Chloe did her morning routine and changed into a dark-colored outfit that matched Jasper's attire. The tailored style complemented her good figure without being too flashy. She did not look like Jasper’s mother but rather his older sister.Moments after Chloe and Jasper left the Sullivan manor, Noah received a message. His face sank as he looked at the consent forms submitted by the major shareholders, but he did not panic.Joseph was truly one to hold grudges, not to mention that he acted swiftly. Unfortunately, there was only so much he could do. Desmond rejected the Whitmans, not allowing them through the door, and refused to talk to them. Not even Jasper could get through the front door.Noah raised an eyebrow and looked at the head secretary beside him. She understood and immediately collected the consent forms from the shareholders before politely seeing them off. This time, the shareholders did not engage in the usual pleasantries. They all wore serious expressions until they
Chloe's words left the teacher and Jasper stunned. The teacher had encountered parents who unreasonably defended their children and those who treated a teacher's words as law. However, Chloe's response was both respectful and sensible, neither challenging the teacher's authority but still showing respect for the child's personality.Though Chloe’s words were simple, they were comforting. Jasper tightened his grip on her hand as he was moved by her words. No one had ever defended him before. Even Xavia had never done this. After the meeting with the teacher, they left the school. Chloe shielded them from the rain with an umbrella and casually asked, "Is your dad busy today?"Before she could get an answer, Patrick and Harold appeared. Even though Harold had more wrinkles around his eyes than before, he was as cheerful as ever. He waved at Chloe. "Come, Chloe. I have something to tell you."Chloe was puzzled for a few seconds. She looked down at Jasper, and understanding dawned on h
"Mom, why does Mr. Noah treat me like this? Did I do something wrong?" Jasper asked, forcing tears out of his eyes as Joseph had instructed him to do.Chloe felt a pang in her chest. She knelt down to wipe away his tears. "It's not your fault. I’m the one who failed to protect you." She could not believe Noah would do this.Desmond was too furious to speak. He trembled as his face turned red with rage. "I'll give the Whitmans an explanation. For now, I need to take this man.""No problem," Harold readily agreed. Noah's action had harmed his grandchildren. He had only endured it for this long because of Chloe.Desmond nodded. His anger surged again when he recalled the words of caution from Harold at the wedding a few days ago. However, what struck him even more was a profound sense of disappointment. It was disheartening to see that his advice to Noah had fallen on deaf ears.Under normal circumstances, Desmond would have insisted that Chloe return home with him to avoid further c
Chloe knew that Samuel’s call had something to do with Joseph. She answered with a mix of excitement and anxiety."Are you available? Let's meet in half an hour.""Okay. Is it about Joseph?" she asked. She knew that Joseph and Samuel were close, and he might know Duskfall’s location."Yes. I'll send you the address," Samuel replied promptly and flatly. *In the coffee shop, Samuel handed over a property transfer agreement to Chloe. He said in a businesslike manner, "Sign it. It's what Joe left you."Chloe stared blankly at the words on the agreement. Complex emotions welled up inside her as tears welled up in her eyes."This is for me?"Samuel misunderstood her intentions. He crossed his arms and smirked. "Yes, Jasper's portion is separate. It won't affect you.""No, that's not what I meant," Chloe pushed the transfer agreement back and looked at Samuel earnestly. "I came here to ask if you know Duskfall’s location. I want to find Joseph."Samuel was taken aback. However, he
As a shadow loomed over him, Eustace lifted his head. Upon seeing Noah, his face turned pale. "S-Sir...""Why are you here? Explain,” Noah demanded as he grabbed Eustace by the collar, his voice low and threatening.Everything had happened too quickly, and it was difficult for Eustace to come up with a reasonable explanation in such a short time."I'm sorry. I had no choice. Aggie... She needs me..." Eustace cast his gaze downward and his voice was barely audible. Almost no father in the world would not want to be with their child. Now that the opportunity was presented before him, Eustace wanted to hold on to it.Noah gritted his teeth, and a glint of anger crossed his face. His gaze landed on a fruit knife on the table. He had never shown mercy to those who betrayed him, not to mention that he was the one who gave Eustace a second chance at life. Since he wanted to be greedy, he would pay the price for his greed.Eustace noticed the change in Noah's expression. Having been with
Desmond could understand what happened as young people often acted impulsively. Noah could not handle the fact that Joseph still had lingering feelings for Chloe, so he resorted to extreme measures. There was a reason behind his actions. But Jasper was a five-year-old kid. Kidnapping was illegal, yet Noah had instructed Eustace to kidnap Jasper. Desmond could not fathom how the promising successor he had personally groomed had turned into such a dreadful person.The cane was made of solid wood, and the strike caused Noah excruciating pain. He let out a muffled groan as he staggered. He clenched his teeth, knowing that he had no other choice but to keep lying."Grandpa, I didn't do it," he insisted.His words were met with a series of harsh strikes from Desmond. Each hit was delivered with tremendous force, fueled by anger and a desire to make Noah see reason, but he remained steadfast in his denial."Lock him in his room. He's not allowed to set foot in Exotic Star ever again. Th
Though it was already dark outside, Chloe was able to see a few steps ahead with the help of the moonlight. Inside of the stone chamber was pitch-black. The floor was uneven, and she stumbled with every step.Chloe kept close to the wall, moving forward one step at a time. Suddenly, she heard a creak. She was unsure of what she had stepped on, but the entire chamber began to shake violently, followed by a sensation of weightlessness.She clung to the wall, trembling in a corner as she started to panic. She knew there would be many unknown dangers inside, but dying before seeing Joseph would be a terrible waste.Giant rocks rolled toward Chloe from all directions. She just narrowly avoided being hit several times. Each passing moment was like a battle with the Grim Reaper."Are you trying to get yourself killed?"Suddenly, rough hands gripped her shoulders, and a familiar masculine scent enveloped her. Chloe could not see the person's face, but she knew it was Joseph, and her tense
His eyes dark with desire, Joseph made no move to stop her. He could have endured it while searching for a way to break out of the stone chamber alone. However, now that she was here, he could not resist anymore. After Chloe had enough of feasting on Joseph's body, a playful idea popped into her head. She gulped and said in a serious tone, "Putting aside your personality, you’re really handsome."She reminisced about how she had been captivated by his looks at first sight.Joseph chuckled and said, "Are you feeling restless?""Very," Chloe replied. She nestled in his arms and continued, her gaze inviting. "It's so hot here. I wanna take off my clothes."As she talked, she began to undress.Joseph's breath hitched. "Are you trying to seduce me?""No, I'm not. Don't talk nonsense," Chloe denied, "Besides, we've seen each other naked. We know what the other looks like."Little did she know that her words were having quite an impact on Joseph. He made a concerted effort not to e