Jasper looked toward Chloe as she bent over and whispered to him. He was never scared, but when he saw her protect him unconditionally, an unfamiliar warmth spread through him.He lowered his head to hide his tears. He shook his head. "It was Great Uncle. He took me with him to look for Daddy. He then dumped me in a deserted park.”Jasper’s voice was soft and not as cheerful as usual, invoking the protective side of those who heard him."You're an outsider here. You have no right to speak." Jonathan panicked. He pointed at Chloe and said agitatedly, "You and Jas probably cooked up a scheme together while on the way here. Stop falsely accusing my dad.""That's right. Leave now or we’ll beat you up."Preston had long found Chloe an eyesore. She had stirred up such a huge commotion in the Whitman family in the past. And though she and Joseph were now divorced, she still refused to leave.‘Is she here to grab Joseph’s wealth after finding out he’s dead? Yeah, that’s probably it. Geez
"That’s nonsense! My dad isn’t scared in the least!" Preston denied."Ahem, I'm just a weak and sick old man. Of course, I'm scared," Harold started wailing. While slapping his thigh grievously, he added, "Before you got here, they were trying to force me into making Jon the head of the family. I'm still alive, yet they’re still trying to snatch the family assets. What did I do to deserve such misery?" Chloe clenched her fists and glared at Preston and Jonathan. She then consoled Harold, "Don't worry, Grandpa. I'm here now."Harold took care of her, so she could not just ignore him.Harold nodded. "Thank you, Chloe." He had good insight and had not misjudged her.Jonathan felt that Chloe was about to ruin his plan. He suppressed his anger and smiled. "Hey, does Noah know you're here? You sure are a fickle woman."This woman was at her ex-husband's house one day before her wedding. She should have left by now out of shame.Chloe's expression fell. She subconsciously touched th
Chloe beamed. "Okay. I’ll wait till you grow up to earn lots of money for me to spend.""I will!”*At night at the Sullivan Manor, Chloe had just parked the car when a servant approached her. "Ms. Chloe, Mr. Desmond asked for you."“Is he not sleeping yet?"It was already eleven. Desmond was an early riser and early sleeper. Staying up past ten was considered burning the midnight oil for him."No, he's been waiting for you and Mr. Noah.""Noah isn’t back yet?""No."Chloe slapped her forehead, a hint of annoyance in her expression. No wonder Desmond had waited up. The wedding was tomorrow, so of course, the absence of the newlyweds worried him.The courtyard of Sullivan Manor was artfully divided into several distinctive areas. Chloe was aware that Desmond favored the lotus flowers at the pond. The lake's sparkling surface had a calming effect on his restless heart, especially on quiet, lonely nights.Upon arriving at the pond, Chloe found Desmond there. She quickened her p
Desmond's eyes darkened, but he revealed no emotion. "It's nothing. I must’ve gotten mixed up.”The secretary exhaled in relief. "All right then, Mr. Desmond. Rest well."*Near the treacherous mountain road at Skyreach Memorial Park, the ground was slippery and rugged after the rain. It was difficult to traverse the roads without streetlights, and a single misstep could lead to a tumble. Traces of the car accident had been erased by the rain, but scratches on the ground still bore witness to the terrifying incident.Otto joined Noah at the cliff's edge, his heart trembling. He took a few steps back and stammered, "Aren't you worried about falling?""Would the fall kill me?" Noah replied. His body was enveloped in a raincoat and damp air, his face obscured except for his merciless amber eyes. His enigmatic expression made him difficult to read."That’s for sure."The height and the ground strewn with sharp rocks promised that survival would be impossible."Then why can't we fin
Noah clenched his jaw as he scoffed, "You're absorbed in reports about Joseph on the day of our wedding? Is that appropriate?""It's not..." Chloe's voice faltered, and she looked at him with guilt in her eyes. "I was just curious, nothing more.""Why don't I ever see you curious about other men then?""The news is all over the Internet. It's hard not to notice it." She felt wronged and was not used to his harsh tone.Noah had stayed up all night, joyously returning home to marry the woman he adored—to partake in a sacred ceremony with her. But upon his first glimpse of her, he was greeted with an unexpected surprise.It was a situation steeped in irony."That’s your excuse?"Chloe found herself tongue-tied. First, she was reading the article. Second, she was paying attention to the incident. Maybe she was at fault, but she was in disagreement with Noah over how severe this infraction was.She looked at Noah and sighed deeply, softening her stance. "I’ll stop reading. It's our
Noah shuddered as if the phrase "without you" had struck a nerve. As a sense of clarity returned to his eyes, he gazed at Chloe's flushed face and stammered, "C-Coco, I'm sorry... I-I lost control of my emotions.”“We’re about to become husband and wife. I don't expect you to be perfect, but I hope that you’ll trust me." Chloe knew the sting of distrust all too well and had no desire to experience it again. She was willing to overlook Noah's strange behavior, attributing it to work-related stress.Noah hung his head, his eyes shimmering with regret. "I was wrong. I'll make things right.""You should head to the next room to get changed. The stylist is waiting for you." Chloe gracefully changed the subject, turning away from him to face the mirror.Noah gazed at her stunning profile. He realized his impulsiveness had led to anger clouding his judgment. What was the value of competing with a dead man?But it was because this person was dead that he may never match up.He had resort
"No particular reason, just curious," Emily said with an awkward chuckle. She was trying to dig for information for her close friend.As the saying goes, "Know thy enemy, know thyself." If Noah could not come to terms with this, and given Chloe's unyielding personality, the marriage would be headed for rough waters. It might even end in a divorce. As Chloe's best friend, Emily could not just stand by and watch Chloe gamble with her chances at happiness.Noah fidgeted, his fingers flexing open and then clenching into a fist. His veins pulsed visibly, hinting at an internal struggle. However, his tone softened, almost coaxing, "It's fine. Feel free to speak your mind.""You haven’t answered my question. Will you accept a child that Coco had with Joseph?""Absolutely," he replied, unflinchingly. "I will accept the child if it’s Coco. I'd treat them as if they were my own.”Emily felt a surge of relief. She lightly patted her chest and grinned. "That's comforting to hear.""Did Josep
Chloe was stunned as she stared at Joseph, words eluding her for a moment. She screwed her eyes shut, convinced that he was a figment of her imagination. But when she opened them, he was still standing before her.Joy overwhelmed her, and her pale cheeks flushed. She was unsure of why she felt so happy. She only knew that it felt good to know that this jerk was still alive.Jasper still had a father.Joseph stopped before her and looked into her eyes. "Chloe, I ran into a little trouble yesterday. Thanks for stepping in yesterday and assisting Grandpa.""You're not dead!" Chloe blurted out, her eyes glistening with tears yet to fall. She was over the moon, though she was unable to fully grasp why."I got lucky and ran into someone I know," Joseph said dismissively, lightly glossing over the perilous events of the past two days. He gripped Chloe's shoulders and continued, "Vanya has told the truth. We'll know where our child is soon, but I need your help,” he said cautiously withou