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Chapter 136
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Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 137
Anathea pulled out her phone and opened a video. It had been sent to her by a nurse who'd witnessed the whole thing and couldn't bear to see Anathea be wrongly accused.Natalie's fingers curled tightly on her lap.But Anathea had already hit play, showing the clip right in front of Eleanor.However, there had been too many onlookers at the time. The nurse who'd filmed the video had been pushed to the edge of the crowd and could only record from a distance, so the conversation between Anathea and Natalie wasn't clearly captured.But the part where Natalie slammed Anathea to the ground and stomped on her hand was all caught on camera.Natalie's face darkened at once. Eleanor narrowed her eyes, a glint of malice flashing through them.Anathea, with nothing left to lose, met Eleanor's gaze head-on. There was a resolve in her demeanor that she'd never shown before."Mrs. Sinclair, if you want to take this to court, then I'll release the video. Whatever you want to try, I'm ready for
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 138
But Hannah didn't even spare Natalie a glance. Quick on her feet, she caught Anathea before she could fall. Her voice was full of concern as she asked, "Thea, are you okay?"Anathea weakly nodded. As soon as she saw Hannah, her eyes, already red, became clouded with unshed tears. She parted her dry lips. "Let's go…""Alright, let's get you out of here." Hannah gently supported her slender arm."Wait!" Natalie snapped. "You think you can just walk away after crashing into us like that?"Natalie was determined to make Anathea's life miserable, and she wasn't about to let her friend off the hook either.But she was in for a surprise."Oh?" Hannah paused. When her eyes flicked over to Natalie, she smirked. "I'd like to see how you plan to stop me."She cracked her knuckles, the sound echoing in the tense silence.Before she became an actress, she'd trained in boxing and even earned a silver medal. One swift kick would be more than enough to deal with a fake, high-maintenance woman
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 139
The moment Dominic's question landed, the hostility in Natalie's eyes vanished. Sure, he'd sided with Hannah earlier, but his question was music to her ears.After all, Gregory had never outright denied the public's speculations about his wife, so many had come to assume that Natalie was the future Mrs. Sinclair.With that thought, she straightened her back and gave a coy smile. "I—""She's not," Gregory cut in coldly.Natalie froze. It was the first time Gregory had ever denied it so clearly. There were still a few passersby around, some of whom had previously believed Natalie was Gregory's legitimate wife.But after Gregory denied it, their looks toward her became strange. They lowered their voices to whisper among themselves."Wait, she's not his wife?""No way. So she's the mistress? Was the other woman his actual wife?""Damn, this is unbelievable! The mistress actually acted more arrogant than the real wife.""She's so shameless. And that guy's trash too, letting his
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 140
Anathea quickly brushed Hannah's hand away and stumbled into the bathroom. Leaning over the sink, she threw up.As Hannah watched her, something clicked in her mind. When Anathea finished and rinsed her mouth, Hannah handed her a tissue."Thanks," Anathea said softly.But that wasn't what Hannah was after. She grabbed Anathea's wrist with a serious expression. "Thea, be honest with me. Are you… pregnant?"Anathea pressed her lips together, and her eyes flickered with hesitation. "I…""Don't lie to me. I've seen this enough times to know the signs." Hannah rested her other hand on Anathea's shoulder and lowered her voice. "Is the baby Gregory's?"Anathea felt a bit helpless at Hannah's sneaky way of asking. She didn't respond, but her silence said enough.She dropped her gaze. She remembered the moment she'd first woken up from fainting. Panicked, she'd tried to rush out and find Fiona, only to be stopped by Carl, who'd delivered the news."Ms. Jacobson, I understand you're worr
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 141
"Yeah." Anathea nodded, but a flicker of hesitation passed in her eyes.After all, this little life, which had fought so hard to come into the world, hadn't been lost even when Gregory had tried to force himself onto her or when Natalie had pushed her. Deep down, she felt a twinge of reluctance. "I think I'll think about it again.""I'll support whatever decision you make." Hannah placed both hands on Anathea's shoulders and looked into her eyes before saying seriously, "But let me say this. This child is yours, and the choice is yours alone. Don't let Gregory influence you into giving up on something that's yours."As a friend, she truly didn't want to see Anathea so lonely, which was why she urged the latter to think carefully. But if Anathea remained firm in her decision, she wouldn't say anything more.Anathea nodded. "Thank you, Hannah."She was grateful for Hannah's visit and the comfort and support she'd offered during her hardest moments."No need for thanks." Hannah pu
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 142
Xander burst into tears from the pain and wailed loudly. "You're just as evil as my mom! How dare you hit me? I'm going to tell my dad to send people to beat you up!""Beat me up? Ha! I'd like to see him try!" Hannah's hand left his backside and pinched his ear instead. "Let's see what happens first—him beating me up or me beating you to a pulp!""Ouch! It hurts!" Xander sobbed uncontrollably.As Anathea heard that once-bright voice break into raw sobs, her expression turned complicated. And with how loudly he was bawling, a small crowd had started to gather. This wasn't going to look good."Hannah—" She quickly tried to stop her. But before she could say, "Don't go too far", a concerned female voice cut through the air. "Xander!"Natalie hurried over, pushing herself in a wheelchair. She grabbed Hannah's hand and shouted, "How could you hit a child like that?"Hannah hadn't expected Natalie to show up so suddenly. She froze for a moment, then flung her hand off. "Who the hell
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 143
At once, the noisy crowd fell silent. They could all feel the overwhelming pressure in the air, which made it hard to breathe.And it wasn't just from one source.Dominic stood next to Gregory. He gave a cold glance at those who were trying to lay a hand on Hannah and raised a finger.The next second, several bodyguards in sharp suits surrounded them, forming an intimidating wall that forced the crowd back."Who said they wanted to kick my woman out?" Dominic's voice wasn't as cold as Gregory's, but it had a power that made the crowd swallow nervously.They looked at each other in silence. When they saw the towering bodyguards, their legs began to shake uncontrollably."Get lost!" Dominic's voice rang out. Like a herd of scared animals, the onlookers scattered in all directions.Hannah, watching Dominic step in for her, was momentarily surprised. But she didn't look at him for long. She quickly shifted her focus to Anathea. "Thea, are you okay?"Anathea took a step forward, ful
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 144
But that was all.After Anathea said her piece, she didn't spare them another glance. With weary steps, she turned and walked away."Thea." Hannah quickly chased after her. Dominic gave Gregory a polite nod and followed as well.The whole mess came to an end with Anathea's quiet exit.Natalie, on the other hand, was practically glowing with satisfaction because, in her mind, she'd won. She rested her hand gently on Xander's shoulder and said sweetly, "Xander, thank you for caring about me so much. You really are such a good boy."But this time, Xander didn't respond. He just stood there, staring at Anathea's fading figure. It was like something had slipped through his fingers. No matter how hard he tried to hold on, it was already gone."Xander?" Natalie called again when he didn't answer.Only then did Xander snap out of it. He turned to her and asked with concern, "Does your face still hurt, Ms. Whitman? I can blow on it for you if it does.""I'm okay. I feel much better now,
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Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 154
Gregory liked resilient and tough women, didn't he?As she talked, Natalie casually brought up the "Modern Tranquility" exhibition. "With Ms. Langley's piece anchoring the show, it was a huge success. Looks like it didn't make a difference whether Ms. Jacobson's work was there or not."She said it lightly, but her words were deliberate. The implication was clear—Anathea was replaceable.In reality, once Anathea's work had been taken out, attendance for the exhibition had dropped by nearly half. But Natalie only paid attention to the high-profile guests. Ordinary people didn't count in her eyes.Gregory didn't respond. He remembered agreeing to remove Anathea's piece. He could still recall the look in her eyes back then—stubborn, but faintly pleading. And he'd ignored it.He pressed his lips into a firm line.Natalie tried to continue the conversation, but Gregory leaned back in his seat with his eyes closed. He was clearly no longer interested in talking.Seeing this, Natalie fe
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 153
Compared to Theo's agitation, Gregory remained calm. "So? What's the issue? Isn't this exactly what all of you have been pushing for?"Theo was caught off guard.That was true. Both he and Eleanor had repeatedly urged Gregory to divorce Anathea and marry Natalie. But now that Gregory had agreed to take Natalie to the party, Theo had turned around and asked if he even knew the real purpose.It was a little contradictory."I…" Theo opened his mouth but couldn't find the words. Still, uncertainty lingered in his voice as he asked, "Have you… really moved on?""Yeah." A flicker of something unreadable passed through Gregory's eyes.Noticing no hesitation in Gregory's response, Theo assumed he was finally getting things back on track. After a reassuring pat on his shoulder, Theo took a seat when Eleanor called them to eat.Natalie was thrilled that Gregory had agreed to attend the party with her. It was as good as acknowledging her as his wife.Delighted, she took the initiative to
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 152
"I asked him to come. It's been a while since we've all had a meal together, and I thought it would be nice to catch up. It's not too much to ask, is it?" Eleanor said, glancing over at Gregory.Gregory's expression stayed neutral. He walked up to her and greeted softly, "Hi, Mom."Eleanor nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips.The harmony they displayed in front of others was in sharp contrast to the tension in the car the other night. It was almost jarring.But neither of them seemed to mind. They wore the masks of a devoted son and a kind mother without missing a beat."Greg, take a look. What do you think of Nat's work?" Eleanor asked.Natalie looked up at him with eyes full of hope. She didn't care what the others said. She only cared about what Gregory thought.Gregory merely glanced over briefly and muttered, "It's fine."The same piece everyone else had raved about got a measly "it's fine" from Gregory. Eleanor's smile froze, and Blake looked just as uncomfortable.
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 151
Bella froze for a second, then braced herself and answered honestly, "I-I heard you liked the white wine mussels Mrs. Sinclair used to make, so I thought…"She just wanted to get on his good side, hoping it would help her keep this job.Jenny quickly jumped in, saying, "I-I'm the one who told her."Everyone knew Gregory liked the white wine mussels Anathea made. Even when he dined out with friends, someone would always order that dish for him.But if they paid close attention, they would notice that he never actually touched it.Gregory looked at the two women, who were clearly rattled, and said coldly, "Don't make it again.""Yes, sir," Bella said quickly and rushed to clear the plate of white wine mussels off the table.Gregory's mood was ruined. He picked at the remaining food, took just a couple more bites, then set down his utensils.Just then, a message from Eleanor lit up his phone. He grabbed it, stood up, and left the house without another word.As they watched Gregor
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 150
Anathea wanted to give the nurse a token of appreciation, but the nurse kindly refused. She said that women should support each other without keeping score.At that moment, Anathea's eyes grew misty."Thea! Let's go!" Hannah, who was sitting in the passenger seat, waved at her.Anathea turned around without hesitation and walked briskly toward the car.The moment she stepped outside, the sun had just risen, turning the sky from a deep blue to a soft light blue and gradually warming into a golden orange.The entire world seemed bathed in golden light. The trees, grass, and flowers looked more vibrant and full of life in the glow.Anathea looked up at the sky, feeling as if she, too, were touched by the warmth of the sun. She felt as though the scars on her heart were slowly being healed.The sunrise not only brought light but also hope and new beginnings.Anathea stepped out of the shadows and walked toward the beautiful dawn, toward her new life.…Two days later, Gregory ret
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 149
"Anathea! How can you say that?" Hannah flicked Anathea on the forehead. With a righteous tone, she exclaimed, "I'm a good, tax-paying citizen!""But how did you afford to buy this place?" Anathea knew very well that property in downtown Syntherra easily cost tens of millions, if not more.Hannah had been traveling around the country and even abroad for work. She was barely ever home, so it didn't make sense for her to waste money on a penthouse like that."I liked it, so I bought it." Hannah pushed down the diffidence in her eyes.She shrugged and continued casually, "My job pays well. I can spend it now and earn more later. Plus, I just want you and Mrs. Jacobson to have a nice place to stay. That way, I can rest easy."Anathea remained doubtful but took her hand and said earnestly, "Hannah, you've already done so much for me. I don't want you to sacrifice more for me. It hurts me to see you like that."Anathea understood the struggles Hannah faced in the entertainment industry
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 148
Back then, Hannah had held Anathea tightly with tears of joy streaming down her face. Anathea had gently patted her back, comforting her.Anathea had never looked down on her humble origins. She'd always treated Hannah as a close friend. When cruel classmates had mocked her for being chubby and tan, the slender Anathea had always been the first to defend her.All these memories, even years later, were impossible to forget.So Hannah would give anything for Anathea.After hearing her sincere words, Dominic loosened his grip on her chin and caressed her face.Hannah had a face that was undeniably distinctive. Her alluring eyes held a captivating gaze, with the slight lift at the corners hinting at endless charm and temptation.Her well-defined nose and sharp facial features made her look both alluring and cool. She was born for the big screen.It was no wonder that Hannah had made it into the entertainment industry with her striking beauty. Every person who tried to tarnish her re
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 147
Hannah knew she was asking for a lot, but she just wanted to ensure Anathea had a place to stay in Syntherra.In fact, with her current salary, she could already afford a nice house in the suburbs of Syntherra, but what she really wanted was a property downtown. It was a prime area with top-tier security and environment.More importantly, she wanted Dominic to provide it. She was looking to use his influence to protect Anathea and Fiona. That was her main goal.Dominic was the only person she knew who could stand toe-to-toe with Gregory in terms of power and influence.So, she softened her tone and rested her slender fingers on his chest. Her voice was soft, like a spring breeze, laced with an alluring charm. "100 million dollars may seem like a lot to most people, but to you, it's just pocket change. Surely, you wouldn't be so stingy, would you, Mr. Lancaster?"Dominic's eyes darkened as he stared at her.Seeing an opening, Hannah leaned in to kiss him.But Dominic quickly held
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 146
"No need," Gregory replied.He couldn't stop thinking about the way Anathea always looked at him like he was her enemy, yet she could turn around and smile so effortlessly at other men. His brows furrowed together in frustration.If she was so unwilling to yield to him, then why should he offer to help her?He wanted her to come and beg him.Gregory lifted his hand. It felt like he could still sense the warmth of Anathea's waist from when he'd last touched her. She had such soft, delicate curves. It had been far too long since he'd felt her like that.What he wanted was for Anathea to let go of her pride and come back to him on her own. Then, he could pull her back into his arms and claim her completely.And more than that, he believed that as long as he didn't give Anathea what she wanted, she wouldn't be able to walk away. Eventually, she'd give up the fight. She'd return to being the gentle, caring wife who ironed his shirts and made his meals.That was what Gregory told hims
