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Chapter 21
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Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 22
Isabel frowned when she heard the crowd praising Natalie and Gregory. She glanced at Anathea, only to notice the latter's unfazed expression. It was almost as if she was used to such commentary.An uneasiness settled within Isabel. She felt disgruntled as she recalled the time her ex-boyfriend had cheated on her. If she ever ran into the trollop who'd ruined her relationship again, she swore she'd make her pay.At that moment, Natalie took Gregory's hand and twirled around him before he pulled her in by the waist and dipped her. As she went down, she turned her face to Isabel and Anathea.Anathea narrowed her eyes when she noticed the territorial gleam and provocation in Natalie's gaze. It was as though Natalie was saying Gregory was so taken with her that Anathea no longer meant anything to him.However, Anathea remained straight-faced as she stared at Natalie, looking completely bored with the childish mind games the latter had cooked up.But Isabel's eyes widened, and her voice
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 23
The sophisticated champagne tower toppled over with a loud crash. The glasses shattered into pieces, and everyone in the crowd watched with abject horror as Isabel and Natalie lay on the ground.Save for a small cut on her face, Isabel was relatively unharmed by the broken glass thanks to her jacket. But Natalie wasn't so lucky; her face was fine, but her dress left much of her skin exposed, and the broken glass had left tiny cuts on her arms.The golden pink of the champagne mixed with blood formed a jarring sight."Nat!" Eleanor cried in alarm as she ran over to inspect Natalie's wounds.Anathea limped over to Isabel, who'd eased herself upright.Isabel seemed shocked as she gaped at Natalie's unmoving form on the ground. It was like she'd passed out. Isabel didn't remember being too forceful with Natalie. More importantly, she'd nearly lost a chunk of her hair courtesy of the latter's vicious grip.And yet, it was Natalie who'd blacked out from the fight, not Isabel. It was
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 24
Isabel hated herself for being so impulsive earlier. Natalie was the homewrecker, but by picking a fight with her, Isabel had made her look like the innocent damsel-in-distress destined to marry Gregory. The incident had also put Anathea in a precarious position with Gregory.But Isabel was sure of one thing—Natalie was the man-stealing whore who'd come between her and her ex-boyfriend. She couldn't believe Natalie would deny having done something like that and still dare to seduce Gregory! She should've known better than to see Gregory as her role model since she was young. Men were all the same after all!"Is Gregory blind or something?" Isabel seethed. "How could he leave an angel like you for a trollop like Natalie? Just thinking about it pisses me off! Ow, ow—Anathea, that hurts! Gentle dabbing, please!"Anathea dabbed an iodine-soaked cotton bud on the cut on Isabel's cheek. When she saw the latter wincing and gritting her teeth in pain, she chuckled. "You need to learn yo
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 25
"Mrs. Sinclair, we've straightened up the bedroom. Call us if you need anything else," the maid told Anathea.Anathea nodded slightly in response. When the maids left, she opened the bedroom door.It had been a month since she'd last stayed at the Sinclair residence. She recalled how Gregory had left her alone in the room after he'd gotten a text from Natalie and rushed to the airport to pick up the latter. After that, he hadn't come home for the night.Anathea had even had to cover up for him when Brisa had asked about it, saying he'd gone to take care of urgent matters at the company. Anathea had known that he was catching up with Natalie, rekindling old sparks and setting sheets ablaze with their passion and yearning.Anathea figured Gregory wouldn't return to the Sinclair residence for the night. He was likely guarding Natalie's bedside and nursing her injuries. He probably wouldn't let anyone else take care of his precious first love.She couldn't care less where he spent the
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 26
Anathea's breath hitched. She hadn't done anything to deserve such condescension. She was already agitated from what happened earlier that night. It didn't help that Gregory was pinching her chin so hard that it hurt. As if that wasn't bad enough, he had to degrade her with his words, too.Resentment and rage welled up in Anathea. Without another thought, she sank her teeth into the skin between Gregory's thumb and index finger.Gregory hissed sharply as pain and outrage flickered across his face. "Are you rabid all of a sudden, Anathea? Let go!"Anathea ignored his command and bit him even harder as if in revenge. What did he take her for? Even if he hated her, he had no right to degrade her. Tears stung her eyes as bitterness overwhelmed her."Anathea!" Gregory seethed through gritted teeth, clenching her wrist. "If you don't let go the next second, I'll—"He was cut off when a teardrop fell on the back of his hand. He froze, staring at the droplet nestled between his knuckles
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 27
Anathea felt as if her heart might burst from anxiety. She was shivering, though she didn't know if it was because of the cold. The next second, Gregory wordlessly tossed the towel on her, then grabbed his clothes and headed straight for the bathroom.It wasn't until the bathroom door clicked shut that Anathea snapped out of her daze. She let out a breath of relief. Wrapping the towel around herself, she stood up slowly and changed into her pajamas.The sound of running water from the bathroom prompted her to glance at the tightly shut door. Indecipherable emotions flickered in her eyes. Was Gregory planning to stay the night?She didn't dwell on it. It didn't matter where he slept. It had nothing to do with her.Anathea used to wait for him in their bedroom and greet him at the door when he arrived home. She'd take the jacket he shrugged off and hug it close, then run him a bath. Doing all of that had given her a sense of belonging and reaffirmed her role as Gregory's wife.But
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 28
Anathea didn't want to lose any more family than she already had. Having made her decision, she closed her eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep.When she woke up the next morning, Gregory had already left. She paid no mind to it and got out of bed to wash up. She thought he'd left for work, but when she went downstairs, she saw him slowly eating breakfast at the dining table."Good morning, Nat. Come here and have breakfast," Brisa said as she beckoned Anathea over with a wave. She then turned to Gregory and said, "Your wife's here."Upon hearing this, Gregory gave Anathea a cursory glance and returned to reviewing the company's finances. Anathea brushed off his cold indifference; she was already used to it. However, Brisa took offense to his attitude and snapped, "What's the matter with you, you punk? All you ever do is work, work, and work! What, is the company going to collapse without you?"Gregory made no retort and simply listened while Brisa nagged. When she took a break i
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 29
Anathea's face darkened. When Natalie spotted her, she stopped fixing Gregory's tie and greeted her with mild amusement. "Ms. Jacobson."Gregory turned around when he heard her and clenched his jaw. "What are you doing here?"He sounded displeased that Anathea had come and ruined things for him and Natalie. Snorting, Anathea handed him the folder and said expressionlessly, "You forgot your documents. Grandma had me bring them to you."Gregory made no reply and reached for the folder, waiting for Anathea to shove it into his hand. However, she turned and handed the folder to Martin instead. She smiled and said, "Thanks for your hard work, Martin."Martin blinked in bewilderment, though he took the folder without question. "All in a day's work, Mrs. Sinclair. Would you like a ride back to the city?""No, thank you. I can drive myself," Anathea answered. She then spun on her heels and returned to the house without sparing Gregory another glance.Martin was puzzled as he watched An
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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
