Chapter 288

Chapter 288 Unburdened by Debt

“You’re overestimating her.”

Joseph paused, his expression complicated.

“Last night’s incident was my fault, but there are no feelings left between us. Even if I were to marry

you officially, it’d be irresponsible of me and would be a waste of your life. If there’s any compensation

you desire, feel free to ask.”

Xavia bit her lip, forcing a smile. “I don’t want any compensation. I just want to stay by your side without

any official status, regardless of love. Please don’t push me away. You know, you’re the only friend I

have left here.”

Joseph nodded in agreement. “I’ll arrange for someone to take care of your daily needs and ensure you

receive proper medical treatment.”

“Thank you. Can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“Are you afraid of wasting my life, or are you unable to let go of Ms. Chloe?”

“Neither.”

Chloe got a hotel room. With some savings in her possession, she could slowly search for a new place

to live. However, it was clear that she could not continue working at Fairlight and needed to find a new

job. On top of that, there was the matter of the 28 million she owed. Joseph.

Pondering her options, Chloe retrieved the jewelry her mother had left behind. After careful

consideration, she chose a few pieces. Her plan was to visit a jewelry store in the next couple of days

to inquire about their value. If they held significant worth, she would use them as collateral to gather

enough funds to repay a portion of what she owed him.

In a daze, Chloe stayed at the hotel for a few days, gradually regaining her composure. Carrying two

gemstone adornments and an imperial topaz ring, she walked into a jewelry store and politely inquired,

“Hello, I’d like to know the potential selling price for these items.”

The salesperson carefully examined the pieces from various angles but seemed unsure. Seeking

guidance, they called the manager over. Even the manager appeared indecisive, until finally, the owner

of the store intervened and swiftly offered a price.

“How about 150 thousand for one piece or 300 thousand for both? Does that sound fair to you?

”

Chloe stood there, stunned. These two seemingly insignificant trinkets, which she considered

to be of lesser value, were being appraised at 150 thousand each. If these items were worth this much,

she wondered about the potential value of the other possessions her mother had left behind. Was her

mother truly that wealthy?

After a brief moment of consideration, Chloe placed the imperial topaz ring on the counter and inquired,

“And how much is this one worth?”

The owner’s eyes sparkled as he examined the ring. “400 thousand.”

Chloe maintained her composure. “How about 450 thousand?” she countered as a smile played on her

lips.

The owner clenched his teeth. “500 thousand, and that’s the highest I can go.”

The store’s accessible cash was only 800 thousand.

Chloe hesitated for a moment. “I can sell it to you for 450 thousand, but let’s consider it

collateral. I’ll buy it back when I have the funds.”

The owner’s expression turned sour. “You can’t use all three items as collateral. Sell me at

least two.”

After some negotiation, the jewelry was sold, and the ring was used as collateral.

“Sir, may I ask how these items are priced in the market?”

“It depends on the quality, age, and craftsmanship. The items you brought would’ve been worth several

tens of thousands twenty years ago. Now, with rising prices, they have appreciated significantly.”

After finishing these matters, Chloe found herself in need of some additional funds, so she approached

Benjamin for help. Reluctantly, he agreed to provide her with the money.

“I heard from Ava that you are connected with Adam Graham. Please reach out to him and finalize the

collaboration. Our hopes for this quarter’s recovery rest on the cooperation with the Graham family.”

Chloe declined, stating, “I don’t know him.”

Benjamin expressed disbelief, saying, “This company will be yours in the future. What harm is there in

helping out now?”

Chloe understood his perspective, but she knew that Adam only calls her “sister” because of Joseph’s

influence. Now that her ties to him had been severed, the Grahams would no longer pay any attention

to her.

In the afternoon, Chloe transferred 30 million to Joseph’s account. Now unburdened by debt,

she felt a profound sense of relief as she carried a lightness in her step. However, on the receiving end,

Joseph’s reaction was far from joyous after receiving the money. He picked up the documents from the

marketing department on his desk and impatiently scanned through

them.

“What is this? Take it back and revise it,” he exclaimed in frustration.

Lucas shrank back and meekly responded, “Sir, Marketing has already made over twenty revisions.”

“I demand results. If they can’t get it right after over a hundred revisions, it’s clear they lack

competence.”

“Well… This proposal was actually handled by Chloe. It might be difficult for others to handle,

Lucas explained.

Joseph’s brows furrowed. “Tell Marketing to call her in and have her deal with it.”

‘Leaving behind a mess, prioritizing personal convenience, and causing trouble for others.’

Chloe swiftly responded to her colleagues’ call for help and arrived at Fairlight in a cab in less than an

hour. Upon seeing her, her colleagues were immediately stirred up, bombarding her with questions and

expressing their confusion over her abrupt resignation.

“Chloe, what are we going to do now that you’re leaving?”

“Yeah, we can’t manage without you. Ms. Wendy still hasn’t returned, and there’s no one to handle the

important meetings.”

“Are you going back to take care of Mr. Joseph’s family and children?”

The mention of Joseph pained Chloe, but she kept her composure. “Let’s not discuss him anymore.”

The others were taken aback, struggling to fully comprehend the situation.

Meanwhile, Chloe took charge of the documents and began diligently making revisions, determined to

address her neglected responsibilities. If she was going to leave, she wanted to ensure a smooth

transition for the person who took over her job.

After two hours of focused work, Chloe finished modifying the documents and delegated the remaining

tasks to her colleagues before preparing to depart.

“Chloe, could you please deliver the documents to Mr. Joseph? We’re all too afraid… One of our

colleagues went earlier today and was absolutely terrified. She returned in tears and wouldn’t stop

crying the whole day…”

Chloe did not desire any interaction with Joseph, but witnessing the distress of her former colleagues

was difficult to bear. Letting out a determined sigh, she reluctantly agreed.