The girl paused and stared at Joseph’s hands. She bit her lip and asked, "But you're not wearing a wedding ring. Do you think I'm too young for you?"Joseph’s brows furrowed, his impatience evident. "Didn’t you hear me?""I..." Caught off guard by his stern tone, the girl came close to tears. "I made a bet with my classmates that I could get your number. They’ll tease me if I don’t get it.”Samuel looked around and spotted a few other schoolgirls peeking out from behind the trees. Eager to wrap this up, he told the girl, "Your bet is your problem. It's dangerous to ask strangers for their number. If you really want to keep your reputation intact, I can give you my friend's contact info."Her eyes lit up. "Really? Thank you!""But he won't accept your request," Samuel added, keen on not wasting any more time. His minutes were valuable.The girl’s smile vanished. "So you're just messing with me?""I'm being realistic. You and my friend here aren’t from the same world, and he's int
“Yeah, let's find a place to talk. I have plans this afternoon." Samuel agreed.As he strode off, He looked eager to get things over with. What he truly wanted was to get the pair some private space. Sure, he loved making money, but his friend’s happiness was also a priority for him. Joseph had finally succeeded in holding Chloe's hand. Though he maintained a cool facade, he was surely buzzing with joy on the inside.It was now late August. The weather was milder, a welcome relief from the peak of summer. A gentle breeze blew at the hem of Chloe's skirt, showcasing her radiant skin. The sunlight rested upon her head like a divine crown. She looked as if she were lost in a daydream, untouchable and divine like a goddess.Joseph's gaze lingered on her, his heartbeat momentarily slowing. He had always known she was beautiful, but now, he felt that every aspect of her fascinated him. At times, he even felt too old for her.Realizing he was staring, Chloe touched her face. "What are you
"All right then. Let's work together to regain Exotic Star’s shares," Joseph declared.He could just snap his fingers and take over the company, but he recognized that Chloe was more than just a pretty face. She was valuable in her own right, and he wanted to give her the space to prove her worth.Samuel twiddled a pen between his fingers, suddenly having an idea. He turned to Chloe and suggested, "If Noah is the one backing Gary, why not just reach out to him directly?"Chloe let out a weary sigh. "If it were that easy, we would've done it by now.""What do you mean?""Noah’s gone missing."From the moment Desmond had ended up in the hospital, Noah's phone had been out of service. The security footage at the manor had also been tampered with. All that could be seen was him running out of the hall. The rest of the footage was just static. Noah knew the ins and outs of the Sullivan manor well and had easily wiped out the proof, leaving them with nothing.Joseph's gaze turned seri
As they exited the cafe, they ran into Vince and Bethany. The pair were joking around and laughing together, forming a picture of happiness. Vince was holding a cup of smoothie. Chloe was not familiar with him, but with his towering frame, she did not pin him as a smoothie enthusiast. She figured the drink was more likely Bethany's. The two of them looked very much like a couple."There you are, sir. We were just about to look for you," Vince said, smiling broadly, oblivious to the presence of the stunning Zoelle.Joseph looked indifferent. "What is it?""Nothing much." Bethany stepped forward, her eyes twinkling as she smiled. "I've just been curious about your company, Fairlight. I haven't had any contact with the outside world for years. The company you’ve built is remarkable. You're amazing, Joe.""There's not much to see there. You should focus on your recovery," Joseph advised."I feel great, actually. I’ve been feeling cooped up in Imperium and am itching to see the world."
“She doesn't," Joseph responded, his expression unchanged."She absolutely does," Zoelle insisted."I think so too," Chloe chimed in."See? I’m not making it up. It's obvious from just a glance," Zoelle exclaimed, slapping her thigh as if she had found a kindred spirit."Something was different about her gaze as she looked at Joseph," Chloe concurred,Bethany’s gaze had seemed innocent, but it hid a deep meaning."Whatever. I don't like her anyway," Joseph declared.Women often had a knack for such things. Though Bethany had not done anything to purposely rub them the wrong way, there was something unsettling about her demeanor. She came off as a seemingly innocent girl hiding a secret, and it was uncommon for people to address Joseph as Joe.Chloe kept her thoughts to herself, but she agreed with Zoelle's assumptions. She also had an unexplained aversion to the girl."Did she do something to upset you two?" Joseph asked in puzzlement. After all, they had only exchanged brief
"If I liked Noah, would I be sitting here calmly chatting with you? I'd be giving you trouble, plotting ways to torment you, and trying to pull you two apart.""You're right, I was overthinking it," Chloe readily agreed, before suddenly changing her tone. "So, you like Vince?""Hell no! I'd sooner fall for a woman than that lumbering oaf!" Zoelle leaped up, banging her head on the car roof and howling in pain.Chloe stared at her intently. "Then why did you pick a fight with Bethany?""Because I can't stand that pretentious act of hers.""But you don't know her and will probably never cross paths with her in the future."Chloe had a point. While she did not have a good first impression of Bethany either, she had not intentionally caused trouble or overtly showed her dislike. There was no need, and she could not be bothered. Normally, Zoelle would react the same way as well, but when it came to Vince and Bethany, she was visibly emotional."Exactly, but that won’t stop me from di
Due to the glare on the glass, Chloe squinted to try and make out the face of the person in the window but ended up tearing up due to the sun’s glare. When she rubbed her eyes and looked up again, the shadow at the window had disappeared.Just then, the help came back out. "Ms. Tiffany is feeling unwell and will not be able to meet you all. Sorry, but you'll have to leave," she said.Joseph's eyes flashed a hint of anticipation. He put his arm around Chloe's shoulder and leaned in close to whisper, "Will you join me and Jas for dinner tonight?"As he suddenly closed the gap between them, Chloe's immediate reaction was to push him away. But Joseph seemed to have expected this and tightened his hold, whispering so that only she could hear them, "Don't push me away. Just play along.""Play along?" Chloe asked. Her voice was sugary sweet, but she glared at him. She felt that he was taking advantage of her."Noah's here." Joseph was attempting to provoke Noah into showing himself.Chl
[Are you two really back together? Spill the beans!][I want the truth in 10 seconds. Don't make me beg!][Wow, I knew you two would rekindle your relationship, but poor Noah.][Dud, why didn’t you appreciate what you had when you had it? Why do you only value it after you've lost it?][Help! So was Noah just a rebound?][Noah’s a decent guy. It's better to speak up early than to lead him on.]*While many comments sang praises, a significant number also offered criticism. Joseph scrolled through his phone and skimmed past the negative feedback. As he read each positive comment, a rare smile graced his face. The genuine happiness in his eyes was undeniable as if the whole thing was real.Engrossed in her phone, Chloe missed this rare display of emotion. "You should post a picture too," she proposed, "It'd feel more authentic if we both do it."Little did she know that Joseph had never posted personal photos on his account. He only ever posted work-related content regarding Fai