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Chapter 63
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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
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 65
"No need. I can do it myself," Anathea refused.She didn't think she was close enough to Thomas to accept being fed by him.But Thomas didn't seem to mind at all. Instead, he said seriously, "Do you want to burn my hand again before you'll be satisfied, Mrs. Sinclair?"Anathea tensed slightly. She hadn't meant it that way.However, Thomas smiled. "I'm just joking. You're sick, Mrs. Sinclair. As an employee of the Sinclairs, it's my duty to take care of you. So, please have this soup so you can recover faster, okay?"Anathea hesitated for a moment, but then Thomas added pitifully, "My hand was already burned just now, and now my arm's getting sore because I've been holding it up for a long time. Please have a little mercy on me, Mrs. Sinclair."A flicker of guilt flashed through Anathea's eyes. She had no choice but to open her mouth.The soup was mild in flavor but tasted surprisingly good."Is it good?" Thomas asked.Anathea nodded."Then, have some more." Thomas scooped ano
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 66
"Men! Throw him out!" Gregory had no interest in listening to Thomas' nonsense.Hearing that, Cyrus and Jenny rushed in. They each grabbed one of Thomas' arms and dragged him toward the door.Even as he was being hauled away, Thomas refused to give up. "Mr. Sinclair! Why do you have to treat Mrs. Sinclair this way? She's a living, breathing person, not some object for you to trample on and humiliate at will!"His voice grew fainter as he was dragged further away, eventually disappearing down the hallway.Gregory let out a cold chuckle and rubbed the corner of his eye before looking down at Anathea, who was still sitting on the floor.He took a long stride forward, towering over her. "Do you not have anything to say?"Anathea remained silent as she picked up the broken shards from the ground.Seeing her unwillingness to speak, Gregory assumed she was feeling guilty. He crouched in front of her and gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him."What's wrong? You got caught sneaki
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 67
Anathea frowned and replied, "Nowhere!"She had no idea why Thomas had suddenly acted that way, but she knew there was nothing improper between them."Nowhere?" Gregory's smile remained faint, but his thumb slowly moved downward, brushing past the sharp curve of her jaw before stopping at her ear.He played with her earlobe, giving it a teasing squeeze. "How about here?"Anathea's body tensed for a moment as she bit her lower lip. "I told you. Nowhere!""Really?" Gregory's fingers continued downward, slipping beneath her collar."And here?"Anathea knew he was doing it on purpose, and she refused to answer.Gregory didn't care whether she responded or not. His fingers roamed at their own pace, pausing deliberately at each spot as he taunted her, "What about here? Did he touch you here?"Anathea couldn't stop her body from trembling.He was like a patient butcher who meticulously marked the places where he would cut, torturing her again and again.Anathea was on the verge of
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 68
Anathea chuckled coldly in her heart. Then, she adjusted her slightly disheveled collar and got out of bed to find the first aid kit to tend to the cuts on the back of her hand resulting from the shattered pieces.About 20 minutes later, Gregory stepped out of the bathroom, steam swirling around him. His suit had been replaced by dark loungewear.As he dried his hair, his gaze swept toward the bedside. The broken shards and spilled soup had already been cleaned up by the maids, leaving no trace behind.Anathea was nowhere to be seen.Gregory's expression darkened, but he didn't bother looking for her. Instead, he strode straight to his study."Mr. Sinclair, I placed the documents you left in the car on your desk," Cyrus reported respectfully."Alright," Gregory responded briefly.Walking to his desk, he opened the folder. The moment he saw the divorce papers inside, his eyes narrowed slightly.He then pulled out the pages and tore them to shreds without hesitation, tossing them
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 69
Startled, Anathea stepped back, but Gregory pressed against the back of her neck, leaving her no room to retreat."Don't move," he ordered coldly.Anathea pressed her lips together.At such close proximity, the faint scent of cedar mixed with the warmth of his breath brushed against her face.His gaze was fixed on the back of her head as he carefully untangled her hair from the button. He seemed focused, showing no other intention.Only then did Anathea let out a small breath of relief, shifting her eyes away to avoid looking at him."Done."Gregory unfastened the button and brushed her hair aside, revealing the bite mark behind her ear—the one he had left in anger at the hotel.At the time, Anathea had made it clear through her every action that she wanted nothing to do with him. Her defiance had touched a nerve.Gregory narrowed his eyes slightly.Just as he was about to make a move, Anathea suddenly crouched down, slipping out of his grasp before quickly heading toward the
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 70
But at some point, Anathea had stopped doing all of that.Instead, she selectively ignored them.Gregory's hand paused slightly as he cut his steak, his brows knitting together.Just then, his phone rang, but he didn't rush to answer it.Anathea happened to be reaching for food when she unintentionally glanced at his screen.The word "Darling" was displayed on the screen.She had thought she was calm enough, that she had long come to terms with the fact that Gregory loved Natalie instead of her.But when she saw how he had saved Natalie's contact, the food she had just picked up slipped from her utensil and fell onto her plate.She snapped out of it in no time as she picked it up again, continuing to eat as if nothing had happened.Gregory caught her reaction through his peripheral vision.Only then did he pick up his phone, answering the call right in front of Anathea."Yes?" Gregory asked softly.With that kind of tone, Anathea didn't even have to think to know who was on
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 71
Anathea watched Xander, trying to read something from his face.But Xander just blinked at her, his gaze unwavering as he held the cup of water up to her.When she didn't respond, he called again, "Mom?"Anathea snapped out of her thoughts, her expression softening slightly. "Thank you."The water was still warm.She took her medicine with it, and Xander handed her a handkerchief to wipe the water from the corner of her lips.He held the handkerchief, his movements a little clumsy but careful.Anathea was momentarily stunned."All done," Xander said, smiling.These small, thoughtful gestures felt almost unreal to Anathea, so she asked, "Did you have something you wanted to talk to me about, Xander?"At her words, Xander nodded. "Yes!"Anathea's chest tightened as she braced herself for the possibility that he might say something unintentionally hurtful again.After all, at the hospital, he had told her right to her face that he wanted her to divorce Gregory, that he wanted
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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
