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
Joseph frowned, his handsome face bearing a hint of hurt. His dark eyes locked onto Chloe's as if trying to look into her very soul. "Yes, I’m shameless, and yes, I intend to take you away. Stop lying to yourself. You don't love Noah."I don't understand why you're pushing yourself to marry a man you don't love. Please understand that nobody wants to see you happy more than I do. If Noah was the right guy for you, I wouldn't stand in your way. I would just be here to behold the beautiful bride and wish you all the best."But Noah was not that man. Joseph could not stand idly by and watch the love of his life make a disastrous choice.As Chloe met Joseph's earnest gaze, she found herself at a loss for words. Her eyes betrayed feelings she could not put a name to. She then felt a crackle of electricity jolt her mind, promptly followed by what felt like a slam of a hammer.Blindsided by the sharp, intense pain, she violently shoved Joseph away. She glared at him with pure disdain and
Chloe's fists clenched, her nails digging into her flesh. The sharp pain focused her mind. She stared sternly at Joseph and ordered, "Stop the car right now. There’s still a chance to fix this. We aren't children anymore. As adults, we can't act on our whims.”She and Noah had come a long way after the last five years. He had been kind and attentive, and she could not allow him to be humiliated in this way.Joseph rolled up the car window as his voice took on a gravelly tone. "This isn't some reckless decision. I've planned all this down to the last detail, and I'll deal with whatever comes our way. You were forced into this."Every word he spoke carried a weight of consideration for her. Though he knew the gravity of what he had done, he could not bear the thought of her marrying another, especially someone as deceitful as Noah.Joseph did not wish to see Chloe suffer any harm, be it from misunderstandings or damaging rumors. The mere idea of her leading an unhappy life, filled wi
"Bring him in," Joseph ordered.When the doctor came in, Joseph turned to Chloe. "Roll up your sleeves. We need to collect a sample for testing." Chloe looked at him skeptically. She crossed her arms defensively and asked, "Testing for what?""We've found our child, and we need to do a paternity test," Joseph replied."Really?" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with joy. However, her excitement quickly turned to suspicion as she asked, "Where’s the child then? Bring them here so I can see."Seeing is believing, and she wanted tangible proof. Just hearing it did not guarantee its truth. Moreover, if Joseph had found the child, why not bring the kid in and let her meet them? They could then proceed with the paternity test."You can't meet the kid just yet."Joseph had contemplated disclosing to her that Jasper was their child, but he was aware that there was a significant likelihood that she would doubt the truth. The most reliable approach was to depend on the paternity test r
Chloe's heart skipped a beat, her breath quickened, and her muscles tensed. "A recording of Vanya? Where is she now?"The only impression she had of Vanya was that the woman always wore an eerie fox mask. Everything else was a blur."She's abroad." Joseph stared into her eyes and frowned. "Don't you remember your promise to her?"Chloe froze. She asked blankly, "When did I promise her anything?"Joseph's frown deepened. "We rescued Vanya from the Sullivan manor together.""I don't remember that. Let's just listen to the recording."Chloe did not want to dwell on the past, nor did she want to verify the truth of his words. Seeing this, Joseph remained silent. He pressed the play button on the recorder, turned up the volume to the maximum, and placed it on the table. At first, Chloe listened attentively, but as she listened, she felt that something was amiss. She wanted to get up and turn off the recording, but he stopped her."Do you not want to listen to the rest?" he asked.
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