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 the doctor finished discussing Joseph’s condition with Lucas, Lucas turned to Chloe and said, "He has a fractured rib and extensive back injuries, but overall, it's nothing serious. It'll take around two weeks for him to recover. But with Mr. Joseph's constitution, he may recover even faster."Chloe let out a long sigh of relief and said, "Thank you so much, doctor.""We ran into the masked woman when we arrived," Lucas said. "Did she escape?" "She ran toward the mountain. Vince has already sent some people to look for her."The mountain was not large, but it was slippery after the rain, making it difficult to traverse. With the approaching winter, even an ordinary person would struggle to endure a day, let alone Vanya. They were confident that she could only hold out for two or three days.Chloe was puzzled and asked, "Is Vince an employee of Fairlight or the Whitman Group?" She did not recall seeing him before. "He's neither," Lucas replied."Then he’s…?""I'm not v
“I told Joe that I liked the car, and he got me one too. Seems like he doesn't love you all that much. After all, I can easily get my hands on what you have."As Chloe looked at the car keys in Xavia’s hand, she froze. A trace of emotion appeared on her face moments later. She felt an overwhelming sense of humiliation as a mocking voice echoed in her ears, taunting her with the words, "See? This is the man you loved, whose love is nothing more than a mere imitation."Xavia inched closer toward Chloe, her voice dripping with venom as she said in a low tone, "I’ll let you in on a secret. It was me who manipulated Icarus into defaming you. And to my surprise, Joe readily believed it. His feelings for you were merely superficial. Your relationship is incapable of enduring even the slightest test."Chloe trembled as her eyes filled with hatred. "So it was you..."At that moment, she finally grasped the reason behind Icarus' sudden actions. She should have realized it earlier. If she and
Chloe stopped outside the ward and was about to push open the door when she heard voices from inside."It's good to see you awake, Joe. Have some water. I’m sure you’re parched. I heard everything from Lucas. That was so dangerous. From now on, make sure to bring more bodyguards when you go out. It's so terrifying. If anything had happened to you, our baby...""All right, stop crying. I'm perfectly fine," Joseph said in an emotionless tone."I'm just worried..." Xavia pursed her lips. "When I came up, I ran into Ms. Chloe. She seemed to be in a bad state...""What happened?""She was highly agitated and kept saying that it was because of me that your relationship with her turned out this way. She even mentioned something about me colluding with Icarus... Of course, I don't blame her. I just feel that she’s been suppressing herself too much lately. Pregnancy can easily lead to mental stress, and it seems like her mental state isn't in top condition..."Joseph fell silent for a few
Emily nodded in silent agreement, munching on a handful of popcorn. Joseph was the kind of man who could lift you to the skies one moment and ruthlessly plunge you into the abyss of despair the next. The memory of him purchasing all the extravagant bags in Aesper and delivering them to Chloe in trucks felt as fresh as if it had occurred yesterday. All men were the same. After they got the things they wanted, they stopped cherishing them. "What are your plans now?" Emily asked."I don't want to stay here anymore," Chloe replied, her eyes downcast and her expression sad."But what about your company?""I'll sell it." She felt no sentimental attachment to the Johnson Group, and it was primarily a repository of painful memories. Now, it simply served as a tool for financial gain. During her year and a half of management, she had not focused on expanding its size, but rather on securing stable resources. Selling it would not pose any challenge.Emily became sad and said, "If you l
A hint of surprise flickered through Noah's eyes, but he soon composed himself. "It's nothing. Just a few indecent words. The key is that Mr. Joseph came to his senses in the end," he said.Chloe sneered. "Came to his senses? I wouldn't give him such a compliment."Noah changed the subject, "By the way, I read on the entertainment news that Mr. Joseph got back with Xavia?""I don't know. Maybe," Chloe replied, biting her lip and forcing a smile."Don't be sad. There are plenty of good men in the world. I'll introduce you to someone if you like," Noah comforted her gently while patting her shoulder."I don't want to date for now. Being alone is fine... And currently, I have some things to take care of."Whether it was Jake or Joseph, both had proved that her judgment was poor. She should have learned a lesson from her failed relationship with Jake, but she ended up getting hurt again."What are you busy with? Work?" Noah asked."I'm selling off the Johnson Group and am heading
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