The conversation made Chloe agitated. ‘My God! She actually dares to drug Joseph?’ Clara was unscrupulous when it came to gaining wealth, which made her even bolder than Xavia. At least, Xavia advanced orderly and tried to use a baby to bind Joseph to her. Clara was on a different level. She was trying to manipulate her body.But did Joseph look like a man who could be seduced through bodily charms? How naive!This was going to be a good show.Chloe wanted to watch the whole thing play out and enthusiastically texted Joseph to ask him where he was."I'm right behind you." Feeling his cold breath on the back of her neck, she was stunned. She whipped around and found him standing within inches of her. They were so close that she could feel his breath and smell his unique scent.A little startled, Chloe took a step back and almost slipped and fell. Fortunately, Joseph managed to catch her by the waist and held on to her."Coward." His cold voice was filled with a strange note of
Chloe suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, wondering how she had never noticed his shamelessness. "Shut up. Clara will be heading this way soon.""Even better if she does." Joseph adjusted his clothes, showing a trace of cold indifference.Chloe blinked and pointed to the side. She said with a touch of mischief in her tone, "I'll be right over there enjoying the show."A faint smile played on Joseph's lips. "Good girl."Chloe tiptoed to the side and crouched down."Oh, you’re here, Mr. Joseph!" Clara's surprised voice soon rang out."Yes? You’re looking for me?""No, we just happened to bump into each other. Fate must’ve brought us together." Despite Joseph's silence and refusal to acknowledge her, Clara feigned care and continued, "There can be many mosquitoes around here at night. Here, let me spray some mosquito repellent on you."Joseph glanced at Clara indifferently and did not stop her. Chloe could tell he was holding his breath to avoid inhaling the spray."I'll spray
Chloe was fairly certain that a man who just recently had his reproductive organs removed would not readily expose himself to the public and subject himself to critical stares from strangers."It wasn't me. It was Callum."Investigating the royal family could lead to interception. While he had ways to avoid being intercepted, time was a constraint.Chloe fell into contemplative silence, nodding without further comment. She chose not to excessively dissect Callum's intentions toward her at this point. Whether his kindness was genuine, feigned, or a mere facade, time would eventually unveil the truth.*Before returning to the hall, Chloe made a detour to the bathroom to touch up her makeup. Her lipstick, in particular, was an absolute mess.When she got back, Noah and Otto were still engrossed in their conversation. As she approached them, Otto's words tapered off. Noah's demeanor remained unchanged as he placed a piece of fish before her. "You were gone for a while.""I got lost
Zoelle followed the indicated direction, assessing Xavia from head to toe. "So, she's his first love but not his ex-wife?"The mention of Joseph’s ex-wife made Chloe nervously adjust her hair. "Aren’t you curious about the woman who managed to conquer Joseph? He was entangled with his first love for over five years, longer than his ex-wife.""That makes sense," Zoelle agreed, not harboring any suspicion."By the way, how did you manage to get in without an invitation?"“Otto gave me an invite.”"Otto?" Chloe's eyes widened. "Why would he give you an invitation?" Royal invitations were not easy to come by, and these two had only met once.Zoelle retrieved her lipstick and applied it with great allure. “You’re not the only one who needs me. I'm in quite high demand, don’t you know?”“What does he want from you? Did he ask you to treat someone?”“I'm not telling you.”Chloe let out a sigh, looking somewhat forlorn. “I thought we were close. I just wasn’t expecting you to be so cl
At that moment, all eyes were fixed on the butler.Callum's brows knitted in irritation. "Why do you look so shocked? Speak clearly.""There are people inside..." The butler struggled to regain composure, his face turning beet red. "Clara and Mr. Chad are inside...""Nonsense! Why would they enter the guest rooms? Get them out here at once." Callum did not realize the seriousness of the situation, thinking that the two were merely slacking off.The butler quivered, his complexion shifting from red to purple. He stammered, "I-I dare not enter... It’s better if you see it for yourself, sir."Before anyone could step into the guest room, sporadic moans and a man's pained screams reached their ears from a distance. The sounds were suggestive of something indecent, yet they felt something oddly amiss. Why would a man experience such agony during sexual intercourse?Callum commanded the butler to unlock the door. As it swung open, the assembled spectators were left dumbfounded and a st
"Pfft..." Chloe inhaled sharply, struggling to contain her glee.Was Clara not supposed to be Xavia's lackey? Yet, it seemed like she had been playing two roles—one for the public eye and another behind the scenes.At that moment, Xavia quivered as if she had been struck by an intense force. She appeared as delicate as a sheet of paper on the brink of crumbling. She swiftly bolted out of the door, fleeing as if desperate to escape the scene.As the crowd grew larger, Chloe was struck with an idea. She subtly nudged Zoelle with her elbow, and the latter instantly grasped her thoughts. As Xavia rushed past them, Zoelle extended her foot. Consumed by anger, Xavia failed to notice this subtle motion and tripped. As she headed face-first to the ground, Zoelle quickly caught her by the waist."Oww, are you okay? You should watch where you’re going.”Xavia, not wanting to be here, swiftly shook Zoelle off and continued running without a word in response."So? Did you manage to feel anyt
Zoelle flashed a mischievous smile and playfully inquired, "What do you think? Are you hoping that she is?""I think she is. She and Kenneth seem like a good match."Most importantly, even if Xavia were pregnant, Callum would not let her truly marry into the royal family.Zoelle smiled and nodded. "Nah, wrong. I think you shouldn’t play guessing games.""Xavia isn't pregnant?""Nope."Chloe narrowed her eyes in contemplation, murmuring to herself, "So how did she deceive them?"The royal family possesses a dedicated medical team and the most advanced medical equipment. Kenneth must have brought Xavia to the royal castle for examination. The chances of Xavia hatching a plan with the medical staff within a month seemed unlikely.Zoelle shrugged and responded, “I don't know, but I can confirm she shows no signs of pregnancy."On top of that, Xavia’s period had just ended."Colluding with the medical staff is unlikely, but she might’ve colluded with someone else," Noah said as he
Chloe could not argue with that statement as it was true. She was no longer the naive and trusting girl she once was, no longer willing to leave herself vulnerable to others. It seemed wiser to deceive others than to be deceived herself. However, she genuinely did not believe this to be a big deal. If Zoelle cared that much, she would be honest about it.Observing that Chloe had no intention of elaborating, Zoelle let out a heavy snort and pressed on, "I don't know what happened between you and Joseph, but you're engaged to Noah now, who happens to be my good friend. I won't tolerate any betrayal from your end. If I get so much as a whiff, I won't be so quick to forgive you then.""I don't—""Enough. I’m going to engage the company of some handsome men.""Shall we go to the bonfire or head home?" Noah asked flatly as he watched Zoelle walk away.Chloe looked toward him, a hint of disappointment in her eyes. "The bonfire," she replied. She had yet to inform Ophelia about Xavia's fa