Chapter 3

Chloe tried to snatch my backup phone.

Her three brothers kept rambling beside her. One moment, they said I should learn to help out my future brothers-in-law. The next, they said men should hand all their money over to their wives.

Then, they started prying into how much my company earned annually. Every word dripped with greed.

The car Mom arranged arrived quickly. I kicked Chloe away and got in, leaving them behind.

Once I finished negotiating this deal, I would settle accounts with them properly! However, I never expected that the moment I met with my business partner, Chloe burst in with her three brothers.

The group of them caused such a commotion that they drew stares from all directions. Chloe grabbed my arm.

"So this is what you've been doing! Sneaking around with some home wrecker! You use women and toss them aside like trash!"

The woman from the partner company froze, her smile vanishing instantly.

"What's going on here, Mr. Cross?" Pauline Harper's refined features turned cold, clearly questioning whether I took this partnership seriously.

My scalp tingled as I rushed to explain. "Ms. Harper, I sincerely apologize. These people are my driver's family. I already fired her, but I didn't expect them to follow me here and cause trouble."

"I'll have security remove them immediately."

"Who dares throw us out?" Chloe shouted at Ms. Harper. "Evan Cross is my boyfriend! Have you no shame, seducing someone else's man!"

Ms. Harper froze.

I trembled with fury and tried to shake her hand off forcefully. "Chloe, what are you talking about? Let go of me right now!"

"I'm not talking nonsense!" Chloe gripped even tighter.

"I knew something was off with you coming home so late every night. Turns out, you've been sneaking around with a mistress! Since we're about to get married anyway, I'll let it slide this time, but you're not allowed to meet with these home-wreckers anymore!"

Her three brothers closed in around us, chiming in one after another.

"Big shot CEO doing business? More like doing business in bed. I don't think you're cut out to run a company. Just hand it over to us and let us manage it for you.

"Exactly! You just need to live happily with our Chloe as husband and wife!"

More and more people gathered at the entrance, pointing at us and whispering among themselves.

Ms. Harper's expression grew darker and darker, her tone turning ice-cold. "Mr. Cross, I think we should postpone today's partnership discussion."

"Ms. Harper, please don't listen to their nonsense. This is all a misunderstanding."

Panic seized me. I immediately signaled my assistant. "Call security and get them out of here!"

"A misunderstanding?" Chloe let out a cold laugh.

"I think you're just trying to play the field and don't want to admit our relationship!"

"But I have proof! I still have all our chat records saved! And photos of us together!"

She pulled out her phone and produced several photos of us in what looked like intimate poses.

However, every single one was taken while I napped in the car. She had photographed me without my knowledge!

I was so furious I felt dizzy. She had done so many disgusting things behind my back!

I slapped her across the face.

"Call the police! I'm calling the police! You can rot in jail!

Jack suddenly rushed forward and punched me in the face.

"You dare hit our Chloe? You must have a death wish!"

The pain made me lose all reason. I shoved him away reflexively.

In the chaos, someone shoved Ms. Harper. She stumbled backward and crashed into a nearby table.

"Enough!" Ms. Harper's furious shout rang out, her beautiful face filled with anger.

"Mr. Cross, I don't think there's any need to continue discussing our partnership."

"Your people have no manners whatsoever. I truly can't imagine whether future cooperation would be equally unpleasant.

"Show them out!"

With that, Ms. Harper turned and left without looking back.

I watched her retreating figure, my heart turning to ice. This partnership had been completely ruined by Chloe and her family. However, their malice went far beyond just this!

Seeing Ms. Harper leave, Chloe looked utterly pleased with herself. "Evan, I did this for your own good. That Ms. Harper is clearly no good. Working with her would only hurt you."