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
Chloe was stunned but smiled and said, "Are you sure you didn't mistake him for someone else?""No, I don't think so. Although we didn't greet each other since we were far apart, I saw his car in the parking lot." Noah's eyes flickered with an unusual glint. "Didn't Mr. Joseph say anything to you?"Chloe looked embarrassed. "No, he didn’t say anything."Noah's lips curled into an almost imperceptible smile. "Don't be too upset, Coco. Maybe Mr. Joseph has his reasons for not telling you. Find an opportunity to talk to him. Everything will be fine.“Sigh, I’d never let such a cliched situation happen if I had a girlfriend. I'd treat her well and never let her suffer from jealousy. However, I can understand that accidents are beyond our control. Still, love should only involve two people. Having a third person involved is hard to stomach."The last sentence felt like tiny grains of sand, causing Chloe's whole being to ache. Doubt, grievance, and disappointment were emotions that clog
Chloe felt like her heart was in her throat, making her unable to articulate her emotions. She had worked hard and earned recognition from her teacher for achieving excellent results, only to discover that Joseph had already spoken to the teacher and secured her a high score.She understood Joseph's good intentions but could not shake off her unease. She felt that all her efforts had been in vain. She had put so much heart into that proposal, yet Joseph seemed to doubt her capabilities.Noah watched her expression closely and retrieved a brochure. He passed it to her, saying, “I’ve set up an office in Estre, which compliments your business quite well. We can collaborate if you’re interested. As for your family's company, we can explore a merger if you think it's viable."Chloe was astounded. "You're opening an office in Estre?""I like Estre, and my grandfather also wants me to gain some experience there.""But why me?"Noah scratched his head and smiled gently. Two dimples appea
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