Chapter 198

Chapter 198 Do You Love Money or Me?

Chloe glanced at Lucas awkwardly. “It’s okay. I’ll just stand.”

They were at the office right now, and it was necessary to maintain proper decorum, especially with

others present.

Joseph’s gaze sharply swept across the room, and Lucas immediately grasped the signal. “I’ll be

leaving now,” he said.

Chloe was speechless. ‘Oh well, guess I’ll just go ahead and sit then. It’s not like it’s the first time

anyway. I’ll consider it a free cushion.‘

As she settled into Joseph’s lap and adjusted her position, a thought crossed her mind. She turned

back to Joseph and remarked, “Make sure not your belt doesn’t poke me this time.

A hint of crimson graced Joseph’s handsome face as he retorted in a low voice, “Shut up.”

Chloe pursed her lips. She had noticed that whenever Joseph could not come up with a response, he

resorted to telling her to shut up.

He lightly clicked his mouse, and the surveillance footage from outside the marketing department the

previous night appeared on the screen.

Around ten o’clock, Ellie had stealthily made her way to the vicinity of the department. She brought her

own lock to secure the door and took advantage of a moment when the security guard was on patrol to

cut off the power in the office. In the darkness, she excitedly played a song on her phone and took

great pleasure in hearing Chloe’s screams. She laughed gleefully, taking great pleasure in Chloe’s

misfortune.

*

After watching the entire process, Chloe was infuriated, her teeth itching with frustration. No wonder

she had a constant feeling that someone was lurking outside the door yesterday. It was not just her

imagination. It was real. Ellie had been outside the department!

Apart from their competitive relationship, there were no personal grievances or conflicts between them.

Chloe could not fathom why Ellie would do this to her. Fixating her gaze on Joseph’s hand, she

pressed her lips together. “Could Ellie be the one who placed the safety pin inside the folder that time?”

Joseph did not say anything, his eyes remaining calm and unwavering as he said, “In any case, I trust

you.”

Being inherently naive and kind–hearted, Chloe was often the one who fell victim to exploitation. She

was never someone who would take advantage of others.

‘In any case, I trust you.‘

A warm feeling welled up within Chloe, and inexplicably, a fluttering sensation stirred in the depths of

her stomach. The sensation of being trusted by someone was a comforting one, and Chloe could not

help but feel that this man had the ability to speak kind words, on occasion.

“So what do you plan to do with her next?” Chloe asked.

Planting safety pins and pretending to be a ghost were not grave offenses, but they were not innocent

pranks either. Normal people would not engage in such actions. However, if

Ellie were to disclose confidential company information, the consequences would be severe. It could

lead to her being fired, substantial financial liability to compensate for the company’s losses, and even

legal disputes.

But Ellie was not foolish enough to endanger herself for a minor favor from Baxon. In the whole of

Aesper and even Docwood, Fairlight was among the few prestigious corporations offering fame and

fortune. Remaining here and working diligently would pave the way for limitless opportunities. Chloe

doubted Ellie had any intentions of seeking alternative employment.

As such, Chloe was certain that Ellie was targeting her.

Joseph enclosed Chloe within his embrace, resting his chin on her shoulder and playfully nuzzling

against her neck. “You don’t need to do anything. Just take the money and go back to work.”

If Ellie harbored ill intentions, she would surely take action. upon seeing the money.

Joseph’s sudden movement brought them closer, his breath gently grazing Chloe’s neck, creating a

tingling sensation that tickled her. Her body tensed up as she tried her best to ignore this peculiar

feeling.

“An eye for an eye?” she asked.

“Not bad.”

“What do you mean by not bad?”

“You’re not that stupid after all.”

“I’m leaving.”

After freeing herself from his embrace, Chloe cast a glance at the pile of money on the table, her voice

slow and hesitant as she asked, “Is this money just for show, or is it a genuine reward for me?”

Since Ellie had boasted after receiving 3 thousand dollars, she would surely be infuriated when she

saw Chloe returning with

ten times that amount.

With his ten fingers crossed over his chest, Joseph raised an eyebrow and playfully teased, “Will you

still act unreasonably in the future?”

‘What does he mean by that? Does it mean that I can receive more money as long as I don’t act out of

line?‘

Chloe vigorously shook her head, her face beaming and her eyes shining with an almost dazzling

intensity. She said, “No, I won’t. I promise. From now on, I’ll follow your every word, Jojo. If you tell me

to go west, I won’t go east!”

Joseph did not know why but he did not like this. His cold gaze fell upon her, his doubt evident as he

asked, “Do you love money or do you love me?”

‘Isn’t that obvious? Of course, I love money!‘

That was what Chloe thought deep down, but she looked at Joseph with sincere eyes and spoke in a

sweet, obedient tone, Of course, it’s you, Jojo. You hold a special place in my heart. Nothing and no

one can compare to you. My heart belongs to you and you alone.”

II

“Then why did your eyes light up when I gave you money?”

“Because this money is from you. It signifies your care and

protection for me. You knew I was frightened last night and feeling down, so you compensated me to

make me happy.”

Joseph found her answer satisfactory. He nodded slightly, expressing his approval. “Good girl.” As long

as she recognized his kindness, it was enough for him.

Chloe clutched the stack of money before leaving, but then Joseph suddenly asked, “Are you in need

of money?”

“Not really.” She did not lack money. What she lacked was the money to pay him back. After she had

earned enough money, she would stand on equal footing with him.

“What about the supplementary card I gave you?”

“It’s still with me.”

“If you need money, you can withdraw from that card.”

Chloe shook her head and looked down at the money in her arms. “It’s different. This is money I earned

through my own efforts. It gives me a sense of accomplishment.” Besides, she could not possibly use

the money from Joseph’s

supplementary card to repay him. It felt somewhat unethical.

With so much money in her hands and also carrying a folder, Chloe found it difficult to handle them all.

Lucas offered to help her take them back to her workstation.

“Thank you.”

Along the way, Lucas carefully considered his words before saying, “Ms. Chloe, I risk offending you by

saying this, but there’s something I really want to tell you.”