In the office, Alfred watched as the dean poured Joseph a cup of coffee. He remained calm. "Mr. Joseph, I know why you’ve come here, but we can't give out patient information. I'm sorry."Lucas was prepared for this. He said politely, "Mr. Alfred, I’ve found that Ms. Chloe isn’t registered to this institute, so she isn’t your patient. It's fine if you tell us about her."Alfred frowned in annoyance while Stella snorted in disdain. These people had even pried into other people’s privacy. How disrespectful. She knew she would choose Noah if she were Chloe.Hearing this, the dean glared at Alfred for being such a disappointment. "Don’t be stubborn. There's nothing you can't say. Mr. Joseph is worried about his friend. Just tell us about her condition." "Ms. Chloe has depression." Alfred stared at Joseph, signaling with his eyes. "Her marriage to Mr. Joseph five years ago caused her great trauma. My student brought her here for treatment."A bitter feeling invaded Joseph. "And you’re
It was now July, and the temperature in Docwood during nighttime was around 37 degrees. The air outside was hot and stuffy, but the inside of the car was about 20 degrees. The driver drove with a steady hand, so it was no different from being at home. But over the usually one-hour car ride, Desmond repeatedly urged the driver to hurry up. The driver became quite anxious and sweated profusely.Forty minutes later, as Desmond stepped out of the car, he spotted Chloe and Noah standing side by side at the entrance to welcome him home. This scene looked normal. Desmond's tense face eased a little. He supported himself with an expensive-looking walking stick and walked over to them."Did you enjoy your trip, Grandpa? When I saw the photos you posted on your social media, I felt like taking a break from the company and taking Coco on a trip,” Noah asked as he went forward, smiling happily."It was all right.” Desmond then pivoted and asked, "Are you and Coco ready? The wedding will be in
"No, sir... Mr. Noah ordered me to do this. I'm just a housekeeper and dare not ask too much about my master’s private affairs."Knowing what was going on, Desmond did not believe George's excuse. "Collect your salary from finance for this month and leave." George's expression fell, never having dreamt of such serious consequences. He got on his knees. "Sir, please give me a chance to turn over a new leaf. I've been working here diligently for more than ten years.""You’ve taken the wrong person as your master. I can't keep you." Desmond lost his patience. He waved to signal George to get out. George trembled, but he did not dare to say anymore. Looking at the old man, he felt as if he had ruined himself through the mistake he had made. Desmond's reputation made others assume he was a kind old man. They forgot that he was the one who single-handedly established his business in traditional jewelry in Ameria in his younger days.Desmond did not deal with Noah right away. He instea
Noah’s eyes narrowed. "I'm not sure."After dinner last night, Desmond said he was tired and returned to his room to rest. He did not discuss anything with Noah.Chloe was shocked. It meant that Desmond was hiding this from everyone else. Was he about to announce something big? He had even kept this hidden from the two of them.She sat next to Noah while the seat at the head of the table was Desmond's.After some time, Desmond walked in."Everyone, sorry to keep you waiting. I met an old friend on my way here and was delayed." He put his walking stick down and took the main seat."Don’t worry, we haven’t been waiting long.”"It’s rare for us to see you, sir. It's worthwhile no matter how long we wait.""Yes, it's our honor to see you. Mr. Desmond, have you had breakfast? I got this for you. It's the bun from the restaurant downstairs you used to love.”Everyone fawned over Desmond. The pretentious executives smiled from ear to ear. Worried that he would be displeased, they tri
Noah was silent for a few seconds before saying, "There’s something I haven’t told you about.""Perfect timing. I am free right now." Desmond turned to his assistant. "You can leave. I’m putting you in charge of finalizing the share transfer contract. I’ll sign it with Coco today."*Inside the large office, Desmond sat in an antique chair, toying with the white chess pieces before him. His expression was as calm as a gentle breeze. "Sit and tell me about it."Noah remained standing with his head lowered, "I did something wrong and have upset you. I’ll stand."Desmond was not surprised by Noah's earnest attitude in admitting his mistake and asked, "What happened?""I had a fight with Coco and was worried that you would see it when you got back, so I rashly had George delete the surveillance footage.""Fights between husband and wife are inevitable. There shouldn’t be any need to delete the footage."Noah looked up and met Desmond's piercing gaze. As he trembled, his thoughts be
Chloe wrapped up the small tasks she had on hand and tried to slip out of the office. But in the elevator, she ran into Frieda.Upon recognizing Chloe, Frieda's face filled with concern. "Are you okay, Coco? Joe told me everything.""Huh? What happened to me?" Chloe asked, confusion creasing her brows.Frieda studied Chloe's weary face and dry lips, sensing that her usual vibrant spirit was subdued. Compassion welled within Frieda. "You’re a good girl, Coco. Whether you end up with Joe or not, I hope you’re blessed with health and happiness. Don't force yourself to be with someone you don't love."Chloe nodded but misunderstood Frieda's intentions. She responded with solemn assurance, "You're a good person too, different from Joseph. I have no ties to him anymore. I'll treat you as any other employee at work and won't make things hard for you because of a certain person."Frieda's expression froze. She was unsure how to reply. Chloe's words were not wrong, but they struck her as o
“I like the idea of eliminating Joseph, but the more important question is how do we do it?”"I found out that in two days, Joseph will be heading to Skyreach Memorial Park on Harold’s behalf to pay tribute to Harold’s former comrade. The memorial park is built on a mountaintop, accessible only through a single mountain road. The area is sparsely populated and has poor signal reception. Even if outside were called upon, it’d take some time to get there."This plan to take action at Skyreach Memorial Park was foolproof.Cyrus took a sip of his coffee and smiled. "Are you in a hurry because of your impending marriage to Chloe in three days?"Noah's eyes flickered but he did not refute this. To avoid unnecessary trouble, he had considered all the factors. Now was the most appropriate moment to deal with Joseph."And how will you repay me?""Once Joseph is dead, I'll personally deliver the person you're looking for right into your hands," Noah declared, full of confidence.Frieda ha
"I understand, Father. Leave it to me."Cyrus stood up, smoothed the creases on his clothes, and departed with light steps. It was as if the dark and sickening affairs within the cafe were unrelated to him, and he was left untouched.Watching him leave, Otto positioned the camera and sneered at Noah. "You're still resisting? Xavia, make your move already.”Duskfall never offers a nurturing hand without expecting something in return, and to enjoy the benefits it offers, one must be willing to obey. Xavia would probably be nothing more than a wealthy man's mistress if she had not chosen Duskfall, and her dreams of becoming a renowned violinist would remain unfulfilled. Xavia was well aware of all this as the moment she entered Duskfall, her first lesson was one on gratitude.With a deep breath to calm her nerves, Xavia approached Noah with small, measured steps. She pressed her fair skin against Noah's arm, a delicate touch meant to soothe.“Come on,” she whispered, her voice tinged
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