Chloe frowned and took a step back, trying to put some distance between them. However, Joseph grabbed her waist and pulled her into his arms.He gazed down at her. "Will you come willingly, or do you need my help?"Heaving a long sigh, Chloe's voice became light and helpless. "Please don't force me. Let's part on good terms, okay?"Joseph was infuriated by her suggestion. He pulled her out of the room without waiting for her refusal. He did not even give her time to take her daily necessities and luggage.Chloe struggled endlessly. On the one hand, she was reluctant to go back with Joseph. On the other hand, she was afraid of hurting her baby, so she did not dare to exert herself. Hence, her struggles were nothing but mere scratches to him, posing no danger.Joseph forcefully took her back to the villa."Stay here and reflect on what you’ve done. Give me a satisfactory answer tomorrow."He slammed the door shut and locked Chloe in the bedroom. Incredulity arose within her as she
Left with no other option, she logged into her email with her password. Emily did not often check her emails, but this was Chloe's only choice now. She emailed Emily about her situation and asked the latter to get her out. However, it had been many months since Emily had checked her email and did not see Chloe's message. Chloe had always given Emily a heads-up, so she did not find it strange when Chloe did not contact her for a few days. She just assumed it was Chloe avoiding Joseph's harassment. *Days passed, and Chloe did nothing else but sleep and eat while locked in the room. Joseph had not appeared since the day they fell out with each other. She touched her belly and felt that it was a good thing that he did not come back. If he approached her, he would find out that she was pregnant. Then, she would never be able to leave him.When Chloe thought that she would never get a reply from Emily, a notification sound came from the laptop. A friend request popped up on the webs
"I’ll let her go, but you have to tell me how you learned about this."Chloe had figured it out after three days of reflection. "Noah told me." Harold said, "I’d never have known how out of line you’ve been acting if he hadn’t told me."‘Joseph has locked Chloe up for a few days, but what about next time? Will he hold her captive indefinitely?’ Harold knew he could not let Joseph have his way.Anger rose in Joseph's eyes. "What did he say?"He had confiscated Chloe's phone, so how did Noah contact her? He had even informed Harold of what was happening."Don't find fault with him. He just mentioned it in passing.""What else did he say?" "The Walkers wish to ally with the Sullivans through a marriage. The youngsters have met each other once. I watched Naty grow up, so Noah was asking me about some of her preferences."Harold sighed. ‘Look at how patient and serious Noah is in trying to gain Naty’s heart. In contrast, Joseph has a horrible temper. What an eyesore!’Joseph soo
Chloe had not made a scene because she had found a helper. Otherwise, she would never stop.Joseph went upstairs and used a key to open the locked bedroom door. When Chloe heard the noise, she tried to stash away the laptop, but Joseph beat her to it. She was caught in the act.She was wearing a loose and large sleeping gown that was rather conservative. It reached her knees, so her slender calves were exposed—fair and smooth. She looked rather awkward at the moment, presenting a rather innocent and lovely sight.With both hands in his pockets, Joseph stared straight into her eyes. "I know you went behind my back and contacted Noah."This was not what Chloe wanted to hear. "What do you mean I went behind your back? Am I supposed to do nothing when you have me locked up?" He made it sound like she had done something shameless."Even if you want to leave, you shouldn't have asked him for help. I’ve told you many times that I dislike him." She was always forgetting about what he ha
Joseph made light of this question. "Sure. Given your insight, I'm curious to see what kind of man you'll get for Chloe." Harold cursed. They were used to arguing with each other, so neither of them took it to heart."You know, I can help you take care of the baby after Xavia gives birth."Of course, it was a dilemma to insert the baby between the two of them.Joseph's face turned dull. "Let's talk about this another time.""Fine. I won’t meddle in your business. Do whatever you want.""How's your health been recently?""Don't worry, I won't die yet," he then added after a pause, "Dr. Spencer delivered the medicine for next week today. The Sinclairs just can't wait to kill me, so I think we should up our plan."Harold had lost his patience and felt it would be disadvantageous to the Whitmans if it was delayed any longer. He had been a soldier for more than three decades, so he might as well fight against them. They were undoubtedly wicked for always plotting against him.Jose
After exiting the hospital, Chloe looked up nearby swimming pools on the Internet while sitting in the car and waiting for Noah's reply. She found a private high-class pool about seven kilometers away from her office that was ten times more expensive than public pools. She booked a time and decided to give it a try.She waited for around half an hour but Noah seemed to be missing in action. He had not texted her back. Feeling confused, she texted him again.[If you're busy, we can meet up another time.]After about ten minutes, her phone rang."I'm sorry. Something urgent came up. You go on ahead and eat. How about meeting up at five instead?"Chloe did not dwell much on it and agreed to it. She then picked out a random restaurant and had her lunch before going to the office.The company's performance improved lately. Half of their success was due to the deals she landed in Estre. The remaining half were the clients that Joseph had introduced to her. They gave her interest that w
Xavia cracked a faint smile before taking off the scrunchie on her wrist and languidly tying up her hair. "Calm down. I mean no harm."Chloe rolled her eyes. "You mean no harm? I truly admire your ability to lie through your teeth." Xavia always put on airs whenever and wherever she went. She behaved kindly and considerately as if she was not competitive at all. Ignorant people might think that her character was as such.Seeing that Chloe was not fooled, Xavia turned around and put on a more serious act. She looked at Chloe tenderly but a look of provocation escaped her. "I'm about to give birth soon. I have to ask you and Joe to take good care of my child."Chloe raised her brows and stated aloofly, "Joseph and I broke up. You don't have to ask me such things. You can do it yourself."Xavia was stunned since happiness had come to her in such a sudden manner. For a moment, she repeated in disbelief, "You guys broke up?" "Yes, just exactly as you wish." Chloe remained calm even
Chloe muttered “What a jinx” under her breath and quickly dove into the water to save Xavia. She loathed the woman and even considered watching her drown without intervening, but her conscience would not permit such an act.The greatest distinction between good and evil lies in Chloe’s capacity to restrain her inner demons, whereas the latter succumbed to greed and desire.Little did Chloe anticipate that the moment she grasped Xavia's arm and exerted all her might to pull her up, she herself was forcefully yanked into the water. Water filled Chloe's throat, but she managed to maintain her composure. As she opened her eyes, Xavia was right before her. Xavia’s hair drifted in the water, her pale face adorned with a sinister smile as she stared directly into Chloe's eyes.It was an eerie and chilling sight, akin to a ghost from a horror film. A shiver ran down Chloe's spine. She had been deceived. Xavia knew how to swim and possessed considerable skills at that. Chloe berated herself
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