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Chapter 40
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Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 41
"Speak." Gregory's voice was cold and commanding. Yet, silence was the only response he received. He frowned and scooped Anathea up effortlessly, carrying her to the couch. Anathea slumped against it, completely drained, as if every last ounce of strength had been stripped from her. She didn't even blink, her vacant eyes staring into nothingness. She said nothing, but the evidence of what had just happened was impossible to ignore. Beneath the slightly open collar of her blouse, her pale skin was marred with countless red marks, a silent testament to Gregory's aggressiveness.However, the real damage came from the humiliation that shattered her spirit, not just the physical torture.Gregory finally realized he might have gone too far. His voice was stiff as he offered a curt explanation. "The glass is one-way and soundproof."In other words, while everything outside was visible from within the office, those outside couldn't see or hear anything happening inside. He would never
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 42
Anathea and Gregory had never exchanged the wedding rings that symbolized eternity. Perhaps, from the very beginning, their marriage had been doomed to fail. She'd been the only one unwilling to let go, stubbornly dragging it out for five long years. But thankfully, she'd finally come to her senses. That was the only thought on her mind now. Her gaze rested on the ring, calm and indifferent.However, Gregory assumed she was scheming to sell the ring again. He warned coldly, "If you dare sell it for a bit of petty cash again, there will be consequences to bear."He couldn't believe that she'd sold it for only eight million dollars.Anathea remained silent. Truthfully, she had considered it. Selling the ring again would get her enough to cover Fiona's surgery expenses. Unfortunately, before the thought could fully take root, Gregory had already crushed it. Besides, after experiencing his fury once, she wasn't foolish enough to test him a second time. She sighed inwardly. It se
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 43
"Done everything?" Anathea stared blankly at Carla, and suffocating fear surged through her. "Mrs. Jacobson's condition has deteriorated to the point where she won't survive another emergency resuscitation. The surgery can't be delayed any longer," Carla advised.Anathea pressed her lips together, aware of the gravity of the situation. However, she still hadn't managed to get the full 30 million dollars needed for the surgery."Can we start the medication first? I promise, I'll pay the full amount before the surgery." She looked at Carla, pleading.Carla had previously informed her that before the surgery, Fiona needed to be injected with a certain medication for two weeks to stimulate her body's functions, ensuring she could undergo the procedure.Carla hesitated, contemplating her request. Meeting Anathea's anxious, hopeful gaze, she finally nodded. "I'll do my best to get approval for it.""Thank you, Dr. Peltz." Anathea sincerely expressed her gratitude. As long as the medi
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 44
However, after Hannah's years of struggling and working her way up to become a celebrity, Leon had come to her. He'd repeatedly used Hannah's grandparents, Sebastian Cole and Isla Montgomery, to threaten her, trying to extort money from her. Anathea clearly remembered that Hannah had resolved this issue five years ago. She hadn't expected the greedy Leon to cause more trouble. Besides, this incident had even made it onto the trending news. It was obvious that the situation had escalated significantly. She couldn't help but wonder how Hannah planned to handle it.Anathea was deeply worried about Hannah's situation. When she didn't hear a response, she called out again in concern, "Hannah?" Just then, a strange sound suddenly came from the other end of the line. Anathea froze for a moment. "Uh… don't worry, I'm fine…" Hannah's voice was broken and unsteady. "What are you doing? Working out?" Anathea asked in confusion when she heard Hannah breathing so heavily. However, t
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 45
"Wow! The fireworks are so beautiful!" Xander exclaimed in awe. The sound of fireworks exploding in the night sky came through from the smartwatch. It was lively and festive.Just then, Anathea's phone buzzed with a new message. It was a photo from Natalie. Under the dazzling fireworks, Natalie sat in a wheelchair, turning her head slightly to look at Gregory, a blissful smile on her face. Gregory's coat was draped over her shoulders, a silent yet undeniable display of his gentleness and care. His care was reserved for her and her alone. That was exactly why Natalie had sent this picture. It was a declaration of ownership. In fact, ever since Natalie had returned from overseas a month ago, she'd been occasionally sending Anathea photos of her and Gregory together. But Anathea had never responded, and this time was no different. Without a change in her expression, she turned off her phone screen. To be honest, the first time she'd seen such photos, there had been a sharp p
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 46
A vague thought surfaced in Jenny's mind. Was Anathea planning to leave? If she really did, what kind of reaction would Gregory have? Would he remain as indifferent as always, or……As soon as Evangeline received feedback from the client, she immediately came over to praise Anathea. "Nat, you really did an amazing job this time! They're extremely satisfied with your proposal and have even renewed a long-term contract with us. From now on, all their floral customization orders will be handled by our studio.""That's incredible, Nat!" The other colleagues also congratulated Anathea enthusiastically. "Who would've thought Nat was hiding such talent? At first, we all assumed she was just a newcomer to the industry."Hearing this, Anathea simply responded with a humble smile. "Compared to everyone else, I'm still a rookie, so I'll be counting on you all for guidance." "Come on, stop being so humble," Evangeline said with a playful wink. Even if the rest of the team remained obli
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 47
"What's going on in your head all day?" Ten minutes earlier, as soon as Lena and Anathea had arrived at Aetherbrook Hotel, the manager berated them without hesitation. "Didn't I tell you to replace the flower arrangements in the private suite with the freshest ones by this afternoon? Look at the time now! Do you have any idea how late it is?"Lena adjusted her black-framed glasses and mumbled, "But… you sent a message saying it was for tomorrow afternoon…"Moreover, the schedule had undergone several changes. Just when they had finally agreed on a time, it d been unexpectedly shifted to this afternoon. By the time Lena had completed her other responsibilities and noticed the message, she felt overwhelmed.The manager pointed at her angrily. "You still dare to argue?" Frightened by his aggressive demeanor, Lena instinctively hid behind Anathea. "That's enough. Instead of wasting time here, we should replace the wilted flowers before the guests notice. Otherwise, if they bring
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 48
Theo glanced at Anathea, who was trimming the flower branches, and let out a light chuckle. "Treasure? I don't think so. She just used some underhanded tricks to get Gregory to marry her, that's all. And she's quite the restless one. Otherwise, she'd be staying at home instead of coming out here to be an eyesore. Who knows if it's intentional or just coincidental?" There was a faint trace of mockery in his tone.Hearing this, Anathea paused momentarily before snipping off another branch.The others barely grasped Theo's words and turned to look at Gregory. Yet, Gregory's expression remained calm as he continued playing the game.Seeing Gregory's indifference, Theo took the opportunity to add, "Gregory, you should just divorce that scheming woman. What's so great about her, huh? Everyone knows Ms. Whitman is a much better match for you—"Before he could finish, Gregory calmly laid down his hand. "Royal flush." "Fuck! You were just waiting for me to take the bait, weren't you
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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
