After their lips parted, Chloe's cheeks had the hue of a ripe peach, and it was irresistibly inviting. Joseph looked down at her with smoldering eyes as his warm breath brushed against her neck, deepening the intimacy."What are you—"Her sentence was cut short by an unexpected knock on the office door.Joseph's brow creased. "Who's there?""It's me, Mr. Joseph. Are you busy?"Chloe's eyes instantly narrowed. She grabbed Joseph's shirt sleeve and whispered, "It's Iris!"Joseph lifted an eyebrow. "I won't let her in.""No, let her. I want to see what tricks she's up to."As she said this, she scanned the room and spotted the bathroom. She darted inside and left the door slightly ajar. "Let her in."If Chloe were absent, Iris would surely take the chance to act. But with her there, the dynamics would change.Sighing inwardly, Joseph decided to humor her and called out, "Come in."Iris entered and surveyed the room. Finding only Joseph inside, she lowered her eyes before liftin

Chloe gave a little hmph. "Fine, I'll be generous and let this one slide. Now, let's think about how to check on Iris' mole. Maybe you can seduce her."Joseph grinned as his gaze softened. "Won’t you be jealous?""Of course, I will be. But sometimes you have to risk the pawn to win the game," Chloe whispered playfully. She curled her finger and beckoned him closer. "Listen up. I have a plan."Reluctantly, Joseph leaned. The lingering scent of Chloe's bath filled the air as he moved closer. He watched her lips as she laid out her thoughts, and her fragrance chased away his headache. He enjoyed hearing her speak. She loved having her by his side.*Lucas had taken the next few days off for personal reasons starting this afternoon. Before heading out, he sent a message in the Whitman Group managerial chat.Lucas: [Mr. Joseph has a business trip tomorrow and needs two people from Finance to go with him. Please sort this out, @Finance Manager.]Finance Manager: [Two people? Can the t

Two hours later, Chloe arrived at Jasper’s school. She got out of the car and hurried to the teachers' building. Upon seeing Jasper next to a little girl who was sobbing uncontrollably, her eyes puffy and discolored, Chloe quickly scanned Jasper and let out a quiet sigh of relief. Thankfully, he appeared unharmed."What's going on here, miss?"Caught off guard, the teacher turned around and asked, "Ms. Chloe? Where's Mr. Joseph?""He's away on a business trip. You can talk to me about any issues."Suddenly, the little girl's sobs escalated into near shrieks. "See, Teacher?! I told you! Jasper's dad is away on a business trip with a woman from his workplace. He’s abandoning Jasper!"‘So that's what happened...’ thought Chloe, her expression changing as she immediately understood the situation. She looked at Jasper and noticed his deepening gaze. The boy was really beginning to resemble his father.The teacher had an awkward expression. "Children say such nonsense. It was Maya's fa

Chloe realized that Jasper had misunderstood. After some pondering, she concluded that letting the little boy see for himself that his father was not the man gossip made him out to be would do no harm. Seeing for oneself was certainly more convincing than any explanation she could give. She could sense that Maya’s words had placed a heavy weight on Jasper.Having cleared her work schedule the day before and knowing that Joseph's business trip was not too far away, she figured the trip there was viable. Above all, she wanted to confirm whether Iris was indeed Xavia. She then pulled over, took out her phone, and changed the destination in her navigation app.The rain outside grew heavier, obscuring the windows with streaks of water. Throughout the ride, Jasper was lost in his thoughts, staring quietly out the window. Suddenly, Harold called."So, I heard you got into a fight at school, little one." The old man’s voice was warm and held no judgment.Jasper said in a voice tinged with

Iris' eyes flickered. "That should be possible. I've seen Mr. Joseph eating at the small restaurant downstairs before.""Let's head down first. By the time we're back, Mr. Joseph will likely be done, and we can then finish our business.""Got it."After their meal, Iris accepted some takeout from the restaurant owner, grinning as she said, "Thanks."The manager observed her actions and a knowing look crossed her face, yet she held her tongue.Back at the hotel, Iris nonchalantly told the manager, "Ma’am, you've had a long day too. How about you take a rest? I'll bring Mr. Joseph his dinner.""All right, go ahead."The manager watched as Iris walked away, clicking her tongue audibly. 'She looks so innocent and naive. But in reality? This is all a seduction ploy.’Still, Mr. Joseph's recent actions were somewhat perplexing. He might genuinely have an interest in this young lady.*In her room, Iris slipped into a set of pajamas—a white dress with long straps, cut just low enoug