Chapter 1 Business Trip

After ending a three-month business trip early, Chloe Johnson headed straight to Jake Cooper's apartment, excited to surprise him. Just as she entered her fingerprint and opened the door, her smile froze and her heart sank. There were clothes scattered everywhere from the entrance to the living room, and there were even suggestive noises coming from the bedroom. She was being cheated on! When the realization hit her, Chloe's blood turned cold as she walked step by step toward the source of the sounds. The people in the room were shocked to find someone standing at the door of the bedroom and quickly grabbed a nearby blanket to cover themselves. Seeing the two panicking, Chloe's mind went blank. Her stomach churned and she felt nauseous. She had thought of all the bad outcomes, but she never imagined that Jake would cheat on her with her half-sister! She forced herself to calm down and said, "I demand an explanation." "Coco…" Jake could not meet her gaze and took a deep breath. "You're great, but Ava is more suitable for me." In terms of personality and background, Ava was impeccable. She was gentle and sexy, not to mention that she could also help him in his career. As for Chloe, she refused to have sex with him and was despised by the Johnsons. The differences between them were so significant that it was clear whom he would select. Chloe's eyes were red as she fixed her gaze on this man who had been pursuing her since high school. She felt like a joke. "Coco, I'm so sorry," Ava chimed in, her face filled with tears. "I just love Jake too much. This is all my fault. Please don't be mad at him." "Don't say that, Ava. This isn't your fault. I've wanted to break up with Chloe for a long time. I just haven’t had the chance because she’s been so busy with work," Jake said, shielding Ava behind his back. "Actually, Ava and I are about to get engaged. Coco, we should just let each other go and—" Smack! Chloe slapped Jake so hard that her hand went numb. Caught off guard, Jake quickly regained his composure and roared, "Are you crazy?!" "Yes, I'm crazy! That's why I became your girlfriend!" Chloe clenched her fists, her nails digging into her flesh. With a sneer and a cold glint in her eyes, she looked at Ava and said, "Don't be sorry. I should thank you for helping me expose this scumbag. You can have him." Hearing what she said, tears welled up in Ava's eyes. She did her best to hold them back as if she was the one who had been wronged. "You don’t have to act brave, Coco. I know you must feel terrible right now." Chloe's lips curved in a mocking smile as she said, "So? Is it exciting to sleep with your little sister's boyfriend, huh? An apple doesn't fall far from the tree. You're just like your mother. Both of you are shameless homewreckers who destroy other people's families!" She did not want to waste any more of her time with them. She threw the gift she had bought into the trash and left, taking a taxi to Emily Patel’s place. Seeing Chloe’s miserable expression, Emily, her best friend, asked, "Did you have a fight with Jake?" "No. He dumped me," she replied, gritting her teeth in hatred. Emily was so shocked that her jaw dropped. After all, it took Jake a lot of effort to win over Chloe so if anyone was going to end the relationship, it should have been Chloe. "What happened?" Chloe recounted the events and Emily remained silent for a while before saying, "Could it be that Jake is interested in Ava because she's your parents' favorite child? So he…" Others might not have been aware, but Emily knew all too well. Karen Smith, Ava's mother, had been influencing their father, Benjamin Johnson, by whispering in his ear at night. As a result, the Johnsons provided Ava with the best resources while burdening Chloe with the most challenging and arduous tasks. This included the recent three-month, high-pressured business trip abroad. Chloe's eyelashes were wet with tears as she curled up in a corner, holding her head. "Maybe… but I'm too tired to think about that right now." Emily could not bear to see her friend in such a dejected state. She grabbed Chloe’s hand and led her outside. Chloe looked up at her in confusion. "Where are we going?" "We're going to celebrate that you're single and available again! A jerk like Jake doesn't deserve you!" Emily led Chloe to a bar. After three rounds of beer, Chloe's face was now tinted with a rosy hue, rendering her appearance all the more captivating. "I need to go to the washroom." Emily was worried about her friend in this state so she put down her glass. "I'll come with you." When Chloe stepped out of the washroom, she noticed Emily staring intently in one direction. "Did you spot a handsome guy?" she asked casually. Emily nodded solemnly. "Yes, I did." "In that case, I'll just go back to drinking," Chloe said. "Wait. Aren’t you curious? He's not just any ordinary handsome guy. It’s Jake’s uncle—his mother’s younger brother." Chloe was stunned. "His mother’s younger brother? Isn't he overseas?" She had heard of Jake’s uncle before. He was a cookie-cutter rich and handsome man. At the age of twenty-eight, he owned several companies abroad. He was much wealthier than all the Coopers combined. It was said that half of the investments under the Cooper projects were brought in by this man. "Apparently, he came back recently because of work," Emily said, pointing to the high-end booth. Chloe vowed that she had never laid her eyes on a man as strikingly handsome as him before. His side profile alone was sufficient to overshadow the most renowned male celebrities in terms of looks, not to mention the noble and aloof atmosphere he emanated. It would not be an overstatement to claim that his piercing gaze had the power to slay a person. If there was a word to describe him, it would be “perfect.” He made the man sitting opposite him, who initially looked pretty handsome, seem mediocre. Perhaps Chloe's gaze was too intense. The man suddenly looked up and met her eyes. At that moment, a bold idea sprang into Chloe's mind.