As Joseph instructed, Lucas went to Exotic Star. After receiving Lucas' call, Frieda put away her tasks and went downstairs to meet him."Mr. Joseph advised you to resign today. It's best if you give a reasonable excuse. We don't want anyone to find anything amiss," Lucas said humbly and respectfully as he knew of her true identity.Worry and vigilance filled Frieda's expression. "What happened?""Everything’s okay for now, but Mr. Joseph plans on confronting Duskfall and doesn't want you in the crossfire. It's safer if you resign and remain at the Whitman family home.""Okay, I'll go do that now.""I'll be waiting for you here."Frieda rushed off to the personnel department, hurriedly giving an excuse for her leaving. One of the personnel department staff tried to urge her to stay."No, Frieda. We’ll lose half our sales if you go.""I'll leave behind my resources and introduce my clients to my colleagues."Frieda knew what they were thinking. Any company would be reluctant to
Beep, beep, beep...The line went dead."Frieda?" No one answered Chloe.She immediately called Freida again but no one picked up. Panic overcame her and prompted her to call Joseph."I think something happened to Frieda."After a momentary pause, Joseph consoled her. He said firmly, "Leave this to me and stay out of it."Chloe bit her lips. Her insomnia was catching up to her, making her feel listless. "Did they learn about who Frieda is?" "I guess so," Joseph answered. There were never such coincidences. Someone must have told Duskfall, but Joseph could not figure out who it was. After he learned that Frieda was his mother, he had been very vigilant. He had even refrained from telling Harold, letting no one in on the secret. He trusted Chloe, and as for Lucas and Vince, they had been working for him for many years and he had no reason to doubt them."Go save Frieda. Don't let Duskfall get her again." Chloe was sincerely worried."I've already hired people to protect her
Those words made Vince's legs shake uncontrollably. His legs almost buckled, and he hastily held onto a table to support himself.‘Eight times a night wouldn’t have been so bad. It's better than twenty times a night. I nearly died!' Zoelle had drained his energy, making him feel like an undead.Joseph looked up at the sullen Vince and frowned. "You failed to get the antidote, yet you’re somehow so miserable?"Blushing, Vince stammered, "Zoelle said there’s no antidote.""Then what took you so long?”"I… Zoelle was pestering me." Vince was engulfed by deep grievance as his legs shook at his employer’s interrogation."Go and see if Chloe's here."Joseph closed his eyes, failing to notice how weird Vince was behaving. It was not until Vince trudged out of the room while holding the wall that Joseph slowly opened his eyes and teased, "Did Zoelle drain you?"A chill ran down Vince's spine. He gave Joseph a thumbs up, sobbing. "You’re perceptive, sir. Can I get a few days off? I’m
Frieda's eyes turned red, and she failed to hold her tears back. Her son did not hold her absence over the many years against her, nor did he despise her for being violated by that bastard Cyrus.Under his aloof demeanor, Joseph turned out to be an affectionate man just like his father.*While waiting for Chloe, sounds of an argument came from the security post at the entrance of the Whitman family home. Preston and his son’s voices could be heard.Patrick asked, "Sir, should I chase them away?" Joseph leaned into his armchair, casually crossing his legs. "No, let them in."Patrick was struck dumb. "But why?""I need them for my play."Preston and Jonathan had come just in time. Vince was just on a call with Chloe, and the two actors appeared. How professional!Did they hear about Joseph's mother being back? But who had told them that? Noah or Duskfall? Joseph felt that it was very likely Noah. "We have to demand the shares and compensation we deserve from Dad. Otherwise,
"Come in." Being a man of little word, Joseph was not bothered to say much. Preston paled as he stared at Joseph's back in terror. Was he going to kill them? But they could not escape even if that was what he wanted to do. He then steeled himself and followed Joseph into the house.Joseph instructed a helper to bring over a plate of seeds. He then ordered Preston and Jonathan to start shelling the seeds as he, contrary to his usual image, lay languidly across the sofa with a wool blanket draped over him.Preston and Jonathan look at each other in dismay. Had he called them in just to shell these seeds?Jonathan tentatively picked up a seed, but itchiness spread over his hand as soon as he touched it. He stared at the seeds, then said upon recognizing them. "Dad, these are the seeds from Fufrain. We'll get a severe allergic reaction if we touch them with bare hands." With widened eyes, Preston huffed, "I knew you were trying to punish us!""These seeds are Jas' favorite. You hav
Chloe frowned, her eyes locking onto the father and son. She coldly questioned, "What do you want? Money?"She was prepared to part with a reasonable sum, considering it a peace offering. She just had to get them to leave Jasper alone for a short time. She would not have to worry once Joseph was back on his feet.Preston was on the verge of agreeing as they did indeed need money, but Joseph's stern glance sealed his lips.Mistaking his hesitation for greed, Chloe's eyes narrowed in disdain. "Don't push your luck. I'm offering you money because I can't stand you bullying the weak and helpless."Knowing her social standing, Chloe was cautious not to wade too deep into the affairs of the Whitman family.Preston and Jonathan exchanged uneasy glances. They felt wronged. They were the ones being bullied here. Their hands were itching, red, and swollen from shelling the seeds."It’s okay, Chloe. There’s no need for you to deal with this. Go ahead and check the results," said Joseph.Ch
Chloe came to a sudden realization, and everything became clear to her. In the spacious room, she and Joseph locked eyes. In his gaze, she saw nothing but herself. Their eyes welled up with tears, charged with emotion.She felt his hand squeeze hers as if he was restraining his enthusiasm, worried it might startle her. Without thinking, Chloe hugged him tightly. She leaned her face against his muscular chest, listening to the beating of his heart.Overcome with joy, Chloe said, "Our child is alive. He's really alive."Alive and thriving under his father's guidance. Joseph's usually cold expression melted as he affirmed, "Yes, our child is alive. Jas is our child."He knew had not wronged her. His heart belonged to only her.Unable to contain herself, Chloe let her tears flow. Pushing everything else aside, all she wanted to do was savor this moment. "Thank you for taking care of our son."It was clear to her that Jasper held Joseph in high regard. Putting herself in Joseph’s sh
Joseph looked deeply into Chloe’s eyes and said in a low voice, "Chloe, there are some people you can't deal with by stepping back. My father, my grandfather… They all thought like you do—take a step back for a broader perspective. But what was the end result? The issues went unresolved and the abuse only got worse."A missed punch invited a hundred more. The same principle held true for him as the leader of the Whitman family. Protecting them was his obligation. For years, he had bided his time against Duskfall, waiting for the right moment to retaliate.Chloe paused, considering his words. He made a compelling argument. Duskfall was a formidable opponent, and years of hostility demanded resolution."When do you plan to make your move?""In three days." Joseph's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, an idea dawning on him as he looked at Chloe. "Have you figured out how Jon and Pres knew exactly when to come today?"Chloe answered, "Because they heard you were sick… Hang on, you look m