"I don't believe you! You want to kill my baby…" Chloe sobbed, tears streaming down her face. Her eyes were red and filled with helplessness as she continued to struggle.Joseph had no other choice but to get the house helper to use some rope to restrain her to the bed."Release her after three hours," Joseph instructed the helper before he left. Three hours should be enough time for the medicine to be absorbed."Yes, sir," the helper replied obediently.Chloe lost track of how long she had been crying. Her disheveled hair clung to her damp cheeks as she remained bound to the bed, the coarse ropes leaving red marks on her delicate skin. She stared blankly at the ceiling as her heart filled with despair. As time ticked by, the pain she expected did not come.After three hours, the helper finally came to untie her. “Why do you have to make such trouble? Mr. Joseph is doing this for your own good. Every day, he asks if you have been eating properly. He cares about you. It's a blessin
“Please Patrick… Please save me… Joseph is driving me mad. I can't take it anymore," Chloe sobbed, her voice filled with despair. Her days had become unbearably painful, and she feared she could not hold on much longer.Patrick glanced at Harold, who stood nearby with a serious expression. He hesitated before asking, "Have you and Mr. Joseph not reconciled yet?""No, he doesn't trust me, and I don't want him to trust me anymore."Their relationship resembled a mirage—an illusory oasis in the desert. It seemed within reach, yet always slipped through their fingers. After the mirage disappeared, all that remained were incessant arguments and lingering doubts.Chloe felt exhausted. If they could not find a way to sustain their relationship, perhaps it was time for them to let go. But unfortunately, even parting ways seemed like a luxury at the moment.Patrick was caught in a dilemma. He looked toward Harold and silently mouthed, "What should we do, sir?""Ask Chloe if the child re
Harold could sense Chloe's grievance through her voice. Waving, he said, "Don't agitate her any further. Just say yes."Patrick nodded and replied, "I'll do my best to persuade Mr. Joseph."Chloe's heart blossomed with a glimmer of hope, and tears began to fill her eyes. "Thank you, Patrick. I won't bother you anymore."*After hanging up, Patrick looked at Harold with a troubled expression. "Sir, it seems like things are really over between them."If Joseph was the father to the baby in Chloe's womb, then his actions this time would be truly disappointing.Harold said as he frowned, "The biggest issue between them right now is the baby. If we want them to get back together, we need to first clarify the child's paternity.""Given Ms. Chloe's current state of mind, she probably won't agree to an amniocentesis."Harold’s hands went around a cup, but he made no move to drink its contents. His eyes fixated on a mid-match chessboard, lost in contemplation.Knowing that he was deep
"It's no small favor. You saved Coco's life. When she regains her freedom, she'll definitely express her heartfelt gratitude to you," Emily said sincerely.Noah frowned. "But didn't you say she went home? Isn't she free now?""I'm not entirely sure. All she told me was that Joseph took her back to his house. For now, she and the child should be safe," Emily replied. Unbeknownst to her, Chloe had kept the incident of Joseph forcefully feeding her the herbal medicine a secret to spare her from worry.Noah quickly grasped Chloe's current situation. "So apart from not undergoing the procedure, she’s still confined much like before.""Yeah, but it's slightly better than being in the hospital because she can make phone calls now," Emily explained."What does she use to make calls? A mobile phone?" Noah asked."No, it's a landline," Emily answered.Noah nodded understandingly and got the landline number from Emily. Without continuing the conversation, he casually found an excuse to end
A finance tycoon had been pursuing Megan recently, and she was also an attendee at the conference. She excitedly grabbed Xavia's arm and exclaimed, "Congratulations! You're about to become Mrs. Joseph Whitman!"Xavia smiled playfully and replied, "Don't celebrate just yet. Chloe’s still around.""What? She betrayed Joseph and yet she has the nerve to hold onto him? How shameless can she be?" Megan remarked, her eyes scanning their surroundings. She leaned closer to Xavia and whispered, "Who’s this person that Chloe had an affair with? Is he wealthier and more attractive than Joseph?""You don't know him," Xavia replied."Ah... So he's an ordinary man? He definitely isn’t as rich as Joseph. Be careful. What if Chloe comes to regrets..."A mysterious glint flashed through Xavia's eyes as she replied, "I know what to do.""By the way, Joseph gave Chloe a custom-made car that is limited worldwide. Even the hottest celebrities don't have the qualifications to buy one. You should take
Chloe shook the man beside her. "It's the masked woman!"Joseph had already opened his eyes. He said calmly, "Don't panic."Unbeknownst to Chloe, their bodyguards were in a car right behind them. Upon realizing the dangerous situation, they immediately got out and engaged in a fierce fight with the attackers from Duskfall.Vanya crossed her arms, a sneer forming on her face. She then signaled to another group of people, effectively tripling the size of her group. Despite the fact that Joseph's bodyguards were all highly trained elite soldiers, they found themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of adversaries. Joseph's eyebrows furrowed, and he decisively moved to the driver seat. "Buckle up.""Okay."The car sped down the road, with Vanya in relentless pursuit. Lucas, who had just come out of the cake shop, was momentarily stunned. He soon snapped back to reality and quickly contacted Vince for support.To shake Vanya off, Joseph skillfully maneuvered onto a winding mountain
Sensing a slight movement in the car, Joseph's eyes flickered as he turned to look at Chloe. Her face was pale, and her frail body was trembling with fear as she clutched tightly to her belly. It pierced his heart to witness this scene. Even in a life-or-death situation, she did not forget to protect the unborn child.Joseph tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning slightly white and images of their first encounter flashed through his mind."Excuse me, sir. Could you lend me your phone for a call? My phone is out of battery…""Sir, I'm single too.""Don't be so confident. What if you fall for me first?""I...am...trying...to...seduce...you!"At that moment, he appeared to wrestle with something. He sank back into his seat as his hands loosened their grip on the steering wheel.He surrendered. At this point, all he wanted was for her to be safe. Nothing else mattered. She protected her child, and he protected her.Joseph made a decision and ordered firmly,
Joseph's palms were sticky with blood. He casually wiped them on his clothes as he tightened his grip on the steering wheel."Do you trust me?" he asked.Although he had contemplated this option, he knew the odds of success of this daring maneuver were slim. If it accelerated the ground’s collapse, the consequences would be unimaginable. While he might be willing to take the risk alone, the situation was different when it involved both of them."Yes," Chloe responded without hesitation, “Back it up. We should try any option we have."Joseph's gaze focused on the road ahead, his eyes filled with determination. "Close your eyes if you're scared."Chloe protected her abdomen with both hands, her breathing became labored. She kept her eyes wide open as she wanted to see the road ahead clearly. However, as the car jolted violently, the overwhelming sensation of weightlessness caused her to instinctively shut her eyes. Soon after, a deafening crash echoed through the air as the road gav
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