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Chapter 48
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Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 49
That was the exact response Theo had been waiting for. His gaze swept over Lena and Anathea with amusement. "Oh? What do I want? Thanks to your flower arrangement, my luck's been wrecked, and I've lost millions. So tell me. How exactly do you plan on making up for my loss?"When Lena heard "millions," her fingers clenched and trembled. She could never make that kind of money, yet Theo had just blown it in a few rounds of poker. "I… I don't know."She truly had no idea. If he expected her to repay him, that wasn't possible."Don't know?" Theo chuckled lightly, then turned to those escorts. "What do you all think? How should we handle this?" The escorts exchanged glances, their lips curling into playful smiles. In a teasing tone, one of them cooed, "Mr. Harrington, what's the fun in just playing cards? Why not have a drink instead?" "Great idea!" Theo exclaimed, signaling someone to bring the drinks. Red and white wine were mixed together in a delightful blend, overflowing into
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 50
Theo's smile was faint, but it held the cold cruelty of a devil. He loomed over Lena, watching her condescendingly."I..." Lena's voice trembled so badly it barely formed words. Her legs threatened to give out.However, Theo wasn't about to let up. He dragged out each syllable, his smirk deepening. "Are you drinking or not?" The other escorts, clearly enjoying the spectacle, urged her. "Come on, answer! Are you drinking or not?" Lena's face burned red, then drained pale. The pressure and the fear all became too much. A dizzying wave of panic washed over her, and she collapsed.Anathea reacted instantly, catching her just before she hit the ground. "Lena!"Lena's face was streaked with tears. "It's over… Nat, I'm done…" It wasn't just the scorpions that terrified her. She was also allergic to alcohol. Drinking that would be a death sentence. Adrian watched the scene unfold, unease creeping into his expression. He was just about to step in and put a stop to Theo's game when
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 51
"Theo, that's enough." Gregory's voice was devoid of emotion. Yet, there was no room for negotiation.Upon hearing it, everyone turned to look at him, surprise flickering across their faces. Gregory had never cared about anyone else's well-being. However, he'd just intervened to stop this.Theo froze for a moment, feeling complicated. He'd never expected Gregory to ultimately help Anathea. In the past, Gregory had never once hidden his contempt for Anathea. Theo still couldn't believe that Gregory would step in.Anathea was somewhat surprised when she heard Gregory's words. However, she still didn't put down the wine glass. As long as she finished this last glass, she would receive three million dollars, which was enough to cover Fiona's medical expenses. Thus, after just a brief pause, Anathea tightened her grip on the glass and raised her head. But in the next moment, a tall and imposing figure stepped in front of her. A strong hand grasped her wrist and snatched the glass a
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 52
"No, I can't leave!" Anathea refused, clutching onto the sink. Her voice was hoarse due to the alcohol. "I have to go back. I haven't finished drinking…""Anathea! Do you love drinking that much?" Gregory's voice turned cold. The moment he heard she wanted to go back for more drinks, a surge of anger welled up in his chest.Anathea shook her head. She didn't love alcohol—she just couldn't bear to watch the three million slip through her fingers. "Three million…""Three million?" Gregory let out a sharp laugh.He grabbed her wrist and yanked her toward him, gripping her chin. "Are you really that desperate for money?"He prided himself on not mistreating her financially. Sure, he hadn't given her an excessive amount because in his mind, the fact that he'd agreed to marry her was already more than generous.She had no right to ask for more. But he'd never deprived her either. Everything she ate, wore, and lived on was up to the standards of a wealthy wife.And yet, she'd stooped t
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 53
Anathea froze for a moment. Did Gregory just say he would give her three million?But when her gaze met his deep, unreadable eyes, a faint tremor ran through her chest.She knew very well that Gregory was a businessman who only dealt in profit and loss. If she wanted something from him, there would always be a price to pay. And that price…Gregory's eyes were like those of a hawk; he looked at her as though she were prey. But Anathea had no other choice."I'll give you five seconds to decide."The faucet dripped, each droplet echoing like a hammer against her heart."Yes," Anathea said, her voice barely a whisper. It was a difficult decision. Gregory let out a mocking laugh, amusement filling his eyes.She didn't need him to tell her what to do next as she drew back her hand from his chest and slowly reached out to him.Seeing her slightly trembling fingers, Gregory curled his lips and yanked off his tie. He grabbed her wrists and bound both of her hands together, giving her
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 54
Gregory pulled the blanket over Anathea's exposed shoulder before getting up. He stepped over the pile of clothes on the floor, walking toward the living room.Just as he was about to sit down, there was a knock at the door, followed by Theo's voice. "Gregory!"Gregory opened the door for him.The moment Theo saw the scratch marks peeking out from under Gregory's loosely draped robe, he clicked his tongue. "It seems you had an intense time.""If you have something to say, just say it." Gregory wasn't in the mood to waste time, especially since he'd already caught the emotions flickering in Theo's eyes—undeniable resentment and frustration."Why did you help her? You never used to be like this.""That's none of your business," Gregory replied flatly. He didn't owe anyone an explanation, least of all for this. Besides, he himself wasn't entirely sure why he'd spoken up for Anathea in the first place.And now that he had, he'd undoubtedly drawn suspicion from Adrian and the others
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 55
Anathea woke up feeling parched.The heat coursing through her body made her feel like a fish stranded onshore, gasping for water. Every inch of her body ached as if it had been taken apart and put back together again.She struggled to open her eyes, and when she realized Gregory was no longer there, the tension inside her loosened just a little.As she propped herself up, the blanket slid down to her waist. That was when she noticed there wasn't a single unmarked spot on her body.She didn't care. Her gaze fell on the nightstand to find a check for three million there, down to the last cent. There wasn't a penny more. It was as if he was telling her that was exactly what she was worth.Anathea curled her lips slightly. At the very least, Gregory kept his word.To him, three million was nothing. It was just like every check he'd ever given her before—nothing more than a payment after he used her to satisfy himself.Still, Anathea took the check without hesitation. For the sake o
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 56
Anathea felt a chill all over her body, and it only eased a little with the help of a hot shower. After she'd changed into the new clothes, she headed straight to the hospital.Once she paid off the remaining three million in medical expenses and confirmed the surgery date, Anathea finally let out a sigh of relief, as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. "I'll be counting on you for the surgery, Dr. Peltz.""Rest assured, Ms. Jacobson. We'll do our best," Carl replied solemnly. "Mrs. Jacobson is awake now. Would you like to see her?"Ever since Fiona had started receiving the injections, her condition had slightly improved. At that moment, she was sipping the nourishing soup the nurse had brought her. When she saw Anathea at the door, she smiled and waved her over. "You're here.""Hi, Mom." Anathea smiled faintly. But the moment she noticed the thick IV catheter still in Fiona's wrist, her nose stung. "Does it hurt?""Not at all. Don't worry." Fiona raised her hand to
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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
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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
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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
