Lucas hastily set his utensils aside. Covering his phone screen with both hands, he let out a forced laugh. "It's nothing, Mr. Joseph," he said. ‘If Mr. Joseph sees this, his day will be ruined,’ Lucas thought, 'Ignorance is bliss, as the saying goes. Better for Ms. Chloe, better for Mr. Joseph, and better for me.'Joseph chuckled dismissively, "Are you in a relationship?""No, not at all. I was just browsing through someone else's social feed," Lucas clarified, sincerity gracing his face.Without another word, Joseph strode briskly into his office.Relieved, Lucas went back to his meal and resumed scrolling. He noticed that more and more people were sharing posts about the champagne from Chloe and Noah. Apart from the drinks, elegantly crafted candy boxes had also been sent to partner companies, conveying a solid image of a loving relationship.The mahogany boxes were ornate and lavish, decorated with intricate carvings. One glance was enough to see they were expensive. It was
Jasper frowned and averted his gaze, giving her neither eye contact nor a response.Xavia's face flushed. She hid her irritation and nagged him, "Why are you acting this way toward your own mother?""You're not my mom," Jasper stared at her, unwilling to back down."I am your mother. Don't act out." Xavia, clued into what had happened between Joseph and Jasper, felt no need to give details. She grabbed his small hand and made her way toward a nearby parked car. "You must be thirsty. I got you your favorite drink. Shall we go have it in the car?"Jasper attempted to yank his hand back, but Xavia's grip tightened, leaving a red imprint on his skin. The pain served as a stark reminder that he was no match for an adult's strength.Just as he was about to be dragged into the car, Jasper bit down hard on Xavia's wrist."Ah!" Xavia shrieked, releasing Jasper’s hand. She masked her fury as she sharply asked, "Who on earth taught you to bite?"The boy was so uncivilized!"I don't want t
Chloe furrowed her brows. Even though she did not know what Xavia was up to, she knew she could not let her take Jasper away."Get away from us!"Without hesitation, she shielded Jasper and lifted her foot to deliver a kick to Xavia's thigh. Xavia quickly protected her belly. Not anticipating Chloe to attack her in public and caught off guard, she lost her balance and fell."How could you! I’m carrying a baby!" Xavia shouted, her face filling with tears. Some passersby came forward to help her and one of them said, "Miss, can't you resolve your issues without resorting to violence? She's pregnant, after all.""Exactly. Pregnant women are vulnerable, and you just kicked her. What if you had harmed the baby?"Refusing to back down, Jasper poked his head out from behind Chloe and said sternly, "She attacked us first. We’re just defending ourselves."The bystanders fell silent and looked between Xavia and Chloe. They felt that a kid would not lie. Perhaps there was a misunderstan
"Are you okay?" Joseph asked while checking Chloe. He was worried that she might have been grazed or hit by the bus."I'm fine. Thank you," Chloe replied flatly. "Who pushed you?" Joseph asked as he glared at Xavia coldly. Although he had not seen the person who pushed Chloe, it was impossible for a person to suddenly fall without an external force."I have no idea," Chloe replied softly as she stepped out of his embrace. She turned around and approached Xavia. "But besides you, there was no one else who could’ve done it."The harrowing incident had left Chloe’s complexion pale, and her bangs were dampened with a thin layer of sweat. She looked a little afraid, yet the eerie gleam in her eyes showed that she was wholly p*ssed.Fear gripped Xavia as she took a step back. While she might have been able to handle Chloe, things were different when Joseph was here."Trying to run away now?" Chloe grabbed Xavia’s wrist and chuckled. "It's too late."In the next second, she grabbed
Chloe narrowed her eyes. Xavia did not look like she was pretending. The first trimester of pregnancy was the hardest period. When the mother was agitated or hurt, it was likely that something would happen to the baby. Chloe had wanted to give Xavia a lesson, not harm the innocent baby.Without sparing Xavia another glance, Joseph whisked Chloe and Jasper away to his car.Chloe's gaze remained fixed on Xavia through the window until the driver of Xavia’s car got out and pulled her into the car. Chloe felt as if someone was watching her, but the car’s window was heavily tinted, and she could not see inside."Are you an idiot?" Otto hissed, "Not only did you fail to get the little b*stard, but you also almost got yourself killed. If anything happens to the baby in your womb, my father will kick you out of Duskfall." Xavia trembled and regained some sense. Her hands trembled as she placed them over her abdomen. Feeling pain that was getting stronger with each passing second, she pa
Chloe's jaw dropped in astonishment as she stared at Jasper's innocent expression. She quickly composed herself and patiently asked, "That’s a romance movie. Can you even understand it?""I can. Good movies aren't limited by genre.""But you're still a kid. It might not be suitable for you."Jasper was just five years old. There was no way he could understand love and relationships."I want to watch it for the storyline, not anything else. Please, Ms. Chloe. There aren't any children's movies playing right now. Just think of it as me accompanying you and Daddy to watch a movie. I'm sure it'll be nice," Jasper said.Despite his reasons, Chloe still felt awkward about taking a child to see a romance movie. More importantly, she had no clue how to set the stage for them to reunite if they were to watch such a movie.Joseph, on the other hand, had no such concerns. He understood Jasper's intentions and instructed the driver to head to the nearest movie theater.'Second Time in Love,
The movie had the typical tropes of a romance movie tailored for young adults.The main characters started dating in high school and then were faced with the challenges of a long-distance relationship during college, leading to misunderstandings and separation. After graduating, they reunited in the city they were working in. Even before the movie reached its ending, Chloe could guess that the protagonists would reconcile and everyone would live happily ever after.Finding the plot somewhat dull, Joseph leaned to the side slightly, gazing at Chloe's cheek through the corner of his eyes. Under the lights of the screen, her face appeared radiant and the tiny fine hairs on it were just visible.To avoid disappointing Jasper, Chloe was forcing herself to focus on the movie, appearing like an obedient and attentive child. Joseph had the urge to reach out and caress her face."Why have you been staring at me?" Chloe asked. She had noticed Joseph's intense gaze a long time ago.Busted, J
"Some other time. I'm very busy at the moment," Chloe said as she took Jasper's hand and headed toward the exit. "Mind the steps. Don't trip.""Okay. You be careful too, Ms. Chloe," Jasper replied.When they left the theater, they were met with the evening rush hour. The roads were congested.Chloe nervously picked at her fingernails. It was time to tell Jasper the truth. "Jas, do you like me?"Jasper was caught off guard by this question. His face turned red with embarrassment and he nodded. "Yes, I do."After Joseph and Harold, Chloe was his favorite person. Chloe's eyes sparkled with joy. She felt relieved. "And do you miss the days when Xavia was your mom?" she asked.She was not confident that Jasper would accept her instantly. After all, the one who had been with him for the past five years and assumed the role of his mother was Xavia. Even though the relationship between Jasper and Xavia was strained at the moment, it did not mean he could accept another woman as his m