NovelEnglish
Chapter 128 A Dowry Is a Woman’s Pre-marital Asset
“I’m going home!”
“Ah, what a coincidence. Shall we?”
Chloe took a deep breath, mustering a smile as she said, “Joseph, are you trying to prevent me from
leaving because you desire my body?”
“Hah, can’t I use the same excuse on you? After all, you didn’t resist, and it seemed like were enjoying
it,” Joseph retorted.
Chloe was momentarily speechless, taken aback by his quick-witted response. Feeling at mixture of
embarrassment and frustration, she found him shamelessly clever. She grinned and countered, “Yes.
After all, you were the one who took the initiative this time.”
you
Upon hearing her words, a fleeting expression of unease crossed Joseph’s usually composed and
handsome face, and he let out a light snort. “As you wish.”
In this verbal skirmish, neither of them emerged as the clear victor.
Chloe shot him a fierce glare before retreating to the office restroom to compose herself. In front of the
mirror, her face bloomed like a peach blossom, her eyes shimmering with moisture. The collar of her
clothes had shifted slightly, and the smudged lipstick on her lips. exuded a subtle allure that was
difficult to define.
Feeling a mix of shyness and anger, Chloe swiftly reached for a tissue and wiped off her lipstick. She
lingered in the restroom for a while, collecting her thoughts, before finally coming out.
Standing by the window, Joseph’s gaze swept over her face. He walked toward her with confident
strides, teasingly remarking, “I thought you had moved in there for good.”
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtChloe rolled her eyes in exasperation. “You’re really annoying to talk to.”
Despite his handsome face, she could not fathom why he could not utter a single kind word.
Joseph paused for a moment, a mocking smile tugging at his lips. “So, who would you rather choose?
Me or Icarus?”
Chloe found his question absurd and chose to ignore it, pushing the door open without a response.
At the entrance, she noticed a box of pastries with familiar packaging from the cafe downstairs. It was
undoubtedly bought by Lucas. She glanced outside and inquired, “Where’s Lucas?”
Joseph responded in a hushed tone, “He’s afraid of interrupting us, so he left.”
Chloe silently rolled her eyes once again, refraining from further comment.
The lights in the Cooper residence shone brightly that night.
Jake clutched Icarus’ hand tightly and pleaded in a bitter tone, “Uncle, why do you believe in Chloe, a
stranger, instead of trusting me? Ava is about to hand over her dowry to me. She’s not the person you
imagine her to be. Those chat records are all fabricated.”
Icarus gazed at his stubbornly oblivious nephew with an indescribable sense of
disappointment. “You may see Chloe as a stranger, but have you ever considered that she was once
someone you wholeheartedly cared for?”
Embarrassment washed over Jake’s face. “Perhaps I used the wrong words, but Uncle, please don’t
show those screenshots to my parents. I’ll have my own company soon. I beg you, please.
”
This was Jake’s sole opportunity to inherit the family fortune. If he could successfully manage his own
company, his father might entrust the family’s businesses to him too.
However, he could not comprehend why Chloe would single him out in this way. If her feelings for him
had changed from love to hate, she should have silently supported him instead of acting in such a
manner.
“You’re willing to put up with Ava’s infidelity and allow her to make you look like a fool just for the sake
of personal gain?” Icarus angrily rebuked, “Even if you can overlook it, I can’t associate myself with
someone of that nature.”
After uttering those words, he pushed Jake away, determined to confront Jake’s mother about the
situation.
Witnessing this, Jake immediately dropped to his knees before Icarus. “Uncle, please don’t go. If you
tell my mother, she’ll force me to break up with Ava. Ava has promised to transfer the money to me
tomorrow. I just need one more night. Tomorrow. Tomorrow will be sufficient. I’ll make you believe
wholeheartedly that our love is genuine.”
Since Jake entered university, Icarus had rarely meddled in his personal affairs. He believed that his
nephew possessed solid values, albeit a strong desire for fame and accomplishment. Now it seemed
that he had overestimated his nephew.
Relying on others as a means to achieve success in his career was a futile endeavor destined for
failure.
“Do as you wish. Don’t come crying to me when things go south,” Icarus uttered icily before storming
out, the sound of the slamming door echoing through the room.
Caught in a bewildered haze, Jake stood frozen, losing all sense of time. The ache in his knees grew
more pronounced, and he gingerly rose to his feet, relying on the support of the ground. Discomfort
permeated his heart as he aimlessly wandered through the courtyard, seeking solace and clarity for his
troubled mind.
Coincidentally, Jamie Cooper, Jake’s younger brother, who had just returned home, spotted him and
approached with a friendly demeanor. “Jake, why are you still up at this hour? Is something bothering
you?”
“No need to concern yourself,” Jake replied dismissively, not in the mood for conversation.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“I’m just looking out for you,” Jamie replied, rolling his eyes. “Hey, did Ava send you the money? Dad
has everything lined up with our business partners for next quarter, and theyxo.com fast update’ll
be counting on you. Make sure you don’t mess it up at the last minute.”
“You can trust that I’ll handle it just fine. Focus on your own matters,” Jake retorted.
Jamie chuckled, a hint of disdain crossing his eyes.
‘Disgusting. Relying on others is nothing to be proud of.”
The next day, Jake, barely having made it through the night, immediately went to the Johnsons.
To his surprise, Ava wore a remorseful expression as she delivered the news, “Jake, Daddy informed
me that all the family’s money has been invested in a project. I can’t help you.” Jake stood there
dumbfounded. “Even your dowry?”
Ava hesitated for a moment before reluctantly replying, “Yes.”
“How is that possible?”
They had only been engaged for less than half a month, and Benjamin had transferred the dowry to
Ava on the day of their engagement. It seemed implausible that they had found a suitable project and
invested the money within such a short period.
‘Unless,’ Jake speculated, ‘the Johnsons had orchestrated this long before our engagement took
place.’
“It’s true,” Ava admitted, her voice filled with guilt and helplessness. “You know that father holds all the
power in my family.”
my
Jake grabbed his hair in frustration. “Everything took a sudden turn from what we agreed on. What am I
supposed to do now?”
“Jake, I really want to help you, but it’s not as simple as you think. You should understand that a dowry
is considered a woman’s pre-marital assets.”
Upon hearing her words, realization dawned on Jake, and he blurted out, “So you never had any
intention of helping me from the beginning
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