A person would be distressed over losing their memories. And who knows what trouble Noah might stir up next? Given that hypnosis did more harm than good, the best move was to reverse it. Every person had limits, just like his mother. Frieda had looked fine on the surface, but she was internally scarred and damaged."Undoing the hypnosis would be the best approach, but it's easier said than done." Ezra chuckled. "You're a clever guy, Joseph. You'll figure something out. Just don't make my life any harder than it needs to be, okay?"Undoing the hypnosis by force was not beyond Ezra. Rather, he hesitated to do so. If he messed up, the blame would fall squarely on him.Chloe came back into the room with the medication. Joseph shot Ezra a warning look, cautioning him not to say too much."So I should take the medication and come back for a check-up on a later date? When should I come back?" she asked."Umm, you can come back for a review in about a week or two," Ezra replied vaguely un
After leaving Ezra’s place, Chloe got a call from an Exotic Star employee reporting that there were matters that needed her attention. Noah's absence had relegated most of the responsibilities onto her plate, making her schedule jam-packed.Joseph went to pick up Jasper from school.As Jasper settled into the child seat, he eyed his father who was engrossed in his phone. "Daddy, I have something to discuss with you."Joseph did not look up from his phone. "Go ahead.""Could you please stop forcing Mom to cook for you? Women should be pampered, not ordered around."Joseph's finger paused mid-swipe. He looked at Jasper and answered, "But I really enjoy her cooking.""The occasional occurrence is fine, but we have hired cooks at home. Asking Mom to cook every day is simply too much work.""I didn’t ask her to cook every day."Jasper huffed, unconvinced. "But you wish she did."Joseph had devoured the lunch Chloe had prepared as if he had not eaten in years. He practically licked
"I own half of Exotic Star. I'm not stealing or forcing anyone into anything, so why can’t I do this?"Noah spoke in a low voice, but the resentment in it was palpable. After all, he had always been the black sheep. Desmond’s clear favorite had always been Chloe. It never mattered if she was right or wrong. His bias was unconditional."You two should talk things through openly. I believe Mr. Desmond won’t be that harsh with you. He probably just wants to teach you a lesson, not actually kick you out of the company.”"If he wasn’t going to drive me away, why did he make a public spectacle? Why not deal with it silently?""Maybe it's his roundabout way of shielding you?" Guessed the secretary, but guessing was all anyone could do when it came to Desmond. No one could read his mind, including Chloe."That’s all useless now. The current outcome is disappointing enough," Noah said as he removed his bracelet from his slender wrist and twirled it. A glint of ferocity flashed through his
Chloe seethed with anger. ‘These people are animals!’Emily stirred. Upon recognizing Chloe, her eyes instantly reddened. "Coco, I ran into these people after leaving a work team-building session. They trapped me and forced me to drink something weird. Everything after that is just a blur.""Oh, why are you acting all innocent? You were having a great time earlier!” Megan sneered.Shielding Emily behind her, Chloe shot Megan a frosty look. "Did Xavia put you up to this?""Correct. Brilliant detective work.”Megan would not dare go against Chloe without someone backing her."Are you stupid or something?"Xavia had just recently broken ties with Megan, but here she was, back as Xavia's lapdog.Megan glared at Chloe. "You don’t know squat."What could she do besides serve Xavia? Megan’s reputation had gone down the drain. Many brands had terminated their contracts with her, and she now owed so much in compensation that she would never be able to repay. Xavia, now sitting pretty a
"Don’t worry. Despite her physical injuries, the patient bears no signs of sexual assault,” the doctor said reassuringly.Chloe immediately reported the incident to the police and enlisted a robust team of internet trolls. By the time the police report and medical treatment were done, it was already 5 in the morning. Exhausted, Chloe and Emily found refuge in a hotel, sleeping until the afternoon light streamed through the curtains. Upon checking out, they refueled themselves with the hearty spread at the hotel's restaurant.At a nearby table sat a group of excited young women."Can you believe it? These big-time influencers are going down like dominoes overnight!""Terrifying, right? They act like saints online, but they're such bullies in real life.”"They’d even donated to their alma mater last month. It’s now clear they're just fame-seekers.""The speed of the public opinion shift is insane. Where will they get fans now?""Who cares? The police are involved, so it has to be
Stella was ecstatic, clutching her phone as she paced the reception room. She daydreamed about hiring some thugs to teach Chloe a lesson. Noah would surely be pleased and would thank her for taking revenge on his behalf. She even pictured Noah bringing her on dinner dates and lavishing her with gifts. The thought made her cheeks flush.She quickly hired some local thugs online and sent them to the meeting location. She wired the agreed-upon sum and told them to “take good care” of Chloe. At four in the afternoon, the hired men reached the specified spot but could not locate the woman from Stella's photo."Where is she? I was really looking forward to this."They had been quite eager upon seeing Chloe’s photo. A gorgeous woman like her was well worth their time, pay or no pay."We've been here for half an hour. She's not going to stand us up, is she?""Do you think she's messing with us?""Let's ring her up. We have her number.""Good point, but act like you're the scalper."Jus
Joseph looked at Chloe intently. "Should we continue digging?""Never mind, forget it," Chloe said.If there was no immediate threat, that was enough for her. The only ones pulling the strings were likely Duskfall or Xavia. She could not be bothered to dig any further, and she was about to deal with Xavia anyway.A phone buzzed, breaking the silence. It was Joseph's. Chloe found herself glancing at the screen. It was Gabriel calling."What is it, Gab?" Joseph asked as he reclined in his chair."Bethany's back," Gabriel answered.Chloe could feel his enthusiasm even through the phone.Joseph instantly sat up straight. After gaping wordlessly a few times, he finally said, "I’ll come over right now."Vince shot to his feet, thinking Duskfall was causing trouble again. "What's going on, sir?"Joseph hesitated, then finally spoke. "Bethany's back.""Bee is awake?""Yeah, though I don’t know why she didn’t give me a heads-up.""This is great news! Let's go see her!" Vince was vis
Chloe acted like she was mad, she came off more like a jealous woman.Joseph smirked and teased, "I'm a pervert with eyes only for you."Chloe did not reply. Giving him the cold shoulder, she turned around and stormed into the Sullivan manor.As he watched her disappear, Joseph fired up his car and made his way to Imperium. When he got there, an excited petite woman came running toward him.Vince trailed after her, yelling, "Take it easy! You're not fully recovered!”Ignoring him, Bethany ran up to Joseph. She glowed as said, "It’s been a while."Joseph smiled warmly. "When did you wake up?""Just last week," Bethany answered after counting the days on her fingers. "I wanted to see you right away, but the doctors wouldn't allow me to leave. I was bored out of my mind.""You should heed the doctor’s advice. Your well-being should be your top priority. As a healthcare worker, you should understand that,” Joseph cautioned.Back when Imperium was just getting off the ground, they
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