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Chapter 31
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Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 32
For the last few days, Anathea had been getting up early to go to work and hadn't returned until late into the evening. Xander had gone to bed without bedtime stories during her absence, and he was starting to feel neglected, which explained his sudden needy behavior toward Anathea.However, Anathea gently nudged him away and said, "Start dinner without me, Xander. I need to take care of something."Anathea had just received a customer's order details for a floral arrangement. She needed to pick out the materials to complement the venue of choice and come up with a design proposal.Xander froze. He'd heard Gregory humor him with the same excuse plenty of times whenever he went into Gregory's study. "I need to take care of something," the man would say impassively."Mom…" Xander pouted, looking like an abandoned puppy. "It's been so long since you spent time with me. Can't you have dinner with me tonight?"Anathea grew exasperated when she saw the tears in Xander's eyes. He looked
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 33
For a moment, the air went still, and the tension at the dining table thickened. Most of it came from Gregory, though it lasted only a few seconds before he returned to eating his dinner in silence.Xander blinked and wondered if he'd said something wrong.Natalie was the first to break the silence, sounding baffled as she mused, "I didn't think you'd find a job, Ms. Jacobson. Are you…worried that the Sinclairs can't provide for you?"Anathea heard the provocation in Natalie's words, yet smiled and said, "Yes."Even if the Sinclairs gave her 100 thousand dollars every month, it would take her two and a half years to come up with the money for Fiona's surgery. But Anathea didn't feel like bringing this up.Natalie was surprised by Anathea's frankness. She went still at first but quickly regained her composure. She gave Gregory a subtle look and said, "I'm assuming you haven't told Greg about your new job, Ms. Jacobson."Anathea didn't think telling Gregory about her new job was ne
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 34
Anathea's brows furrowed at Gregory's tone. He hadn't been all that surprised or angry when he first learned about her recent employment, so why was he getting so worked up now? It was as if he'd turned into a different person entirely.He stared at her intently as if he could see through her and continued darkly, "Or is this another one of your dirty tricks?"Anathea was used to hearing his accusations, and she wasn't in the mood to explain herself. She raised a hand and shoved him away. "It's none of your business. If you're done throwing a fit, Mr. Sinclair, I suggest you leave.""Why should I leave? This is my room, after all," Gregory countered, his gaze growing more suspicious as he assessed her. "I presume you're in a hurry to get rid of me because you're hiding some big, dark secret."Anathea didn't, and she had no desire to understand the inner workings of Gregory's twisted mind. But at that moment, her phone chimed with a new message. Gregory snatched it out of her hand
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 35
Anathea let out a muffled sound of protest. How had things come to this? Gregory's fist knotted in her hair at the back of her head, holding her still as his free hand roved lower down her body. Her eyes widened, and she immediately shoved him away as she cried, "No!"They shouldn't do something so intimate when they were on the verge of a divorce!"No?" Gregory repeated incredulously, scoffing. "Just two weeks ago, you were clinging to me and getting so riled up that you couldn't help moaning my name. And now you're pulling this pure-and-chaste act?"Anathea winced under his sharp, contemptuous gaze. She was surprised that he would say such insulting, filthy things to her."As long as you're my lawful wife, Anathea, you will not mingle with other men behind my back without my permission! I will not tolerate you getting up to any funny business!" Gregory seethed.Shock barreled through her when she heard his warning. She sensed a stronger emotion that underlined his rage—the pol
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 36
Anathea's phone screen lit up again with a text from Evangeline inviting her to the team-building event on Friday that also doubled as a welcoming party for Anathea.Anathea stared at the screen blankly until it dimmed and blacked out entirely. Only then did she pick up her phone, brace her weight on her knees as she stood, and reply to Evangeline. "I've got plans on Friday. Go ahead without me."She sent the same text to the male colleague who had messaged her earlier.In truth, Anathea had never been a fan of social gatherings like team-building events. Besides, she wanted to maximize her time to make as much money as she could.William had told her that he'd wire the three million dollars to her account the next day to help her with Fiona's surgery bills. Anathea was grateful to him, and she knew she could count on him to support them in times of need.However, Anathea spent the better part of the next day waiting to hear from William about the money but to no avail."What's g
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 37
Anathea asked, "Is something wrong?"The question spurred her colleagues' anger and prompted them to rant. "For some reason, the potential customers we've been liaising with and were close to signing contracts with us suddenly had a change of mind!""Yeah, and even those who have already signed contracts with us chose to go back on those deals. They paid compensation, of course, but what will we do with the flowers we've gotten for their arrangements?""One of the customers phoned us up and said they were only following orders. I wonder whose orders it could be and why that person is butting into something as menial as floral arrangements!"Upon hearing this, Anathea went still. She could only think of one person in Castenea who was powerful enough to go to such lengths to pick on Eden Studio—Gregory. She wasn't surprised that he'd go after the Jacobsons' family business, but for him to target a floristry studio was unexpectedly petty behavior.Why was Gregory so intent on takin
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 38
Standing before Sinclair Group, Anathea drew a deep breath and slowly made her way through the entrance.She'd been allowed entry the last time she delivered Gregory's lunch, but this time, she was stopped by the security guard. He refused to let her through without an access card."I'm here to see Mr. Sinclair," Anathea tried to reason with the guard."Listen, if I let everyone who comes here to see Mr. Sinclair through, his office would be swarming with people." The guard pulled her aside and said in a business-like manner, "I'm afraid we can't let you through without an appointment."Anathea had no choice but to fish out her phone and call Gregory, but he didn't pick up. She frowned and called him several times. It wasn't until the tenth call that he finally answered his phone, not that he seemed to be in a hurry to put her through."Yes?" Gregory asked impassively."I'd like to speak to you. Are you free now?" Anathea asked.Gregory seemed to know the reason for her visit. H
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 39
A million questions bubbled up in Anathea's mind, but she resisted the urge to ask them and shook her head. "Nothing."Gregory stared at her for a few seconds. When he found nothing amiss in her expression, he took her word for it and sat on the couch. He crossed his legs casually and said, "Cut to the chase."He spoke to her so indifferently that she might as well be a stranger. His treatment of her now was worlds apart from last night when he'd pinned her against the door and degraded her.For a moment, Anathea couldn't tell which was the real Gregory, not that it mattered now. She had come here for a purpose."Mr. Sinclair," Anathea began.However, Gregory snorted as soon as the words left her mouth. "Oh, are you addressing me as 'Mr. Sinclair' now? You had no trouble calling me by my first name last night."Stumped as Anathea was by his sarcasm, she maintained a placid expression and said courteously, "I came here to apologize for overstepping last night. I should have known
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Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 112
Since Thomas put it that way, Anathea didn't want to turn him down. "Alright. What do you feel like eating?""Hmm…" Then, his gaze landed on a sleek silver-and-black Maybach ahead of them. "How about Frevancian? Is that okay with you?""Frevancian?""Yeah, you're not going to say it's too pricey, are you?" Thomas chuckled. "If it is, we can choose somewhere else.""No, Frevancian is fine."Anathea never liked owing people favors, anyway, so footing the bill for something nice actually made her feel less burdened.While driving, Thomas glanced at her and smiled before stepping on the gas and following that Maybach straight to one of the most well-known Frevancian restaurants in Castenea.As soon as they walked in, Thomas pulled out a chair for Anathea and poured her a glass of water. "Thanks to you, I get to enjoy a fancy dinner tonight.""I should be the one thanking you." If it weren't for him, Anathea would probably still be stuck in the hospital parking lot. Handing Thomas t
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 111
"Mrs. Sinclair?" Thomas stopped in front of her with a smile. "It is you. I thought I was seeing things.""Tom..." Anathea let out a small breath of relief. "What are you doing here?""Oh, I was just picking up some herbal medicine for my mom." He held up a bag of herbs for her to see. "Are you heading home?"She nodded, glancing awkwardly at her car. "I was but then my car suddenly broke down and won't start."Thomas crouched down to take a quick look at it. "I think it's an engine problem. You'll need to take it to a mechanic. Luckily, I've got a friend who runs a repair shop. I'll call him and ask if he can come tow your car."He didn't wait for her to respond before pulling out his phone.On the call, he gave his friend the address and sorted all the details before turning back to look at Anathea. "I'll need your number so my friend can contact you when your car's fixed."Anathea gave him her phone number."Alright, it's all been sorted out." Thomas hung up and gave her a
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 110
"Nothing," Anathea replied calmly."I don't buy that," Evangeline uttered. "If nothing's going on, why would he throw such a huge order at you out of nowhere?"Anathea didn't respond. Honestly, she had no idea what Theo was thinking either. He'd given her a big order and handed her an insanely expensive bag. None of it made sense.But she didn't want to dwell on it. Once her divorce from Gregory was finalized, she and Theo wouldn't have any reason to cross paths again."Nat?" Evangeline's voice pulled her out of her thoughts."Hmm?" Anathea blinked and looked over. "What's up?"Evangeline glanced at the time. It was already 4:30 pm. "You've been looking pretty drained lately. Why don't you just call it a day and head home early?""But—" Anathea started to protest, but Evangeline was already ushering her toward the door."I've got the rest covered. Go on. Oh, and say hi to your mom for me. I'll visit her when I get the chance."Anathea could feel the genuine kindness in her wor
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 109
Anathea immediately felt as though the bag was burning her hands. "Mr. Harrington, my purse is not that expensive. You really don't need to replace it."She put the bag back in the box and pushed it toward him.Even though the Jacobsons used to be wealthy, they were never flashy. That was why Anathea had always preferred practical and comfortable things. She'd never carried anything this extravagant.And now, Theo had just casually handed her a luxury bag, which completely caught her off guard."I'll decide if it's expensive or not," Theo said, not giving her a chance to refuse. "Just take it.""Thank you, Mr. Harrington, but I really can't," Anathea replied calmly.Her wariness toward him had grown ever since the whole scorpion liquor incident. Something about him always kept her on alert.Theo picked up on her cautious behavior instantly. As he realized how reckless he'd been before, his head throbbed.Rubbing his forehead, he said awkwardly, "About last time… I owe you an ap
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 108
Anathea finished the last bite of her breakfast and drove to the studio for work that day.Although her floral designs had been removed from the upcoming exhibition, one day had been enough for her designs to attract the attention of many. As a result, Eden Studio had gained newfound fame, albeit on a lesser scale, following the exhibition.The studio had received a huge number of orders. Anathea had also been appointed by name enough times for her orders to overwhelm the studio."Nat, you're getting a little too famous for us!" Evangeline was grinning from ear to ear. "I knew you could do it! Screw the guy who said you weren't a 'good fit' for them!"A good-natured laugh escaped Anathea's lips."By the way, I know you'll have a tough time taking on all these orders, so just pick the ones you want to work with. As for the rest, I'll take care of turning down the orders on your behalf," Evangeline said thoughtfully.With Anathea gearing up for the International Floristry Competiti
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 107
Gregory barked in the direction of the door, "Get out!"Only then did Cyrus stop pushing the door wider and immediately back up, but he couldn't help glancing at the large bed, where Gregory had pinned Anathea under him. While Cyrus couldn't see Anathea, he could make out Gregory's loosened tie and open shirt collar, looking like he was raring to go.Shocked, Cyrus quickly backed away from the bedroom door. So, Gregory and Anathea were getting down to business. But couldn't they have been quieter about it? Anyone who didn't know better would think they were fighting. He'd thought they were close to tearing the walls down!At the thought of this, Cyrus hurried off.Anathea was still shaking even as the bedroom door fell shut. Her emotions were in a clamor as she stared at Gregory hovering over her. She'd calmed down after lashing out at him earlier. Admittedly, she'd been too impulsive and lost control of her emotions.No longer emboldened or spurred on by rage, Anathea felt he
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 106
Gregory was so rough with Anathea that, for a moment, her gaze became unfocused. He leaned down and bit the shell of her ear and said in a voice so low it was spellbinding, "Remember this, Anathea—you owe me! You have no right to refuse me unless I refuse you!"With that, he removed Anathea's final piece of clothing. But at that moment, she snapped out of her temporary daze. Hatred filled her, prompting her to bite his neck.A hiss escaped Gregory, and the pain had him releasing his grip on her. Anathea reached out and pushed the bedside lamp to the floor.There was a loud crash as the lamp hit the ground and shattered into pieces.The heat and lust vanished from Gregory's eyes, replaced by burning rage when he saw the repulsion and hatred on Anathea's face. His fingers clenched around her throat as he growled, "What the hell do you think you're doing, Anathea?""I don't owe you anything!" Anathea retorted loudly even as her voice came out choked and hoarse.This was the first
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 105
Anathea was a married adult; she knew perfectly well the meaning behind Natalie's photo. For the latter to post such a suggestive photo on social media meant she'd gotten Gregory's permission. It seemed they were having a beautiful night together, indeed.The comments section under the photo was a riot of guesses about who Natalie was spending the night with.Natalie's answer was the same to everyone. "Stop guessing, guys! You'll be the first to know the good news if I have any."Someone even teasingly asked if the mysterious man Natalie was spending the night with was any good in bed. Natalie replied with a blushing emoji and a bashful, "Yes, he's amazing!"Anathea locked her phone and numbly stared out the window at the same moon. She took deep breaths and calmed herself, blocking out any thoughts of Natalie and Gregory. Then, she turned off the lights and slept.She thought she'd be tossing and turning that night, but it turned out her body was more exhausted than she believe
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 104
Jenny lifted her gaze to Anathea. For a moment, she was at a loss. "Mrs. Sinclair, Mr. Xander…"Anathea said nothing. She looked at the cookies she'd made despite her exhaustion, only for them to be knocked over by Xander. Pursing her lips, she had Jenny clean up the mess on the floor while she resumed packing the remaining cookies and sweets.Jenny was upset to see Anathea holding back her emotions, but there was nothing she could do other than lend Anathea a helping hand.It was nearly 11:00 pm when Anathea finished packing all the snacks into a container."Mrs. Sinclair—" Jenny hesitated as she tried to make up an excuse for Xander's behavior.However, Anathea cut her off, "It's late, Jenny. You should call it a night."Jenny opened her mouth to argue. However, she swallowed the rest of her words and turned to leave.At that moment, Anathea's phone beeped with a new message. She unlocked it to see that Natalie had sent her a video of Eleanor, Gregory, and Xander.Xander happ
