the chest.A fierce struggle ensued between the two, escalating the situation beyond control.Chloe's first instinct was not to break up the fight but to help Joseph. She could not stand Otto's despicable behavior either, and he deserved to be taught a lesson. Gathering whatever objects she could find, she hurled them at Otto. This unexpected attack briefly caught him off guard, pro
Chloe's heart was filled with anxiety at the thought of a potential argument between Joseph and Harold.For Joseph, Harold was the only family he had left. Despite his indifference, Chloe knew that he cared deeply for his grandfather. Taking over the Whitman Group and looking after it was a testament to his love and responsibility toward Harold. If it turned out that his grandfather's affection for him was all a facade, Joseph would be shattered."Let's go back to our place," Joseph said, his eyes red and exhausted from the emotional turmoil of the past few hours.Her heart ached for him, and she could not help but embrace him, gently patting his back. "All right. I'll be with you no matter where you want to go."Joseph hugged her back tightly, his voice hoarse as he asked, "Can you stay with me forever?""Yes, I'll be with you, always," Chloe replied, unable to hold back her emotions. She did not want to think about Xavia right now. She just wanted to be with him, just like he wa
After his discharge from the hospital, Joseph threw himself into relentless studying and handling the affairs of the Whitman Group despite facing ridicule and scorn from others. Eventually, he came to realize that simply running the Whitman Group well was not enough if he wanted to truly become powerful.To Preston and his family’s joy, Joseph resolutely chose to venture abroad for entrepreneurship. He aspired to become an independent man, not merely one attached to the Whitmans. His endeavors bore fruit as he achieved recognition in the business world. Harold, both delighted and anxious, busied himself with arranging matters about Joseph's marriage. Joseph felt somewhat helpless, not wanting his life to be controlled by others, but he was willing to make concessions for Harold.It was precisely at this moment that Chloe appeared. She was like a sun, bringing warmth to his otherwise dull and mundane life. Despite doing things that often upset him, he found himself enamored with her