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
Joseph's eyebrows furrowed. "This money is for you. You've sacrificed too much for Imperium. You should now rest and enjoy life."Bethany was not considered a senior member of Imperium. However, her contributions had earned her the utmost respect. Besides, Imperium now possessed an advanced level of medical care, so there was no need for her anymore."I don't want to leave. I want to stay with Imperium forever. Please don't reject me," Bethany said, tears welling up in her eyes as she clung to Joseph's arm. She was not as cunning as Xavia nor as bright as Chloe, but she had a gentle and homely charm.Joseph freed his arm from her grasp. "You're overthinking it. This isn’t about rejection.""Then why are you trying to make me leave?""You should retire early. You can go to the spa, watch movies, find a good partner, and have children. It's better than staying here."Nearly everyone in Imperium was male. It would not be suitable for her to remain in a male-dominated environment."
The intern was reluctant to give up. "But I really like Mr. Joseph. Please grant my wish and transfer me to your department. I'll work hard and prove myself." Joseph was her ideal man. Even though she knew there was a considerable gap between them, she knew there would be no chance at all if she did not try.Lucas' patience wore thin. He said sternly, "This is your final warning. Don't let me hear about this again. You were hired to work, not to woo your superiors. If there's a repeat of this behavior, you will be dismissed."The intern felt humiliated. Her face turned bright red and she muttered under her breath, "You're just an assistant. Stop acting all high and mighty." But not daring to pester Lucas any further, she sulked away.Lucas had other matters on his mind and did not dwell on this minor incident. He knocked on the office door and entered after receiving Joseph's approval. "Sir, I'd like to ask you about something." Lucas looked hesitant, and it was clear that he
Lucas' last relationship had been during his university days, and that was many years ago. He had long forgotten what it felt like to be in love, but he did want to be in a relationship. Now, being influenced by his work to take the most efficient route available, he decided to just express his real feelings.His expression was calm. On the contrary, it was Emily who looked shy and uneasy. She said hesitantly, "This is too sudden...""You don't have to give me an answer right now. I just wanted to let you know how I feel. Make sure to get plenty of rest. I have to head back to the office now. If you ever encounter any trouble, call me, all right?"Lucas was not as influential as Joseph, but he would not just stand by if someone he cared about was mistreated."Um... When did you start liking me?""I don't know exactly. I've had feelings for you for some time now."After Chloe went abroad, Lucas lost contact with Emily. However, he could not forget her and often found himself think
When Joseph returned from the meeting room, he passed by Lucas' office and saw Lucas with his head on the desk, looking forlorn and dejected. "Emily rejected you?" Joseph asked with his hands in his pockets."How did you know, sir?""Your face says it all," Joseph responded.Lucas touched his face and asked in confusion, "What did my face say?""It says ‘loser,’" Joseph replied."Please stop mocking me, sir," Lucas said, smiling bitterly. He had anticipated that Emily would reject him, but he had not expected it to happen so quickly and for her to be so straightforward about it."Do you have a property in Docwood?" Joseph asked."No, but I bought a house in Aesper," Lucas replied."What about a car?""I have a car.""How much is it worth?""About 50,000 dollars."Joseph furrowed his brows. "Are you that poor?"Chloe and Emily were best friends, so it was only natural for Emily to draw comparisons between a potential boyfriend and Joseph. She might struggle to accept that
Chloe instantly replied. She could not wait to see Kenneth's reaction when he learned that Xavia had another daughter. Would he forgive her or would he abandon her? She was really looking forward to it.Joseph asked, [Okay. Why aren't you asleep?][I'll go to bed soon.][Is Noah still staying at Sullivan manor? Has he made any other moves?][Yes, and no. Why?]Joseph leaned against the headboard of his bed. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Why was he asking these questions? It was just idle chit-chat. If Jasper found out that he was taking a leave out of the book, the kid would surely mock him. After all, he claimed he did not need a book to teach him such things.Joseph replied, ['m just worried about you.]Perhaps she was not gazing at his usual cold, stern face, Chloe found that his messages were warmer than usual. A faint smile graced her lips. She propped herself up with a pillow and continued typing. [Grandpa locked Noah up in hopes that Noah would reflect