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Chapter 178
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Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 1
Anathea Jacobson had spent ten years nursing a crush on Gregory Sinclair and five years as his wife. She'd believed she could eventually thaw his heart, even if it was as cold as forged iron.She'd never expected it to be just wishful thinking on her part.The sound of running water echoed from the bathroom. Anathea stood by the bed when her phone lit up with a new message.It was a photo taken at Castenea's most exclusive fine-dining restaurant. Gregory sat across from a woman. His gaze was gentle, and his expression was warm.Anathea knew the woman. She was Natalie Whitman, Gregory's ex.Natalie had just returned from abroad last month. The very night she came back, Gregory had left Anathea behind to see her.To Gregory, Natalie was his flawless first love, while Anathea was nothing more than an unsightly stain on a white wall.The bathroom door swung open. Gregory stepped out in a bathrobe, steam rolling off his skin.Anathea put her phone down and turned around, only to f
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 2
Anathea's outstretched hand grasped at nothing, and her elbow slammed against the hard floor. A sharp pain shot through her arm, forcing a hiss from her lips.Xander just stood there without any expression. There wasn't a trace of concern in his eyes.Anathea had nearly lost her life giving birth to him. Yet now, he watched indifferently as she lay on the ground writhing in pain.Anathea felt as if an invisible hand was tightening around her heart, making it hard to breathe.Only now did she realize that, apart from a few of her features, Xander was just like Gregory. They were both cold and indifferent.Anathea's eyes burned with a stinging ache before the world around her spun. Then, everything went black. She passed out from the pain.In the end, it was Jenny who called an ambulance and got Anathea to the hospital.…When Anathea woke up, the sharp scent of antiseptic filled her nose."Acute gastritis caused by stomach dysfunction." The doctor delivered the diagnosis and re
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 3
Anathea watched helplessly as Xander, who'd never liked getting close to others, took Natalie's hand. He walked to her side, clinging to her as if seeking protection.He'd never relied on Anathea like that before.At that moment, she felt something inside her shatter.Noticing how her complexion paled, Gregory frowned. "How did you suddenly fall sick?"Anathea lifted her gaze to him, a flicker of emotion flashing in her eyes."Greg and I heard from Jenny that Xander came to the hospital. We were worried, so we came to pick him up. But it turns out you're sick," Natalie said casually as she turned to Anathea with a concerned expression. "Ms. Jacobson, I hope it's nothing serious. Do you need me to stay and take care of you?""It sure is nothing serious. She doesn't need you to take care of her," Gregory replied flatly.Anathea's gaze dropped again. Her eyes darkened further.How pathetic. Had she really thought Gregory had come to see her because she was sick? That he actually c
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 4
Natalie's soft words felt like a sharp knife slicing deep into Anathea's heart. "Greg's exhausted from last night and just fell asleep. I don't think I should wake him up. How about you try calling back later?"Anathea's grip loosened. Her phone slipped from her hand, landing on her lap.The two abductors seemed to have anticipated this reaction. They wore smug expressions as if they were watching a show."What the hell? Your husband is sleeping with another woman?" Seamus Boone, the heavyset man, clicked his tongue."It seems you're not important to him at all," Frankie added.His words dug into the wound in Anathea's chest, making her struggle to breathe.Of course. Gregory had always loved Natalie. Wasn't it perfectly normal for them to be together?"Then she's nothing to Mr. Sinclair, right?" Frankie shot Anathea a disdainful glance. "What a hassle. Might as well just let me screw her now.""Don't be in such a rush. We're not done yet." Seamus glanced at the message on his
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 5
Before the Jacobson family's downfall, Anathea had been Adam Jacobson's cherished only daughter. As the child of a high-ranking government official, she'd grown up pampered, untouched by hardship.Yet, after marrying Gregory, she'd been treated like nothing more than a maid. And now, she'd been sold to a place like this to entertain clients.No. Anathea would never accept this fate."I'm Gregory Sinclair's wife! If you dare touch me, he won't let you off!" Anathea shouted.Even now, she clung to the hope that Gregory's name could protect her and get her out of this nightmare."You're Mrs. Sinclair?" The woman, Melissa Stewart, laughed like she'd just heard the best joke of her life.Her tone dripped with mockery as she continued, "If you're Mrs. Sinclair, then I must be the governor's wife! Everyone knows Mr. Sinclair is still single. And you dare call yourself his wife? Are you delusional?"Anathea opened her mouth to argue but found herself speechless.Gregory had never ackno
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 6
Anathea felt like she had a long dream.In that dream, she walked arm in arm with Gregory, stepping onto a flower-strewn path with their friends and family watching.Her face was lit up with joy. At that moment, she believed she was the luckiest woman in the world. She could finally marry the man she'd secretly loved for years.But suddenly, everything around her turned blood red. The flowers beneath her feet withered into rotting, foul-smelling twigs.Before she could make sense of what was happening, Gregory let go of her hand without hesitation. His voice, cold and sharp, echoed in her ears like a curse."Anathea, I'll never love a scheming woman like you."Anathea's eyes flew open. A single tear slipped from the corner of her eye.What met her eyes was a white ceiling. It wasn't the dark, endless corridor, and there was no rolling thunder and pounding rain.Outside, sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows. The beauty of it all made her heart ache.How
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 7
Before Anathea had married Gregory, she'd signed a prenuptial agreement. Sinclair Group's wealth had nothing to do with her, so she wouldn't get a dime.Not that she cared. If something wasn't hers, she wouldn't take it.After finalizing the divorce agreement, Anathea signed her name without a moment of hesitation.She still remembered how, when she and Gregory had registered their marriage, her hands had trembled so badly from excitement that she'd nearly dropped the pen.Now, she set the pen down without a flicker of emotion. She slipped the agreement into an envelope and tucked it away in a drawer."Thea, are you really divorcing Gregory?" Hannah Cole's surprised voice came through the phone.Hannah was one of Anathea's closest friends. She'd clawed her way up from being a barely-known actress to an A-list star, constantly juggling filming schedules. The two rarely saw each other, but their bond remained strong.It was exactly because Hannah knew Anathea so well that she was
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 8
Anathea hesitated only for a few seconds before slipping off the diamond ring and tossing it into the box.Just then, Jenny knocked on her door. "Mrs. Sinclair, Mr. Xander and Mr. Sinclair are back. Would you like to start preparing dinner for them now?"Anathea had always prepared meals for Gregory and Xander herself, so Jenny simply passed along their requests as usual."Mr. Sinclair wants herb-baked mussels with white wine sauce, and Mr. Xander asked for tomato and ham risotto that's on the sweeter side, not too tangy." Jenny glanced at Anathea. "All the ingredients are ready."Everyone took Anathea's efforts for granted. Yet before she'd gotten married, she'd been a pampered heiress, someone who'd never even stepped foot in a kitchen."Oh, and Ms. Whitman came back with them too." Jenny carefully watched Anathea's expression.Anathea didn't have much of a reaction. She simply headed downstairs.Meanwhile, Xander and Natalie were reminiscing about the fun they had at the amus
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Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 178
After dinner, Chloe put on the TV for Fiona, while Anathea and Hannah cleaned up the kitchen together."You know, when you first called me to say you were pregnant, I was honestly shocked," Anathea said, thinking back to those days.Back then, Hannah had fainted while walking the red carpet at an event in winter, and she'd been rushed to the hospital. Her PR team had later said it was because of the cold weather and reminded everyone to dress warmly.In reality, though, it hadn't been just the cold. Hannah had been experiencing a threatened miscarriage. Her long, loose gown had hidden all signs of bleeding, so no one had noticed.But after that scare, Hannah couldn't hide it anymore. She'd called Anathea and asked for help.When Anathea found out, Hannah had already been six months along. She'd been so slim that one couldn't even tell. If it hadn't been for the medical report stating she was 26 weeks pregnant, Anathea would've thought it was some kind of prank.Later, Hannah had
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 177
Hannah was furious. They'd clearly had an agreement, yet Dominic had still gone ahead and told Gregory where Fiona was hospitalized.He was such a hypocrite!She was cursing him in her head and said it aloud, "You're such a liar!""A liar?" Dominic chuckled, switching the phone to his left hand while steering with his right. "That's pretty rich coming from you, don't you think?"Hannah frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?""Why didn't you take the pills I gave you?" Dominic's voice turned cold.Hannah froze for a second, her eyes flickering.It was true. She hadn't taken the pills Dominic had given her. Even though she knew it was already difficult for her to get pregnant, she was still scared something might go wrong if medication was involved. She didn't want to take the risk."What is it, Hannah? You never really intended to have a child with me, did you?" Dominic asked sharply.Hannah hadn't expected him to call her out so directly. And he hadn't stopped there—he'd ma
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 176
Before the nurse could even finish, Gregory was already striding over to the payment counter, pressing the button for the elevator going up.At the same time, Anathea walked to the elevators and pressed the one going down.The elevator doors slid open, and Anathea's nervous face was reflected in the metal doors.Just then, she heard Gregory's voice. Her fingers clenched tight on instinct."Excuse me." His cold voice came from the elevator on the left.Gregory stepped inside without a glance at her. Anathea let out a shaky breath of relief and quickly got into the elevator on the right, heading straight for the hospital's back exit.They were on the same floor, using different elevators, passing by each other without even knowing it.Anathea didn't dare stop for a second. She rushed straight to the back door. The moment she stepped outside, she spotted Hannah's car."Thea, hurry!"Anathea bolted toward the car and jumped in. Hannah slammed on the gas and sped away from the hosp
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 175
Anathea was visibly much better after throwing up the mouthful of bile that had worked its way up her throat."Are you really okay, Thea?" Hannah asked worriedly, handing Anathea a glass of water to rinse her mouth.Anathea had been gradually recovering well until now, but she'd blanched after seeing Gregory's calculated maneuver on live television earlier. It was like the condition she'd suffered back in Castena had come back to haunt her.Hannah's heart nearly broke at Anathea's sorry state. She inwardly cursed Gregory a hundred times over, but right now, she was more concerned about Anathea's physical well-being. "Would you like to get a checkup at the hospital?"Anathea shook her head.Now that Gregory had revealed her identity on live television—a manipulative tactic on his part—the whole Internet knew she was his wife. If she were to leave now, she might not make it two steps out of her hiding place before someone recognized her. The last thing she wanted was to cause
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 174
This was the first time Gregory felt like Anathea's beauty took his breath away. He'd always overlooked it in the past and treated her as he would a disposable object, a woman who wouldn't affect him in any way that mattered.It wasn't until Anathea gave up on him and walked away with such steely resolve that he realized how much sway she had over his emotions. Every one of her frowns and smiles would linger in his mind for days. He couldn't describe the feeling, only that he wanted her back now.He refused to let her go just like that. If she were so intent on hiding from him, he would have to resort to using different means of finding her.She'd always wanted to be recognized and treated as Mrs. Sinclair, his lawfully wedded wife. If that were the case, he would give her what she wanted and tie her to him from now on.Gregory didn't believe for a second that Anathea would remain hidden after this.He stared at Anathea's picture as a look of desire flashed in his eyes.Then,
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 173
Anathea froze, but in the time that she blinked, Gregory had already torn his gaze off the camera and walked toward the large screen on stage.She couldn't help but stare at Gregory. For some reason, she thought she saw the emotions swirling in his eyes earlier. She dared not draw any conclusions based on the emotions. She must have read too much into it.A self-deprecating smile subtly curved her lips. She'd already decided to move on from Gregory and the past between them, yet here she was, dwelling on sentiments stirred up by the look in his eyes.She truly was a lost cause!Meanwhile, under everyone's watchful gaze, Gregory looked over to the side where Macon and Dayanna stood with their arms linked. He nodded at them, and they responded with small smiles.Before the party started, Gregory had personally asked them to give him this chance. Macon and Dayanna's relationship was still going strong after 30 years, and naturally, they hoped to help a passionate young man with his c
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 172
Even as her heart pounded wildly under her ribcage, Natalie maintained her poise and elegant demeanor, looking like a beautiful princess at the top of the castle waiting for her prince to come.When Gregory was less than a foot away, she silently gulped. She put on her most dazzling smile and extended her right hand toward him.At that moment, the world around them quieted. The lights and the audience's unwavering gaze were on them. As everyone beheld the scene on the red carpet, shock colored their faces.Someone exclaimed, "So the bigwig who'd spent millions on Ms. Whitman is Mr. Sinclair, the CEO of Sinclair Group?""No wonder! I've heard that Mr. Sinclair and Ms. Whitman are more than just platonic acquaintances! So she's the future Mrs. Sinclair! Looks like the rumors are true, then. I bet Mr. Sinclair wants to use this opportunity to announce his engagement with Ms. Whitman officially!""Indeed! Mr. Sinclair is the finest example of a rich and adoring husband in all of Caste
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 171
Hannah carefully observed Anathea's expression and found it neutral. It was as if Anathea couldn't care less about what she'd seen on television. Only then did Hannah heave a sigh of relief and let loose a torrent of abuse. "To think that no-good Gregory would bring that hussy to a huge social event so soon after your divorce!"Hannah didn't remember seeing Gregory bring Anathea to any social event. He couldn't have made his double standards any more obvious.In stark contrast to Hannah's outrage, Anathea remained expressionless. She and Gregory were divorced, and he could bring whoever he wanted to to any party. It had nothing to do with Anathea anyway, and she saw no point in dwelling on the past."Gregory?" Chloe was curious about the man Hannah was cursing. "Mommy, who's Gregory?""This guy right here," Hannah said, clenching her jaw as she pointed at the man appearing on camera. "He might look like a decent fella, but he's nothing but a despicable, no-good prick!""Oh, so t
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 170
And yet, the lights that illuminated Presgrave Manor were as bright as day.Macon and Dayanna Presgrave had weathered the odds together for decades and were celebrating their 30th anniversary. Theirs was an arranged marriage between two equally powerful families that had made the Presgraves one of the most prestigious households in Castenea.As such, the dinner party thrown in their honor saw the attendance of many important folks from Castenea. Even the press had been invited to broadcast and photograph the event. With all the major media outlets promoting the luxurious affair, the party quickly became the most anticipated event of that evening.Everything about the party stirred up unprecedented buzz. It was even being broadcast live on television.Anathea was greeted by the live broadcast of the dinner party at Presgrave Manor the moment she clicked on the remote and turned on the television. She also caught the dashing figure in a black suit that appeared on camera for only
