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.
"Get away from me! I'm going home now!" Chloe said.Joseph's gaze irritated her. She reached out and shoved him aside, attempting to make a quick exit."Calm down and listen to the recording first," Joseph said, standing in her way and preventing her from leaving. He was equally distressed."I won't listen to it! It's all fake! Fake!"Her face scrunched up as she covered her ears with her hands. The voices in the recording sounded like the whispers of ghosts. They tore at her flesh and penetrated her bones, causing her great agony.Joseph's jaw tightened. He was even more convinced that Noah had done something terrible to Chloe. However, he had to tell her the answers she longed for deep inside."I know you're suffering, but please hold out a bit longer. We're almost done with the recording. Once you find out who our kid is, I'll stop the recording, all right?"Chloe furrowed her brows. Shaking her head, she begged, "I don't want to... I don't want to listen… I want to go home..