Chloe was baffled. She asked hesitantly, "What makes you say that?" "My gut," Michael said with a solemn expression. "He's not as simple as he looks."Chloe’s brows furrowed slightly. Joseph had once said a similar thing.Michael felt awkward when Chloe gave no response. He had expected her to disbelieve him, but he was still upset when things turned out this way. He forced out a smile. "It's fine. I just felt like I had to say it. Maybe I was overthinking it." Chloe narrowed her eyes and changed the topic. "Did you manage to resolve your scandal?" "No. And all my jobs for the month have been canceled.”"How about next month?""I don’t know. My agency might help me. We’re waiting for this to be old news before clarifying anything.""That's good."Chloe subconsciously thought it was all just a misunderstanding and did not delve deeper into the matter. Her instincts told her that Michael would not rely on others to get a higher position. And besides, he had no reason to sland
Chloe laughed. When she was about to respond, Joseph’s expression suddenly changed. He grabbed her shoulders and seemed to be holding something back. "Did someone force himself on you?" Though Noah was around, foreign countries were not as safe as their homeland of Asvand. He might have failed to protect her. At that moment, Joseph did not think that he too might be sick too if Chloe was indeed infected. All he could think about was her safety.Chloe shoved him away disdainfully. "You're overthinking it. You're the one who’s always forcing himself on me." Joseph was taken aback. "So, that dirty person you were talking about is me?""Who else could it be?" His head throbbed from the anger felt. He interrogated her, "Are you afraid of catching a disease from me?" He was a man of integrity. Despite already being in his thirties, Chloe was the only woman he ever slept with aside from that accident. She was cruel to say such a thing.Chloe chuckled. "Find it hard to accept? You k
As Chloe wiped off her smudged lipstick, she asked helplessly, "Why do you and your assistant just love giving people rides?" Both Lucas and Joseph had offered to drive her. Did they have that much free time on their hands?Joseph glanced at her. "You should be honored." "No, thank you. I think that honor suits Xavia far better.""I never slept with Xavia after we separated, and neither do I like her. You’re the only person who could possibly be Jas' mother."Chloe turned to look at him with shining eyes. "Are you saying that you like me?"Joseph met her gaze. He knew her following words would be unpleasant, but his heart skipped a beat nonetheless. A deep passion arose in his icy eyes but he knew he could not say yes and be bewitched by her. He would only be placing himself in a disadvantageous position. He averted his gaze and opened the car door, saying coldly, "Get in." "Why should I? I have a fiance." Chloe raised her chin arrogantly and ignored his kindness.Joseph d
The men nodded. "We know the rules."Some within Duskfall relied on their brawns, while others relied on their brains. They knew that Xavia was part of the latter, and since she had failed her mission, they could take liberties with her.Xavia’s eyes went wide with fear. She crawled toward Cyrus and clung to his thigh. "Sir, I'll soon be a part of the royal family. Please don't do this to me." “They’re going to help you get rid of Chloe. Shouldn’t you reward them?" Cyrus got up and smiled. His poker face never failed to inspire fear."Sir, I'm still useful. Please show me mercy. I’ve worked hard all these years.""If you were useful, you would’ve secured Joseph's favor a long time ago. But now, Chloe has even managed to make a counterattack against you." Cyrus gazed down at her, looking like he was educating her patiently. “Worthless people just love thinking they're useful. Be good now and cherish this last chance."Cyrus pulled her hands away from his thigh and left the room,
"No, it's you who’s going to call off the marriage."After all, she was a divorcee, and Noah had a good reputation. He should be the one to call off the marriage."I refuse." Noah shot to his feet. His eyes turned gloomy. "Is this because of Joseph?" "No, of course not," Chloe denied, her agitation and disdain clear. "I just don't want to hold you back."She would never go back to her ex. Vulgar and despicable men did not deserve second chances."Stop. The marriage will happen unless I drop dead." Noah’s unfamiliarly cold and gloomy expression stunned Chloe. This was her first time hearing such extreme words from him. She got all tongue-tied and could not even begin to imagine what he knew about that night.Feeling frustrated, Noah lowered his head to hide his coldness. He knew that he should not lose his patience, but he just could not hold back his anger at her suggestions of calling off their marriage. He had been so nice to her and had kept her company for five years, assu
Jasper frowned. He felt that Noah was being hostile toward him, but he could not tell why. They had never met before.Frieda, familiar with what evil looked like, instantly noticed that there was something wrong with Noah's gaze. She shielded Jasper behind her and nodded politely. "Mr. Noah." "Is this your grandson?" Noah took a few steps forward. His eyes were glued to Jasper as if Frieda was not there."No," Frieda denied, "He came looking for someone. Since I'm free, I’m taking care of him.""Who’s he looking for?"Frieda was uncertain how much of the conversation between her and Jasper Noah had overheard. After some hesitation, she replied, "Ms. Chloe."He would be suspicious if she hid anything."That’s Joseph's kid,” Noah stated matter-of-factly as his eyes turned dark. No wonder he had hated Jasper at first sight."Yeah, Joseph’s my father. And you are?" Jasper asked fearlessly as he stepped forward. Noah smiled faintly and said calmly, "I'm Coco's fiance, the love ri
"Yes, thank you." Chloe got into the car without any hesitation.As soon as she was in, the driver locked the car. At the same time, a cold knife pressed against her neck. "Move and I’ll end you.”Chloe stiffened, thinking it was a robber. She steadied her breathing and said cautiously, "Sir, I have money. How much do you want? Please don't hurt me."The man laughed. "How much do you think your life is worth?" "Staying alive is most important. I won't be stingy if I can afford it."What a joke! Of course, money was not as important as one's life. Nothing else mattered if one was dead."Such a pity, but we don't want your money."A sense of foreboding swept over her. "What do you mean?" In the next second, someone covered her head with a black bag. Her vision was cut off as the knife at her neck pressed deeper. The deep pain caused her breathing to hitch. She could feel the men’s murderous intent.She quickly came to the conclusion that this was not a simple robbery. Xavia ha
Joseph squinted as his voice contained a hint of uncertainty and hesitation, "What are you talking about?""Grandpa hasn't told you, huh?" Chloe straightened up as she narrated the facts nonchalantly, "Xavia’s working for Duskfall. She’s the one who orchestrated all the twists and turns."Chloe did not wish to meddle in other people's affairs, but neither did she want to owe anyone favors, especially not to someone as arrogant as him.Joseph froze, his brows deeply furrowed. "How could Xavia possibly be involved with Duskfall? And if she is, why would she still pester me after Grandpa has woken up?""That's why she has been getting close to Kenneth."Not wasting too many words, Chloe played for Joseph a recording taken at Dawnstar. In it, Xavia's tone shifted from furious roaring to desperate begging. The whole ordeal lasted no more than ten minutes, but the extent of her evil deeds was enough to be unforgivable for a lifetime.A dark shadow took over Joseph’s face as he emitted
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