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Chapter 38
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Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 39
A million questions bubbled up in Anathea's mind, but she resisted the urge to ask them and shook her head. "Nothing."Gregory stared at her for a few seconds. When he found nothing amiss in her expression, he took her word for it and sat on the couch. He crossed his legs casually and said, "Cut to the chase."He spoke to her so indifferently that she might as well be a stranger. His treatment of her now was worlds apart from last night when he'd pinned her against the door and degraded her.For a moment, Anathea couldn't tell which was the real Gregory, not that it mattered now. She had come here for a purpose."Mr. Sinclair," Anathea began.However, Gregory snorted as soon as the words left her mouth. "Oh, are you addressing me as 'Mr. Sinclair' now? You had no trouble calling me by my first name last night."Stumped as Anathea was by his sarcasm, she maintained a placid expression and said courteously, "I came here to apologize for overstepping last night. I should have known
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 40
The unexpected movement caught Anathea off guard, and she stumbled straight into Gregory's arms. Anathea was startled. She instinctively tried to get up, but Gregory held her down, leaving her unable to move."You..." Before Anathea could finish her sentence, Gregory had already pinned her down on the couch, leaving her no chance to speak. Anathea was shocked as there were people outside.Gregory sneered. "Aren't you afraid? Let me help you."Anathea tried to resist. She felt her heart race, fear coursing through her veins. She couldn't go through with this. "Gregory, please don't…"She stopped begging Gregory and accepted it. Meanwhile, Gregory remained indifferent. A persistent noise filled her mind, leaving her frozen in disbelief.Just then, someone knocked on the office door. "Mr. Sinclair?" It was Martin.Anathea saw a glimmer of hope when she saw Martin pushing the office door open slightly. "Get out!" Gregory shouted.Martin was stunned. He'd rarely seen Gregory
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 41
"Speak." Gregory's voice was cold and commanding. Yet, silence was the only response he received. He frowned and scooped Anathea up effortlessly, carrying her to the couch. Anathea slumped against it, completely drained, as if every last ounce of strength had been stripped from her. She didn't even blink, her vacant eyes staring into nothingness. She said nothing, but the evidence of what had just happened was impossible to ignore. Beneath the slightly open collar of her blouse, her pale skin was marred with countless red marks, a silent testament to Gregory's aggressiveness.However, the real damage came from the humiliation that shattered her spirit, not just the physical torture.Gregory finally realized he might have gone too far. His voice was stiff as he offered a curt explanation. "The glass is one-way and soundproof."In other words, while everything outside was visible from within the office, those outside couldn't see or hear anything happening inside. He would never
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 42
Anathea and Gregory had never exchanged the wedding rings that symbolized eternity. Perhaps, from the very beginning, their marriage had been doomed to fail. She'd been the only one unwilling to let go, stubbornly dragging it out for five long years. But thankfully, she'd finally come to her senses. That was the only thought on her mind now. Her gaze rested on the ring, calm and indifferent.However, Gregory assumed she was scheming to sell the ring again. He warned coldly, "If you dare sell it for a bit of petty cash again, there will be consequences to bear."He couldn't believe that she'd sold it for only eight million dollars.Anathea remained silent. Truthfully, she had considered it. Selling the ring again would get her enough to cover Fiona's surgery expenses. Unfortunately, before the thought could fully take root, Gregory had already crushed it. Besides, after experiencing his fury once, she wasn't foolish enough to test him a second time. She sighed inwardly. It se
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 43
"Done everything?" Anathea stared blankly at Carl, and suffocating fear surged through her. "Mrs. Jacobson's condition has deteriorated to the point where she won't survive another emergency resuscitation. The surgery can't be delayed any longer," Carl advised.Anathea pressed her lips together, aware of the gravity of the situation. However, she still hadn't managed to get the full 30 million dollars needed for the surgery."Can we start the medication first? I promise, I'll pay the full amount before the surgery." She looked at Carl, pleading.Carl had previously informed her that before the surgery, Fiona needed to be injected with a certain medication for two weeks to stimulate her body's functions, ensuring she could undergo the procedure.Carl hesitated, contemplating her request. Meeting Anathea's anxious, hopeful gaze, he finally nodded. "I'll do my best to get approval for it.""Thank you, Dr. Peltz." Anathea sincerely expressed her gratitude. As long as the medication
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 44
However, after Hannah's years of struggling and working her way up to become a celebrity, Leon had come to her. He'd repeatedly used Hannah's grandparents, Sebastian Cole and Isla Montgomery, to threaten her, trying to extort money from her. Anathea clearly remembered that Hannah had resolved this issue five years ago. She hadn't expected the greedy Leon to cause more trouble. Besides, this incident had even made it onto the trending news. It was obvious that the situation had escalated significantly. She couldn't help but wonder how Hannah planned to handle it.Anathea was deeply worried about Hannah's situation. When she didn't hear a response, she called out again in concern, "Hannah?" Just then, a strange sound suddenly came from the other end of the line. Anathea froze for a moment. "Uh… don't worry, I'm fine…" Hannah's voice was broken and unsteady. "What are you doing? Working out?" Anathea asked in confusion when she heard Hannah breathing so heavily. However, t
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 45
"Wow! The fireworks are so beautiful!" Xander exclaimed in awe. The sound of fireworks exploding in the night sky came through from the smartwatch. It was lively and festive.Just then, Anathea's phone buzzed with a new message. It was a photo from Natalie. Under the dazzling fireworks, Natalie sat in a wheelchair, turning her head slightly to look at Gregory, a blissful smile on her face. Gregory's coat was draped over her shoulders, a silent yet undeniable display of his gentleness and care. His care was reserved for her and her alone. That was exactly why Natalie had sent this picture. It was a declaration of ownership. In fact, ever since Natalie had returned from overseas a month ago, she'd been occasionally sending Anathea photos of her and Gregory together. But Anathea had never responded, and this time was no different. Without a change in her expression, she turned off her phone screen. To be honest, the first time she'd seen such photos, there had been a sharp p
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 46
A vague thought surfaced in Jenny's mind. Was Anathea planning to leave? If she really did, what kind of reaction would Gregory have? Would he remain as indifferent as always, or……As soon as Evangeline received feedback from the client, she immediately came over to praise Anathea. "Nat, you really did an amazing job this time! They're extremely satisfied with your proposal and have even renewed a long-term contract with us. From now on, all their floral customization orders will be handled by our studio.""That's incredible, Nat!" The other colleagues also congratulated Anathea enthusiastically. "Who would've thought Nat was hiding such talent? At first, we all assumed she was just a newcomer to the industry."Hearing this, Anathea simply responded with a humble smile. "Compared to everyone else, I'm still a rookie, so I'll be counting on you all for guidance." "Come on, stop being so humble," Evangeline said with a playful wink. Even if the rest of the team remained obli
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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
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Dominic was well aware that by "someone", Gregory meant Anathea. However, he kept his expression neutral as he met Gregory's gaze, revealing nothing. "Mr. Sinclair, surely you jest. I wouldn't dare hide anyone from you, let alone someone who means something to you."Gregory's lips pressed into a grim line as he stared at Dominic wordlessly. He didn't believe Dominic. With Gregory's forces and the way they worked, it wouldn't take more than two days for him to hear about Anathea as long as she was in Syntherra.However, four days had passed, and there had been no news of her. Gregory doubted anyone other than Dominic could keep Anathea's whereabouts hidden.But Dominic didn't look the slightest bit rattled. "If you've lost someone, Mr. Sinclair, all you have to do is tell me who it is and I'll have my men search for them as well.""As if you'd do that." Gregory scoffed, looking away.A tense silence spread between the two men. Just as Dominic thought Gregory wouldn't say anythi
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 168
"Sweetheart, you're not old." Dominic pinched Hannah's delicate cheek. "You're only 27 and in your prime!""Is this how you treat them as well?" Hannah countered, her tone devoid of emotion.Dominic paused. "'Them'?""Do you call the other women 'sweetheart' if they please you too?" Hannah didn't ask this aloud, not that she planned to, lest she embarrass herself.The flush across her cheeks gradually waned as she calmed down. She shoved Dominic away and urged, "Why aren't you leaving?"However, Dominic's lips curled as he pinned her down, sturdy as a mountain. He even pressed his lips close to her ear and murmured, "I'll stay a little longer to boost our chances of getting pregnant."Hannah fell speechless. Dominic seemed intent on—if not borderline obsessed with—knocking her up.In the past, he'd used protection all the time and even went the extra mile to clean up the trash. He was extremely cautious so as not to create trouble for himself.But everything changed after Hanna
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 167
"Of course not," Hannah said with a smile, not a single crack in her expression. "Do I look like someone who goes back on her word? I'm not even pregnant yet. Once I am, I'll stop working."Dominic narrowed his eyes. "Are you questioning my efficiency?"Hannah was stunned for a moment, thrown off by how fast he'd jumped to that conclusion.He took her pause as silent agreement. With a smirk, he reached over and pinched her cheek. "Don't worry. I'll show you exactly what efficiency means."The moment the light turned green, he shifted his gaze back to the road and hit the gas. The Bentley shot forward like a bullet.As soon as they reached his apartment, even before stepping through the door, Dominic grabbed her wrist and pulled her close. He cupped her chin and lowered his head to kiss her lips.Hannah's eyes widened for a second in surprise. But soon enough, she responded to him.The heat between them rose fast. Hannah, caught in his demanding rhythm, struggled to catch her bre
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
