Mag-log inShare
Chapter 63
Kaugnay na kabanata
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 64
"Oh no…" Edward hurriedly picked up the scattered documents.Unable to remember their original order, he simply stacked them neatly and placed them all back on the desk in a rush, as if guilty of some wrongdoing. Then, he left without a second glance.Buried beneath the layers of documents, a corner of the divorce agreement peeked out, with Anathea's signature clearly visible.…Gregory stepped on the gas and sped back to Sinclair Villa."Mr. Sinclair, you're home early today," Cyrus immediately greeted him with a polite smile.Gregory gave a slight nod as he handed Cyrus his coat. "Is she home?"Knowing Gregory was referring to Anathea, Cyrus nodded. "Mrs. Sinclair came home quite early today, but…" He hesitated briefly before deciding to be honest. "She wasn't feeling well and fainted in the living room."Gregory's brows furrowed. "Fainted? She's sick?""Yes, but don't worry. The doctor has already—"Before Cyrus could finish his sentence, Gregory had strode off toward the
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 65
"No need. I can do it myself," Anathea refused.She didn't think she was close enough to Thomas to accept being fed by him.But Thomas didn't seem to mind at all. Instead, he said seriously, "Do you want to burn my hand again before you'll be satisfied, Mrs. Sinclair?"Anathea tensed slightly. She hadn't meant it that way.However, Thomas smiled. "I'm just joking. You're sick, Mrs. Sinclair. As an employee of the Sinclairs, it's my duty to take care of you. So, please have this soup so you can recover faster, okay?"Anathea hesitated for a moment, but then Thomas added pitifully, "My hand was already burned just now, and now my arm's getting sore because I've been holding it up for a long time. Please have a little mercy on me, Mrs. Sinclair."A flicker of guilt flashed through Anathea's eyes. She had no choice but to open her mouth.The soup was mild in flavor but tasted surprisingly good."Is it good?" Thomas asked.Anathea nodded."Then, have some more." Thomas scooped ano
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 66
"Men! Throw him out!" Gregory had no interest in listening to Thomas' nonsense.Hearing that, Cyrus and Jenny rushed in. They each grabbed one of Thomas' arms and dragged him toward the door.Even as he was being hauled away, Thomas refused to give up. "Mr. Sinclair! Why do you have to treat Mrs. Sinclair this way? She's a living, breathing person, not some object for you to trample on and humiliate at will!"His voice grew fainter as he was dragged further away, eventually disappearing down the hallway.Gregory let out a cold chuckle and rubbed the corner of his eye before looking down at Anathea, who was still sitting on the floor.He took a long stride forward, towering over her. "Do you not have anything to say?"Anathea remained silent as she picked up the broken shards from the ground.Seeing her unwillingness to speak, Gregory assumed she was feeling guilty. He crouched in front of her and gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him."What's wrong? You got caught sneaki
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 67
Anathea frowned and replied, "Nowhere!"She had no idea why Thomas had suddenly acted that way, but she knew there was nothing improper between them."Nowhere?" Gregory's smile remained faint, but his thumb slowly moved downward, brushing past the sharp curve of her jaw before stopping at her ear.He played with her earlobe, giving it a teasing squeeze. "How about here?"Anathea's body tensed for a moment as she bit her lower lip. "I told you. Nowhere!""Really?" Gregory's fingers continued downward, slipping beneath her collar."And here?"Anathea knew he was doing it on purpose, and she refused to answer.Gregory didn't care whether she responded or not. His fingers roamed at their own pace, pausing deliberately at each spot as he taunted her, "What about here? Did he touch you here?"Anathea couldn't stop her body from trembling.He was like a patient butcher who meticulously marked the places where he would cut, torturing her again and again.Anathea was on the verge of
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 68
Anathea chuckled coldly in her heart. Then, she adjusted her slightly disheveled collar and got out of bed to find the first aid kit to tend to the cuts on the back of her hand resulting from the shattered pieces.About 20 minutes later, Gregory stepped out of the bathroom, steam swirling around him. His suit had been replaced by dark loungewear.As he dried his hair, his gaze swept toward the bedside. The broken shards and spilled soup had already been cleaned up by the maids, leaving no trace behind.Anathea was nowhere to be seen.Gregory's expression darkened, but he didn't bother looking for her. Instead, he strode straight to his study."Mr. Sinclair, I placed the documents you left in the car on your desk," Cyrus reported respectfully."Alright," Gregory responded briefly.Walking to his desk, he opened the folder. The moment he saw the divorce papers inside, his eyes narrowed slightly.He then pulled out the pages and tore them to shreds without hesitation, tossing them
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 69
Startled, Anathea stepped back, but Gregory pressed against the back of her neck, leaving her no room to retreat."Don't move," he ordered coldly.Anathea pressed her lips together.At such close proximity, the faint scent of cedar mixed with the warmth of his breath brushed against her face.His gaze was fixed on the back of her head as he carefully untangled her hair from the button. He seemed focused, showing no other intention.Only then did Anathea let out a small breath of relief, shifting her eyes away to avoid looking at him."Done."Gregory unfastened the button and brushed her hair aside, revealing the bite mark behind her ear—the one he had left in anger at the hotel.At the time, Anathea had made it clear through her every action that she wanted nothing to do with him. Her defiance had touched a nerve.Gregory narrowed his eyes slightly.Just as he was about to make a move, Anathea suddenly crouched down, slipping out of his grasp before quickly heading toward the
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 70
But at some point, Anathea had stopped doing all of that.Instead, she selectively ignored them.Gregory's hand paused slightly as he cut his steak, his brows knitting together.Just then, his phone rang, but he didn't rush to answer it.Anathea happened to be reaching for food when she unintentionally glanced at his screen.The word "Darling" was displayed on the screen.She had thought she was calm enough, that she had long come to terms with the fact that Gregory loved Natalie instead of her.But when she saw how he had saved Natalie's contact, the food she had just picked up slipped from her utensil and fell onto her plate.She snapped out of it in no time as she picked it up again, continuing to eat as if nothing had happened.Gregory caught her reaction through his peripheral vision.Only then did he pick up his phone, answering the call right in front of Anathea."Yes?" Gregory asked softly.With that kind of tone, Anathea didn't even have to think to know who was on
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 71
Anathea watched Xander, trying to read something from his face.But Xander just blinked at her, his gaze unwavering as he held the cup of water up to her.When she didn't respond, he called again, "Mom?"Anathea snapped out of her thoughts, her expression softening slightly. "Thank you."The water was still warm.She took her medicine with it, and Xander handed her a handkerchief to wipe the water from the corner of her lips.He held the handkerchief, his movements a little clumsy but careful.Anathea was momentarily stunned."All done," Xander said, smiling.These small, thoughtful gestures felt almost unreal to Anathea, so she asked, "Did you have something you wanted to talk to me about, Xander?"At her words, Xander nodded. "Yes!"Anathea's chest tightened as she braced herself for the possibility that he might say something unintentionally hurtful again.After all, at the hospital, he had told her right to her face that he wanted her to divorce Gregory, that he wanted
Pinakabagong kabanata
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
Why the Crocodile Tears? Chapter 169
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
