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Chapter 56
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Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 57
Anathea didn't know why Fiona had suddenly asked that. But with Fiona's surgery coming up, Anathea didn't want to worry her.Hence, she smiled and replied, "No, he's treating me well."Despite what she said, images flashed through her mind—Gregory gripping her chin, looking at her with pure disdain."I didn't know you were this cheap, Anathea. A mere three million is all it takes for you to sell yourself?""If you're going to sell yourself, then make some noise. Who are you putting on this half-dead act for?"Every word was like a fine silver needle, piercing countless wounds into her heart. The pain seeped deep into her bones, making it hard to breathe.Yet, she still wore a faint smile when she was with Fiona. "I'm telling the truth, Mom. Don't worry about me. I'm doing fine."Fiona didn't speak right away. She simply looked at Anathea, taking in how much thinner her daughter's face had become. Her heart ached, but seeing Anathea still smiling, she nodded."I just want you to
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 58
Anathea let out a breath and was just about to leave. As she lifted her head, she caught sight of Gregory at the end of the hallway, talking on the phone. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, casting a long, sharp-edged shadow of him on the floor.She paused. Xander had said Gregory brought him here, so of course, he was at the hospital, too.Gregory also looked in her direction. For a brief moment, their eyes met. Anathea's fingers curled slightly at her sides. She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she could vaguely sense Gregory's gaze sweeping over her.He was, in fact, looking at her. She was wearing a pure white silk blouse paired with a form-fitting, pale lavender fishtail skirt.He'd picked this outfit. It was a relatively modest design. A scarf covered her neck, and the skirt reached past her knees, concealing every mark he'd left on her.Even so, her figure was undeniably striking. Though she'd lost weight, her curves remained untouched. The soft, fitte
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 59
Fiona's tone was dripping with mockery.Gregory frowned slightly. No one had ever dared to mock him so openly right to his face."What do you mean, Mrs. Jacobson? I don't understand."Fiona laughed. "You don't understand? I don't care whether you really don't understand or if you're just pretending not to. I just have one question for you—when exactly did you start having a mistress?"A flicker of confusion crossed Gregory's eyes. "Mistress? Who are you talking about?""Don't play dumb with me!" Fiona raised her voice. "Besides that woman in the ward, who else is there?"Gregory finally realized Fiona was talking about Natalie and replied calmly, "That woman in the ward is like a daughter to my mom.""Like a daughter?" Fiona scoffed coldly. Seeing his indifferent attitude, she sneered. "I didn't know your family's into role-playing."Gregory's expression darkened, and his tone turned ice-cold. "Mrs. Jacobson, watch your mouth. I'm only giving you some respect because you're Xan
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 60
Gregory gave a slight nod. When he felt Fiona's resentful gaze on him, he turned to look at her.Sensing the tension, the doctor quickly explained, "Given Mrs. Jacobson's current condition, I reduced the dosage of the sedative."That was why Fiona hadn't fallen asleep and was instead glaring at Gregory. If looks could kill, he would have been torn apart on the spot.For a moment, the ward fell into silence.The doctor wiped away a cold sweat.From what Fiona had just said, it wasn't hard to guess that she was Gregory's mother-in-law. That put him in a tough spot—he couldn't afford to offend either side."You can leave now," Gregory said calmly after a brief pause.The doctor hesitated, then cautiously asked, "Mr. Sinclair, should I inform your family of your injury?"At those words, Fiona's fierce gaze flickered with guilt. After all, she was the one who'd struck first. If Gregory decided to pursue the matter, Anathea would inevitably be dragged into it. That thought filled Fio
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 61
Gregory's steps paused briefly as he turned slightly to look at Fiona."If you don't love her, let her go." Fiona let out a breath and bent her back slowly before adding, "I'm begging you."The once-famous lady of Castenea was now lowering herself to a younger man for the sake of her daughter."Well?" Fiona asked.Maybe if Gregory and Anathea got a divorce, it would put an end to this five-year mistake. That way, Gregory wouldn't torment Anathea any longer.Fiona just wanted Anathea to have a better life, nothing more.Gregory didn't respond. After a few seconds of silence, he simply pulled open the door and left without looking back.At that moment, Natalie was being wheeled out of her ward and happened to see him. "Greg!"Gregory acknowledged her with a brief response but didn't slow down."Where are you going?" Natalie asked, but Gregory didn't reply as he walked away. A trace of confusion flickered in Natalie's eyes.Just then, two nurses pushing carts passed by."Did yo
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 62
Even though Anathea hadn't said anything at the time, Jenny still felt those words must have hurt her.Xander also remembered that he hadn't been very nice to Anathea. But a child's temper changed quickly. "I'll apologize to Mom, then. She'll forgive me, right?"In his mind, as long as he apologized, everything would be fine. Adults usually didn't hold grudges against kids, after all. Before Jenny could say anything else, Xander immediately ran toward Anathea. "Mom."He seemed to know that whenever he called Anathea softly, she would stop. Hence, he now spoke to her softly and sweetly, as if he were trying to charm her.Sure enough, Anathea stopped walking. Xander's heart leaped with joy. He quickly walked up to her and apologized earnestly, "Mom, I'm sorry for being rude to you."When Anathea didn't respond, Xander assumed she'd already forgiven him. So, he said eagerly, "Mom, I'm hungry. Can you make tomato and ham risotto for me? Only yours tastes the best!"He even complime
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 63
However, that feeling faded quickly.After all, Anathea was the one who'd angered Gregory first. He'd merely been teaching her a lesson.Gregory picked up his coffee and took a sip. Strangely, even though it was the flavor he'd always liked, there was a hint of bitterness to it. He immediately set the cup down and instructed Martin to brew another one.Half an hour later, Edward brought over the divorce agreement for Gregory to review."According to your prenuptial agreement, she's not entitled to any of your assets after the divorce. Even if she takes legal action, we have over 80% chance of winning."Edward spoke with confidence. In his view, this was one of the simplest cases he'd ever handled, one that secured the greatest benefit for Gregory. Seeking validation, he asked, "What do you think, Mr. Sinclair?""Nothing much." Gregory's tone was cold.The atmosphere instantly grew heavy.Edward discreetly wiped away the sweat forming on his forehead, unsure of Gregory's thought
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 64
"Oh no…" Edward hurriedly picked up the scattered documents.Unable to remember their original order, he simply stacked them neatly and placed them all back on the desk in a rush, as if guilty of some wrongdoing. Then, he left without a second glance.Buried beneath the layers of documents, a corner of the divorce agreement peeked out, with Anathea's signature clearly visible.…Gregory stepped on the gas and sped back to Sinclair Villa."Mr. Sinclair, you're home early today," Cyrus immediately greeted him with a polite smile.Gregory gave a slight nod as he handed Cyrus his coat. "Is she home?"Knowing Gregory was referring to Anathea, Cyrus nodded. "Mrs. Sinclair came home quite early today, but…" He hesitated briefly before deciding to be honest. "She wasn't feeling well and fainted in the living room."Gregory's brows furrowed. "Fainted? She's sick?""Yes, but don't worry. The doctor has already—"Before Cyrus could finish his sentence, Gregory had strode off toward the
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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
