Chapter 769 I Do Love Him

Chad was skeptical of her enthusiasm. "Since when did you become so helpful?"

He recalled her always giving him the cold shoulder as if he had mistreated her. To him, what

happened between them back then had been consensual, and he never made any promises to be

responsible for her. There was no way he would marry the child of a mere chauffeur and become

the subject of ridicule.

Smirking, Clara replied, "I've always been helpful.” She leaned into Chad's ear and whispered

something to him.

*

Seated side by side, Joseph and Chloe could catch each other's familiar scent. Their close

proximity created an ambiguous atmosphere.

A waiter brought two cocktails and placed them before the pair. Joseph glanced at them and said in

a deep voice, "Replace them with fruit juice. She doesn't drink alcohol."

"Right away, sir."

Chloe chuckled and rested her cheek on her hand. "Are you pretending to be a caring soul now?"

All men were the same. They only regretted the things they had after losing it. He could have

cherished the relationship while they were together instead of letting it slip away.

"I'm just concerned for you," Joseph replied sincerely.

"Hah." Chloe clicked her tongue.

"How’s Vanya?"

"She needs to be on a continuous IV drip for a week to expel the toxins. Don't you have Zoelle's

number? Why don’t you just ask her directly?"

Joseph's eyes sparkled. He leaned forward, narrowing the distance between them, and asked, "Are

you jealous?"

Staring at his stunningly handsome face that was right in front of her, Chloe found herself at a loss

for words. Under normal circumstances, a mere glance from him would send tingles down her entire

body, and now, with his affectionate gaze boring into her, she felt even more entranced.

She remained silent for a while before leaning backward and replying, "Is that a joke? It’s not funny."

Why would she be jealous? After all, in her heart, he was barely worthy of being called an ex-

husband.

Joseph’s thin lips pressed together as he gripped Chloe's cheeks, forcing her to look at him. "I'm not

joking. Chloe, after all this time, have you not thought about me at all?"

He refused to believe that their feelings for each other had truly disappeared. If that were the case,

why did she only get engaged to Noah after five years? Why did she reluctantly agree to it only after

returning to the country?

Meeting his gaze, Chloe smiled brightly. "I only feel hatred toward you, so stop deluding yourself."

His pupils contracted. He knew that she was telling the truth. An uncontrollable pain surged within

his chest and spread throughout his entire body.

Chloe arrogantly raised her chin as she stared at him, but her satisfaction was short-lived and soon

left her devoid of any real happiness.

"Hating me is only natural. I deserve it," Joseph said as he lit a cigarette. He took a deep drag, and

the embers flickered. He chuckled self-mockingly and continued, "I'll spend my whole life making up

for my past mistakes. If you don't like Noah, then don't marry him. Marrying someone you don't love

won't lead to happiness."

"I do love him," Chloe lied.

Joseph’s hand trembled and some ashes from the cigarette fell onto him. He pretended not to

notice, maintaining his composure as his jaw tightened. Chloe felt the atmosphere becoming stifling

and oppressive, so she got up to promote Exotic Star’s wares to the wealthy ladies.

"Sit down." Joseph pulled her back and snatched her purse from her.

"That’s mine! Get your hands off it!"

Upon seeing the precious jewels inside, he guessed her intentions and laughed out of frustration.

While he was trying to have a heart-to-heart conversation with her, her mind was fully occupied with

business matters.

"Do you think I can't afford these?" Joseph took out one of the pieces. It was a large purple diamond

with a dazzling luster that even a layman could tell was no ordinary item.

Chloe stared at his hand. The diamond seemed to be a perfect accessory in his slender fingers.

Suddenly, an ingenious idea flashed through her mind.

"You said you want to make it up to me, right? Well, actions speak louder than words, so how about

some action?"

Joseph's face sank. "I'm a businessman, not an actor."

"Who says a businessman can't also be a model? As long as it holds value, it works," Chloe urged.

Joseph might be despicable, but there was no denying that his looks overshadowed many popular

actors. If he became a salesman, his performance numbers would undoubtedly soar.

"You’d best forget about it. I’m not—"

But before Joseph could finish his sentence, Chloe pulled him toward a group of wealthy royals. As

he lowered his gaze, he felt warmth radiating through his palm. His mood brightened, and all his

earlier frustrations vanished. He willingly followed her as they weaved through the crowd.