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Chapter 40
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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
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 47
"What's going on in your head all day?" Ten minutes earlier, as soon as Lena and Anathea had arrived at Aetherbrook Hotel, the manager berated them without hesitation. "Didn't I tell you to replace the flower arrangements in the private suite with the freshest ones by this afternoon? Look at the time now! Do you have any idea how late it is?"Lena adjusted her black-framed glasses and mumbled, "But… you sent a message saying it was for tomorrow afternoon…"Moreover, the schedule had undergone several changes. Just when they had finally agreed on a time, it d been unexpectedly shifted to this afternoon. By the time Lena had completed her other responsibilities and noticed the message, she felt overwhelmed.The manager pointed at her angrily. "You still dare to argue?" Frightened by his aggressive demeanor, Lena instinctively hid behind Anathea. "That's enough. Instead of wasting time here, we should replace the wilted flowers before the guests notice. Otherwise, if they bring
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 48
Theo glanced at Anathea, who was trimming the flower branches, and let out a light chuckle. "Treasure? I don't think so. She just used some underhanded tricks to get Gregory to marry her, that's all. And she's quite the restless one. Otherwise, she'd be staying at home instead of coming out here to be an eyesore. Who knows if it's intentional or just coincidental?" There was a faint trace of mockery in his tone.Hearing this, Anathea paused momentarily before snipping off another branch.The others barely grasped Theo's words and turned to look at Gregory. Yet, Gregory's expression remained calm as he continued playing the game.Seeing Gregory's indifference, Theo took the opportunity to add, "Gregory, you should just divorce that scheming woman. What's so great about her, huh? Everyone knows Ms. Whitman is a much better match for you—"Before he could finish, Gregory calmly laid down his hand. "Royal flush." "Fuck! You were just waiting for me to take the bait, weren't you
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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
