Chapter 784 Give Me a Kiss

Noah stared intently at Chloe, not uttering a word. His eyes dissected her, trying to assess the truth

of her words. After what felt like an eternity, he leaned toward her with an unreadable expression on

his face. "Coco, how about you tell me the truth?”

Putting in so much effort to remain composed, Chloe did not notice the cold sweat seeping down

her back. She met his intense gaze, attempting to hold her ground as she retorted, "This is the truth.

Don't you trust me?"

"You're not the kind of person to backtrack unless you encounter an unexpected issue while

executing your plans."

"Isn't fear of marriage an issue?" Chloe looked at him with a hurt expression, keeping her voice soft

and delicate, evoking his urge to protect her. "If Grandfather can't understand me, at least you

should..."

Noah’s heart ached as he embraced her. His tone had visibly softened as he asked, "Then why did

you go to Fairlight this morning?"

"I went to see Joseph about arranging a time to visit Harold before getting married. Harold has

always been good to me and treats me like family. It's only right to let him know about the marriage."

Chloe leaned stiffly against his chest, feeling utterly uncomfortable. She had no choice but to use

Harold as a cover, even though it sounded far-fetched.

"Why didn’t you just call Harold directly?" Noah's eyes darkened slightly.

"He doesn't have a phone, and I've long deleted the landline number for the mansion." Chloe then

changed the subject. She pretended to be curious and asked, "I heard from Jasper that he came to

Exotic Star to visit me?"

"Yes.” Noah did not deny it. "A little child couldn't possibly have come on his own. I presumed it was

Joseph's doing, so I refused on your behalf to avoid trouble." His words were rational, considerate,

and thoughtful.

"Will you please have the helper continue preparing medicine for Vanya?” Chloe's eyes sparkled.

"Saving a life brings good karma. Though she has committed grave sins, she has paid the price. If

we help her, it’ll serve as an opportunity for us to accumulate good karma."

Noah pondered for a few seconds before a mischievous smile crept onto his lips. "Before I do that,

give me a kiss."

Stunned, Chloe's fair cheeks flushed a deep crimson. She froze, unsure of how to react.

"I..."

"Don't you want to?"

"I'm not sure I’m ready for that... I'm sorry."

Seeing her reaction, Noah's eyes darkened. He lowered his head and planted a soft kiss on her

cheek. As his lips grazed her skin, she quickly backed away. She nearly stumbled, her panic

reaching its peak.

"You're that averse to me, huh?" Noah's voice was tinged with disappointment.

Her eyes went wide as she covered the spot he had kissed, unable to find the words to say. She

wanted to say she was not and that it was just her instinct reflexes.

"Forget it. I have my answer. You don't have to explain anything," Noah said as he turned and

walked away, his slender figure resembling that of a pitiful wounded animal.

Chloe felt a fleeting moment of guilt before quickly regaining her composure. What was most

important right now was finding out the truth. If she had misunderstood him, she would make

amends. But if her suspicions were proven true, she would not hold back.

*

When Chloe got to her room, she received a message from Joseph.

[9 tomorrow morning at the breakfast joint near Jas' school. See you there.]

She sat on the edge of the bed, pondering over the message for a long time. Should she go? For

the sake of her child, she wanted to be selfish but Joseph’s mother had spent over a decade trying

to escape Duskfall’s clutches. She knew she would be jeopardizing everything, potentially causing

Joseph’s mother to repeat her tragic past. Joseph would come to hate her, and so would Jasper.

The image of Jasper's face surfaced in Chloe's mind, stirring up ripples in her heart.