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Chapter 102
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Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 103
Theo spoke so loudly that his voice echoed off the restroom walls. He froze, feeling awkward when he realized he might have come off as a little anxious. "Uh, what I meant was…""In that case, I'll return the handkerchief to you after I've washed it," Anathea said mildly, her expression betraying nothing.Theo studied her face and nodded dumbly in response.Anathea had no plans to linger and make small talk with Theo, so she shoved the handkerchief into her purse and bid him goodbye. "I'll get going then."With that, she turned to leave.Theo watched her walk away. For a long while, he didn't take his eyes off of her. He stared at the purse she was carrying, misshapen from the last time he squashed it, and a thoughtful look flashed in his eyes.…Xander was stacking Lego bricks in the living room when Anathea came home. When he saw her, he bounded up to her. "Mom!"Anathea hummed in response as she changed into slippers."Mom, guess what? I did well in school today, and the te
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
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 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 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 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 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 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
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Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 166
This had been the most relaxing day since Hannah had wrapped up her latest project.But the moment she spotted a black Bentley parked just ahead, her heart, which had finally settled, suddenly shot up into her throat. Her grip on Anathea's arm tightened instinctively."What's wrong?" Anathea stopped and looked at her in confusion."I, uh… just remembered I've got something urgent to take care of." Hannah's tone sounded a little awkward.But Anathea didn't think much of it. Given Hannah's line of work, sudden plans were common. "Okay, go ahead. I'll get the markers for Chloe myself.""Oh, can you also take Chloe home? Don't let her sneak out." Hannah grasped her hand, looking serious. "You know how scary some obsessed fans can be. If they found out I had a daughter…""Don't worry. I understand." Anathea nodded. "I'll take her home and be with her. She'll be safe."The apartment's security was tighter than the hospital's."Thanks, Thea." With that, Hannah turned and walked off. S
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 165
Anathea was surprised herself. Before she'd found out about the pregnancy, her morning sickness had been unbearable, but now that she knew, it had gradually faded. And after she'd left Castenea, it had almost disappeared completely.When she was pregnant with Xander, she'd been violently sick. It was so bad that she'd ended up in the hospital multiple times. Toward the end of the pregnancy, it felt like her body was being torn apart by the chaos inside her.So, after seven months of carrying Xander, Anathea had been mostly confined to bed since she couldn't move around much.This baby, however, was far calmer. That was why Anathea guessed that it was a girl.Hannah thought so too because she'd experienced something similar when she'd been pregnant with Chloe."Looks like she's looking out for her mom." Hannah smiled as she glanced at Anathea's belly.After a brief pause, she leaned in closer to Anathea and asked, "She's such a sweet little angel. Are you really going to give he
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 164
The air reeked of blood. Gregory's eyes turned red with fury.Pain was the fastest way to awaken a man's buried hunger. And in that moment, it brought every dark instinct inside him roaring back to life."Anathea."Gregory kept saying her name over and over again, grinding it between his teeth. Even though every syllable scraped raw against his heart, his eyes only burned with growing obsession for her."No matter where you run, I'll be right behind you. I swear it, Anathea. You're never getting away from me."…"Ah-choo!"While working on her floral arrangement at Syntherra, Anathea suddenly sneezed and quickly covered her mouth with her hand."What's wrong? Are you catching a cold?" Fiona asked gently while handing her a tissue."I don't think so. Someone's probably missing me," Anathea joked as she took the tissue."Bingo!" A lively girl's voice rang out.Just as Anathea found the voice familiar, the door to the ward swung open.In walked a girl dressed in a cool little
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 163
Back then, Gregory stared coldly at Anathea's face and felt that her smile was unbearably grating. Disgust had flashed in his eyes.With a derisive scoff, he spat, "You got what you wanted, Anathea. Are you happy now?"And as he watched the color and smile fade from her face because of his words, a twisted satisfaction washed over him—like some petty revenge had been served.Since he couldn't share her happiness, she would have to bear the brunt of his rage.Only now did Gregory realize how cruel and absurd his actions had been.How could he say those hurtful words, trying to pull an innocent person into the same abyss as him?Now, those very words had come back like a boomerang, plunging straight into his own heart.Gregory clutched his chest. The pain lanced through him so sharply he staggered.His phone crashed to the floor with a heavy thud."Mr. Sinclair!" Martin rushed forward to steady him. His voice was tight with alarm as he asked, "Are you all right? Should I call th
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 162
Gregory clenched his jaw tightly.Anathea had really left him.Martin spoke up cautiously, "Mr. Sinclair, the date on the divorce agreement is from a month ago."Gregory's eyes dropped to the bottom of the page.It really was a month ago. Anathea had planned to leave him a whole month ago.At that moment, Gregory stood frozen with his eyes cast down. It was like someone had hammered him to the ground, turning him into a statue.It felt like a claw had ripped straight through his chest.And then came the voice of the one to blame, whispering in his ear, "So, Gregory Sinclair, how does it feel? You've always had someone by your side. Suddenly, it's just you. And from now on, it'll always be just you."A crushing wave of emptiness slammed into him, drowning him instantly.Gregory gripped the divorce agreement so tightly that his fingertips turned white.And even then, he didn't realize that Anathea had left him something far worse than a farewell and divorce agreement.His phon
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 161
Martin's voice felt like a dull hum, buzzing in Gregory's mind, almost as if it were going to puncture his skull.Gregory's grip slackened, and the phone slipped from his hand."Mr. Sinclair!" Jenny saw what happened and quickly caught the phone. "What happened?"But Gregory didn't answer. He snatched the phone from her hand and strode straight for the stairs.Cyrus, seeing the urgency in Gregory's movements, was confused. He'd never seen Gregory so frantic, almost as if he were chasing something.In the garage, Dexter had just parked the car when he spotted Gregory walking toward him. Gregory's face was stormy, like a thunderstorm with gale-force winds, as though everything in his path could be torn apart.Gregory was in a foul mood.Dexter immediately felt a chill run down his spine. He stammered to greet Gregory, but before he could even open his mouth, the latter snatched the keys from his hand. Gregory then marched straight to the car and slammed the door shut.Dexter quic
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 160
"Speed up," Gregory said suddenly.Dexter flinched in surprise and glanced uneasily at the current speed. It was already close to 60 miles per hour."Speed up!" Gregory ordered again."Yes, sir!" Dexter's heart skipped a beat as he pressed down harder on the gas.What was originally a 30-minute drive was cut down to 15.By the time Dexter finally brought the car to a stop, his facial muscles were twitching, and his right foot wouldn't stop shaking.Cyrus looked surprised when he saw Gregory. "Mr. Sinclair?"Gregory rarely came back this early.Gregory stepped out and slammed the car door shut behind him with a loud bang. His heavy footsteps echoed as he strode into the house."When was the last time Anathea came back here?" he asked."About a week ago. She hasn't returned since the day she left." Cyrus was confused. "Is something wrong?"Something was very wrong.That meant ever since that night Anathea had walked out, she hadn't come back. If it hadn't been for that whole
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 159
As Gregory watched Xander's face scrunch up in distress, he was at a loss.Because of his busy work schedule, he rarely had time to spend with Xander. To him, Xander was just someone he was connected to by blood. There wasn't much emotional attachment beyond that.As the CEO of Sinclair Group, Gregory could handle major projects and manage relationships with shareholders and directors with ease, but he had no idea how to handle a crying child. Right now, watching Xander cry so hard, he didn't know what to do.Xander continued sobbing while repeating, "I want Mom! I want Mom! Did I make her angry? Is that why she doesn't want me anymore?"Gregory's head was pounding from the sound of Xander's crying. He glanced at his phone and saw that Anathea still hadn't responded to his message.What was going on with her?A cold anger formed at the edges of Gregory's brow.Could Anathea really be so heartless that she didn't care about Xander at all? If she didn't care about Xander, did that
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 158
Gregory's expression darkened in an instant. He quickly stood up and called the family doctor, Mateo Nielsen, to head over to Xander's location.When they arrived at Natalie's house, they found Xander collapsed on the floor. His face was flushed bright red."Xander!" Gregory rushed forward and lifted him into his arms. When he checked Xander's forehead, he found it burning hot.Xander had a fever."Dad…" Xander weakly opened his eyes. His throat felt like it was on fire, and his whole body ached.Usually, when he felt like this, Anathea would be by his side. She would stay up all night to care for him and check his temperature again and again.He suddenly missed her. "Where's Mom? I want… Mom…"Gregory didn't respond. Instead, he handed Xander over to Mateo, who quickly started checking his temperature and running tests."Mr. Xander has been eating too much unhealthy food lately, which caused an infection and triggered this high fever," Mateo explained. He gave Xander an inject
